Two Inspirational Stories that ‘ruined’ my life

There is so much buzz around the word passion these days. ‘Do what you love; love what you do.’ Today I want to write about my affair with the word passion.

My goals and ambitions were always crystal clear. Firstly I wanted to become an Engineer and I became one. Then I wanted to become an MBA. Everything was going fine for me to become an MBA. But today I stand at the center of vicious circles of dilemma knowing not, what to do in my life. How did all this happen? It was 2 years ago when I read those two autobiographies which changed direction of my life forever.

The first is the life of Captain Gopinath, the person who revolutionized low fare fight travel in India through Air Deccan. After his role in liberation of Bangladesh, Gopinath gets posted to Kanchenjunga. He undergoes an emotional-spiritual crisis and no longer wishes to continue in army. His father advices him to continue his job quoting Gita: Niyatam kuru karma twam karma jyayo hyakarmanaha. ”Do thou thy allotted task; for action is superior to inaction”.  I was then in a similar situation. I started to relate myself to Gopinath and started to question purpose of my life. Why did I want to become an MBA? I soon realized it was because of others’ opinions and that I had never sought my own voice. My career plan which once seemed like crystal clear water, now looked like unsettled muck. They were most torturous days of my life. I felt sad for having born the most unfortunate on earth because my heart was not speaking to me when I was searching for my life’s calling. The only consolation was an African proverb which said: “only way out of desert is through it”.

Days later, the biggest lesson of my life dawned upon me: Everyone may not be born fortunate to know his passion. In fact most people do not question at all. But a few, who question, will have to bear the torture of discovering their passion themselves, how Gopinath had done. Let us go back to the story. In such despair Captain roams in interior parts of India and USA hoping to discover something. He finally quits army questioning himself why he should live to impress others. Back in his village, after prolonged soul-searching, a dream of becoming a farmer starts to get shaped in him. His failure in initial years of farming, indebtedness, later innovation and success in farming and sericulture, success in motor business, humiliating defeat in assembly election, rise and fall of Air Deccan makes his story a must read. But read it at your own risk.

Coming back, I decided to explore myself too. I got into teaching. Gopinath says God helps them who help themselves. I explored opportunities in many sectors, ideating and researching. I was not able to zero in on one idea for one or other reason. Then I learnt an important lesson from life of Sir Richard Branson: Just Do It. Live life to the full. To quote him, “I am prepared to try anything once”.  I want to tell just one story from his life, which is filled with risky businesses, deadly adventures and surmounting loans. 

One day Branson gets call from Per Lindstrand asking him if he would join Per in trip across Atlantic in the world’s largest hot-air balloon flying at 30,000 feet. Whoever had tried that stunt before had died. By then Branson’s net worth was already a billion pound. Per explains his plans in detail. Branson finally says “I’ll never understand the theory. I will join you if you answer me this question. Do you have any children?” “Yes, I’ve got two”. Branson says “That’s enough for me. I will take the challenge”. That attitude stuck in mind. We Indians think and plan so much. But when it comes to execution, we back out. I decided to just do one thing. The story continues with that balloon trip where Branson comes so close to death that he writes his last letter to his daughter and wife. But he survives because he does not give up. 

My next one year went working tirelessly, round the clock in building a business from an idea. There were moments when I had to beg someone, for over a month for an appointment, got blasted from tax officials for no mistake, shoed away by watch men, roamed in unthinkable places, lost argument with senior managers. But market did not accept my idea. I learnt the difference between what is maverick and what is marketable, the hard way.   

Now I am back to square-1 where I had begun. What do I do in my life? I remember lines Branson had written to his parents when he had decided to drop out from college. “I see a danger of falling between two stools. Of being failure in everything and having to search for priorities again.” Though it did not come true in Branson’s life, it came true in mine.

Am I sounding like I am going to give up? Definitely no. I remember the lines read from these books. It is not the destination but it is the journey that is the real reward. Do not let sorrow and self-pity bring down your energy. I know that I have been ruined for good. I will soon be onto something new. Finally I would like to rename title of this article to “Two Inspirational Stories that changed my life for good.”  I would like to leave you with lines by Rudyard Kipling: “If you can lose and start again at your beginnings; If you can treat triumph and disasters just the same; yours’ will be the earth my son.”