Thiruvalluvar’s Strategy for Success
Thiruvalluvar’s Strategy for Success
Dr. R. Prabhakaran
Introduction
Numerous books on “self-help” written by eminent
psychologists and others have analyzed the characteristics of people who are
considered successful in one or more aspects of their lives. Also, excellent
seminars are frequently conducted by very talented, motivational speakers who
encourage their audience to emulate the successes of other successful people.
These books and seminars have undoubtedly been beneficial to many people. Like the modern-day psychologists and self-help gurus, Thiruvalluvar[1]
(or Valluvar for short), who lived about two thousand years ago in the state of
Tamil Nadu, India, has analyzed several aspects of human life. He has proposed his own
strategy for success in his magnum opus, Thirukkural[2]
(or the Kural for short). The strategy proposed by Valluvar has stood the
test of time and is still valid. The purpose of this essay is to describe
Valluvar’s strategy for achieving success in life.
What is success?
Generally, success is considered the
attainment of wealth, position, honors, recognition, etc. But this definition
of success seems somewhat incomplete. If an individual would like to achieve
recognition and fame and if he gets them, he will certainly consider that a
success. On the other hand, if someone does not want recognition and fame and
if he happens to get them, he will feel uncomfortable and might not consider
that a success. Success may mean different things to different people. It may
also mean different things at different times for the same person. For example,
when a young man is in financial difficulties, he may consider that a success
if he works hard and gets a bonus. When financially secure, he may consider
receiving a major promotion as a success instead of a bonus. So, defining
success as “attaining a desired goal” seems more appropriate.
People often dream of success. A dream is
an aspiration or wishful thinking of achieving the desired goal. If so, what is
the difference between a dream and a goal? Dreams are something one thinks
about. Goals are something one acts on. Dreams can happen without any
effort, whereas goals require action. Dreams are imaginary. Goals are based on
reality. Dreams do not have a deadline. But goals do have deadlines. In order
for the dream to come true, one should have a goal and work towards achieving
that goal. Once that goal is achieved, one is said to have attained success.
If success means achieving the
desired goal, can there be a unique strategy for success that is independent of
the goal? If someone dreams of becoming wealthy, he will develop specific goals
and plan his actions towards that goal, and work towards that goal. Similarly,
if someone wants to achieve fame, there are different approaches, and the
actions to be taken will depend upon the type of fame the individual is hoping
to achieve. Whereas, if someone has the goal of reducing his weight, he will
definitely need a totally different set of actions than the one who wants to
accumulate wealth or achieve fame. Therefore, is it really possible to have a
common, comprehensive strategy for achieving success or attaining the desired
goal? Although the strategy for achieving a specific goal is clearly dependent
upon that goal, the underlying principles for achieving any goal are the same.
In his remarkable book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” Dr.
Steven R. Covey describes the seven habits common among successful people. The
well-known self-help guru Zig Ziglar is considered one of the most outstanding
motivational speakers who had the phenomenal ability to uplift and inspire his
audiences through his eloquent delivery of effective messages. In his seminal
book “See You at the Top,” he identifies a six-step process that would lead his
readers to success in their lives. The strategies recommended by Steven Covey,
Zig Ziglar, and others like them are basic to accomplishing any goal. Two
thousand years ago, Valluvar also adopted a similar approach and arrived at a
general strategy for achieving any goal in his eternally valid and universally
acceptable Kural.
Step 1. Dream Big
The
well-known comedy actor Jim Carrey went to Hollywood in 1987 looking for a
career in acting. When he was struggling to find his way through Hollywood, he
wrote a check for himself for $10 million. He dated the check “Thanksgiving
1995” and added the notation “for acting services rendered.” That was his
dream. By the time the year 1995 came, he had become successful in his career
and had acted in several box-office hit movies. He had become a superstar, and
his asking price per picture was $20 million. Jim Carrey’s story is not an
isolated example of dreaming for success. Great inventors, artists, leaders,
and athletic superstars have all used the “creative visualization” technique,
which is another name for dreaming. For example, Wilbur and Orville Wright must
have imagined the possibility of constructing a flying machine before they set
out to design and build Kitty Hawk in 1903. When President John F. Kennedy
expressed his desire for the Americans to travel to the moon, it was his dream.
