Being yourself... Always

There are three kinds of people in this world. The first kind is all for going out there and grabbing the olive wreath. These people will do absolutely anything to be successful. The second category includes those people who just don’t understand the word compromise. They’ll always do what they love doing and will care a damn about what others think about them. The third category is left with all the confused souls who really can’t figure out which way to go. They try to sail in two boats at a time – they try to do what it takes to be successful but shy away from attempting completely outrageous things.

Though I pity those who run after the success tag, I do admire the fact that they have a clear purpose that they relentlessly pursue. They meet happiness when they achieve what, according to them, is success. Whether the meeting lasts even after the next finish line is unveiled is a matter of debate. Moreover, is the definition of success set in stone? It is what you define it to be. For some, success means being the best in what you do; for some others it is closely associated with money – lots & lots of it; for some people it means power and for a really small group of people, it just means being happy every single day of the year. 

I’m a diehard fan of those who make it a point to pursue their interests no matter what. I salute those who don’t care about how they are perceived. They understand that perceptions and notions are never solely based on facts. A perception is like a recipe, a very complex one at that. A lot of things like the observed person’s behavior, language, knowledge and also situations go into making this recipe. But there is also a secret ingredient called the observer’s presumption. This ingredient is called a secret ingredient because most of the times the person forming the assumptions doesn’t realize its presence. Sometimes it becomes the core ingredient and yet one can’t even see the difference in the final product - the perception. That’s precisely why perception is called perception. It is what one thinks you are and not what you actually are. 

Having said all that, the only group that deserves attention is the confused lot. These are people who have no idea about what they want in life. They are so bogged down by how others perceive them that they start living a life that is completely devoid of joy. They spend their entire life trying to be what someone else wants them to be.

Living a false life is a dreadful disease that is hard to diagnose. To all those who are afflicted by this disease, please remember if you are not being yourself, no amount of success can give you happiness. Being yourself is the best gift you can give yourself.