Today’s generation has delved into the technological growth so much that it is losing touch with our rich heritage and culture. What should be remembered is that our whole life is based on the basics of our tradition. Let’s look back into the past in search of the valuable lessons that Bhagvad Gita has got to offer us.
1. Keep working without anticipating about the result
“Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma PhaleshuKadachana,
Ma KarmaPhalaHeturBhurma Tey SangostvaAkarmani”
Meaning: “You have the right to work only but never to its fruits.
Let not the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction”.
Takeaway: It is your duty to keep working and give your best shot in everything you do. Working is in your hands and you can control it but you can’t do anything about the result. In the journey of entrepreneurship, uncertainties are immense but that should not stop you from taking a ride in the startup roller coaster. The results can never be judged beforehand but if you work hard, it will reap the sweet fruit one day or the other for sure. Also, sometimes entrepreneurs get swayed by imagining about success and that deviate them from the real thing, i.e. “karma”. Result? They fail far before reaching the ultimate. So, the lesson is to enjoy the ride not thinking when and how it will end.
2. Get adapted to changes quickly
“vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya
Navani grhnati naro ‘parani
Tatha sarirani vihaya jarnani
Anyani samyati navani dehi”
Meaning: “As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones”
Takeaway: Entrepreneurs should be susceptible to changes. The market is changing every now and then and without a warning. One of the biggest qualities of an entrepreneur is to stay updated. So, with market changes, he/she should be able to frame his strategies accordingly. With adaptation, constant innovation is also required. It is like life where people come and go and you need to move on without getting attached. If you get attached to someone and they go, it hurts. And if you can adapt to it, your life changes for the better. We should always remember that it is change which is always constant.
Also Read: Why should you become an entrepreneur and why you should not
3. Control your anger
“Krodhaad bhavati sammohah sammohaat smriti vibhramah,
Smritibhramshaad buddhinaasho buddhinaashaat pranashyati”
Meaning: “From anger comes delusion; from delusion the loss of memory; from loss of memory the destruction of discrimination; from the destruction of discrimination he perishes”.
Takeaway: Great entrepreneurs are those who can deal with every kind of person. He/she should not get angry and lose temper in petty issues. Anger destroys your ability to think rationally and you start to think and speak abruptly without any logic. The purpose of your work gets bleak. This is sure to annoy the person before you no matter how well he knows or understands you. So be patient as anger will make things worse and hence it is never a solution.
4. Be open to everything and attached to nothing
“asaktah satatam karyam karma samacara
Asakto hy acaran karma param apnoti purushah”
Meaning: “Without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty; for by working without attachment, one attains the Supreme”
Takeaway: Good relationship is a must in business. But getting attached can reduce your success rate as you can often get emotional. Getting attached doesn’t just imply people; it also means your work. If you get attached to your work to a great extent, you start losing your role in your personal life. Moreover, you become obsessed with success and if you face failure, demotivation starts heading in. You also become greedy if you get attached to fame and money.
5. Pure things wear a mask and can’t be judged right away
“dhumenavriyate vahnir yathadarso malena ca
Yatholbenavrto garbhas tatha tenedam avrtam”
Meaning: “As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, similarly, the living entity is covered by different degrees of this lust”.
Takeaway: Everything that is pure comes with a covering and can become misleading. Things can look very luring from outside but the inside reality often turns out to be harsh and unexpected. So, always take your decisions wisely by judging the matters properly and don’t get swayed by its cover. Knowledge is covered with desire. We should always embrace the power of knowledge as too much of desire makes us obsessed and greedy about money and fame. It is easy to say but hard to accomplish. But if you are wise, you know what you should select and what you should overlook.
