My father once told someone who asked him what i was like as a child, “When he was young, he was a dull boy. But now he’s become a genius!”
I’m still the same person i always was, but my father had simply arrived at a conclusion by looking at my school marks card. This amused me immensely. But this is also why so many young people live in such acute states of frustration today: we measure them entirely by their marks. There are a variety of intelligences in the world. But with two billion children worldwide, we don’t have the time or resources to nurture them as they deserve. The result is that students are treated as assembly-line industrial products. It is no wonder that almost half this country’s college students report clinically significant anxiety levels today.
A student asked me recently about what kind of ‘mind-set’ he needed for his Board exams. The mind was never meant to be ‘set’. It is meant to be dynamic, fluid and open. When youth are encouraged to believe that the highest aspiration is a certificate, it is a sure-fire prescription for mediocrity.
The dislocation between competence and certification is a recent one. This is likely to change very soon. Already , employers everywhere increasingly want real skills, not decorative degrees. So, it is time for students to hone talents and augment competence rather than simply fixate on board exams and marks.
I replied, “If i had asked my guru for a certificate, he would probably have shown me the door. Since he didn’t, no – i don’t have a certificate.”
She laughed and handed me an O1 visa (a non-immigrant work permit meant for individuals with outstanding abilities) instead of a tourist visa. I mention this because simply brandishing certificates will soon be outdated.
Future doors will open because of your capabilities.
It is also important to remember that education is not about aspiring to become someone else. Many forget the time, energy and work it takes, and seek to become a Sachin Tendulkar overnight. Even if you do get there, someone new may come along and raise the bar even higher. Settle the fundamentals first. Choose competence over convenience, fulfilment over ease. Don’t aspire to emulate someone else’s lifestyle, wealth, or achievements, or aim tobe one up on them. Focus on exploring and strengthening your own skills.
Human beings consider themselves the most intelligent beings on this planet. But if your intelligence sabotages your well-being, no degree is of any use. Yog is the science of cultivating your physical and mental prowess so that it works for you, not against you.
No previous generation has had the kind of opportunities available today. Make the most of these. Start some basic yogic practices. Enhance your skills. Mostimportantly, cultivate balance. Life is a process. It was never meant to be a goal. Learn to handle the process intelligently, and above all, joyfully.
Remember success requires courage and competence, not comparison and competition. Be the best that you can; don’t settle for being as good as someone else. Stop looking for a wonderful world. Make it a wonderful world wherever you are.
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