The famous Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King dreamed of racial equality
and wished that someday “justice would roll down like waters
and righteousness like a mighty stream” in the USA. Successful athletes
routinely visualize their success before they attain it. Musicians imagine
receiving standing ovations and accolades from their audiences before their
actual concerts. Great generals like Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte
visualized their success in the wars they waged and motivated their troops to
achieve their victories. It is a common practice in many corporations to
express their lofty ideals regarding their products and services in their
vision statements, which help motivate their employees to do their best.
Therefore, it appears that many successful people from all walks of life have
dreams or visions of their success.
Valluvar
places great importance on having lofty ideals as the basis for human
achievements. The height of the water lilies' stems in a pond continues to
increase as the water level rises. Valluvar says, in the same manner, the
greatness achieved by an individual is in proportion to the lofty ideals he has
in his mind.
The stalk of waterlily
grows as the water level rises; so also, the greatness achieved by a man is
determined by his lofty ideals. (kural –
595)
The question arises as to whether
‘Having big dreams guarantees success?” The simple answer is “No.” Dreams alone
cannot guarantee success. The probability of success increases if the dreams
are accompanied by appropriate goals, hard work, dedication, and persistence.
Even then, it is entirely possible that one may not achieve the desired degree
of success. The famous boxer Mike Tyson is quoted as saying, “If I shoot for
the moon, even if I don’t get the moon, I might get some clouds.” That is very
true. If the big dream is accompanied by dedication, specific goals, hard work,
and persistence, one may achieve positive results if not complete success.
One of my brothers had a dream of
becoming a General in the Indian army. That was his dream right from a very
early age. During his school days, he studied the life history of Napoleon
Bonaparte with great interest and admired Napoleon’s military genius. When he
was about eighteen years old, he wanted to join the army. He could only join as
a soldier. But his dream of becoming a high-ranking officer was always alive.
He appeared for competitive examinations held for the selection of officers.
Although he scored very high on the written tests, he failed the interview.
This was primarily due to the bias in the Indian army that once someone was a
soldier, he was considered virtually unfit to become an officer. But, in his
third attempt, he was successful and became an officer. By virtue of his
superior performance, he was promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant, Captain,
Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, and Brigadier General. He was shortlisted
for the position of Major General. But, in India, positions like Major General
and others are political appointments. He did not have the necessary political
connections, so he had to retire as a Brigadier General. Even though his dream
did not materialize the way he anticipated, he accomplished most of what he
hoped to achieve and had a great career in the Indian army.
The story of my brother is not
unique. There are numerous examples of athletes, military generals,
politicians, and corporate leaders achieving most of their dreams, if not in
their entirety. The process of dreaming and working towards achieving the dream
produces a wealth of benefits for the dreamer. Valluvar has thought about this
aspect of the dream and says that it is still good to dream and work towards it
even if it does not come true.
Think lofty thoughts always; even
if they fail to materialize, it is still as good as having materialized. (kural
– 596)
So, lofty
ideals and big dreams are indeed the basis for success; therefore, one should
certainly dream, and persistent hard work towards achieving that dream will
invariably make the dream come true.
Step 2. Set goals
Is it possible to play a football
game without a goal line being marked or a basketball game played without a
hoop? The players will be totally lost, and the game cannot be played. They are
essential for playing the game. So also, the goals in life are of vital
importance for our success. Thinking big dreams is an excellent beginning. But
to realize those dreams, specific goals must be set, and relevant actions
should be undertaken to achieve those goals. By nature, dreams are expressions
of our desires. The more intense and passionate our dreams are, the more
likely we will take actions to achieve those dreams. In order to achieve our
dreams, it is essential that our actions are focused towards a clear,
attainable, and relevant goal to achieve our dreams.
Pursuing actions without a
clear goal is like undertaking a journey without deciding on the destination.
We may end up somewhere and not necessarily in our desired destination. It is
also essential that the goal should be realistic and attainable. For example,
if an older man in his 90s sets a goal of running one hundred meters in under
ten seconds, it would be impossible for him to achieve that goal. He would have
wasted his energy and perhaps endangered himself. Finally, if the goal has no
relevance to the dream, then it will not help to achieve the dream. For
example, if one wants to be wealthy, one must have a relevant goal and should
not engage in risky financial ventures where he is likely to lose his capital.
