Redefine Success

“I have not failed; I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

‘On Education’ by Albert Einstein postulates, “The value of a man, however, should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive. The most important motive for work in the school and in life is pleasure in work, pleasure in its results and the knowledge of the value of the result to the community.”

When we try to understand these lines by one of the greatest minds that ever existed, we can conclude two basic ideas. First, pleasure or satisfaction is imperative when it comes to studies as well as job. This pleasure comes when one loves what one does. The second aspect is seeking pleasure in results and giving value to it. Now, Einstein doesn’t describe the word result here. He simply conveys that one needs to acknowledge the persistence, perseverance, time, heart, mind and soul put into the work and this is way more important than the result itself.  In the present times, we yearn for noble people with good heart, austerity, simplicity and honesty but unfortunately, when it comes to admiration and reverence, we give it to those who are materially accomplished and politically powerful. Success is defined in terms of grades, scores, degrees and wealth. Efforts and hard work have become underrated and what is lauded is the end result. So, what kind of message are we sending to the young generation?

Recently, the Vikram lander lost control and crash-landed on the lunar surface on 7^th September 2019, when India was so close to make history. But, it was amazing to see how the people of the country responded. They applauded the work done by ISRO in the past 50 years to get this far. The country stood in solidarity with the scientists who spent countless hours in pursuit of their goal. Kailasavadivoo Sivan assumed the role of ISRO chairman last year. While he seemed dejected after ISRO lost communication with the Chandrayaan-2, the entire nation stood behind his team and boosted his morale. Born to a farmer and studied in local government school, this humble man of immaculate intellect and serene simplicity won many hearts. Was this love and trust, that he gained that day, less than success?

Undoubtedly, parents aspire for nothing but success and happiness for their children but with the course of time they unknowingly start imposing on them, what social conventions dictate. For those who point fingers on the school system do not want to admit that schools do not categorise students as winners and losers. These tags are given by the cut throat competitive world that defines success as: selections in reputed universities and All India Ranks. Schools on the other hand celebrate every child and appreciate her every accomplishment. It’s when the child goes outside the school she realises that her achievements are categorised as worth-it and not-so-worth-it. There is a pleasant and innocent awkwardness and vulnerability in a child which is earnest and heart-touching. In the rat-race of the world outside, it is crushed oh, so brutally.

A recent movie by Nitesh Tiwari tries to redefine the idea of success, showcasing in a gripping tale, how efforts matter more than results. The most enriching part for me was to look at parents taking the front seat in the storyline, helping their child cope up with the situation. However, it was interesting to note how the pressure subtly seeps in. The child had already faced the separation of his parents and was trying his best to create a balance. In one scene, the father tells him that they would celebrate together when he qualifies the competitive exam but forgets to tell him how they would respond in case he doesn’t. A few scenes later, looking at the misery of the father, another man in the group calls up his son and promises him a bike even if he scores less. What he fails to understand here is that material gratification never resolve emotional devoid. Remember, no materialistic gifts will ever fill in the void created by your absence in the times when they need you the most. Well, this is for both, parents as well as children. It works both ways. The point is we often define success in terms of accomplishments of fixed goals. In the scheme of life we often ignore the importance of plan-B.

School education is about holistic development; an approach that is beyond scores. When basics are clear then a child is enabled to sort out her interests based on her aptitude. But it is not as simple as it sounds. When it comes to aptitude not all children are same. But this is often difficult for the parents (burdened under societal pressure) to understand. Think about rules and limitations. Aren’t they welcomed by parents as well as society in general when it comes to safety and discipline? Then, why is it difficult to understand the limitations or disinterest of a child when it comes to a particular subject or career choice? On the contrary, what is done is that the dreams of children are restricted and their capacity is stretched out beyond their instinctive potential till their aspirations are crushed. To those who do not agree to this, look around, the shackles of coaching institutes crush the souls of the young minds from 3 pm to 9 pm on a daily basis. There, children are trained in a fixed course pattern, without catering to their strengths and weaknesses (let alone the concept of multiple intelligences); devoid of the ideas of ethics, values, coping mechanisms, anger management and sense of responsibility. They cram, score, get reshuffled on the basis of scores into categories of batches and repeat the same cycle endlessly.

Coming back to the foundation of education i.e, school, I would like to quote a few excerpts from a thought-provoking article by Ashish Dhwan in the editorial section of The Indian Express. Mr. Dhawan is the founder-chairman of Central Square Foundation and a founding member of Ashoka University. He states, “School education is the most important socio-economic issue that will generate the demographic dividend needed to power India’s growth story.” According to him schools need to focus more on critical skills and gateway skills. He emphasizes that students will only pick up advanced skills once they are thorough with the foundational skills. He mentions, “Without a strong learning foundation at the primary level, there can be little or no improvement in higher education or skill development.” Even the draft NEP states that attainment of foundational skills has to be given the highest priority.  He writes that there are four critical pillars for establishing a better learning system and they are: focus on foundational learning, appropriate teaching-learning material, trained and dedicated teacher allocation for primary classes and improved accountability.  These pillars can only be established and maintained by schools because none of the coaching institutions are going to focus on basics, critical thinking, dedication and most importantly accountability.

So, for those who seek success for their kids outside the schools, ask your children why school is and will always be an inevitable and inseparable part of their life. If their answers do not suffice, let me tell you what I see every day.

When an academically ‘satisfactory’ student who wins medals in football is best friends with an academically brilliant and not-so-good-in-sports student,

I See Success.

When a student struggling in mathematics manages the entire class as the “best monitor” and beams with pride when he is appreciated for being responsible and disciplined,

I See Success.

When the winning team at school cheers “well-played” for the losing side and the students rejoice in team spirit and unconditional friendships beyond the field,

I See Success.

When a teacher cries looking at her student going through a tragic situation at home and stands by him; and when the kids notice their teacher isn’t well and offer him a chair or water as a gesture of compassion,

I See Success.

When kids enthusiastically work for community welfare,

I See Success.

When I see students help a differently-abled child and stand by him through thick and thin,

I See Success.

When a teacher appreciates the smallest efforts of her students and motivates them to ask questions, dream big and compare their progress with no one but themselves,

I See Success.

And when a child comes to a mother-teacher in nursery and leaves the school after completing class XII, in tears, filled with hope, compassion, empathy and integrity…

I See Success.

Someone has brilliantly observed that success should be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life but by the obstacles which one had to overcome while trying to succeed. Let’s not restrict the idea of happiness and success. Let the kids find their own ways and define their own success. Let them be motivated by integrity, the quality of showing up every day, loyalty, dedication and the urge to give their best, earnestly. And, let us trust them when they choose to take ‘the road not taken’.