Thursday, May 14, 2015

Dots connect only in retrospect


Ever wondered why a particular unfavorable incident happened in your life? Why is that you are mostly at the receiving end of all unwanted incidents? Why are you the chosen one? What have you done wrong? Actually, there is nothing 'wrong' in the picture. It is just that you are unable to connect the dots today. It is just a matter of time before the picture reveals itself....read on...

"Dad, I am unable to connect this rabbit to the carrot on the other side. Can you help me with this maze puzzle?" Prerna, my little fairy, asked me after getting frustrated by her inability to find a way out.

"Sure baby." 
As i reassured my fairy, I remembered the age old trick that most of you would know by now. If you had to take the rabbit to the carrot, the easiest way was to start from the carrot and then go backward towards the rabbit.

"Instead of taking the rabbit to the carrot, go the other way. Try and bring the carrot to the rabbit." I proudly announced it to my kid.

"But that is the same thing Dad."

"No, that is not the same thing baby. It is always easier to connect when looking from future to present."

"Is it?"

"Yes, why don't you try that?"

She tried, and BINGO..there she was...it was all so easy.

"This is so amazing Dad. How can it be so simple from the other side?"

"It always is baby. Things are more clear in retrospect."

I am not sure whether my fairy believed in what I said, But this is a fact. We may not understand why a certain incident has happened with us today. It could be our car hitting someone else's, rejection of our proposal by the client, not being considered for promotion in our office, or anything that you do not appreciate today. We may not appreciate it today, but just if we could trust HIM with what is happening today, and could lead happier lives, the maze will get solved tomorrow, for sure.

Let me share with you a part of Steve Job's life to press my point.

In one of the typography classes that Steve jobs joined during the initial college years, he learned in detail about fonts. He found it very artistic and interesting to learn so much about fonts, but he never knew how it would help him in future. Time moved forward. He dropped out of college as he did not see any value in the courses he was doing. He thought that he was wasting his parents life savings. Life moved on. He thought that all his effort on learning about fonts and about calligraphy will all be a waste since he will never get into a profession in \such an artistic area of work.

Ten(10) years later when developing Mac, he became the first one to introduce fonts to the personal computers. And all his knowledge and wisdom came to his rescue. It was only 10 years later that he could actually connect the dots, but could never have realised at that stage.

The fact remains that these dots cannot be connected in the present looking forward. They can only be connected in the future looking backwards i.e. in retrospect. 

In the present, you have to trust and have faith in your instinct, karma, guts, whatever and do what you see as truly value adding for you - not just what everyone is doing. You will get the confidence that you are on the right path because the dots are going to connect in the future. 

Now, remember that trusting your instinct, in most cases, will mean going off the well tread path - and that is what will differentiate your life from the herd. And when you are following your heart, accept whatever comes your way - happily. Because there is a plan, there is a way for the 'goals to reach you' (and not for you to reach your goals) in this maze of life. It is just that we cannot see the dots getting connected today. You will see them one day, for sure, when you look back at your life in retrospect.

Go on, tread your path, accept everything that comes your way happily, and you will not  be repenting in future.

The book Happiness Unlimited shows you many such lessons to lead a happier, contented life.

Cheers


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