"Give 100%, the World will follow you"!

I humbly invite you to read the perception of a common man to relate to another, rather than bringing a high profile personality who’s highly successful in modern terms to connect my readers! A relatively small attempt to portray that we should be able to celebrate our own small successes, be as small as sands in the desert, provided we give 100% in whatever we do!

While I initiate this work, I’m afraid that “one might found as if I’m blowing my own trumpet”. However I’ve no other choice, than taking the cue from my own experience to make it straight from my heart! a heart talk!

It’s true that I have just started the journey and indeed a beginner in terms of social work. However, whenever there’s an opportunity to serve others, I give 100%. And the almighty was kind enough to reward me enough! This approach of “giving 100%” moulded me into the person what I am today.

Let’s see what would happen, if one follows this simple principle: “Give 100% - do what one enjoys doing and when one enjoys, he/she gives the best!!!”

Enjoyment comes from the involvement. Each time we’re assigned to do some thing or other or whenever we take up any task in the life, it’s recommended that we give our 100%, by putting one’s heart and soul into it…The beauty is the sense of satisfaction. And the best part is all the new friends that one makes during such journey. When we give our sincere efforts and time for the people, God ensures that they are reciprocated, without even expecting it!

Having a dream is great… living one's dream is the greatest feeling, one can have. It was a dream to be on my own… Thanks to all those friends I made during this eventful journey, I summoned the courage and confidence to quit my job, to start a business in IT. Today, with grace of God, I’m living my dream! It takes nothing, but guts and vision to come out of one's comfort zone. Don’t you all agree that was a huge 200% return?

The best is yet to reveal! The major share of my overseas stay has been committed to a non-profit making international organization, which is devoted in to helping its members sharpen their communication and leadership skills. It’s fortunate to have associated with many selfless people in serving others during this learning process of last 8 years with the organization. One of such fine tuned persons is this senior professor in a prominent educational institute in Dubai, who held many higher positions in various coveted organizations. We have worked together on many conferences for the said organization. It was completely a different experience to work with a person of her stature, a real treat! It was a dream come true, when she had told me on her intend to give me an assignment to manage an international conference that she’s associated with. It is indeed humbling. Isn't it?

Though I would have loved to describe, in vivid detail on many such life changing experiences, but I’m restrained due to the constraint in available space. I’m sure that the readers too have such experiences, which even amazes our own senses. Don’t you agree with me?

I have all the reasons to believe, all the milestone turning points in my life is the outcome of the simple formula I insist to follow: "Give 100%: in other words, put the heart and soul into whatever one does".

We need to constantly be on the lookout for opportunities. In the modern era, the opportunity does not always lie in the adversity as they always say, but in front of your naked eyes!!! One needs to just keep the eyes open with the approach of giving 100%.

What will be the difference, when we apply 100% of ourselves in to whatever we do. If one owns this attitude, success is guaranteed! Though words failed to express my justification to make my point, here’s a story of a visionary, who had proactively opted the best and effective way for the people of his native place. When the riots had hit my home town, way back in early nineties, many people were killed; the harmony in the society had been disturbed beyond the words. Authorities had done their best to bring peace and harmony back to the place. There were several peace marches (Shanti Yatra) organized by various selfless leaders from all walks of life. All went in vein! Even the whole incident was a major topic of heated discussion in the Indian Parliament.

During this tough period, this visionary in the story committed himself to sharpen people’s mind and attitude to avoid such disaster in the future. Like EM Foster said after the infamous World War-I "instead of building new townships and infrastructure, people needs to change their perception and approach to avoid such disaster in the future". Knowing his educational back ground, there was a less chance for him to know the EM Foster’s version. However, the hero in this story recognized the root causes, which are the wrong perceptions and the lack of effective education existing in the society. He found out the need of such institutes in the area which could cater and meet the need of the people. He knew that such efforts only could divert the attention of the people for a better cause.

And hold on, its worth to note his own educational back ground. On a lighter note, he used to boast that he had long years of education, one year in 1st standard and three years in 2nd standard. In other words, his education was nothing but his rich experience gained out of his travel!

He took the lead in throwing the idea to people around. The commitment and the sincere efforts had a wonderful outcome. He along with his selfless other members in the team finally succeeded in founding a school and a college of over 1000 students, under his able and wise leadership. He almost lived through the words Holmes “there is no better exercise for the heart than reaching down and lifting up the people”. Of course, over 15 years of tireless efforts helped to establish the social harmony and peace back in our area and in turn, though unexpected, such social reformation earned him a national award in 2005. I feel proud to have such brave hearts in our place, who willingly contributed to empower the society and show us the forward path. A path of hope! My heart beats get in to manifold and the blood pumps faster in to every single vain of my body, when I thank the almighty for blessing me with such patriotic father! Thank you uppava (Late Moosa Haji Eroth), for proving to me: "if one gives 100%, there'll be a huge return on investment!"

If a person with no education but only with attitude of "giving 100%", can be “the Torch Bearer of the change”, why not you and me. Is the more resource available to us, a burden on us?

My friends, while we actually apply this winning formula of "Giving 100%", we must cleanse our inner self as well. This would surely help us in handling the tough situations and the rejections, even the failures in life, which might be there to welcome us. Most of us are like a stone - muddy, undesigned, unshaped stone! Only once it is cleaned and shaped, it could be used for a better cause. A sculptor would convert this stone to a beautiful sculpture… A MASTERPIECE! By chipping ourselves, by correcting our mistakes and knowing our strength and areas of improvements… We all could convert ourselves to a wonderful person.

Folks, here, WE ARE THE STONE, WE ARE THE SCULPTOR, and WE HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE THE MASTERPIECE! Needless to say! It’s a continuous process, if one aspiring to be a better human creature!

I would like to stay myself corrected, while this article is approaching towards the conclusion! There's a rule of the game! While we're giving our 100% to any task or role, never and ever expect any thing in return! Whatever comes to you, are the natural progress and the by-products of our thoughts and deeds! So, one should not expect any thing in return!

My dear brothers and sisters, I urge one and all including yours truly, to follow “GIVE 100%” principle.

... then one day you might see yourself walking alone on a new path! No one seems in sight! No one seems to have walked it earlier! Don't give up mid way! You are on a right track! Go on… Reach your dreams! ...... The reason why you do not see any one is because, "THE WORLD IS FOLLOWING YOU"!

"Sacrifice" is the best virtue of all! EID Mubarak!

Out of all virtues and good deeds, I rate the "willingness to sacrifice" for others and being able to find the joy in it, is, according to yours truly, the best character one can ever possess. It's the "willingness to sacrifice", which is the base of "EID Al Adha".

The festival commemorates God's gift of a ram in place of Ismail (pbuh), whom God had commanded Ibrahim (pbuh) to sacrifice.The Devil tried to persuade Ibrahim (pbuh) to disobey God and not to sacrifice his beloved son, but Ibrahim stayed absolutely obedient to God and drove the devil away.

However, Ibrahim (pbuh) succeeded the "test" and was offered a goat, in lieu of Ismail (pbuh).Yes, Eid al-Adha is a celebration of this supreme example of submission to God, which is the cornerstone of the Islamic faith (islam means "submission").

My family joins me to wish you from the bottom of our hearts, a blessed Eid Al Adha. In this celebration of "Sacrifice", let the world find the peace and the humanity find the love to one another, beyond this unnecessary religious boundaries! Let's get reminded of our duties towards the needy irrespective of their religious beliefs, during this festival of "Sacrifice"!

EID Mubarak!

With True Spirit of Sacrifices and Peaceful world!

Shoukath Ali Eroth : Dreamer & Story Teller