What does Success mean to You?
This topic is perhaps the most trending topic on the internet and perhaps the most sought-after topic as teenagers enters into youth. Success Mantra here, represents the underlying secret that represents True Success.
Even as man enters family life, he seeks that elusive Success Mantra that shall make him settled once and for all. He tries to do well in his job, after which he shall not hanker or worry about life. Every common man is looking for that security and money that shall make him feel assumedly successful. Some people believe in proving their greatness to others by flaunting their position, possessions, house, car, wealth, relationships as the Success Mantra.
This tendency gets a platform through social media these days. Initially it was rather strenuous as one would have to visit the other’s house and have to speak about oneself. But now, this tendency has become so invasive that it flashes right on our phones with every notification we receive. So, this definition of success is derived not by fulfilment but by igniting envy in the other person.
People go to the extent of claiming things which don’t belong to them. People pose in front of others’ cars just to show that they own that car. Even if they didn’t mean that, unconsciously, their tendency to make others envious drove them to take that photo.
Some people put their old holiday photos where they are chilling abroad or are visiting some palatial restaurant. There is nothing wrong in that. But, the very environment on social media has turned toxic. It has been limited to image building.
These experiences are very common for those people who have a social circle and who depend on social media to judge themselves. Social media is a beautiful world, if at all we know our goal. If we use it to learn we get to learn. But, if we use it to interact, most times it spews venom.
Many people consider that only a specific position in society, or becoming a CEO of a reputed company or chairman of a particular organization can be called Success.
This definition is extremely common in the cities, but is also penetrating in the villages. Children and parents are subjected to a heavy amount of brainwash through advertisements intended to increase greed in people, which in turn translates as sales.
We must be conscious of these marketing gimmicks and try to keep our ambitions under check. This Success Mantra is more to do with a larger society and more professional outlook.
Success Mantra may be different for different people.
As many people, so many definitions. Having said that, there is no mold of success that fits all.
Some people consider inner growth and maturity as the Success Mantra
Some people define their success mantra with the ageing process and physical appearance. Parameters like beauty, weight, height, attraction and recognition in gatherings become their point of reference. Such people are driven by gross manifestations and gestures which hints more towards seeking attention from others.
If we look deeper at this tendency in people, we realize that there is a huge amount of dissatisfaction with oneself. There is a lack of self-confidence and self-contentment due to adopting modern-day success mantras.
They rely on other people’s judgement. But, little do they realize that others form judgment based on their sets of likes and dislikes and conditioning. They differ hugely on the basis of upbringing. Hence, the opinions of one person differs from the opinions of others about us. This disparity simply increases our doubt on ourselves. We fail to understand our reality and keep seeking
People consider Information and Hight Education as Success Indicators
People try acquiring knowledge from books and the internet to feel successful. They keep reading and expanding their information grooves. Some people may call them a walking-talking encyclopedia, or a book worm. These terms used by other to address them itself makes them feel successful.
They feel successful when they are able to answer questions from various fields. Though not in depth, but at least they knew what was being asked! This is the mentality. What is common in all these definitions?
In all these definitions, there is a common thread which seems to qualify as the universal undercurrent for success.
Power, Wealth, position, possession, Knowledge, control, security, relationships, all these can be broadly bucketed as success mantras.
The common thread that conjoins all these parameters is that all these relate to material success. They relate to the body-mind organism. The fact about success mantra of the body-mind is that it is internally driven. But, a lot of the success mantras also depend on external conditions which are much beyond human control. This is the fundamental aspect of material success.
7/8 Questions from Sanatana Dharma
The scores generated in this Quiz may or may not be absolute. There may be right or wrong answers to each Question. A percentage towards 100 indicates that you are more aligned to the overall subject matter.
The main driver for success depends on your clarity about the “Success Mantra”.
Now, this requires a little bit of reorientation if at all you are interested in taking 100% control over the factors determining your personal success mantra. To avoid any conflict between the standards you set for yourself and the ones set by society for you, it is required that one very early in life (probably before one approach mid-thirties) one defines his/her success mantra loud and clear.
