How often we long for a life without problems.
And what a terrible life that would be in reality. I once read that when people go through depression, psychologists give them activities called problem solving. These tasks may be as simple as untying a knot or solving a small puzzle. Why do they do that? Because when the mind has nothing to fight, nothing to overcome, nothing to chase, it begins to turn inward and gnaw away like a rat stuck inside a sack.
We think problems pull us down but in truth problems keep us moving.
Look at billionaires. The world imagines them floating in swimming pools filled with mango juice and surrounded by servants peeling grapes. Instead, what are they actually doing? They are out there taking bigger and bigger risks each day. They thrill in challenges. They argue over projects. They wrestle with decisions. They leap into new ventures.
But ask the average person what they want from life. They say they want a peaceful life. No fights. No struggle. No stress.
My dear friend, a life without struggle is like tea without sugar or worse like a wedding reception without biryani. Something essential goes missing and the whole thing collapses. Imagine a cricket match where the bowler gently rolls the ball underhand so the batsman can hit boundaries all day. The stadium would fall asleep. The crowd would riot for their money back. And the players would wonder what they were even playing for.
I remember my own struggles when I ran a business. Every day there was a fire to fight. A deal to close. A customer to convince. I prayed hard and worked harder. Later as a writer, it was no different. Deadlines breathing down my neck like a jealous wife. Editors tapping their fingers. Newspapers waiting. Rejections coming. Yet every challenge sharpened my skill and strengthened my faith. When I look back, I see that without those battles I would never have grown. I would have remained ordinary.
Problems sculpt us the way a hammer sculpts marble.
It is the striking that shapes us.
So, to the youngster who feels the weight of the world today, I say this. Lift your chin. Put your shoulders back. Whistle a merry tune as you walk. Face the challenge squarely. If it looks like a mountain, climb it. If it looks like a storm, sail through it. If it looks impossible, pray and then step forward. I always prayed first and then acted. It worked beautifully for me. It will work for you too. Life is not designed to crush you. It is designed to make you dance. And once you learn that, there is no depression that can touch you.
So celebrate your challenges. They are proof that you are still in the race and that life still believes you can win…!
The Author conducts an online, eight session Writers and Speakers Course. If you’d like to join, do send a thumbs-up to WhatsApp number 9892572883 or send a message to bobsbanter@gmail.com
