How to Overcome Challenges in Life?

"Live dynamically, think positively, plan out deliberately, pray ardently, meditate regularly, read daily, correct minutely, grow divinely." Swami Chinmayananda

The world is your clay, mould it as you desire…

If you were handed back a mock exam with the letter F branded on the front in thick, red ink, would your teacher
tell you that you couldn’t achieve an A? When you are asked to talk or sing in front of 300 people, does your best
friend tell you that you will not be able to do it?

So who is it that forces us to run away and give up? If you think about your class at school, you will see that some
kids seem to get the best of life; their list of achievements is never-ending!

On the other hand, there are those who do what they have to, and that’s that. So, what is the difference? If they are
all taught by the same teachers and given equal opportunities, what is the cause of this gap? The achievers have
unwavering faith in their ability and never lose sight of their goal. We seem to base our happiness on the people
and things around us.

It is so easy to blame others or even luck when we have tried yet failed at something. Big-achievers are those who
have understood that there is no limit to what they can do, their potential is limitless.

They have understood that any disappointments are not caused by those around them but can be traced
back to themselves, and any hope for change is down to them.

Therefore, they live their lives putting 110% into everything that they do, living by the phrase “you reap what you
sow”. Of course, sometimes we do fail at some things, for example, we may not achieve our desired grade in an
exam, but giving up is what defines failure.

Indeed, this is the easier option

Getting a low grade in one exam, then feeling that the A is out of reach and then not bothering to aim high ever
again takes a lot less effort than putting in the work to raise the mark. So it is easy to see why it appeals to many!
However, in all honesty, everyone wants to reach his or her full potential, whether it is a grade C, B or A, and only
you know what it is. How do we reach our full potential? We first have to change our mindset.

From a very young age, we are continually being told what we can’t do, forgetting the vast majority of things that
we can do, and our lives become plagued with negativity. We need to remind ourselves that the only person
limiting us is our self.

Be Realistic

We do need to be realistic, no matter how much you believe that you can fly without wings, it will only result in
injury! However, if we aim to put an end to a bad habit, anything from biting nails to smoking, or meeting any
other challenges, we have to be absolutely firm in believing that it is entirely down to us to make a change and that
it is not an impossible task, especially if others have done it before.

Give up Fear

Another factor that plays a part in stopping people from reaching their full potential is fear. Fear of the unknown,
fear of what others think, fear of failure …. It is said that great people are those who can handle their fear and
manipulate it to reach their goal. Fear in itself is a reason to go for the challenge because once you overcome the
fear, it is an immense achievement in itself.

As for fear of what people think, if you believe that what you are doing is correct and you will benefit from it,
then it does not matter what others think. In achieving your full potential, it is important always to be yourself.
If you live behind a façade, you will never be wholly devoted to doing your own best; your mind will still be
clouded with concerns of how you are being perceived when actually, the most important thing is that you believe
in yourself, your true, unique self.

So, next time you are faced with a challenge, remember that you can succeed in anything that you put your mind
to. In the same way that dreams are merely potions of the mind, you can create your success with the desire and
will to succeed.

Reference: Article written by Jankee Gohil (16), and based on talks given by Swami Swaroopananda called
'Dare to be Different' which is part of the 'Potential to Performance' series. Recordings of these talks can be
purchased from e-bookshop on www.chinmayauk.org /ebookshop