SOME MAKE THEMSELVES, OTHERS MAKE HISTORY
THERE are two types of people in this world—the self-making type and the history-making type. The aim of those who are self-making is to serve themselves; whereas history-making people seek to serve humanity as a whole.
A Self-Making Person
The attention of a self-making person revolves around himself. He
hovers around those areas where his own self-interest is likely to be
served; where there is no profit to be gained for him, he does not care
to venture. His heart flutters with excitement when he is set to make
some gain, but if there is nothing to be gained, no excitement is aroused
within him. Personal gain is uppermost in his mind; he will sacrifice
everything in order to achieve it. He abides neither by promise nor
by principle. Free of the influence of both—moral exigencies and the
needs of humanity—he can put everything aside in pursuit of his own
ends. All other considerations fade into insignificance as he relentlessly
seeks to fulfil his selfish desires.
A History-Making Person
A history-making person is quite different. Emerging from his own
shell, he lives not for himself but for a higher purpose. What matters
to him is principle, not profit. He cares not whether he himself wins or
loses; what is of importance to him is that his ideal should be served.
It is as if he has detached himself from his own person and pinned his
flag to the needs of humanity as a whole.
What matters to a history-making person is principle, not profit.
In order to become a history-making person there is one thing that has to be done: one needs to stop being self-making. As soon as a person effaces himself, he becomes capable of building for the future of humanity. Such a person lays personal grievances to one side. He does not differentiate between his own people and others. As his own self-interest and ambitions evaporate before his eyes, he shows no reaction, as if all this were not happening to him at all. Such a man lives a life of principles, not interest. He does not deviate from the path of justice, even when it concerns his opponent or enemy. Living a cautious life he remains patient in adversity. In times of personal disaster he does not become full of hate, pride and egoism. He is strict with himself and tolerant towards others. He has a realistic attitude, welcomes failures and learns from them. He is thus able to progress in spite of setbacks.
A history-making person is strict with himself and tolerant towards others.
He realizes that he does not need to change the situation; rather, he needs to change himself. He understands that any change in the external world is not a solution, because each unwanted situation will be replaced by yet another undesirable situation. He does not adopt a pro-change strategy, but accepts the status quo by ignoring the problems. He realizes that it is very easy to complain, but it is impossible to change the situation. So he opts for the possible and leaves out what is impossible. By adopting this formula he is able to become a master of the situation.
It is people such as these who are not only destined to succeed in life but also forge human history. They are the ones who, of their own free will, are concerned about the rest of humanity. They have no rights to be safeguarded; they have only responsibilities which they discharge, whatever the cost to themselves.
There is only one true solution to the problem of stress
and that is to adopt the correct attitude to stress—
that of managing it instead of trying to eliminate it
or reacting negatively to it.