6th September 2012
`Circumspection (cautious and watchfulness) in calamity; mercy in greatness; good speeches in assemblies; fortitude (courage in bearing pain or trouble) in adversity: these are the self-attained perfections of great souls'
Hitopadesa
I make it a point to meet as many successful people as possible. If I happen to sight some great person, I go to them, introduce myself and request some of their very precious time. I try to elicit some of their traits. I also read the life history of at least one great person every month.
One of the greatest qualities I see in all of them is their ability to remain cool during worst calamities and crisis. This is what makes them stand out from the crowd. They are able to withstand any tension and crisis with a calm mindset. While normal people are destroyed by major crisis, these people become wiser.
They acquire these traits over a period of time. They also found it difficult to manage crisis. But after each crisis they are able to analyze their own response to the same and resolve to respond in a different way. Every bad experience makes them even more mature.
I learnt this from them. I tried to follow their strategy when confronted with crisis and setbacks. I realized that the more I remain calm and balanced, the clearer I am able to think.
Perhaps it is a good idea to maintain a `my learning point' notebook and record one lesson we learn from each crisis!
N C Sridharan
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