Lessons for a father - The Art Of Making It Work

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I was having a conversation with my Dad a few days ago. The conversation involved stories of his growing  up days in our native town. One of those stories was how his studies (which, incidentally, helped him become one of the top doctors in the country) had to revolve around all the chores that any farming family have to do on a daily basis.

The story goes thus. Being the youngest of his brothers and sisters, and part of a joint family, there was a lot to do. Work started before the sun came up and ended, usually, way after the sunset. In between, there was school to attend and any school assignments to complete. Work also involved helping his older brothers finish their assignments.

Telling his Dad and brothers that he would not be able to finish a task was apparently unacceptable. All their workloads increased further if anyone saw them sitting around - even as they worked on completing school assignments. 

So how does someone accomplish personal goals in the midst of high, and ever increasing, expectations and work load?

In my father's words - by making it work against all odds. The lesson holds true for just about anything we do.

He had carved space out in the middle of the sugarcane field specifically for studying. In his "down time" he would go sit there and study hard. Instead of concentrating on the amount of time spent, he would maximize the focus he brought to his work. By doing so he has been able to, over the years, accomplish a lot more in a small period of time. 

Lesson: At any given time, do exactly what you are doing and nothing else even if you do it for a few minutes.

Bigger lesson: If you want something, do everything you can to get it. The world is never going to wait for you to find the right time. Accomplishments might involve working around an existing system.

An inspirational lesson for a father from his father. Thank you Dad!