Achievement
"The most splendid achievement of all is the constant striving to surpass yourself and to be worthy of your own approval.”- Denis Waitley
Board exam results were declared last week and one word which is most commonly used is Achievement. Most of the time this word is used for kids scoring more than 80-90%.”What an achievement”, “It’s incredible” and so on.I often wonder is achievement only for excelling in social context??what about kids who generally failed but could manage to clear the exam now ?what about kids who have scored better than they normally do just by putting more efforts? Are their efforts not creditable?.
Achievement is generally thought to be about social recognition and appreciation .It is always used in a comparative sense. Something or somebody having an edge over is thought to have achieved something. But for me its an absolute concept and should not be in reference to somebody else.A less privileged lad managing college ,part time job and appearing for exam is an achievement.For a mother managing professional responsibilities along with taking care of toddler is a feat. Then even if she can’t perform to the best of her talent doesn't matter. For her managing both fronts is a daily achievement. For me it's the achievement of the baby or toddler more to stay away from parents when they are at workplace and adjusting to new people at such tender age.A lady who doesn’t know English but travelling overseas alone to meet her husband is an achievement. A person who has been working in company for over a decade not knowing how to operate laptop properly but now learning SAP and generating MIS is definitely achieving and progressing. These examples are not seen in context to some situation or somebody. They in themselves, are doing something which is extraordinary.
The other day one of my newly joined colleagues seemed to be very happy. She had been given chance of presentation in company’s annual meet and being a newcomer she had never expected this. She had done it and her senior was there to support and cover up her lacunas. She seemed so motivated and happy that she could do it. It was a push which gave her immense confidence.
I feel whenever somebody steps out of comfort zone to try something new ,it's an achievement because he or she has managed to conquer the fear of unknown and gathered all courage to put best foot forward. Similarly when somebody keeps aside emotional and personal preferences in discharge of his or her responsibility ,it is laudable. Generally, when something is recognised formally, appreciated and applauded by society we consider that event as achievement. Social recognition is given too much importance in defining achievements. But it fosters feeling of competitiveness, jealousy, depression which indirectly creates imbalance in society. People start craving and striving for attention sometimes forgetting main objective. People who fail to gather that attention or appreciation may develop inferiority complex and their confidence may take a hit. They may start considering themselves as failure in the process of comparison and their personalities may alter over period of time.
Small-small feats which make our day or give us immense satisfaction and happiness are achievements in real sense. We need to self appraise and cheer for ourselves for such feats. It is not related to what somebody else has managed to do. We need to remember that ultimately achievements are not for people but for our self motivation. They are meant to generate positivity and not complexities. They are a morale booster and reiteration of the fact that yes I can.
