Maulana Wahiduddin Khan I The Speaking Tree I July 27, 2014

Akash Ambani, 22, the son of Mukesh Ambani, had his first media interview recently in The Times of India. Akash Ambani spoke of some of the healthy traditions of his family that have made him what he is today. For instance, during his school days, his mother gave him very little pocket money, a pittance compared to what his friends got. Second, there was advice given to him by his grandfather, Dhirubhai Ambani:"Money lost can be earned again, but lost time is lost forever. So use your time judiciously." These two points are basic to a successful life.

A small amount of pocket money means you have to lead a simple life. It serves as a regulator; it restrains you from going astray and indulging in unwanted activities. It becomes a compulsory check that saves you from developing bad habits, engaging in distractions, opting for an easy life and ending up with an unhealthy character. It prevents you from following that pattern of life in which you pursue only your own self-interests.

Thus, less pocket money saves a person's nature and keeps him from ruining his natural qualities. It helps to make you Mr Nature rather than Mr Artificial. There is no doubt that being true to one's nature is the source of all good and turning away from nature is the source of all evil. Less pocket money prevents you from leading an unnatural, artificial life.

Adhering to one's true nature ensures that you develop good character, while turning away from it leads to bad character.

When Time Is Money

Nature, as described by the Creator himself, is the right framework for any individual. For any human being, the secret of life is following one's nature. Doing so leads to right development. A person who departs from his true nature cannot develop his personality in the correct way.

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The second important principle centres around time. The young Ambani was told that, "Money lost can be earned again, but lost time is lost forever." Time is a great asset, and success comes to one who utilises his time, the best of all. One who wastes his time will fail in life. But, adopting this way of life is not so easy and one needs a wise teacher to instruct one. Akash Ambani found that teacher in his mother who taught him that everyone is born with two great assets, his God-given nature and externally, that precious thing called time. One who recognises these two divine gifts can be assured of finding perpetual success.

When you follow the path set by nature, the cogs on your wheel will synchronise with those of nature's wheel. So you move along smoothly. If you deviate from the course of nature, you will surely fail. Such a person is left unsupported and can never be successful. The same is true of time. Time is the prime asset required for successful planning. If you fail to make good use of your time, you will be deprived of this basic fact, and there will be no second chance for success.

Therefore, success is the outcome of right planning. There are two basic factors in right planning- the nature with which you are born, and that span of time in which you organise all your activities. If you are lacking in either of these, it will lead to disaster.