Drop Outs!!!

Today, as I read about Steve Jobs and found that he is also a drop out from Reed college, I was surprised! Some of the successful people I know who are also college drop outs are Bill Gates, Michael Dell and Mukesh Ambani. 

I believe they dropped out from the college, not just to pursue something that interests them. More than an interest, it should be their deep hearted passion, otherwise they would not have become so successful. On giving a profound thinking about drop outs and sincere academic student (like me!!!), I understand that earlier ones follow their hearts and brains, while later ones (yes, like me) follow what is told by others! 

Yes, I have always been asked to do something at school and college, and I did it good and gave my best. Even at my job, I was assigned some work and I was able to complete it. Though the companies welcome their employees to do some hobby projects, the primary mode of working is still "Assignment".  Little did I do myself, like taking photos and making videos. It is more like a hobby, but I have to accept that my passion is dwindling these days.. I am not passionate enough to throw away my job and take my passion as a job!

When I started working at Nokia, where the work is more liberal and employees are encouraged to take up tasks from a work pool, rather than being assigned, I was quite staggered. It was a completely new experience for me. It took some months for me to understand how I can contribute myself to the team, by knowing what I can do, how I can involve my skill to solve the problems in hand and what I can learn to increase my participation. Thats the scrum way of doing things. But to be honest, I am still learning those soft skills.

Besides, I remember at home, my parents and grandma always used to say, do it on your own and don't wait for someone to tell you. These dialogues usually pop up, when they see me near some messy place(usually my clothes and book shelves) or some cluttered room. I am citing this event, to insist that "doing by yourself" attitude can be cultivated at home also. But only when an individual realizes it, and practises it, he can blossom into a successful person. I have realized it only now and its not too late for me to practise it.

And before I end this post, I have to tell that it is not easy to follow your dreams and being passionate. 

I am sure many of us do day-dream, 

and some of them want to pursue it,

and only some take steps to pursue it,

and only few of them are able to proceed with it,

and only few of them are successful in it,

and only very few could withstand the downtimes and pursue it all the time! 

Like Steve Jobs, who had been thrown out of his own company, after many years, came back as its CEO again..

I am reminded of a Bhagavat Geetha Shloka here. Lord Krishna says in Chapter 7, Sloka 3,

Out of many thousands of men, hardly one endeavors for the perfection of self-realization, and of those so endeavoring hardly, only one has achieved the perfection of self-realization and of those hardly one knows Me in truth.

Yes, all of us need persistence and determination to realize our passion. As always, I am all ears to your thoughts about this post and its only our exchange of views gives us more clarity!