Someone close had once told me that the only thing that prevents us from realising our true potential is that sense of inertia which sets in every now and then. Back then those words did not seem anything beyond being profound words which I did not bother to delve into .
These days, surprisingly, everywhere I go , in most of whatever i see and do, the feeling sets in stronger than ever.
One realises that in most of what we do everyday, a sub optimal performance brings optimal or sometimes supra optimal results. You could take any example for it. Think about the presentation that you have tomorrow, the night out that you do for it. Not that you will not cover all the requisite points or that you will you will not deliver a fantastic presentation. But what I am talking about is the gap.. the gap between what eventually turned out and what could have turned out had you mulled over it a lilttle bit more.
Many a time , I have felt as if this intertia in me has a clock sense in it, It knows exactly how much time I would need to be able to make a sub optimal presentation and yet be able to make an impression!
Most of the people who I see around me are intelligent ( at least above average) , can apply themselves well and respond well to situations. Why then do we not excell at everything that we do? Why do we end up with sub optimal results?
Then there are also people who I see bring that special touch to whatever they do . Mind you, it's not about doing well what you like. The challenge is to bring that special bit to your daily rigmarole. How many of us do it or even want to do it?
I believe it is the ability of people to rise above this inertia that makes all the difference. The need to not just do justice but to give it reasonable energy and thought , that does it.
One realises that tasks start looking more meaningful if one stops to think of why one is doing what he/she is doing. How will that add any value ( sounds terribly cliched!) to anyone or anywhere. Not always will one find significant reasons/ answers for it, but chances are that you will find tasks more meaningful.
Many of us may not be able to live significant lives, where we do earth shattering work, or add value to millions of lives. But if we start excelling in most small things we do, chances are that we would lead a more contented life... a more happy life.
Another aspect of inertia that I wanted to talk about is the inertia of our lifestyles. My mum says that she loves her life the way it is. Revolving around her three daughters and till sometime back her two dogs( both of who just passed away). Sometimes I think that She, being the great woman that she is was capable of a lot more. May be she rues the fact that she did not do anything else or may be she really means what she says. I would give her the benefit of doubt, but the point being - are we really happy with our lives doing just what we are doing - work, family- a bit of travel- dance- exercise- wotever else?? Or have we just found enough ways to rationalize that we are OK/ happy with it because anything else seems too disruptive/unnecesarry?
I don't have answers to these. Just asking myself some questions.However, two things that I clearly see in what i wrote above -
Intertia to prolong till you do a sub optimal- yet -manageable job
Intertia in life to live it with no chage.
If we try and look into these forms and try and rise above that inevitable feeling that sets in, we will find our lives more meaningful.
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I guess initially most people try to do what you are saying. But if the audience doesn't respond, people think, why put in so much effort if no one else cares ? Then the question becomes who are you doing this extra work for ? Yourself or your audience ? If you could rise up to a level where you love your work so much that you are willing to put any amount of effort, without caring how others will react, that I guess would be significant. But to bring that kind of earnest devotion to every mundane task requires some serious enthu !
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