The Mantra of Success

Nothing succeeds like success they say, and to this can be added the corollary that nothing fails like failure. It is true- success or failure is really in your hands and what you choose determines what you will get. The fact of the matter is that every single human being that was ever born has been imbued with certain special qualities that enable them to go forth and fulfill their destiny. 

What we do with this incredible gift called life decides whether we spend our days largely happy or content or steeped in misery. Now one may turn around and say that one wasn’t dealt with the right cards by fate and how can one be happy given what one’s circumstances are. The grouse that one may nurse could be anything- one wasn’t made rich enough or tall enough or handsome enough; or one wasn’t born in the right family or whatever else.

If we let our circumstances dictate the course of our life and don’t take the required initiative to better our lot, our life will become a self fulfilling prophesy of doom. On the other hand if we choose to live our life with gusto, not caring a damn for the circumstances, we will surely know success and happiness.

Helen Keller was blind, deaf and mute. But even as a little girl, she chose the path of hope and happiness over despair and despondency and learnt to not only communicate but complete her graduation and become a world famous activist and author. If a person such as her didn’t let anything pull her down, how can anyone in the world say that happiness is not a personal choice?

Being positive is akin to saying yes to life. The very fact that one is alive mans that one can enjoy so many bounties for free- air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, relatives and friends to love and the sea, mountains, starry nights and a bright sun to light up our lives. Would one rather be impervious to all these joys that surround us? What is there to not like about life? 

That being said there are a host of practical advantages to inculcating a positive and upbeat attitude in life. It puts one in the habit of becoming a winner. Once that happens, one thing leads to another and one’s life becomes a series of achievements. Why does this happen? The human brain gets used to being happy. If you work toward it, happiness can be the default mode of your brain.

Nobody ever says that life is a bed of roses; far from it. But that does not mean that we cannot endeavor to be happy. A rose may be surrounded by thorns, but it still blooms, for that is the purpose of its existence.

The purpose of human existence is happiness. Everything that we do is centered on that premise. Any amount of time we spend worrying, being sad or morose takes us away from our objective. This is something we as individuals have to realize. No one else is going to come to us and tell us, “Listen buddy, you are veering away from your core objective in life. Stop mopping and live life.” They would be too busy following that advice themselves.

When one looks back at one’s life, it should be at with a sense of a lifetime well spent, rather than frittered away. 

What is explicitly clear is that we are the architects of our own happiness and despair. If we choose the former we have nothing to complain of and if we choose the latter there would be no point in complaining, as we will have no one but ourselves to blame.

Lamees Alhassar is a prolific author and artist. Her writings include fiction, non-fiction, kids’ books etc.  Website: www.lameesauthor.com