WHY PEANUTS ARE GOOD








Pic.: Sherry Haridas

“You know you are on the road to success
if you would do your job, and not be paid for it.”
Prateek*, who has just given his twelfth-standard exams, wants to pursue studies in Law. He has been telling this to me for, almost, two years, now. That’s something nice about him. He has a definite goal before him.


Whenever a young-man tells me, with all his conviction, what he wants to do in life, I feel happy for him. For, with that clarity come the rest of the ingredients required for success: motivation, hard-work, passion, self-discipline and, above all, that dogged determination. Many young-ones are not very sure about what they want to do in life. And, some - even though they are - have a bad work discipline... They get distracted very fast, get carried away by peer-pressure and, with slightest set back, tend to get unsettled, discouraged... and they give up.


So, I keep telling the young-ones, that they need to be incredibly focused. That, focus penetrates and helps them channelize their energies... That, it will help them deal with their distractions effectively. That, most importantly, they need to have loads and loads of patience, be ready to wait, sacrifice – now – so that their waiting and sacrifice would pay off rich dividend to them in due course...


Last evening, Prateek had come to see me with his dad. His dad is a self-made business-man. He has been fully supporting and mentoring Prateek in his dream of becoming a fine lawyer. He wanted Prateek to work, during his present vacation, in the office of a well-known advocate-friend. But, Prateek wanted to know how much would he receive as his pay for the work. And, Prateek’s dad had failed to convince his son as to why the pay, at this stage, should not be a concern... why this period of a voluntary and conscious apprenticeship was so significant in order to learn and grow... how it would pay off in a long run etc.


Prateek was, somehow, not convinced with his dad’s logic. He was a new-age dreamer; he believed in instant results. He wanted his efforts to be recognized, valued and paid for... and now!


His dad had argued: “Your efforts would be recognized and valued, by all means... But, they might not be paid for, now... at least, the way you expect them to be... You have to forego that desire consciously, gladly... for the greater good. You need to wait, sacrifice... trade-off... You need to prepare yourself, become tough... and, that would be your pay-package...” 


Prateek was still not convinced... So, the son and his father had come to take my opinion.


I shared my own story.


I told Prateek, that when I was in first-year B’Com, my idol, Prof.  B.S.Raman had come to teach our hundred-odd-all-boys class. I was a shy and scared kid, self-conscious, and full of self-doubts. I had no clue as to what I wanted to do in my life... Essentially, because of my low self-esteem and a killing inferiority-complex. So, when I saw a hero in Prof. Raman, right there – sitting lost in that big class-room – I had resolved to become a teacher like him. Such was the intensity of my desire, that, I couldn't wait to become one... And, before I knew it, I was, already, doing it: I was teaching my close friends after the college hours... I would do it in the college premises, at my place, in their places and even on hilltops! They would praise me, and I would feel good about myself, very, very worthwhile... They would tell about me to their friends and neighbors, and, before I knew it, I was teaching my whole village... yes, ignoring my own studies, ignoring my parents’ well-meant warnings... and, strangely, I was doing it all free!


I told Prateek, that, what seemed mysterious – rather outright foolish – was this: At home, we needed money badly. Mom and dad would have felt a lot relieved had I brought home some money through my efforts... But, despite the constant cash crunch at home, they never ever insisted that I should ‘bill’ my students, immediately... They only warned me not to ignore my own studies, and felt glad that I did a good work and trusted that it would help me in a long run...


And, I told Prateek this, too. Even after I came to Mumbai and struggled without a job for some time, I did the same thing... When I made up my mind to go to house to house and teach, I did a large part of my work for free, and the rest for a much lower fee... But, I did it, all along, keeping my long-term plans in mind... always believing that my work would pay off rich dividends in due course... believing that it would help me build bridges of trust, friendship and goodwill...Yes, even though I did not have money in hand, I wasn't tempted, at all, to make a killing out of my work... I was ready to wait, sacrifice... and trade off...


I told Prateek, that his dad was right to the core... That, he should be prepared to work in the office of his dad’s advocate-friend for free – of for peanuts... And, he shouldn't mind doing ‘any work’ there, including sweeping the floor or washing the boss’ tea-cups... Yes, he should do it gladly, lovingly and proudly... Yes, if through that ‘choice’, he was able to see himself becoming a great lawyer...


Did I convince Prateek?


Hope, I did.


*The name is changed


GERALD D’CUNHA

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

MUTHU KODI KAWARI HADA

"WE CHOOSE OUR JOYS AND SORROWS LONG BEFORE WE EXPERIENCE THEM."

WHEN A BIRD IS ALIVE, IT EATS ANTS... WHEN THE BIRD DIES, ANTS EAT THE BIRD

THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...