NO GAINS WITHOUT PAINS

       It is not easy to gain success in life. One has to work hard and struggle to achieve what one wants in life. It is just not enough setting a goal or target for us in life. We must be prepared to strive hard to realize our dreams in life. If we make only half-hearted attempts, we are bound to fail. It is no use blaming others or factors like poverty, ill- luck and lack of opportunities in life because we have failed to achieve success in life. Rightly, therefore, has it been said that there are no gains without pains.

       In order to be successful in life, we must set a realistic goal before ourselves. This can be done by making an assessment of our past achievements, present situation, educational and family background, interest and aptitudes. In doing so, we may seek the advice and guidance of our elders and work towards the realization of our goal step by step. We must make an impartial and unbiased assessment of our strengths and weaknesses while doing so and are prepared to put in our best at every step. We must be single-minded in our pursuit of our ideals. There should be no distractions and diversions in our path. Once this is done and we are motivated and inspired enough, we have taken the first step in the right direction. Then we must climb the ladder of success like we climb each rung of the ladder towards our goal where a lot of effort is required.

      We may falter and fail on our way. But this should not dishearten us, for we must keep in mind the saying that failures are the pillars of success. They should encourage us to work harder. We must always remember that there is nothing like overnight success. There is no short-cut way in life. Very few of us are born with a golden spoon in their mouths. The rest of us have to work our way up.

       In this connection, reading the biographies of great men is of great help. For example, an ordinary lawyer like Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who found no work in India had to go to South Africa to work for a client there. The difficulties and hardships he faced were numerous. He protested and demonstrated against the discrimination practiced by the whites against the non-whites, and his initial successes made him leader of the community there. He later put his methods of satyagraha and passive resistance to win freedom for Indian from the British rule. Note that he was always successful. He, too, faltered and failed in achieving his mission in life. His career can be inspiring and motivating to us all because we learn from his biography how to overcome our weaknesses and shortcomings to achieve our goal in life.

        In sum, there are no gains without pains in life. If we wish to achieve our goal, we must be prepared to make sacrifices and struggle hard, overcome all odds and obstacles in our way in order to be successful.