Valluvar has considered all these issues in the goal-setting process. He
emphasizes the need for a clear goal based on a thorough analysis of the
situation. He is in favor of consulting knowledgeable people before actions are
undertaken. His ideas regarding the need for a clear goal and the goal-setting
process can be found in the following kurals.
Those who fear disgrace
will not venture anything without having a clear goal in mind. (kural
- 464)
Consider the pros and cons
and the net gain before venturing into any action. (kural
- 461)
Nothing is difficult to
attain for those who consult with knowledgeable people
before venturing into
action. (kural
– 462)
Actions should
follow analytic decisions resulting from deep deliberations; it is a
disgrace to
commence actions before such deliberations. (Kural – 467)
One will be ruined if one does what
should not be done; one will be ruined
if one fails to do what should be
done. (kural
– 466)
Step 3. Develop a Plan
It is said that “failing
to plan is planning to fail.” Zig Ziglar makes a humorous remark in his book,
“See You at the Top,” that Sir Edmund Hilary was not just walking around and
one day found himself on the top of Mount Everest. Sir Edmund Hilary and other
successful people in other walks of life, like business, politics, and warfare,
did not achieve their success by simply having a dream and a goal. They all had
a well-thought-out plan and worked hard to achieve their goals. This is true in
our personal lives too. Once a goal has been established, one should consider
all aspects related to that goal and chart a clear action plan. A dream without
appropriate goals will be just a wishful thinking. A goal without a plan is
also not attainable. Once a relevant, realistic, and achievable goal is set, the
next step is to develop a plan to achieve that goal. Valluvar offers several
interesting and valuable suggestions regarding the planning process. As usual,
his approach is very general. His ideas about planning are applicable to a
General preparing for a war or for, a businessman venturing on a new project,
or an individual trying to achieve his personal goal based on his ambitions,
desires, and dreams. He stresses five aspects as essential components of a good
plan.
Consider the
resources, means, tasks, timing, and place of action thoroughly before embarking
on the action. (kural
– 675)
The term “resources”
mentioned in the above kural would imply financial, human, and other necessary
resources. Valluvar discusses the importance of resources in the following
kural:
Before
launching an operation, assess the resources needed for the task, your own
resources, the resources of the enemy (competitor), and the resources of your
allies, and then act. (kural
– 471)
In the modern days,
corporate as well as military planners base their plans on what is called “SWOT
Analysis.” SWOT is the acronym for Strength, Weakness, Opportunity,
and Threat. Though the details may vary, the basic idea of Valluvar in
the above kural and the SWOT analysis is very similar. By way of explanation
for this kural, Dr. S. M. Diaz attributes the humiliating defeat of the Iraqi
dictator Saddam Hussein in the Kuwait war to his lack of appreciation for the
military strength of the USA. If an individual’s goal has anything to do with
competing with others, then the principles of SWOT analysis are also applicable
to that individual. In the following kurals, Valluvar warns that a lack of
realistic assessment of one’s resources could spell danger:
There are many
who, ignorant of their resources (or the lack of them), have haughtily set out
to compete with others in great enthusiasm and have been broken down in the
midst of their campaign. (kural
– 473)
If one who has
climbed to the topmost branch of a tree ventures to go up still further,
it will result
in the end of his life. (kural
– 476)
The term “means” referred
to in kural 675 can also be considered a reference to the tools or equipment
necessary for achieving the goal. The tools can be manufactured gadgets or
intellectual tools like a book or anything that would help address the question,
“How to achieve the goal?” The “tasks” referred to in kural 675 are the various
steps necessary to accomplish the goal. When the plan includes a careful
analysis of the resources, the means, and the tasks, then the questions such as
“what?”, “how?” and “who?” would have been addressed.
The next aspect of
planning is timing. It is often necessary to do things in the proper order.
Doing tasks out of sequence may have undesirable results. The timing aspect is
related to the prioritization of the tasks. This is very similar to Stephen
Covey’s idea about “Put first things first,“ which he refers to as “Habit 3” in
his popular book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” In the
following kurals, Valluvar emphasizes the importance of the right time for
actions. He also re-emphasizes the need to pay attention to the means and
place.
