Learning to be cheerful with our circumstances

We are always restless worrying all the time about petty personal gains or hurts. If we look at our lives rather closely and frankly, we would find that we are, always at war with our circumstances and the people surrounding us .The intensity of war may vary in degrees but the strife is very much present. However much we may deny we do harbour negative thoughts due to our unfulfilled desires. We keep clamouring for more: quicker promotions in office, larger increments, admissions in better institutes of learning, acquisition of homes in good localities, more material comforts , newer gadgets and the list is endless. We dislike anything or anybody standing in the way of our realising them. These become our consuming passions and our mind is pre occupied mostly with such thoughts. Virtually the devil takes over the control of our mind. It then we lose the distinction between right and wrong , good and bad and are willing to adopt any unethical means to realise our objectives.
It is not our stand that we should not aim and work for reasonable goals. Yes, we must all have some aims and diligently work for them but by eschewing negative qualities of greed, jealousy, malice, anger and wickedness. We must make a sincere effort but accept the outcomes whatever they are without resorting to undesirable methods. We must learn to be contented. We can be happy and successful in ever so many areas in life and not thro achievement in selected choices alone. The young students who come out of the higher secondary schools should be taught that the world is wide open and a person can be successful in life even without entering into the prestigious institutes of learning like IIT or B schools. There are any number of areas where one can excel and show talent. We should avoid the beaten track and blaze new trails. We sow the seeds of failure and negative outlook young children when we instil in their minds that only some selected courses are desirable. I read in an article by M.P.K.Kutty that ”the swiftest man did not always win the battle; and wealth did not necessarily accrue to men of wisdom. It was largely a matter of chance. Success and good fortune does not always go to those who deserve it…...whatever your field of work take interest in it. Work diligently to the best of your ability. Take pride in your work.”