It is a very important fact that other than our very spirit; nothing is truly within our reach or control.
Most things are Out of Control
We know that nothing is in our control. If we want to succeed in our job, we have to adjust to the ways of our boss. Likewise, we have to dance according to the tunes of our other peers and colleagues to get accepted. We may require to compromise on so many other things like our principles, value systems and most importantly the voice of our soul.
In the end, the money or wealth that we assemble is not born out of our spirit. But it is built around compromises and leeway that we have been forced to give into, in our pursuit of wealth, security and all other things we thought to be the success mantra.
Even if that “success mantra” comes our way, the question is, are we secure about our jobs, businesses, family, relationships etc.? Have we got enough wealth? Looking deeper into all these things we have to sadly let out this answer, “NO”. If that is the case, what can we define as a success mantra?
Spiritual Success is the Only Success Mantra
Well, here is a definition that can be useful, if you agreed to all that discussion we had till now in this article.
Definition: If I am able to completely align with my inner values, conscience, my inner motivations to a direction which can make me completely happy, satisfied and contented, I am successful.
That makes complete sense. Hence, it can be termed as “Spiritual Success” because it differs from the classical definitions of the world. Material success required that you own to get happy. But spiritual success seeks only alignment in order to feel happy.
Material Success can have many shapes but the Spiritual Success Mantra is only one. It has the face of joy, contentment and inner fulfillment. The chances of material success is 50-50 but the chances of attaining Spiritual Success is a 100%.
The method towards attaining the Spiritual Success Mantra
One has to clearly differentiate between things and situations which makes one happy and sorrowful. The focus must be within and not on external factors that seem to override our inner passion. At a very early age, we need to decipher as growing adults, as to what makes our heart happy? Major concern and insecurity arise in the job front, related to income.
Ask these questions to get started
- What skill can I develop so that I will feel happy?
- Am I more concerned about my joy and happiness or should I be bogged down by money and insecurity?
- Can I make this skill work for me so that I can be independent?
- What study and practice can help me acquire my skill?
- Should I be bogged down by work and be trapped?
- Are there mechanisms by which I can stay within my means or have alternate means of employment so that the stress levels can be reduced, so that I can have more time to dedicate for my inner-growth?
- Am I dedicated to my heart’s passion? If so, how can I develop it and increase satisfaction?
- Above all, can I reject all the regular ideas classified as success mantras that the world has been selling to me?
Tips for Spiritual Success Mantra
If one is able to answer the above questions with confidence and sincerity, then one is on one’s way towards spiritual success mantra. Spiritual Success is another term that determines freedom from the compulsions of the world market.
When one is able to define success on the basis of a powerful inner system, governed through alignment to Truth and hard work, that can turn out be a fair definition of the spiritual success mantra. The Spiritual success Mantra is based on the ability to define your success mantra without depending on the world. Success is guaranteed if one trains oneself spiritually. This is the first step to break free from all fears and insecurity.
This means that one should not bother about wealth, position, possession, what the world feels about oneself or to be least concerned about what the world expects out of you. If one is motivated by the spiritual value system, one shall be able to cultivate skills that are in harmony with one’s personality.
One can survive without too much wealth, without too much possessions and without ever so many material attributes. Above all, it is important that one also should be free of all stress. This is the primary leading path towards choosing your spiritual success mantra over the ever elusive material success mantra.
If one is able to live an inspired life not dominated by materialistic emotions, spiritual success is more than guaranteed.
Attraction to Matter and Root of Sorrow
The physicality of creation attracts the human species of the current age to a great extent. Women beautifying themselves and their bodies become an obsession and center of focus. 24/7 they are concerned about their looks and how they present themselves.
On the other hand, position and possessions attract men. They are on the lookout of proving themselves to the world. Moreover, modern-day man is on the spree of proving things to himself as well. This has led to chaos in the world. How can this mere outlook spread chaos may well be a logical question to ask. We shall cover this point in some detail in the current discussion.
