Etiquettes of
Progress
In this world, everyone desires progress—but only a few people truly achieve it. Most people live and die with an average or ordinary life.
What is the reason for this? Is it that some people are born lucky while others are destined to be deprived? Certainly not! To say so would be an unfair accusation against God—and God never treats anyone unjustly.
The truth is that every person is born with great potential. Everyone carries within themselves the seeds of high achievement. Those who use their God-given abilities wisely reach success, while those who either neglect these abilities or misuse them through harmful choices remain behind in the journey of life.
Take for example, those who are obsessed with shortcuts. Sometimes, in trying to leap forward quickly, they end up breaking their own hands and feet. But true progress always comes through long-term effort and consistent work—not sudden leaps.
Others try to succeed by snatching what belongs to others. This too is a grave mistake. What is not rightfully yours can never truly become yours. Even if you manage to seize something unjustly, it will never bring lasting success. Such actions go against the law of nature—and sooner or later, nature will respond, often not only punishing the person, but even affecting their future generations.
Some people hinder their own progress by being excessively greedy and selfish. They want everything for themselves and nothing for others. But the world has been created in such a way that those who give are the ones who receive. Those who share in others’ success become partners in others’ growth.
Then there are those who are consumed by jealousy and envy. When they see others moving forward, they burn inside and try to pull them down. But the right response to others’ success is to become motivated—to work harder and also rise, rather than being trapped in envy.
To achieve any significant success in life, one must be able to move forward with others. No one can reach great heights alone. To rise in life, you must win people’s trust, earn their respect, and build relationships. You must become the kind of person who wants for others what you want for yourself—and who dislikes for others what you would not want for yourself.
In this world, progress is everyone’s right. It is destined for all. But it will only come to those who understand the rules and etiquettes of progress—and apply them correctly.
Let us take an example from the physical world. Earthquakes are a natural phenomenon. They occur in many parts of the world. In earlier times, these earthquakes led to heavy loss of life. But now, in developed countries like California (USA), even when earthquakes occur, very few people die.
Why is that? Because people there understood the root cause of the damage—it wasn’t the earthquake itself that killed people, but the collapse of buildings. Instead of trying to protest against earthquakes or build impossibly strong structures, they took a more intelligent path: they began to build lightweight structures that would sway, not collapse. As a result, when earthquakes happen, buildings shake but stay standing—and lives are saved.
In a similar way, every person carries within them another kind of earthquake—the earthquake of anger and revenge. When someone is hurt, the fire of revenge begins to burn in the heart. That is when a person may lash out, attack others, or destroy relationships.
This is a social earthquake, and like natural earthquakes, it cannot be eliminated. The only solution is to develop the wisdom to protect ourselves from its damage.
The wise strategy here is one word: avoidance.
If someone says something harsh to you, don’t let it affect you.
If someone provokes you, walk away.
If someone throws mud at you, wash it off—don’t argue.
If someone spits at you in passing, ignore it and move on.
In short: don’t allow others’ negativity to derail your own journey.
Just as natural earthquakes will never stop, human and social earthquakes will also continue. What we can do is practice avoidance, patience, and self-control, so that we are not caught in their trap or damaged by their force.
This world is a world of constant trials and challenges. Everyone has freedom—and some misuse it, causing harm to others. But the solution is not to try and remove this freedom. That freedom has been given by the Creator, and no one can take away what the Creator has granted.
So what should we do? We must act wisely, protect ourselves from harm, and focus on creating and seizing constructive opportunities.
This means:
• Avoiding unnecessary confrontations.
• Bearing minor losses with patience.
• Not getting provoked by provocations.
• Relying on your own strength rather than blaming others.
• Focusing on opportunities instead of being stuck in problems.
This is the only real method for success in this world of trial.
There is no other path to progress. Wise strategy is the solution to every problem. Wise strategy protects us from every loss. Let wise strategy become your guiding principle—and you will live a life free of complaints and filled with progress.
All India Radio, New Delhi,
17 December 1993.
