The
renowned American writer and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar says that success
means doing the best we can with what we have. So true and meaningful!
Interestingly, resource utilisation is a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for
both the workers and organisations. It reflects how effectively the available
resources are utilised in an optimal manner for achieving the desired results.
Particularly for every Government, optimal utilisation of available resources
is a must to ensure good governance. Anyway, it is desirable to achieve the
best results through whatever resources we have. It also means not to justify
the failures and make hue and cry for not having more or extra resources. In
this light, if you look around closely, you will find many people and
organisations who could have done better, but didn’t only because they focussed
on what they have not instead of focussing on what they really have, which
ironically was sufficient to accomplish the assigned task or duty or project.
Actually, their habit is to count the curses and not the blessings.
On
the individual level, the emotional impulse of “I want more or I want all”
drives many people both in a positive or negative way. Positive thinking pushes
them to act positive consistently. If the goal or desire is bigger, they work
more to the best of their ability to achieve that. On the contrary, some people
think and believe that they should get everything they want without doing
anything. This doesn’t and shouldn’t happen as it is undesirable for those
people as well as for the society. Anyway, we learn good and bad things from
the happenings and the people around us. Now, if we observe that few people
around us enjoy comfort and luxury like having expensive mobile, watch, car,
clothing and what not, some of us also become desirous of having those luxurious
and expensive items. Some young people get crazy and impulsive and put pressure
on their parents to fulfil their desire and keep on nagging until they receive
it. In the meantime, their mind remains engrossed in that and they are seldom
able to concentrate on the basic duties like study, health etc. during that
period. Ironically, they don’t bother to think at least once whether those
things which they are pressing to get are actually necessary or whether those
things are luxury items only to be shown off in order to just compete with some
friends or school mates. Shouldn’t they think at least twice before buying
expensive and luxury items for themselves or others whether it is necessary and
also affordable? It is also painful to observe that some of them become
extremely impulsive and tend to take fatal or suicidal steps when their demands
are not fulfilled due to some extremely valid reasons. Some of them also
indulge in obnoxious activities to satisfy their desire and eventually face
police action. Yes, few people repent after the damage is done and resolve not
to repeat it in future.
It
is also worth contemplating whether there is any end to just showing off and is
there any other gain except momentary pleasure, if any? Undoubtedly, the
disadvantages are many which most of these people know well. Anyway, in
this show off game they are not able to utilise and enjoy what they are already
having. Instead, they start moving in the negative zone and consequently pay a
heavy price in days to come. Now the question is how not to get trapped in this
cycle of negativity?
The
simple and effective way is to prepare the list of most essential things that
you need now. Never ever try to see or compare with the list of others. Now
start ticking those items which you already have. If you have all the items of
the list, thank The Almighty, feel blessed and get back to your work happily.
If you don’t have some items on the list, try to have those items as per your
priority, affordability and the available options. Don’t panic and lose your
balance in any situation. Extremely rarely something very bad can happen, but
surely heaven is not going to fall on your head. In my opinion, it is not
difficult to manage your life with less resources. Of course, it is an art to
manage your life with existing resources intelligently and optimally. In this
context, it is better to read about the life of at least two great sons of our
country namely the former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and former
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. You will get lots of inspiration and
encouragement to ensure better management of resources and to live a more
purposeful life joyfully.
As always, I'm keen to know what you think on this subject. Hence, I request you to post your comments to share your valuable opinion. (hellomilansinha@gmail.com)
# Published in my Sunday Column of "Morning India" daily. # Click here to enjoy my Blog in Hindi, "Chalte, Chalte" (चलते, चलते)