It becomes necessary at this point to explore the fundamental reasons for dissatisfaction and grow discontentment
How has the Modern-Day Man become akin to an animal?
It is a universal law that, before a living entity makes its earthly entrance, there is already provision made for its upkeep and sustenance. That is why we see most animals find their food without much fight, usually. The same law applies for humans as well.
This is an unchallenged Vedic law, the very basis of Sanatana Dharma. Yet almost the entire human race seems to be unaware about this law. Humans have glorified ways of satisfying their fundamental needs. This instinct is similar to those of just as animals. However, animals do the very same things in very simple and perhaps detestable ways as the cultured society looks at it.
The dog sleeps on hard grounds or under trees while man sleeps on comfortable beds in the comforts of his home. The dog eats directly from the ground licking its food, while man uses his hands.
Humans have more refined food (perhaps) from plates. Dogs enjoy sex in the open in front of the entire world while man indulges in the same act within the constraints of his plush apartment. They bark or run away if you try to attack it.
However, man uses arguments to defend himself if someone tries to attack him. Man tries to defend his questionable actions. Thus eating, mating, sleeping and defending are traits that are common to both humans and animals.
Activities that Increase Negativity
The absence to recognize the fifth element that has added to stress and disorder to life.
When the fifth element of understanding the purpose of life is not pursued by man, life starts losing its charm. As a result, man starts chewing unnecessarily, voraciously on the other 4 survival instincts of eating, mating, sleeping and defending. People waste their time and divine energy by discussing cuisine thereby lifting the pitch of the lower instincts of taste and appetite, which is also dear to animals.
People of lower consciousness discuss about sex and tune into their animistic mode.
Others talk about ambition and conquer through immoral business tactic and so on, which shall excite the chakra system in the Solar plexus, thereby triggering lower tendencies. Now, how would it feel if any supersonic airplane travels on narrow and bumpy village roads?
The results can be more than imagined. The airplane with its minimum speed set to about 250 miles per hour shall cause casualties in the village as well as casualties within the aircraft. The greatest possibility is that the airplane shall crash in into the mud walls of local residences, thereby causing peril to the lives of many.
The same is the case with the human mind and body.
Training the Mind is not Optional
The human body is like this airplane and the mind is like the fuel and energy that triggers the airplane. It is Mind Chatter that drives us crazy and insane. The running of the airplane on village roads is like indulging the body and mind in glorifying the processes of eating, sleeping, mating and defending.
The result is that the mind is exposed to stress. The body and the mind is like the aircraft. It has to run on a clean runway which is smooth so that it attains high-speed and takes off towards the skies.
Unless body and mind munch on subtle matters which also includes them adopting a suitable diet and a healthy lifestyle, without indulging in it, the human system cannot take off towards elevated matters relating to the spirit.
When man indulges in matter, it is a criminal waste of human resources, meant for higher purposes. The inappropriate use of the human body invites tension and stress builds within the human system. Diseases crop up because of misusing the human system.
Life deteriorates because of inappropriate ways of living, dirty lifestyle and filthy thoughts. People live duplicitous lives, devoid of Truth and discipline.
The Take Away
As mentioned earlier, as the Vedic texts mention this at multiple places, Nature has already provided the means and resources for our decent maintenance and survival. However, man is so obsessed by the lower survival mechanism that he attempts to convert that mechanism as a conquering device so that he can lord over Nature.
Just like the airplane tramples both the passengers of the airplane and the men in the village, the misplaced actions of the misdirected human “animal” not only works against himself, but also causes harm to millions of others who get manhandled by other misdirected humans.
When man does that, stress is the result which Nature uses as an invasive tool to crush man. We must realize that managing or controlling stress is not the right or appropriate solution. One must never experience dangerous levels of stress, as is the case in the modern-day world.
This elimination is possible only if higher realization is attained. Only when man realizes his fundamental mistakes, stress evaporates. Until then, man shall slowly but surely move towards dissatisfaction, disharmony and chaos, by his own incorrect ways of living.
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