A Helpless Spectator Or A Hopeful Discoverer?

When You Can’t Do Much Of A Thing- Who Would You Choose To Be?

A few days ago I was given a responsibility from my company. I had to represent it for 3 days at a stall and interact with the interested people. The very first thought was “Oh! 3 days! Damn!” (The time of Christmas and New Year. The time when I had many of friends in my hometown.) What a way to consider an opportunity, totally negative! ain’t it? It’s ok, sometimes you feel it at an instance and you learn how to convince yourself to see the positive things in it. I tried doing the same.

I went there on the first day, it wasn’t as good as we expected. I returned and said, “I am not going there tomorrow, this is not the kind people who will show interest in us!” With much difficulty, I forced myself for the 2nd day, I said, “I’ll try, I shall see for a couple of hours and get back home.” I spent a few hours, with the response I decided to go back home. It was the third day, I was happy to know I need not go there again tomorrow (But I wished the right kind of people turned out at least today.) Again it was the same, I packed up and returned home.

That evening, I sat in my room thinking about the 3 days of experience, I tried convincing myself about the disappointments it caused, about the boredom of sitting alone for 3 days, and also about much more of the stocked up thoughts in my mind. With much of an introspection, I came with a verdict, I congratulated myself to have been patient enough for 3 days.

I talked to a friend about this and he raised a question. He said

“Great you survived for 3 days. But what did you do extra from your side to make it better?”

I was left with no answer.

For a few minutes, I drowned in the ideas which could have made things better for me. I thought of all the things which could have made my work better. It’s true my extra effort wouldn’t have made a huge difference, but that doesn’t mean I should have limited myself from my growth. I failed to give my 100%. I failed to give my best and easily found something else to blame on. I had fed my mind with the response of people at the stall that it blocked my paths to think about giving my best to the work.

Yes! I failed that day, but I am happy I failed. The 3 days I spent looked like an absolute waste for me until I came across this thought “Okay…. What is happening is happening, but what am I doing about this?

Am I being a ‘helpless spectator’ or am I being a ‘hopeful discoverer’?”

Most of the times we go through situations where we know what is coming to us and can’t do much about it. But before accepting the situation as it is, it is always better to ask yourself on who you want to be? A ‘helpless spectator’ or a ‘hopeful discoverer’? And if you could ask this question then you are sure to choose the ‘hopeful discoverer’ because the chances are that you sleep with a pride to have found and tried ways to make things better (even if it doesn’t work out the way you want things to be)

10 thoughts on “A Helpless Spectator Or A Hopeful Discoverer?”

  1. depends on a lot of factors, if i am passionate about something or even interested i would like to perform…but something that i abhor…i wouldn’t be too keen but just let it pass….Nice article :)

  2. Thought provoking and inspirational. Good point suggested, we should be performer not spectator. Great write up, Vidya!
    And Wish You a Very Happy, Prosperous & Healthy 2015 :)

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