The reason why I am not enthusiastic about the self improvement techniques from some of the Western authors

Some of the Western authors stress too much upon the concept of “I” in their lectures and writings on what they call as “Self-Improvement techniques”, “Path to Achievement” etc. Their concept of achievement is itself misunderstood or ill-conceived as they focus only on superficial achievements. They always talk about the self, what a self can do for itself etc. If everyone starts focusing on themselves, then the concept of “self-less” service would soon vanish. A mother would think twice before rearing kids and a kid would think three times to take care of its sick parents. A lot of real life examples are available about the ill-fate of kids of highly successful parents because they could not spare time for their kids. In a way these authors are misleading because the real achievement in life is forgetting the “I” and getting dissolved in to the oneness of the universe. The real happiness is not in achieving or getting all material things that we want but by forgetting ourselves in the service of “LIFE in general” or GOD or MANKIND. Life is not all about achieving what ever we dream about ourselves but helping others to achieve theirs. The real happiness is not being happy but being able to make others happy.

Also, the real happiness lies in accepting things on hand, what is given to us and not in getting dissatisfied with them trying to change them because it is like waging a losing battle. The peculiar aspect of mind is that it either gets satisfied or it never gets satisfied at all. So if some one says that he would be happy the moment he gets a million, please bear in mind that he says it in ignorance. The moment he gets a million, his mind would prompt him to go for a billion. The fundamental aspects of life remain the same irrespective of whether one lives alone on his own luxurious island or with a group under a thatched roof. Any relentless pursuit of selfish material aspects will lead to strong dissatisfaction. The actual road to achievement begins from the moment we accept our life and be contended with what we have in terms of material possessions and start working on the path of self-realization, maximising the potential of mind and working on what it can achieve. Most of the great leaders and noble souls whom the world still remembers have lived a FULL life for others. Had they lived a life for themselves they would have been forgotten even by their own progenies. The real conquers in life are not in winning over people, money or material but winning one’s own EGO, PRIDE, ANGER, JEALOUSY and all those related qualities.

In an universe which is loosely hanging in space, in a solar system which is constantly rotating and revolving under a strange force amidst so many flying objects, on a planet’s surface which is surrounded mostly by water and finally on a land mass which is constantly under the threat of tremors, man’s life is completely shrouded with uncertainty. Is it not foolishness to think about permanence of life and to fight for whatever we can in the name of achievement? The attitude of man in facing his life should not be like “Let me enjoy the maximum I can because life is uncertain and short”. It should be like “Let me serve others to my level best possible”. Only when man overcomes his survival instincts and begins to act beyond its influence, he gets nearer to godliness and only that can be termed as the ultimate achievement.