GO WITH THE FLOW?

Life is the journey. And on the way we come across many options. Most of us try to be diplomatic and choose the famous tagline “Go with the flow”. But, getting deeper, we know that it is us who need to choose between ‘YES’ or “NO’. Going with the flow might help some, but have you thought about swimming against the tide? Going with the flow will lead to a destination where the wave takes you. But swimming against the tide, will lead you to even beautiful destination.

Now what does this swimming against the tide in each of our life really mean? It could be choosing our passion as career over building a career someone else has set for you. It could be living your life to the fullest over living your life according to how others want you to live. It could be living your life by inculcating virtues over choosing to reacting to each and every negative feedback given to you. Or even making others believe in your talent over giving up easily. Whatever is the reason if you are swimming against the tide, your struggle is going to be really hard. Your passion must be like the burning Sulphur which is ready to burn up all the negativity around you. Your dream needs to be crystal clear that can cut all the pessimism around you. Your purpose should be so motivating that it gives you the force to move ahead with courage. Taking up this challenge of swimming against the flow should not give you any reason to look back, which means your goals should be inspiring for others as well as your own self.

We have read many stories of great personalities, who regardless of their background, made it a point to reach the zenith of success. Those stories are truly inspiring but recently what inspired me is an anecdote.  About a person who never had a plan in life. His speculation about his own life was to GO WITH THE FLOW. Being a music lover, he always knew that he had a deep connection with it. But, even after having the thoughts of doing a career in it, there was something that used to keep him from taking the first step. A lot of priceless appreciation yet what was it that was impeding him to take that one step? Being a college student, he had to go through a lot of confusing thoughts. Waking up to the alarm and attending lectures were really boring for him. Not because the lectures were really boring but it didn’t interest him. He literally went through a situation where he felt trapped in a world that he didn’t dream of. Feeling restless he often found peace in bunking lectures and relaxing in the woods listening to his playlist. (not recommended for my readers)

This went on till the day, he couldn’t act in the scripted play anymore. The inner passion in him burnt with flames of ardent desire. Gathering all the courage, he confessed his love for music to his parents. Surprisingly they agreed to his decision. He dropped out and started for his career search in media. He knew swimming against the tide was going to cost him a lot of failure. As a result of not having much contact in media field, he was rejected by many production houses and media companies. Rejections started questioning him back of whether he had messed up with his life. After putting in lots of thoughts and with help of his sister who was then studying film making, he started from the scratch. After successfully completing the course, he worked as an assistant director in Film City on sets of daily soaps. But again, the feeling of discontent, started haunting him. It was a phase where he realized that he had made many wrong decisions and this led him to the worst phase in his life. This phase lasted for almost two years and it had a negative impact on his personality. A drastic change in his personality made him live a lonely life – friends left and broken relations. What more does a person need to shatter. Anxiety attacks and lack of confidence were his new friends. But he knew however long the nights were, a ray of sunshine would definitely rise soon.

With a positive mind, he invited a new lifestyle. Exercising, being positive, reading books and many other activities helped him in facing his fear and in bringing clarity in everything. He started meeting musicians and started composing music. Few months down the lane, he started his own band. From then he never left music or I must say it as music never let him feel alone. He learnt the art of music in depth. Practicing and composing songs is now his passion.

I asked him,” What is the message that you would like to give the readers?”

He replied a quote by Benjamin Franklin,” IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN. YOU PLAN TO FAIL”

Sometimes life is like the game of snakes and ladders. Some wrong decisions may bring us down in life and we might also come across some decisions that might result in our happiness. At times some ladders lead us to our dream life. In spite of being swallowed by snakes he never gave up but kept on swimming against the tide to reach his goal. Here, film making was just a ladder to his career in music. We shouldn’t mix the process or journey of reaching our goal and the happiness in reaching the actual goal. Both has to be enjoyed separately. We often do not enjoy the process and give up too early. And if he too had done the same he wouldn’t have got that opportunity to work with Kailash Kher. He wouldn’t have had his own band. He would still have been searching for that INNER PEACE which he found in a career in music.

Let me now introduce the person in the story. Leo Harsh was a B.A student in Xavier’s Mumbai. He is currently working with Zee Music for a project. His label name is HRMUSICO. He is also working on a project with Amazon Prime as a music composer which will be released soon. He is also a music judge.

Thank you for reading. Here is a song for you,