Spirit of Islam, September 2018

Starting out in the right direction is the first important principle of success. PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESS A Superior Life P SYCHOLOGISTS have estimated that man puts to use only ten percent of the abilities with which he is born. Professor William James of Harvard University has very aptly observed, “What we ought to be, we are not ready to be.” In spite of the innate qualities nature has endowed us with, the successes which should have been ours in this world keep eluding us for the simple reason that we quite unthinkingly consent to lead inferior lives. It is most important that we should consciously seek out the principles which will lead us towards a superior life and get a share in the success. A few of these principles are elucidated here. Learn the Difference between Motion and Direction Not knowing the difference between motion and direction is a road block to success. One intrinsic quality of activity is movement. When you are walking, driving or riding a bicycle, you are moving but in what direction? Are you moving towards your destination, or away from it? The actual motion in both cases seems to be no different in quality. The difference between the two is that the former brings you ever nearer to your destination, while the latter takes you farther and farther away from it—leaving you where? Nowhere, at least nowhere worth going. It is direction that is all important. Even if we only get on to the slow-moving bullock cart or a cycle rickshaw, we shall do better than a jet plane which has no sense of direction. Both in our private lives and social existence it is imperative that we take stock of our means and resources and then set off in the right direction, if sooner or later, we are to reach our destination. Often people launch themselves on careers without giving due thought to their actual capacities and whether they have any real potential which can be developed. Starting out in the right direction is the first important principle of success. Start From Small Beginnings This is another important principle one should accept wholeheartedly