"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time, plays many parts!" says Shakespeare.
All of us in the world are busy enacting our roles in the play of life, without knowing what the script is. Surprisingly, the roles that each of us play too, are undefined. Our behaviour, our thought process, and our perceptions are often so unpredictable and short-lived. A little boy’s want for candy might seem silly to a grown-up lad. The thrilling speed of his son’s moped bike can seem dangerous to a middle-aged father. All of these things persist as nostalgic memories to an old man. The irony is that the same person is being spoken about all this while, on the same stage, in the same play, with roles changing constantly.
The Economics of life is pretty simple. It weighs the potential of an individual and caters to their needs and aspirations. Unfortunately, it is not the individual alone who decides what his/her needs and aspirations are, but also their family, their close circle of companions and the entire society. In most cases, all of them play a major role in making a decision. Right from choosing an attire to choosing a life partner, one is invariably supervised by so-called socio-cultural canons, which often offend and overstep into the choices made by an individual, leaving him/her with limited options to choose from. This case gets worse, as these norms are at times so illiberal that one is left with no option than just one, inconsiderate of their wishes or notions.
In this context, one must think judiciously about a few things. One of the important questions is, why would someone want to do something that they would conventionally not prefer? This needs a much deeper psychological understanding of human nature. We as human beings; carry many emotions, perceptions, likes, and dislikes. Unlike other living creatures, most of the people’s happiness lies not just in doing what they wish to, but in finding others satisfied and content with their words and actions. This is said to be one of the most important and secluded characteristics. On the contrary, this is also a significant reason why one has to go out of his/her way, leaving behind their stances, to win the game of his life, only for the sake of others.
The other question that stands, is if it righteous to affirm a target or goal considering only our own view in the first place? Is it lawful to be dogmatic and ponder over doing what we wish to, not heeding to the suggestions of the world around us, which might have a greater magnitude of experience and intellectual faculty? To discuss this, it is cardinal to understand the concept of discovering the goals.
Swami Vivekananda propounds that all humans should find the purpose of their lives and strive to reach the destiny. Taking a step ahead into this hypothesis, one can understand how tricky it could be, to find the purpose of life. It is quite mystical, as many do not want to confine their goals merely to just one, and believe that each stage of life; every single day of it, throws a new challenge and changes our perception of life and ultimate destiny. A part of this impression tries to answer the question. Ultimately, this remains a debatable concern.
Dedication, Determination, and Commitment are sure to help an individual to succeed, but they are not the actual fuels. Although there are many such catalysts to offer help, the focus must be to work on one’s capabilities, intellect, and potential. It is due to lack of these essential requisites, that many are forced to ‘opt’ for something than actually ‘choose’. There are many such cases where the aspirants are not qualified to do something of their choice and instead of making another attempt, they choose to ‘opt’ what is available at their dispersal. What causes this? It is only those reasons and circumstances, existing under the sun, that govern the position of an individual in the society. This not only affects the work-life balance psychologically but also adversely affects one’s professional dexterity. Individuals getting into a profession only by option are seldom found to have done justice to their roles. The reason is quite simple: they are bound to do; rather than wanting to.
However, on the brighter side of it, life is a very long yet mysterious journey, with uncertain paths and an unknown destiny. One can only be an optimistic spectator, hoping that whichever direction, among the crossroads, is chosen will lead to a better tomorrow. Come what may, whether by choice or by force, the very purpose of life is to live it to the fullest, with utmost happiness and stay content.