Dreams – and – Newton’s Laws of Motion
Posted on June 16th, 2009So finally I wrote an article for IBM’s magazine – it’s still under review – and I’m pretty sure that it won’t get past the judges… Heck, who needs the article to be published in any magazine when I have my own publishing medium 
This article might sound very similar to Newton’s laws of motion for startups I earlier wrote…
Dreams – and – Newton’s Laws of Motion
Most of us have had dreams when we were still in college… with Microsoft, Google, Dotcoms, etc being our prime idols. Build something big, sell it off, make those quick millions – and – reiterate.
However, when the actual time comes, the typical lifecycle an engineering graduate chooses – graduate, pickup a 6 figure salary, join as an associate, move up the ladder – become a manager, hop around a few and retire – enjoying tea in the lovely twilight.
No, there’s nothing wrong with how we think and act. It is natural to pick up the path that is less risky and has more proven outcomes than the other. However, this thinking is implanted in one’s mindset ever since he/she picks up those very first books to study. “Study hard or you won’t get a decent job!!”
Society around us plays a big role in developing this fear of the unknown. What would my relatives think of me if I am earning lesser than my cousin? What would my peers think of me if I am still an engineer after 5 years? Would I even get married if I am not earning good? More one thinks, more blockages appear between oneself and the dream.
As a result, those dreams are never realized and they keep on lingering as an afterthought… with one hoping that he/she would be able to cherish them later – when the life is more stable.
That stability never comes; one never has enough money or time…
Reason is simple – increase in stability breeds fear of the uncertain, resulting in a need of yet more stability.
So how should one go about it?
Seems like Sir Isaac Newton had answered this long ago – July 5th, 1687.
“A body at rest stays at rest, and a body in motion stays in motion, unless it is acted on by an external force”. To derive the analogy, consider yourself as the “body” and your life as the “state of motion”. Until you do not put in an effort in addition to the regular day’s schedule, setting the dream in motion is improbable. Just dreaming isn’t enough – you need to act upon it.
However, once the ball is rolling – Newton’s second law comes into effect – everything else being a constant, the more effort you put into realizing the dream, better the results are. The once distant and hazy dream starts taking a shape and looks realistic with each passing day of efforts put into it.
The second law eventually leads to the third law – “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction”. Hunger for risk taking, creates more avenues which create more risks. Rewards are directly proportional to the risks taken.
And before you know it, you are already living your dream.
Nothing in life can beat the thrill of that!!
To sum up, if you have a dream, do not hold it back – for you would never have enough stability, enough money and enough time to see it through. Just pick up the drawing board and start working on it.
As Nike’s campaign puts it… “Just Do It”.
Disclaimer – Views and opinions expressed in the article above represent only and only my viewpoint. They have nothing to do with IBM or its policies.
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