Mindset

Thinking Big or Cheating on Yourself

cheating yourself

Human beings can be really greedy sometimes. We want everything for ourselves, don’t we?

We wish all the good things to come to us. And all we expect is that whatever we do would bring us happiness.

But life isn’t that simple, is it? If it were, wouldn’t we all live in peace and harmony with so much happiness surrounding us?

In earlier days, all people did was tried surviving another day. They would hunt, gather, irrigate, and sustain their lives.

But as the way of the world started changing, people had to adapt to it. And as people became more educated and aware, there came a sense of competition.

Now, a healthy competition where all people are focused on achieving the goal with fair-play is always appreciated.

But there are times when things take a nasty turn. You don’t always get what you’re hoping for. Hence, people start taking a negative path.

Money has become a major driving force for people these days. There is nothing money won’t buy. And since happiness is compared with material things, we’re only happy when we have lots of money; is what everyone believes.

There is no limit people haven’t crossed in order to become successful. This upsets me and makes me think twice about humanity sometimes.

Murdering your own family or friend, theft, burglary, kidnapping are just some regular news you hear or read on TVs and newspapers every day.

These are things people have deemed illegal already so we know it’s bad.

What about things that are overlooked?

We have heard the rags to reaches stories of so many people: it makes us envious.

Hearing these stories might give us the motivation to work hard and set our mind towards one goal.

But sometimes there emerges certain greed inside us that makes us choose the wrong path.

Success, money, and power have become so important today that we’re ready to sell ourselves just to be on top.

People turn to scheming, lying, and playing politics in order to get successful.

They’d go around people’s back in order to get a promotion at work. Students become the teacher’s pet in order to get good grades. Parents would pay a huge sum in colleges as “donation” so their children would get in.

The list doesn’t even stop there. There are politicians lying to all of us for power. There are companies fooling us right in our faces, need I continue?

These are just some of the things other people do to each other in the name of making it big.

Now, let’s get a little more personal, shall we?

Are we actually cheating ourselves?

The idea of success is surely very appealing and fascinating to us all. And society has shaped us in such a way that only a successful person that earns a lot of money can be happy in their life.

But working hard for success; who has time for that, right?

Thus, we start taking the easier route. We start considering a path that “guarantees” success without putting in much effort.

While we consider it thinking big, we need to take a closer look at ourselves and ask, are we really thinking big or simply cheating ourselves.

At this point, our lives have become one of those TV commercials that guarantee you’ll lose all your body fat in weeks without working out just by wearing a belt.

Why is it that we’re conditioned to believe that bigger is always better? The more money you have, you’re more successful and happier.

However, to achieve that “more” we’re never ready to work more. Instead, we look for shortcuts and an easier way out.

I read this notion somewhere that shocked me. It read “if you’re happy having one girlfriend, imagine having three.”

Well, it’s a good thing trying to imagine big things. It gives you a determination to do better.

But imagining how happy you’d be with three girlfriends wrapped around your arms is not thinking big, you’re actually cheating on yourself as well as all these women (literally) if you do so.

The success you get scheming your way in might look worthy now but trust me, it’s only temporary.

In reality, hard work beats talent. If you’re talented but you’re not willing to work hard to achieve your goals, the person that does will beat you to it.

I understand success matters to you. In fact, it matters to everybody and it actually should mean something big to all of us.

But cheating on yourself and on others, hurting other people and scheming your way in is not the way to do it.

So, the next time you’re thinking of success, ask yourself  “does the path I chose to become successful means I’m thinking big? Or am I simply cheating on myself taking the easier way out?”

About the author

Priya

Talks to self, more than others. Watches "the Office" all night and quotes Michael Scott all day.
"I am Beyoncé, always."

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