Mahatria, in this never-ending chase of achieving one goal after another, there is no peace of mind… And this, is not just at the organization level, at the family level, everywhere it is there. While goals and achievement are important, how can we be peaceful too? What is your advice on that, Mahatria?  

My first advice will be that, Never ask questions as “we”. Because we don’t represent the entire humanity. I run after many things in life, even when I achieve it, I’m all the time thinking about more and more. I think it comes from an individual perspective first.

We cannot stop running after things. It’s nice to speak about contentment. But those who advocate contentment also, are not very contented with the state of the world. 

That’s why they’re working, to change the world. It’s nice to speak about desirelessness. But desirelessness itself is a desire. Life is designed for growth and aspiration. So, all of us will aspire for growth. In fact, the only categorization is people who achieve, and people who become fanatic of other achievers.

There are lot of people who are themselves not achievers in life, they follow celebrities and cricketers and movie stars and somehow turn their success as their success, simulated gratification. 

But everybody, will aspire for growth. So, I don’t think you can stop that. The truth is, when you reach there, there is no there. The truth is every finishing line is the new starting line. But man, to his last breath with every breath, will keep aspiring for growth.

We can talk about a very idealistic state, that probably count a few in the world. But the vast majority is going to go after things in life. Let’s accept that. So, let’s not fight reality.

We are here to be human and let’s be human. But you asked another pertinent thing called peace. That’s where the fallacy is. The fallacy why peace is eluding is, we feel, after I achieve that, I’ll get happiness and peace. There is no after.

We will have to find peace and happiness in the process and not in the results. And that is just a paradigm shift. The way to the picnic should be as enjoyable as the picnic itself. 

Asking the question itself should be a peaceful process. Answering this question must be a peaceful process. Whether you implement this answer or not, suppose I say, the questioner, if he implements this answer and gets transformed, then I’ll be peaceful and happy.

Then I lose my peace and happiness. Journey is life, not destinations. So, once we develop this maturity to see journey as life, process is everything, the way to the picnic must be as enjoyable as the picnic itself. 

So, if you can find peace and happiness in the process, then it’s never going to be eluding. How do I achieve that state? By simply understanding, happiness and peace is not what life gives me. Happiness and peace is what I bring to life.

In everything that I do, like a flower would emit its fragrance, make happiness and peace the very fragrance of your personality, and do everything out of peace and out of happiness, and it will not be eluding anymore. So peacefully, happily, go after things in life.