We all have heard this story:
When tiny little ants carry the grain and climb,
On the steep- soft walls, they fall down hundreds of times,
But their confidence fills the veins with courage,
Falling after climbing and climbing after falling doesn’t annoy them,
At the end their hardwork doesn’t goes to waste,
Those who try never lose.
How many of us have succeeded in what we try in the first attempt?
I think very few! We need to understand that no one has made great achievements in the first day. A lot of patience, hardwork, enthusiasm, determination, perseverance, time is required to bring success to our side.
Same is the story of the India’s biggest entrepreneur Kumar Mangalam Birla whose journey started in 1995, with turnover of around $2 billion and very few overseas operations. Today, the company is worth more than $40 billion, with operations in more than 40 countries.
Be it planning new ventures, acquiring firms, expanding existing companies or getting out of businesses that don’t fit, Birla has shown what it takes to be a leader with a strategy to stay focused. No matter what situations come he always makes sure that there he leads by example. For, that’s what leaders do.
Let me share my story.
I belong to an elite family. So I grew up with extreme wealth, maids all by my side and everything in hand before I demand. But life changed when I entered the hostel after my 12th.
I remember my first time washing dishes at the hostel, got my hand burned while trying to cook, washing clothes without automatic machine, walking for around a km to go to mess and then eating that awful food and vomiting all the night. It was the most horrible situation that I ever faced in my life. I used to complaint to my family, my mentors, my destiny for bringing me in such situation. And one day I thought to just run out of the university and go home. But my life changed the next day!
I remember my first time washing dishes at the hostel, got my hand burned while trying to cook, washing clothes without automatic machine, walking for around a km to go to mess and then eating that awful food and vomiting all the night. It was the most horrible situation that I ever faced in my life. I used to complaint to my family, my mentors, my destiny for bringing me in such situation. And one day I thought to just run out of the university and go home. But my life changed the next day!
Our college take us to a village nearby. That journey of 3 hours left an unerasable footprint in my life and changed me from heart. What I see there was what people call “poverty”. I had read about poverty all my lifetime in my school, but never thought that its roots are so strong.
There I asked a women who was washing clothes, what is your dream? She said, I don’t have any dreams. What’s the point? I’m poor. Then I asked a boy what’s your wish? He said I always see children going to school and want to be amongst them one day.
I saw people struggling for food, for shelter, for water, for clothes etc. but one thing they all carry is a big smile and lots of courage to face the problem they are rooted in and the hope for the good.
Their smile, courage and hope helped me to overcome all the problems that I faced during my hostel life and teaches me a lesson that no matter how big the problem is, if you try and try, along with a smile you can achieve anything in life. Nothing is more scary then losing hope. So I try not to give up in my life even in harsh situations.
So, what I feel is that struggle is a part and parcel of everyone’s life who want to enjoy the journey success. And one of the most important things that help me grow is to never keep a fixed mindset and the belief of having a growing mindset, because you are never too old to grow up.
We did all right, and I worked hard for a lot of what I had then and even harder for what I have now.
So, what I feel is that struggle is a part and parcel of everyone’s life who want to enjoy the journey success. And one of the most important things that help me grow is to never keep a fixed mindset and the belief of having a growing mindset, because you are never too old to grow up.
So, life is a race which is all about winning. But winning is not the only destination.
“Failures are the stepping stones to success”.
Hence if you fail, rise and rise and rise, until you achieve your destination. So, ‘Never Ever Give Up’.