On Name and Fame

You have a right to your actions, 

but never to your actions’ fruits. 

Act for the action’s sake. 

And do not be attached to inaction.

(Lord Krishna, Bhagavad Gita)

I read that Leos like to be admired. Yup, it took me the longest time to figure that out, but that's exactly my driving force. I work in a firm that most in our industry look up to. I work with the smartest people out there, and spend my time figuring out the state of the world so that people admire me for what I do.

Yet I have also learned what happens to people in the lime-light - they get eaten by it. Everyone in my firm who ran after proving to be better than the fellow next door got worn down over the decades. In contrast, everyone who built something, who helped others succeed, had at least a shot at name and fame. Time is amazing that way; repeat something for two to three decades and you see results and consequences that are impossible to spot over just a few years.

Love is the only organizing principle that survives the test of time, nothing else does. Today I feel loved by those who see my special sauce, and if many others don't then I accept that fact even though it hurts. Do what is right by GOD and let HER celebrate you the way SHE deems necessary. You will always recognize GOD's messengers and choose to hang out with them instead. Everything else becomes secondary.

It is ok that we all start our respective journey with different characters, endowments and missions, but eventually the messengers of GOD will converge along a same path and meet. Our re-union was planned eons ago. We are bound to recognize each other and treat each other the way GOD intends us to. But in the meantime, only passion can get us to this point. We have to follow what is meaningful for us or otherwise the rocket fuel will burn out prematurely. The whole point of our re-union is that we meet without an agenda. Passion and living a meaningful burns the agenda away for us until we are purified enough to meet.

You have no idea how many brilliant people I have seen getting crucified by the capricious opinions of small-minded people. After you live through something like that, fame and name become secondary and eventually meaningless, even for someone like me who lusts after it. When I retire from my job I might be considered a hero or I may go out as the villain, but either way will be fine. I prefer the former as I want to be done with the name and fame thing, but if it is the latter, subconscious forces will create name and fame for me in the spiritual community, which is also fine as I work even harder to get my insights across to you.

My lessons learned after running after name and fame for many decades, embrace your passions, find your purpose, and let GOD take you to your chosen destination.