"It is not our abilities that show what we truly are. It is our choices."
This statement is one of the greatest and the deepest statements that I have ever come across so far in my life. Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, was indeed a person of great wisdom. This one simple short line sums up all the philosophy that the greatest minds in the world have ever produced. If someone can truly understand, appreciate and practice this one single idea, there is no need for any other idea. That's because all other ideas in this world have this simple idea of choice as their basis. But as we all know, the simplest things in the world are the hardest to understand and appreciate. The greatest scientists, engineers and philosophers that the world has ever produced were all people who were able to think simple, really very simple. Its not an easy task, my friend.
At every step of our life, we have to make choices. Some choices are about big issues and some are about small and seemingly trivial issues. Some of the choices we make turn out to yield productive results in the future, and some make us realize that we should have been wiser in the past. This process of learning and self-correction goes on and on till one fine day, it's time to leave the mortal shores. And as the quote says, it is our choices that show who we truly are, and not our abilities.
To be able to truly appreciate the idea, it is important to realize the difference between the questions "How good are you at your job" and "What you truly are". It's very true that our efficiency, our talents, our abilities, our achievements, our moral values, and many other things have an important role to play in deciding who we truly are. But there is something more than these things that is the key to the answer. It is our basic identity as an individual. Ask yourself, "Who am I?" If your brain suggests the answer to be your name, then think if you would be a different person if your name was something different. If your brain suggests your occupation, then think if you would have been a different person if your occupation was something different. When you have similarly negated all other false identities that our brain associates with our sense of individuality, you will reach the true understanding of who you truly are. And that true sense of identity is determined by only one thing. Our choices.
Out of all the choices that we make in our lives, one of the most important is that about our career. In today's world, there are so many options and alternatives, that it is easy to get confused very easily. I recently came across a very interesting article in this regard: What Should I Do with My Life, Now?
. As they say, it is not enough to indulge in philosophy. One must have some way of putting the ideas to practice too. Philosophy is of no use unless it can relate to our practical life. This article by Bronson fills that gap between philosophy and practice quite well.
Not just for individuals, this basic principle of choice holds for nations as well. What differentiates between India and Pakistan. Is it the ability? No. Pakistanis are as capable and as talented as Indians. What differentiates them is the choice they made in 1947 and the choices they make everyday. India chose love and Pakistan chose hatred. It's as simple as that. It is not about whether India is right or Pakistan is right. It is about identity. This is the most fundamental question that an individual, an organization or a nation can ask to itself, "Who am I?" And the good news is that there is indeed an answer. And unless one can answer this basic question, all effort towards anything else will be in vain.
This brings us to another important question. All of us keep learning from our past mistakes and evolve. As time goes on, our decisions change and so does our outlook towards life. Does this mean that our identities keep changing with time? In most cases, the answer is NO. Though our outward view of the world changes, but at the core of our being, we remain the same. Even if a person is much more experienced at the age of 50 than he/she was at the age of 10, but the basic thinking and perception of the world does not change in most cases. But yes, in some rare cases, people do undergo complete transformations. In such cases, yes, the identity of the person changes completely. This can happen due to contact with some great ideas, or great people, or due to a rare personal experience. There can be many reasons. This is indeed a welcome change. It is good both for the person and world around.
As Dumbledore rightly said, "We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy."
This statement is one of the greatest and the deepest statements that I have ever come across so far in my life. Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, was indeed a person of great wisdom. This one simple short line sums up all the philosophy that the greatest minds in the world have ever produced. If someone can truly understand, appreciate and practice this one single idea, there is no need for any other idea. That's because all other ideas in this world have this simple idea of choice as their basis. But as we all know, the simplest things in the world are the hardest to understand and appreciate. The greatest scientists, engineers and philosophers that the world has ever produced were all people who were able to think simple, really very simple. Its not an easy task, my friend.
At every step of our life, we have to make choices. Some choices are about big issues and some are about small and seemingly trivial issues. Some of the choices we make turn out to yield productive results in the future, and some make us realize that we should have been wiser in the past. This process of learning and self-correction goes on and on till one fine day, it's time to leave the mortal shores. And as the quote says, it is our choices that show who we truly are, and not our abilities.
To be able to truly appreciate the idea, it is important to realize the difference between the questions "How good are you at your job" and "What you truly are". It's very true that our efficiency, our talents, our abilities, our achievements, our moral values, and many other things have an important role to play in deciding who we truly are. But there is something more than these things that is the key to the answer. It is our basic identity as an individual. Ask yourself, "Who am I?" If your brain suggests the answer to be your name, then think if you would be a different person if your name was something different. If your brain suggests your occupation, then think if you would have been a different person if your occupation was something different. When you have similarly negated all other false identities that our brain associates with our sense of individuality, you will reach the true understanding of who you truly are. And that true sense of identity is determined by only one thing. Our choices.
Out of all the choices that we make in our lives, one of the most important is that about our career. In today's world, there are so many options and alternatives, that it is easy to get confused very easily. I recently came across a very interesting article in this regard: What Should I Do with My Life, Now?
. As they say, it is not enough to indulge in philosophy. One must have some way of putting the ideas to practice too. Philosophy is of no use unless it can relate to our practical life. This article by Bronson fills that gap between philosophy and practice quite well.
Not just for individuals, this basic principle of choice holds for nations as well. What differentiates between India and Pakistan. Is it the ability? No. Pakistanis are as capable and as talented as Indians. What differentiates them is the choice they made in 1947 and the choices they make everyday. India chose love and Pakistan chose hatred. It's as simple as that. It is not about whether India is right or Pakistan is right. It is about identity. This is the most fundamental question that an individual, an organization or a nation can ask to itself, "Who am I?" And the good news is that there is indeed an answer. And unless one can answer this basic question, all effort towards anything else will be in vain.
This brings us to another important question. All of us keep learning from our past mistakes and evolve. As time goes on, our decisions change and so does our outlook towards life. Does this mean that our identities keep changing with time? In most cases, the answer is NO. Though our outward view of the world changes, but at the core of our being, we remain the same. Even if a person is much more experienced at the age of 50 than he/she was at the age of 10, but the basic thinking and perception of the world does not change in most cases. But yes, in some rare cases, people do undergo complete transformations. In such cases, yes, the identity of the person changes completely. This can happen due to contact with some great ideas, or great people, or due to a rare personal experience. There can be many reasons. This is indeed a welcome change. It is good both for the person and world around.
As Dumbledore rightly said, "We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy."
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