Is there
anything that is difficult to accomplish if one acts with the right means
at the right
time? (kural
– 483)
Even if one aspires to win
the whole world, one can do so if one chooses the
right time and place for
action. (kural
– 484)
Things that
may be done at leisure could be implemented slowly and deliberately.
But, items
requiring prompt action should not be put off even for a moment.
(Kural
– 672)
Bide your time
like the stork for its prey; like the stork striking at its prey at
the opportune
time, take swift action when the time is right. (kural – 490)
Finally, the proper place
for action may be important in some cases. In the case of a business or real
estate venture, choosing the location is considered very important. Military
strategists place significant importance on the choice of the location to wage
war. Depending on the situation, the location may be crucial for one’s own
success. So, Valluvar’s emphasis on the place is not all that irrelevant. In
the following kural, Valluvar uses an interesting metaphor to convey the
importance of location:
On marshy ground where the
foot sinks, even a fox can beat a mighty elephant
with fearless eyes on his
majestic face and two spears of ivory. (kural
– 500)
The annals of military
history attribute the defeat of Napoleon when he invaded Russia to poor
planning, which resulted in logistics failures, the revolt of the soldiers, and
the death of almost 500,000 soldiers out of the 600,000 who marched into Russia.
Major failures in Napoleon’s planning process were considering the Russian
terrain and the severe cold Russian winters. If Napoleon had paid careful
attention to timing and location, the result could have been different.
It is true that many
ambitious people have failed to achieve their goals due to ill-conceived plans.
The five elements that Valluvar identifies as an essential part of the planning
process - the resources, means, tasks, timing, and location – have always been
crucial ingredients of a successful plan and will continue to be so in the
future.
Step 4. Act with persistence
The English author, art
critic, and social commentator of the 19th century, John Ruskin,
said, “What we think or what we know or what we believe, in the end, is of
little consequence. The only consequence is what we do.” Just as John Ruskin
said, all ambitious dreams, meaningful goals, and carefully considered plans are
useless unless one is ready to act upon them. Ultimately, it is the action that
produces the result. Valluvar is a great proponent of persistent action. To
begin with, Valluvar emphasizes total dedication and persistence to one’s
goals. The intense desire to achieve success will facilitate the actual
achievement of success. Valluvar highlights this idea in the following kurals:
If those who
have planned an undertaking possess persistence, they will
achieve what
they desire as they have desired. (kural
– 666)
It is easy to
achieve your goal, provided you keep it in mind persistently. (kural – 540)
Persistence in the goals
will serve as a constant reminder and encourage an individual to put forth more
effort to accomplish those goals. Valluvar believes that the reward or the
success is in proportion to the effort.
One should not
give up by saying, “It is impossible.” Persistent efforts
will lead to success. (kural – 611)
Even if God does not
answer your prayers, your efforts will yield
proportionate rewards. (kural
– 619)
From the above, it is
clear that Valluvar is a great believer in the human effort to achieve the
desired goal. Valluvar is always pragmatic in his approach to all human
problems. He is not oblivious to the potential setbacks one would encounter in
pursuing one’s goal. One could encounter health-related issues, financial
difficulties, legal issues, competition, and numerous other unforeseen problems
in life that could interfere with the pursuit of one’s goals. Occurrences of
unforeseen random events - alternately known as fate - often adversely affect
one’s progress in achieving one’s goals. Valluvar’s guideline is to pursue the
goal with relentless effort, even under those circumstances.
Those who work with
ceaseless industry will overcome unplanned
adverse events (fate). (kural
– 620)
Valluvar also gives us
advice as to how to handle adversities. This, again, is applicable to all
adversities in life. First of all, one should realize that it is not unusual to
encounter adversities. Therefore, one should always be mentally prepared to
meet adversities head-on. In fact, Valluvar recommends that when one encounters
any kind of adversity, one should laugh at them because there is nothing better
than laughter to overcome difficulties in life. These ideas can be found in the
following kurals:
He who does
not crave pleasure and realizes that adversity in life
is natural is
not affected by adversity. (kural
– 628)
Laugh at
adversity; there is nothing better than laughter to
overcome
adversity. (kural
– 621)
If it appears that Valluvar’s approach to
overcoming difficulties in life and succeeding in the midst of overwhelming
adversities is unrealistic, the documented case histories of the extraordinary
successes achieved by prominent people should serve as encouraging examples.
