It is wrong to assume that anything can be done without the lure of reward. Every task that we do, every journey that we undertake has some goal or destination. The Geeta’s main lesson is about focusing on karma and not its reward. But how can one work without the thrill of reward? Without the expectation and hope of it? But do we focus on the path in a hurry to reach the goal? And this is why we often fall midway.

 

Swami Vivekanand in his lecture Work and its Secret said - “One of the greatest lessons I have learnt in my life is to pay as much attention to the means of work as to its end.” The “means of work” as he so rightly points out is where we are a little waylaid. We are so much enchanted by the fruit that we lose track of the tree and hence miss it altogether. In a hurry to get to the goal, the ideal, we neglect and undermine the “means” and fall short in our efforts. Attention to detail is the touchstone of success. The great Italian sculptor Michelangelo once said, “Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle”. True enough, little trivialities become hindrances if neglected.

 

Imagine you have an important flight to catch and you forget your passport. Or put salt instead of sugar and the dish is ruined. I once read a story about a girl who couldn’t recite a poem at school because in her excitement, she wore black ribbons instead of blue.If we put all our efforts on the means and pay attention to detail, then there is no question of failure. An easy mathematical sum takes two or three attempts to solve if there is a small error in addition.

 

When we fail, we want to know the mantra of success. Everytime someone succeeds, we want to know the secret, though we have known it all along. On keenly analyzing we may find that we missed out on some detail or other, neglected this point or that. The way to success may seem long and the journey tiresome. But once we succeed, the efforts we put in too seem like a reward. Hardwork is the real essence of success and when we put all effort, success is no longer a mystery.