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Don't let the SLOWDOWN slow you down

Updated on: 01 February,2009 05:34 AM IST  | 
Vinay Somani |

If you're worried about whether you will get a job or not, it is necessary for you to maintain a perspective of life and convert the current phase into an opportunity. Vinay Somani, of Karmayog.org, lists 10 ways in which to do so

Don't let the SLOWDOWN slow you down

If you're worried about whether you will get a job or not, it is necessary for you to maintain a perspective of life and convert the current phase into an opportunity. Vinay Somani, of Karmayog.org, lists 10 ways in which to do so

1. Find out what you like to do
This is a good time to find out what you like doing, so that you can go through life doing what you like and liking what you do. This is not an easy thing to know, and comes about only through trying out different things. We usually go straight from our bookish, academic life to a cushioned and isolated work life, without taking the trouble or having the opportunity to find out what we would like to be doing. Just as wisdom comes from experience, one needs exposure in different areas to really know what work gives one joy. A vast majority of people spend their entire lives without ever knowing what it is that they would really like doing.


2. There is no shortage of jobs
There are thousands of things that need to be done in India. These jobs may not be easy, glamorous, and well-paying, but are very real, necessary and valuable. Such opportunities are available with government and NGOs and in rural areas, smaller cities and towns. Instead of valuing oneself through the label, level and salary of your job, develop the confidence to value yourself through the impact that your work makes on yourself and society.u00a0


3. Try difficult jobs and different options
Most conventional jobs treat you like a machine, and fail to develop your skills and personality, leaving one ill-equipped to tackle life's problems. Such jobs make people uni-dimensional, so when faced with a crisis even in their 40s or 50s, most people are unable to cope, and suffer physical, mental and financial trauma. It is very important to learn our strengths and weaknesses, as well as deepen our perspectives and understanding of the world around us. This richness of experiences may actually lead to a better career path.


4. Small businesses and individuals struggle to get simple services
Simple basic services such as getting a website made, obtaining legal, commercial or medical opinions are always difficult to access. In virtually any field from self-improvement to improving how a business is run India is crying out for services. Many young professionals and fresh graduates, certainly MBAs, but also lawyers, doctors, engineers, etc. can provide such services and earn good money. This is a great time to be an entrepreneur. India is a shortage economy, where almost every product and every service is in short supply or can be greatly improved. When jobs are easy, glamorous and well paying, it is more difficult to be an entrepreneur because family and friends do not then readily support such an idea. Based on your skill-sets and passion, offer your services to at least one client and then build on that.

5. Hard-working, sensible, knowledgeable people are always needed
There is never a shortage of opportunities or jobs for anyone willing to work hard. Entire businesses can be created around hard-working, sensible, knowledgeable and well-rounded personalities. Hence make sure that you develop these qualities, even though we know it is not as easy as it sounds. You will also then enter into a virtuous cycle of improvement and success throughout your life.

6. Develop your other skills, interests, hobbies
Typically, school and college life tends to be very packed and intense, leaving one with little time to seriously pursue one's hobbies and skills. The current period is a good time to deepen one's interest in sports, music, dance, painting, etc. Why not spend the time travelling the coutry, or just setting your family's finances in order? You can also look at all aspects of your personality and think of how you would like to be, and utilise this time to develop the desired skills and traits e.g. becoming calmer by learning yoga, becoming fitter by exercising regularly, developing leadership qualities by doing a project in your community, etc. Why is it that we prefer to be fat and wear branded clothes, rather than be fit so that any kind of clothes look good on us?

7. Continue your academic education
While you can pursue further studies, you can also enhance your education by becoming a faculty or part time associate in your own college. There is always a shortage of teachers in educational institutions, from IITs to the local primary school. You can even volunteer to teach through NGOs or give paid tuitions. Teaching provides you with learnings, ideas and enables you to stay current, both with what is happening in your own field, and with the latest technologies.u00a0

8. Realise that your problems are actually small
There are two basic ways to deal with problems. One way is to interact with those who are in worse situations, which can be done by volunteering with NGOs, or by spending time working in slums and public hospitals. The other way is to take on a bigger challenge that occupies your energies completely, e.g. taking up a social cause or trying to reach some personal target. Either way, your current problems will appear smaller and you will also get ideas on how to improve society.

9. Money is only a means, not an end
It is well documented that money does not bring happiness in life and therefore you have to proactively try and find out what will give you satisfaction, and to then be on the path towards that irrespective of whether the current circumstances are favourable or not. Typically, one either has time on one's hands or money, but rarely both together. The trick towards leading a fulfilling life is to make the best use of whatever you have at hand at that time.

10. Life is like a game of Snakes and Ladders
Your education was like a ladder that took you up a few levels. From there, one would like to get ahead by climbing another ladder, e.g. via a good job. Instead, one comes across a snake, e.g. not getting a desired job, which means that there is a temporary set-back. But life, just like the game, is a series of continuous ups and downs. Our main objective is to continually move ahead, to reach from zero to hundred. In any case, you know that because of your education and experience, once the economy recovers, you will get a job of your choice, particularly because India is a growing country. So there is no point in fretting about it, as this does not change the situation; rather, worrying prevents one from using this time and opportunity in a positive and beneficial way.

Conclusion
The Bhagwad Gita explains to us about Karmayog: that we should always do our best and not worry about the results of our actions because those are not in our control anyway. This is a very counter-intuitive and difficult concept for most of us to understand. Since all of us are experiencing this reality today, it is a good opportunity to reflect on this and internalise this forever, as this will give us the perspective of how to lead life.

www.karmayog.org describes possibilities and opportunities in 350 social causes

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