What drives ‘successful’ people?

Dearest Darling Readers, Why Anand Kumar of the ‘Super 30’ fame from Bihar, who has trained 267 ‘poorest of the poor’ students to enter IIT, refuse to take government or private help? Why does Ratan Tata, who has enough money to live a super comfortable life, work even after he has crossed 75 years of age? When a Steve Jobs has enough money to retire forever, why does he create an iPod, an iPad, an iPhone? Why does a Sister Agnes ( Mother Teresa ), trudge through the stinking by-lanes of Kolkatta searching for diseased destitutes, even if it means, exposing herself to diseases, harm and ridicule? Why do Bill and Melinda Gates visit poverty stricken, disease infested parts of Africa when they can be sunning themselves on the beaches of Hawaii? Why does a Rabindranath Tagore, with the risk of being hunted, return Knighthood to the British Empire after the Jallianwalabagh massacre even as the britishers are ruling his homeland? Why does a Sundarlal Bahuguna undertake a 5000 km trans-himalaya march to save the forests and the ecology of that part of our country saying, ‘Ecology is the permanent economy’? Why does he politely refuse the Padma Shree by the Govt of India saying that “I do not deserve it till flesh and blood (top soil) of India was flowing down to the sea”? Why does a Nandan Nilekani, with about Rs 1.4 Billion as his wealth, become a public servant, and assume charge of an audacious task (‘Aadhaar’ cards) as the chairman of Unique Identification Authority of India ? We in Life School believe, it is so because Life is more than accumulation of things money can buy. Because, Life is more than collecting rewards and accolades competing with others. Because, Life is more than gaining attention and admiring glances when you are with people. Because, Life is more than playing a games of oneupmanship. Because, Life is more than having more than / better / the latest compared to others. Because, Life is about ‘creating something special’. Every human being has an inherent desire to create. Give a child a paper and pencil. It will immediately get down to ‘create’. Give the child a few blocks. It will immediately get down to ‘create’. Give the child some things that make noise. It will immediately get down to ‘create’. ‘Creating’ is our nature. There are enough people who believe the ultimate objective of life is to accumulate enough wealth and fame, create a safety nest for their immediate family and live life into obscurity. This is what most people define as success. The goal of life should never be this ‘success’. It should be SIGNIFICANCE. The more we have created, the more we are significant. Otherwise, we are in a mirage called success. While success is ‘produced’, impact is ‘created’ !!! May each reader of this LSM live not just to produce success, but live, to create an impact !!! With loads of love, prayers and best wishes, Narendra Goidani As I Live…I Lea www.lifeschool.co.in