The Slips to Success

A traveller spent many years of his life in search of a treasure hidden somewhere in the Himalayan mountains. He started from the southern end of India and used all his available resources, wealth and strength to reach the Himalayas, wandering, taking help from people, losing his path and finding it again. He kept thinking of the various things he could purchase and the life he would live after getting that treasure and the same motivated him to keep moving ahead. 

One evening he was lost in a dark forest and was trying to find his way out for the whole night. At the peep of the day, he found his way out of the forest and saw a saint in meditation. As he was not sure about the way ahead, he thought it would be wise to ask the saint about the treasure. On his salutation, the saint woke up from his samadhi and smiled at him. "Baba, I am looking for the treasure hidden some place here in Himalayan caves. If you have any idea, can you please tell me where is the treasure?" he asked. The sadhu smiled mysteriously, pointed in direction of a long path, passing through a stream of water and leading to a mountain which might have the treasure hidden somewhere, and closed his eyes.

The man rushed on the path, happy and excited to find the treasure soon, his struggle of years was to come to a happy ending, all his adversities would end in a moment and everybody who said he couldn't do it would respect him and.... Thuddddd!! He slipped on a slimy stone and fell straight on his back. He got up, took a moment to realise what happened and went back to the saint, wet and hurt. "Baba, are you sure the treasure is in the that direction?" The saint smiled, pointed in the same direction and returned to his state of samadhi. 

The man started walking on the same path and carefully started crossing the stream. This time he reached half the distance but again stepped on a moving stone and lost his balance. This time the poor man hurt his leg badly and went limping to the saint again, about to cry. "Baba, I have been through a lot of pain and struggle and this treasure is everything I want in my life. Please tell me if you know, where is the treasure?" The saint this time controlled his laughter, pointed in the same direction and closed his eyes again. Once again the man fell down, hurt his elbow and returned to the saint in anger and pain. "Why are you doing this to me? I just needed your help but if you cannot, just deny it. Does it suit a sadhu like you to make fun of someone like this? I don't trust you anymore; I will ask someone else or will return bare handed, if it is not in my destiny. Thanks a lot".

The saint opened his eyes, called him near and smiled at him, he said "Son, what is my fault? You asked me where the treasure is and I told you where it is, That is all I can do. Now when you know the right direction, all you have to do is to keep trying to go successfully in that direction, irrespective of how many times you slip, fall or stumble. What you did instead was to ask me and yourself the same question every time you fell, 'Where is the treasure?' Think son, neither falling nor asking again can change the direction of the treasure, but moving in the same direction with perseverance can change your destiny." 

The man realised his mistake, made many attempts and finally reached the mountain and when he succeeded, he was surprised that a few miles ahead of the place he decided to quit, inside a cave, was the treasure, waiting for him.

Funny story, isn't it? But the funnier part is that we all do the same at some or the other stage of our lives. Failure in an examination, loss in a business venture, rough days in a marriage or unexpected defeat in any sport, these are some of the many times in life when we slip, stumble, fall and hurt ourselves and our self-esteem badly. And interestingly, instead of picking ourselves and our self confidence up and trying again, we question the very path we chose, the very dream we chased, the very inspiration we followed. Instead of asking ourselves "How can I make this business right?" we love to ask "Was this business decision right?", Instead of thinking "How can I make life better with my partner?" we think "Did I choose the right life partner?" 

It always seems easier to drop the plan and change the path, but it takes courage, wisdom, patience and perseverance to pursue the same journey and complete it successfully. Success in anything you do, can never be achieved without a strong will power and perseverance.

Success is Failure turned inside out, there're silver tints on the clouds of Doubt

and you never can tell how close you are, it may be near, when it seems a far

So stick to your fight when you are hardest hit, 

It's When things seem worst that you must not quit.

Hence dear friends, remember that there are not only stairs to success, there can also be stumbles to success, slips to success etc, never be afraid of them.