Husain Journal

“The paths of glory lead but to the grave.” Thomas Grey, English poet When Alexander the Great, who conquered the world was dying, he called up his generals and asked them to do 3 things after his death: To have his coffin carried by top physicians, To strewn the path leading up to his grave with precious gems and rubies that he had achieved, And to cut off his hands to keep them outside his grave. His faithful generals, overflowing with emotions, said that they’ll certainly do as the master commanded, but they requested him to tell them the reason behind such weird orders. Ailing in pain, Alexander explained: He wants his coffin to be carried by top physicians to let the world know that death catches everyone, no matter how resourceful he is. Therefore top physicians should carry his coffin. Secondly he wanted the world to know that no matter however power or riches you grab, the path of life eventually ends in death. Therefore precious gems and rubies on the path t

“As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” Rumy In those silent old days our forefathers carried lanterns to navigate their way. The distance these lanterns illumined, you know, wasn’t that huge. Nevertheless, it alerted them of potholes and reptiles and thorny shrubs etc. In fact, having a view of so far wasn’t needed. If, presenting the excuse that they’re unable to see through so far they hadn’t started off, they won’t have ever reached where they had wanted to. Turns out that it’s plain common sense to move as far as you can see because then you’ll be able to see farther. Right? Well, take the example of car headlights. While driving we’re able to see only a little far ahead, but as we continue to cover the distance, our headlights also continue to illumine the course ahead. Will you ever bring your car to a creaking halt because you’re not able to see what’s 2 kilometres ahead of you? But, this is exactly what many of us do when it comes to steering our

Am I productive or just busy? Am I using my potential to its best? Am I using my time optimally? If I were to take an important exam at this time, would I have been working with the same energy? Well, regarding the first question, I think that I’m not working as productively as I should be. And so far the remaining 3 questions are concerned – I admit it with a ripple of regret that it’s a resounding no. I accept that neither I’m using my potential at its best, nor am I using my time optimally. And oh yes, if I were to take an exam at this time, I would have been working with razor-sharp focus. Results would have sprang forth in a different style then. The overlooked fact … Even though we refuse to take it down our throat, the truth still is that every day, every moment of our work is an important exam for us. You know why? Because – What we do at this very moment ultimately adds a brush to the final picture. The sooner we chew in this morcel, the sooner we’ll begin to

You could be wasting your time. A sure-fire test to know if the work you’re pursuing is worth your time or not lies in the fact that it has to be tough for you. If certain work is putting stress on your mind, and you’re not able to do it easily, there’s a very high likelihood that it’s rewarding. Easy things generally aren’t rewarding, and therefore they can be timewasters. If something was difficult to you once upon a time and practising has rendered it easy, it’s a clear sign that you need to level up the toughness – else you won’t improve. Keep pushing your limits, as they say. If you’re in your easy area, in your comfort zone, no progress is going to take place. If you want to be an athlete, try covering a mile in 4 minutes if you’re doing it in 6. If you want to be a writer, try penning down 500 words in 10 minutes if you’re doing it in 20. If we feel complacent with the labour we’re putting up, we’re not going to ever improve. Lifting heavy weights, the ones that ar