Despite the progressive neurodegenerative disease
(known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) that has caused muscle weakness and paralysis throughout his adult life, Stephen
Hawking (1942 - 2018), the British physicist has made outstanding contributions
to physics and cosmology. His book, A Brief History of Time, has been a
best seller and has sold more than 10 million copies in the past twenty years.
Helen Keller (1880 – 1968) was a deaf,
blind, and mute woman. Undaunted by her adversities, she fought an incredibly
courageous battle to communicate with the outside world and led a life of
accomplishments. She became one of the 20th century’s leading
humanitarians.
Demosthenes (384 BC – 322 BC), the famous
Greek orator of the 4th century B.C., had speech impediments in his
early days. It is said that in order to overcome his disability, he used to talk with pebbles in his mouth and recited verses while
running. His orations provide insight into the politics and culture of ancient
Greece.
Soichiro Honda (1906 - 1991) was
the son of a blacksmith in Japan. He was always interested in manufacturing. He
was not interested in formal education. He became a car mechanic and started
his own auto repair shop. Later, he started a manufacturing plant to produce
piston rings for Toyota cars. During World War II, a US bomber destroyed his
plant. He rebuilt his plant, and it was subsequently demolished by an
earthquake. Undaunted by manmade and natural calamities, he went on to start
the Honda Motorcycle Company and eventually built the multi-billion-dollar,
multi-national Honda Motor Company. In 1980, People magazine placed him
on their “25 Most Intriguing People of the Year” and dubbed him as “the
Japanese Henry Ford.”
Pancreatic cancer, ill health, and
corporate squabble did not deter Steve Jobs (1955 – 2011) from becoming one of our
time's great inventors and marketing geniuses.
Thomas Alva Edison (1847 – 1931) was not
discouraged by his 14,000 failed attempts and went on to invent the
incandescent light bulb.
In addition to
the above-mentioned few, countless others have realized their dreams by setting
proper goals and working with unwavering persistence to overcome formidable
adversities. The biographies of these successful people and others like them
point to Valluvar’s belief that adversity can be overcome by persistence and
success can be achieved despite adversities is not all that naïve and
unrealistic.
Step 5. Share the success
In addition to
achieving success, Valluvar also expects successful people to share their
success with others. According to him, basically, all people are equal. He
considers it necessary for an intelligent person to empathize with others’
sufferings, and only those who help others can be regarded as truly living.
What benefit does someone derive from his
knowledge if he does not treat
others’ suffering as his own? (kural
– 315)
He who realizes that he is just like all
other human beings is the one who
really lives; all others are deemed
dead. (kural
-214)
Therefore, it
is clear that Valluvar expects those who have been successful in accumulating
wealth to share their wealth with the less fortunate, those who gained
knowledge to share their knowledge with others, and those who have become
successful to share their success in some form or the other with those who are
struggling to realize their noble dreams.
Conclusion
Success can be defined as attaining the desired goal.
Valluvar proposes a five-step process for achieving success in our lives. Valluvar’s
process begins with having big dreams, setting relevant goals, planning to
achieve those goals, and putting forth persistent hard work in executing the
plan. The final step is to share our success with others seeking success in
their lives. The process suggested by Valluvar is general and applicable to all
those who want to achieve success in their lives.
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[1] . There is no clear evidence to indicate that
Thiruvalluvar was his real name. The term Valluvan refers to one whose job it
was to announce the royal proclamations to the public by beating a drum. It
might also mean one who served as a minister to a king. Valluvar is the
respectful version of the word Valluvan. The term “Thiru” is an honorific
prefix to anything that is considered sacred or divine. So, it is quite
possible that Thiruvalluvar might not have been his real name, but that is how
he has been referred to by others. In this essay, for the sake of brevity, we
will refer to Thiruvalluvar as Valluvar.
[2] . In Tamil, the word “kural” means a two-line verse
(couplet). Valluvar’s book consists of 1330 kurals. As in the case of his name,
the term “Thiru” is an honorific prefix to the book of kurals, and hence his
book is called Thirukkural. For short, his book is often referred to as “the
Kural” (with an uppercase K), and the word “kural” (with a lowercase k) is used
to refer to the individual couplet.
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