Those who obsess over what is wrong overlook what is right
Some people are industrious faultfinders. Whoever they are with, they zero in on the faults of that person. Such people who obsess on the wrong [...]
Those who commit to nothing are distracted by everything
Distraction has been an ever-present bane for humanity. However, the present age is one of mass distraction. With technology and social media, news, updates and [...]
When we resent others, we drink poison and expect them to suffer
Suppose a person becomes furious with someone and decides to hurt them. So, they drink poison themselves. Ridiculous, we would say: Who would do anything [...]
Compare yourself only with the person you were yesterday
A common human pastime is comparison: “My car is better than theirs; their house is better than mine; my phone is smarter than theirs.” Through [...]
Happiness comes not by maximizing our possessions, but by minimizing our attachments
Today’s materialistic culture makes us believe that the more possessions we have, the happier we will be. However, such “happiness” lasts only as long as [...]
Doing things efficiently is good, but doing unnecessary things efficiently isn’t
Suppose we are traveling by a flight that allows us 50 pounds luggage. We meticulously organize the things that we need to carry, placing them [...]
Let our confidence come from not who we are, but whose we are
Suppose we are climbing a huge mountain. Seeing how tall it is, we may lose heart and give up. If, however, we are a part [...]
Those who stay upset about what they don’t have waste what they do have
Suppose a person with artistic talent craves and slaves to become an engineer. But if they just don’t get mathematics or physics and somehow struggle [...]
Bring out the best within, not the beast within
We all would like to improve ourselves, become better – and yet we sometimes act regrettably, worse than ourselves. What makes us act like that? [...]
Think with our sense, not our senses
Thinking with our sense means using our good sense to differentiate between the desirable and the undesirable. By such thoughtfulness, we see as undesirable the [...]
The cure for ritualism is not the rejection of ritual but the infusion of emotion into ritual
Some people criticize religious rituals as mindless performances and campaign for their rejection. However, rituals are present in every walk of life. For example, when [...]
We can help the unable, but not the unwilling
If a car is not starting, helpful passers-by may push it. With the driver and the pushers working together, the car may start moving. But [...]
Fate is not a matter of faith, but our faith matters in determining our fate
The word fate connotes a trans-human shaper of results (Why is fate against me?) as well as the future that will result (Who knows what [...]
To see the big picture, ask the big questions
When life’s problems start overwhelming us, seeing the big picture can help us put first things first. However, we can’t even seek the big picture [...]
Desires go away not by gratification or repression but by purification
Desires that we know are undesirable sometimes impel us. If repeatedly impelled, we may feel, “Let me just indulge and get it over with. At [...]
The value of what we drive doesn’t matter as much as the values that drive us
We live in a materialistic culture that determines our stature by externals such as the cars we drive, the clothes we wear and the phones [...]
Know when to doubt and when to give the benefit of doubt
In cricket, suppose an appeal is made against a batsman, but the umpires can’t see clearly whether the batsman is out or not. Then, they [...]
We live in a broken world, but we don’t have to live broken lives
The world we live in is a broken place. No matter how hard we work and how well we plan, even the best work that [...]
Information doesn’t have to be new to be helpful – it just has to be timely
We live in a culture where the new is incessantly glamorized – new gadgets, new fashions, new data, new news. But we don’t always need new information – what we need is timely access to the known. If students have prepared for an exam, they don’t need any new information at the time of the exam – they just need to recollect what they already know.
Whenever things seem to fall apart, remember when things have fallen in place
Sometimes, life seems to hand out one reversal after another and all that we are doing seems to be falling apart. We may feel that the universe is hostile; we may question the benevolence or even the existence of God. At such times, it’s important to note that life hasn’t always given us a raw deal – we have had things fall in place for us. Whenever we have achieved anything substantial,
Life’s misfortunes are like thorns – don’t press on them; pass through them
Suppose we are walking barefoot and the path turns thorny. If that is the only way to our destination, we will gird ourselves to endure the pain. But we won’t press our foot on the thorns – we will take it off as quickly as possible and pass through.