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Friday, February 20, 2009

Gol Gappe ......& Success..... :)


I am a big fan of golgappas (pani puris). I go to my favorite chaatwala... Well I am too loyal to this particular fellow. I saw people coming in big swanky cars and actually queuing up! There are many reasons for this like popularity like good PR (he never gets irritated), quality and service as well as a unique taste. So I can easily conclude that this particular chaatwala is famous in his catchment area and a little beyond too. He is excellent at making golgappas and that’s also his profession; he is doing his work diligently and sincerely. So, is he successful?? I asked one of my friends. Pat came the reply: a big NO, because he is a poor chaatwala, uneducated and ‘dehati’. But I disagree.

Mr Shiv Khera says he who does his work sincerely and with honesty is successful... That is why the chaatwala is no less then a mini celebrity in our colony. And yes, the most important- I feel he is free, running his own venture, not subservient to anyone, not doing anyone’s job. His hard work is going to pay ‘him’ and his negligence is also going to cost ‘him’, no one else. He can hold his head high, decide on his own when to open shop, whom to or not to serve, etc… now how many of us in jobs can enjoy this type of freedom??

One of my teachers (a sweet Anglo-Indian lady from Mussouri with an amazing smile and overall personality..:) one day shared with us the story of her senior school friend who failed thrice and yet joined her first job at the same level as hers. My teacher feels that the girl is successful because of her amazing self confidence, and I agree. How many of us will not get depressed or can gather guts to apply for a good job after failing thrice?? Now that girl is doing very well and is in UK currently.


So finally what is the definition or measure of success? Is it a journey or a destination? I feel its means different things to different people but we widely tend to measure it by the preset and outdated academic benchmarks which themselves are yearning for improvement. Kids inclined towards thinking, arts, literature etc are labeled as duffers and failures in schools. I feel a semiliterate housewife efficiently managing a big family in a modest budget, or a student (like u, my dear Bindu..:) topping his/her exams on a tight budget is successful. Women who have sacrificed their personal lives to bring up young siblings are successful because they have perfectly played their roles as sisters, mothers, wives, daughters, etc, all at the same time.

Having a job in a Fortune 500 company but with tearful eyes and pocket full of money, to me, is no success at all. Certainly not better than my favorite golgappa man! What say ???

20 comments:

  1. Totally totally agree with every single word!!! I sooo believe that Success is in other words 'Freedom to be able to live happily and independently on your own terms'... and thats the same spirit I keep in life and I am glad u think that way tooo... Many of us tend to think that Happiness and Success mean the same thing... But they are mistaken!! They shud read ur blog to know why its different... The message you wanted to put across is conveyed brilliantly and tats wat is appealing about ur blog...
    High thinking combined with simple yet strong way of writing... Marvelous blog!!! Keep up the good work!!!!! :) :) 3 cheers!!!

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  2. huh... very well said...for majority how much you earn financially is the only index on which success is measured ..a sense of satisfaction and general happiness become subservient to money...

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  3. I say right-on!! :)

    First time on your blog and this post just got smile to my face. Reminded me of the "Dahi-papadi waala" who used to come home everyday to make the dahi papadi exactly the way i wanted. That was when I was an 8 yrs old. I met him around the time I turned 20 and he was selling dahi papadi. And after all those years he remembered me, even though I hadnt seen him in over 7 years. He made the Papadi exactly the way I wanted. When I asked him if it was difficult to sell Dahi Papadi here, now that there are so many swanky bakeries around, he said there are plenty other kids in this area who love his dahi papadi and it brings a smile to his face. He then told me his daughter just graduated and landed a good job and he doesnt need to do it for the money. He does it coz he loves to interact with different people. He didnt take money from me that day. I was touched....just thought..."Aisa bhi hota hai" :)

    Wonderful blog u've got here ...you are blog-rolled...will keep coming back :)

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  4. Applauds for such a wonderful intelligent post!! Success is I think doing the work you like! It doesn't matter that it fetches u million or not.. what brings smile to your face will obv help u in getting successful!

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  5. Firstly i am reading this post at 12 midnight. now seeing the golgappa pic i am too hungry yaar. secondly, after reading this post and the MBA one...something in me says that you wish to break free from your current fortunes 500 organization and start something of your own. Aint i right?

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  6. I say you are so right!
    Wonderful post...thank you!

    Margie:)

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  7. hi Diva

    thanks re for such dashing comment :)

    YUP ! I totally totally agree with u that 'success is Freedom to be able to live happily and independently on your own terms'...:)

    and one more cheer for u my sweet Diva (real wali!)...and one for our friendship too.... :)

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  8. Hi Victor

    thanks :)

    yup! we tend to measure success by financial benchmarks...and not at all by satisfaction .. that's a sad reality :(

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  9. hii Smriti

    thanks a lot for visiting my blog and for blog rolling me :)

    it is a general perception that success means money but actually success is all about playing ur roles ethically and with full honesty. and in being an asset to the society in whatever form... like that papdiwala made ppl smile..he is indeed successful...:)

    keep coming :)

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  10. hi Abhinav

    thanks for this nice comment :)

    ya, success is all about following one's heart (without hurting others of course ) and doing one's work with full dedication..:)

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  11. hii gayathri

    thanks :)

    golgappas can make any one go crazy...aur haan bilkul sahi socha aapne ..ur inner voice is right :)

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  12. hi Margie

    thanks a lot my dear... keep coming :)

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  13. A wonderful read... Even my idea of success is different from the general concieved measure of financial assets... I wish you meet your idea of success very soon and be it as a blend of flavours as your fav gol-gappas :)

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  14. Hi Pranjal

    Thanks :)

    nice to know that u think differently about success...usually pple tend to make it a synonym of material wealth ...

    And thanks a lot for the wishes..:)

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  15. where is ur sweet frnd now?? :-?
    even she dusnt likes her pic on line?

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  16. hii Abhinav

    haan ..right ;D

    for some reason I had to remove it, will upload soon..:)

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  17. Having a job in a Fortune 500 company but with tearful eyes and pocket full of money, to me, is no success at all. Certainly not better than my favorite golgappa man!


    very true !!

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  18. Amazing! An intelligent one. Success is a journey; not a destination. Working for a Fortune 500 company; earning a 5 figure salary does not measure one's success, but maybe merely a false sense of achievement; living life for others than for yourself...

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  19. hii Pretty :)

    welcome to my blog...:)

    ya .. if u r earning millions still not happy, whats the logic??

    :)

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  20. hii Insignia :)

    thanks :)

    yaa, as u say
    'merely a false sense of achievement; living life for others than for yourself...'

    is very true yaar :)success is not at all a synonym of material wealth..:)

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