1. Must do now what must be done now, and not the other thing
2. Must not try to do too many things
3. Must over-prepare
While I am, I'd like to think, quite convincingly my father's daughter we are as different as chalk and cheese when it comes to being organised. He is rarely late and rather nicely organised and I am mostly late and forever trying to juggle stuff and failing in the process. So, of course, I did what one must do - I asked! Here is what I heard and understood, if I must learn from Papa's experience, I must follow the following three rules.
Must do now what must be done now, and not the other thing
I used to think laziness is not doing anything, but that is not what it is - it is not doing what needs to be done. When, in the Mahabharata, Arjun wanted to leave the battle, this is what Krishna tells him - it is impossible for you to do nothing, as long as you are alive you will be compelled to act, so do your duty - do what you must do - and not the other thing.
What we must do depends on who we are. As a human being I must maintain a standard of behaviour; as a person of certain specific talents I must work towards expressing them; as a daughter, as a sister, as a member of my family - both natural and adopted - I owe in gratitude; as someone who lives in Australia, as someone who grew up in India, as someone who shares this earth - I owe in gratitude and I owe as a responsibility; as an employee - I MUST pay back. To not do so is laziness, or in the words of Krishna, is stealing.
Must not try to do too many things
In spite of the fact that Papa says that he doesn't try to do too many things, he is actually one of the most productive people I know and so when he advised me that one mustn't try to do too many things, it reminded me of the golf ball and sands story.
Simplify life and prioritise properly; in spite of my identifying as so many things above, I do, currently, identify primarily as a working girl living alone; which makes my first duties towards work and then towards myself - in health and self-development; and then towards the society/family etc. because if I got kicked out of work and then became sick and unhappy, I'd be doing no favours to any family or society.
However, I still realise this is rather crudely put in favour of brevity and there is much to be said about Nitya-Nimittika-Karmas (obligatory duties), Kamya-Karmas (desire-driven actions) and so on.
Must over-prepare
Or more nicely, गीदड़ का शिकार करना हो तो तैयारी शेर की करके जाओ फिर जाके गीदड़ हाथ लगेगा। If you need to be somewhere at 5, target being there at 4.45; whatever you need do - over prepare.
One of the major reasons I fail is because I start worrying and end up making a mess - I try to do too many things, I am unable to do any justice to them and I forget that you need to over-prepare to actually able to achieve your targets. So here is to - living more consciously, with greater honesty and effectiveness.
2. Must not try to do too many things
3. Must over-prepare
While I am, I'd like to think, quite convincingly my father's daughter we are as different as chalk and cheese when it comes to being organised. He is rarely late and rather nicely organised and I am mostly late and forever trying to juggle stuff and failing in the process. So, of course, I did what one must do - I asked! Here is what I heard and understood, if I must learn from Papa's experience, I must follow the following three rules.
Must do now what must be done now, and not the other thing
I used to think laziness is not doing anything, but that is not what it is - it is not doing what needs to be done. When, in the Mahabharata, Arjun wanted to leave the battle, this is what Krishna tells him - it is impossible for you to do nothing, as long as you are alive you will be compelled to act, so do your duty - do what you must do - and not the other thing.
What we must do depends on who we are. As a human being I must maintain a standard of behaviour; as a person of certain specific talents I must work towards expressing them; as a daughter, as a sister, as a member of my family - both natural and adopted - I owe in gratitude; as someone who lives in Australia, as someone who grew up in India, as someone who shares this earth - I owe in gratitude and I owe as a responsibility; as an employee - I MUST pay back. To not do so is laziness, or in the words of Krishna, is stealing.
Must not try to do too many things
In spite of the fact that Papa says that he doesn't try to do too many things, he is actually one of the most productive people I know and so when he advised me that one mustn't try to do too many things, it reminded me of the golf ball and sands story.
Simplify life and prioritise properly; in spite of my identifying as so many things above, I do, currently, identify primarily as a working girl living alone; which makes my first duties towards work and then towards myself - in health and self-development; and then towards the society/family etc. because if I got kicked out of work and then became sick and unhappy, I'd be doing no favours to any family or society.
However, I still realise this is rather crudely put in favour of brevity and there is much to be said about Nitya-Nimittika-Karmas (obligatory duties), Kamya-Karmas (desire-driven actions) and so on.
Must over-prepare
Or more nicely, गीदड़ का शिकार करना हो तो तैयारी शेर की करके जाओ फिर जाके गीदड़ हाथ लगेगा। If you need to be somewhere at 5, target being there at 4.45; whatever you need do - over prepare.
One of the major reasons I fail is because I start worrying and end up making a mess - I try to do too many things, I am unable to do any justice to them and I forget that you need to over-prepare to actually able to achieve your targets. So here is to - living more consciously, with greater honesty and effectiveness.
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