Hey reader,
It’s 18th of May, and now I’m sure that it’s 18th only and not 17th, Advisor. The days can be tough, overloaded with work, tiring, hard, high on nerves, yet comforting, satisfying and ending with a sense of relief. This could be only achieved if you have your principles for life, and at the end of the day, you are living by them.
It’s 18th of May, and now I’m sure that it’s 18th only and not 17th, Advisor. The days can be tough, overloaded with work, tiring, hard, high on nerves, yet comforting, satisfying and ending with a sense of relief. This could be only achieved if you have your principles for life, and at the end of the day, you are living by them.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
Thomas Jefferson
The life we choose, depends a lot on the principles we adapt from the society. A leisure person won’t be interested in working for social cause. A well discipline person won’t be found sleeping at 10 am. The examples can be infinite but I know you have got my point. We adapt the principles from the society right along our whole life. They become the part of us. But what is a principle?
“A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning.”
That’s how the dictionaries define Principle. Let’s break it and make it. A fundamental truth or proposition – that’s basically the sense of understanding and accepting what’s right and what’s wrong, or what’s good and what’s bad. These can be about the habits – like for some, smoking is okay even after knowing the outcome while some accept it as bad, materials – what’s good cloth or food and what’s not or people – who’s good for you and who isn’t, etc; the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning – which is adopting that fundamental truth as your foundation for lifestyle. e.g. I know smoking is injurious and hence, no matter how much stressed out I be, I wont smoke. A fundamental truth followed by its foundation in the lifestyle. That’s what the principles are.
“It is better to be defeated standing for a high principle than to run by committing subterfuge.”
Grover Cleveland
We all are different, we all have different principles for life. The people with whom we connect to are mostly the ones whose principles are most nearer match to ours. I can talk about myself, as it won’t offend anyone else. I connect more with those people who are living in the urban societies and yet so grounded and high on values and morals and principles. Yes, I do have few friends who does smoke or drinks a lot. That’s why I said nearest match and not the exact match. Hence, we always like something about one person and dislike few things as well. Yet, it’s all about the balance that makes the connection stronger.
A person is defined by the principles he adapt. That’s the reason, world still remembers Gandhi, Lincoln, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela and the long list, all remembered for good. And the ones, without strong principles is often lost in the mob.
“To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage, or of principle.”
Confucius
In the course of life, we get into the situations, actions and people, where despite of being in one of the best environment, we feel uncomfortable. It can be like you are working in a top notch MNC earning big numbers and yet don’t feel the comfort in that super cosy office environments. It can be a situation, you are studying in a top class college and have a group of friends and yet feel lost and disturbed with the surroundings. It can be the actions, which might going to benefit you on the cost of someone else’s loss and benefitting in big way but you don’t feel like to take the step.
That’s where the principles are playing their role, that foundation of fundamental truth of what’s correct, controls your actions, words and connections with people. So, it won’t be wrong to say that better the principles be, better will be humans and better be the society. Yes, I know I’m an old school and with speed, change is coming with generations, it’s really tough to make that foundation that good but what’s fun in doing something easy?
“We should live, act, and say nothing to the injury of anyone. It is not only best as a matter of principle, but it is the path to peace and honour.”
Robert E. Lee
So, what are your principles? And how strong is your foundation? I think it’s been some time where I’ve not given any tasks, so here it is.
What are the life instances, where despite being at a good place, you felt uncomfortable? It can be a great school, or college/university, or top-notch company, city, or some party, anything! We all have faced this. Let’s pen them down and think about it, what made you feel uncomfortable? I believe, you will find some of your principles you aren’t aware of yet. Isn’t it cool? So, let’s try out, and find how strong is our foundation?
“Great things take time, be it a great human or it’s great and solid foundation.”
Navneet
VARTAMANAH 
What’s your thought about it?