DRIVEN BY EXCELLENCE

What is the force that is driving you to work?

One of the traits of highly successful people, be they in business, education or spiritual life is that they are driven by the drive to excel.

What does excellence mean?

It basically means giving your very best to whatever activity you do, putting your heart fully in it and being fully present to the activity in front of you.

It doesn't matter if the activity demanding your attention is small or big. In the Niti shastra there is a verse which mentions that a lion whether it attacks an elephant or a rabbit, it attacks with the same intensity. What it means is that for the lion, every attack is equally important. Just like Srila Prabhupada, whether he was speaking to thousands of people or a few people he spoke with the same intensity.

'The difference between ordinary people and extraordinary people is that ordinary people do extraordinary things in an ordinary way whereas extraordinary people do even ordinary things in an extraordinary way.' Actually there is nothing as an ordinary thing, every work is special, if seen in the right perspective.

We have a choice to live a life of mediocrity or a life of excellence. A life of mediocrity is easy but you leaves you unsatisfied but a life of excellence is difficult because it needs focus, effort and channelizing your energies but the result is you feel deep fulfillment.

So our benchmark in life should be excellence. If we are a student let us be the best student we possibly can, if we are a employee let us be the best employee we possibly can and for those practicing spiritual life, if we are a spiritualist let us try to be the best spiritualist we possibly can.

You see, anyway we need to perform certain roles in life, then why not strive for excellence in them.

Our motto should be - OK is not OK, excellence is OK. When someone asks you "How was your chanting today", we should be able to say "Excellent" not "OK". When someone asks you, "How was your study today", we should be able to say "Excellent" not "OK". When someone asks you "How is your life going", we should be able to say "Excellent " not "OK".

A life of mediocrity can be monotonous and a drag but a life of excellence is exciting at every moment. When you live a life based on improving, a life in which you trying to get better everyday, trying to break your own records, the world automatically takes note of you and your name is soon on the success list.

As it is said 'When excellence becomes your habit then success becomes your norm.'

- Achyut Gopal Das

Comments

REQUEST TO & FROM A MOTHER

Today on the occasion of Mother's Day, I went to meet the cow, our mother to wish her for Mother's Day and make a request to her. I requested her to shower her blessings and mercy on her children who are suffering so badly due to the deadly covid virus. The good news for all of us is that, she mercifully agreed to shower her heartfelt blessings, prayers, mercy on all her children. After all, that's the heart of a mother - always wanting and desiring best for her children. I was elated, my mission accomplished - now, the suffering of humanity will reduce. As I was leaving, the cow also had one personal request. She requested me with tears in her eyes to request her children not to abuse, exploit and slaughter her mercilessly. I could literally feel her pain and suffering as she made this request. This was the pain of a mother. Tears swelled up in my eyes. I didn't know what to reply her. I did tell her that I will pass on her request to her other children and I walked ...

THE MOTHERLY TOUCH (Dedicated to all mothers)

" It may be possible to gild pure gold but who can make his mother more beautiful " - Mahatma Gandhi We all exist because of our mothers. We owe our entire existence to them. But the scriptures explain that we have not one but a couple of them. Being connected to them is the way we can fill our life with love, nourishment and a sense of security. MOTHER OF BIRTH A few days ago, while I was traveling in the train from Mathura to Delhi, I saw a young mother with her little baby. I could witness the natural love a mother has for her child. Whenever another train would cross our train, she would jump to close the ears of the sleeping baby, so that he is not disturbed in his sleep. When Sun started to shine on the child's face, she at once closed the shutter of the window. I started to think of all the inconveniences my mother must have taken for me - the sleepless nights she must have spent in taking care of me as a child, the commitment and consistency to cook f...

A RADHASHTAMI MEDITATION

Jai Sri Radhe!! Is the chant on everyone's minds and hearts now. Atleast in the minds and hearts of devotees. It's time to celebrate the most auspicious of auspicious festivals; it's time to celebrate Sri Radhashtami - the appearance day of Srimati Radharani. For devotees, Radhashtami is a more important festival than Janmashtami. Why? Because for the world Krishna is God but for devotees, Radha is God because they know that Krishna is subservient to the love of Radha. In our ISKCON circle, it is said that - Janmashtami is a public event but Radhashtami is a private event for only devotees who understand the supreme position of Srimati Radharani. On the most auspicious occasion of Radhashtami, I would like to bring to your attention a beautiful meditation that His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami wrote many years back on this occasion called "An offering for the Divine Mother". The best prayer is to repeat the prayer of previous realized, great souls. Keeping thi...

The Wisdom Park

Search This Blog