My favorite number - Zero

Recently, someone asked me my favorite number. We are used to being asked about our favorite actor, singer, song, movie, leader etc. But a favorite number! This was the first time someone had asked me this.

However, I had no problem in answering. My favorite number is 'zero'. 

But why zero...

You might ask. There are several reasons to this. 

Firstly, and in a lighter vein, zero was my most faithful companion in my school days. It never left me. After every test, it would be there in front of me in some or the other form. 

But more seriously, imagine a world without zero. Our knowledge of numbers would have been limited from 1 to 9. With zero, we can go beyond 9 and reach for the infinity. So, zero is the doorway to infinity, isn't it?

Anything divided by zero become infinity. All our happiness and satisfaction from any person, thing or experience gets divided by our expectations. Higher the expectations, lower the happiness and satisfaction. But, get your expectations to zero and what happens? Infinite happiness!!

When there is something, we can either add to it, subtract from it, divide it or multiply it. What we get is a variation of what was. In this sense, our options of the final outcome are limited by what was there to begin with. However, when there is nothing, the possibilities of what can be are limitless. Imagine this for a road running through a town. The direction and width of the road will be dictated by the layout of the town. Similarly, the layout of the town and the buildings, parks etc. will be governed to a great extent by the road network. However, imagine an open expanse of land where a town has to come up with it's roads, buildings, parks etc. The possibilities are endless.

This is applicable to any area of life - arts, poetry, literature, business, human relations and any other area of human endeavor one can think of. A blank canvas is a zero and the possibility of what the artist can draw on it is endless. A blank paper is a zero and the possibility of what a writer or a poet can put on it is infinite. 

Form the biggest saint to the biggest sinner, everyone is born as a zero - zero experience, zero knowledge and zero habits. The heart and mind of the baby is like the blank canvas or the blank paper. The possibilities are endless. 

In all the spiritual traditions across the world, we are told that to attain the union with the infinite, we should reduce our ego and a sense of self to zero. 

So...

If you want to fundamentally change anything in your life, whether it is a habit or a way of working or a knowledge, think like a zero. Put away all your previous experiences, prejudices and knowledge. Think, act and learn like a fresher. Otherwise, you will only end up with a variation of what you already have.  

Want to rebuild a relationship? Start from the beginning. Want to relearn a craft? Start like you have zero knowledge. Want to rebuild your life? Start from a place where there is not even a scratch i.e. zero. 

In Zen traditions this is called 'the beginners mind'.   

The next time someone calls you a zero...

Thank the person. They are telling you that the whole universe is open to you.

Be a zero, begin from a zero, start at a zero. You will surely conquer the infinite.   

    

What really is 'Greatness'?

 "Greatness does not lie in doing things that you like. It is in doing things that you do not like."

This advise was given to me by someone in my college days. I remember it for two reasons. Firstly, because it was given in the presence of my parents and I had to listen to a lot of follow up advise and lectures from them. Secondly, because I never followed this advise. 

But the more I think about it, more and more questions keep coming to my mind. Let me share a few of them with you...

Firstly, what is greatness? Is it being famous, or being influential, or being a good human being, an icon, a role model, or being the best at what you do? Is it all of these or none of these? What is this illusive 'greatness' that we look for? How do we feel after we achieve it? Do we become different people after becoming great?

Who defines greatness for us? Who decides who is great? What is the most unchallenged, indisputable and absolute measure for greatness? What is the definition of greatness that no-one challenges? What is the definition of greatness that no one CAN challenge. Every person who is considered 'great' by one group is the object of derision by another group. Every thing, concept or idea considered great by someone is a joke for others.

The real question is, is it really necessary to be great? Is it worth it? Why spend time chasing something defined by others to fit into their definition of that thing only to find that it is not what you thought or wanted?

History is replete with examples of people who wanted to be great and wanted to be remembered as great. In the process, they committed unspeakable atrocities on millions. There are also examples of people who were written off as failures at one time and went on to become great at another time, often after their death. So, is greatness dictated by time and circumstances?

As the popular adage goes, 'Some people are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them'. 

True as it is, this still does not answer the question - What is greatness? What is it that people are born with, what do some people achieve and what is it that people have thrust upon them?  

Interestingly, the people considered great are the ones who did not try to be great. They did not aim to have the adjective 'great' put next to their names. Is this what makes them great? We try to be like them, emulate their habits, revere them and even worship them, all in a hope of becoming great ourselves. Rarely does such a thing make someone great. 

So, if doing something makes someone great, why does the same thing not make everyone else great too? If greatness is not acquired by acquiring some great person's habits and lifestyle, how is it achieved? In other words, what does one need to acquire / learn / emulate to become great? 

And the question remains...

Fitting into someone's definition of greatness does not make one great. Emulating someone great does not make one great. Running after greatness does not make one great. 

So, what makes ne great?

What really is greatness?  

I feel...

And this is my opinion, just like there can be no one-size-fits-all meaning if life, there is no universal definition of greatness. Each person has to give meaning to one's life and each person becomes great in one's own unique way. Our greatness lies in our uniqueness.

It can lead to fame but it does not have to. One can be great and still be unknown.

It does not need validation from anyone. One can be ridiculed by the world and still be great. 

It does not depend on how much success one achieves. One can fail at everything and still be great.

A humble person can be great and a cocky show-off can be great too. 

I do not have a definition of what is greatness and maybe I never will. I do not know the ingredients of greatness. But what I know is that greatness comes from within. It comes by not running after it but is a result of being true to your self and being your true self. 

Just like satori or moksha, you find it by not looking for it.    

         

Wind and Sun story

Once a man is walking on the road with a blanket draped around his shoulders. The wind and the sun see him. The wind says to the sun, "See that man? Let us see who can get that man to take the blanket off." The sun agrees. 

The wind starts blowing with force. The man wraps the blanket around himself. The wind blows faster. The man holds on to the blanket. The wind blows even faster. The man holds on to the blanket tighter. Finally, the wind blows with full force. The man holds on to the blanket with all his strength, as if his life depended on it. Finally, the wind gives up.

Now it is the turn of the sun. The sun starts smiling i.e. shining brightly. It gets warm. The man unwraps the blanket. The sun smiles more and the man unable to bear the heat, takes off the blanket. 

We all must have heard this story at some point or the other. What are the learnings for us from the story?

1. Force does not always work. In fact, sometimes the result may be opposite to what one is trying to achieve. 

2. Know what drives a person to do a certain thing and create the right conditions for them to do the same.

3. Be flexible in your approach. Do not be hung up on the method. Keeping the goal in mind, be open to changing your approach. If one method does not work, try another method. 

4. Know your capabilities and also your limitations. In situations where someone else is more capable, let them take the central role (and also the limelight). 

5. Know when to stop. Expending force and time on a method that does not work will result in wasted time and energy. Have the discretion to stop before too much time, energy and resources are wasted. 

Last but not the least...

6. Do not underestimate the power of the common man (or the common woman). 😊