Life is nothing but a set of contradictions. It plays out seamlessly everyday in our life, testing people’s resolve to stay put despite not always being able to logically decipher and crack the so called ‘code of existence’.
It is a big world out there, but we all live around certain key people who matter to us and thereby restrict ‘our world’. This contradiction forms the basis of our life journey, in which we set out to achieve our larger dreams and aspirations in the big, ‘bad’ world of competition with other humongous number of seekers. This constant pull and pressure between our small world and the larger world, which in a way defines the smaller world, pits humans against one another, desperate to succeed and form synergies. Thus life provides competition, cordiality, individuality, team work, love, hate, content, discontent and so much more all at the same time.
To succeed in such a mad world requires not just skills, but a fabulous temperament defined by our ability to navigate through the muddle of contradictions. Success is not easy, was never meant to be. Hardship in various forms is embedded in the technology of life. If talent alone could get people through to where they want to be, life would be so much easier. But talent is not an exclusive property reserved for just a few. It is embedded within each human being and is always waiting to express itself and explode. The contradiction begins within itself, where despite an embedded abundance, may often struggle through scarcity – of resources, encouragement, healthy relationships, money…
Navigation actually begins within oneself. At the heart of it lies a deep introspection - how we appreciate our own unique context, build awareness about who we are, what works for us, what does not work for us, and our own position in this world. We are seemingly insignificant, yet are constantly engaged in the process of building our importance in and for the world we live in.
Navigation essentially means our ability to survive, thrive, handle tough situations, failures, success points through skilful manoeuvring of the various dynamics which define the limitless canvas of life. While we build a world around us, we are a world in itself. There is so much that goes within each one of us that facing them all by ourselves is scary, overwhelming and intimidating. That’s why healthy relationships lie at the core of our well being, whose foundation is Family.
Forming relationships are relatively easy, but sustaining and nurturing them require intense and constantly engaging navigation. Success after all is defined less by what we achieve, and more by the harmony we establish in our lives, with Navigation being at the centre of the process of life itself.
(Hariharan Iyer is a seasoned Motivational Speaker, Corporate Trainer and Author of multiple management books. His latest release is Off Stump – Life And Management Lessons From Cricket. He is the Founder-Creator of WisdomKeys Learning & Consulting - www.wisdomkeys.com. He is popularly referred to as The Enter-Trainer®. He can be reached on hariharan@thehsse.com).
