RISING ABOVE THE SITUATION

Keeping the future in mind, one focuses on the opportunities that are still available, rather than dwelling on past setbacks. This is one of the secrets of progress.

If a dispute arises between two individuals or between two communities, often, people are not able to think by rising above the temporary problem that is at hand. Things like the immediate loss and the question of honour so overpower their minds that it does not remain possible for them to separate themselves from the dispute and think dispassionately, and thereby make a more appropriate decision based on farsightedness.

The result of this narrow thinking and shortsightedness is that many individuals as well as communities remain engrossed in some problem or the other. A major portion of their time and energy is continuously wasted on non-beneficial things in the name of solving problems, although the intelligent thing to do would be to use their resources for the work of positive construction and progress.

When a problem arises, the wise thing to do is to ignore immediate considerations and make a bold decision in terms of the future. After a problem has arisen, one’s entire attention should be given to ending it. Agreeing to tolerate immediate loss, one should act prudently. In case of a dispute arising, one should make ending the dispute one’s objective. In making efforts to end the dispute, one should keep the future in mind, and not just the past or the present. One’s focus should be on the opportunities that are still available, and not on the losses of the past. This is one of the secrets of progress.