Solution to the Problem
There’s a saying: “Change yourself, and your destiny will automatically change.”
And Thomas Stearns Eliot (T. S. Eliot, 1888–1965), a poet, essayist, and playwright, once said: “If you are put into a round hole, then you should become a ball.”
Both these statements express the same deep truth from different angles: The secret of success lies not in clashing with circumstances, but in adjusting to them.
While living in this world, a person constantly faces different kinds of challenges—sometimes from nature, sometimes from the environment, and sometimes from unexpected situations. In such times, a wise person does not resist blindly but rather adapts, bends, and finds a way forward.
Take the example of Japan. Japan is a country where earthquakes occur frequently. These disasters cause enormous human and financial losses. It was a serious problem—but the Japanese found a practical solution.
Instead of building houses with heavy concrete, they began using wood and bamboo. Even if such a house collapses, the damage is less, and much of the material can be reused.
Here, they were facing the force of nature, against which no one has any control. So, the Japanese bowed before it—and by doing so, discovered a smart, one-sided solution.
Let’s look at another example—the world-famous Toyota Company.
Fifteen years ago, Toyota was a name associated not with cars, but with textiles. The company originally worked in Japan’s textile industry. But the country’s conditions were not suitable for this sector, and the company couldn’t succeed. So, Toyota changed direction and entered the automobile industry—a field that better matched the country’s resources and demands. Soon, Toyota became a global name, and Japanese cars began to run on roads around the world.
In this case, the Japanese faced local economic obstacles. Rather than fighting them, they shifted their area of action. And as surely as walking through a door is easier than banging into a wall, success followed.
There’s also the story of a leading Japanese newspaper that once suffered heavy financial losses.
Usually, when a major newspaper begins to collapse, it’s extremely difficult to save, just like how an elephant with a broken leg cannot survive easily.
However, the Japanese regard it as their sacred duty to support their national press. Shortly afterward, a bank provided the newspaper with a substantial loan on favorable terms.
Government and semi-government institutions began to give it large advertisements. The newspaper’s employees even voluntarily paused their salary raises until the situation improved.
As a result, the paper recovered and began publishing strongly again.
There’s a saying: “Sometimes, helping others is actually helping yourself.”
That’s exactly what happened here. By supporting the newspaper, the people protected both the press and their own values.
This is another powerful truth: “If you are less than others, don’t fight it. Even weakness offers something—and that is the motivation to overcome it.”
If you take this approach, your weakness itself becomes a ladder that lifts you higher.
Take the story of Muhammad Ali Clay.
As a twelve-year-old Black boy in America, he once asked his father, “Dad, why don’t we have shiny cars like others?”
His father replied sadly, “Son, we’re Black. Only white people can afford cars like that.”
Pointing to his son’s skin, he said, “This is the reason.”
The boy asked, “Is being Black a crime?”
His father explained, “No, but we aren’t given the same job opportunities. When someone earns only enough to feed himself, how can he dream of luxury?”
To ease his son’s sadness, the father bought him a bicycle—even though they barely had enough money for it.
The boy was overjoyed and rode it happily.
But soon after, a white boy stole the bicycle. When he ran to the police, the officer looked at his Black face with contempt and turned away.
This could have ignited hatred in the boy’s heart. But instead, it lit a fire of determination.
He decided to challenge the idea that being Black meant being inferior.
To the policeman, he said: “If I find that white boy, I’ll break his nose.”
The officer laughed and replied, “Then go learn how to break noses first.”
That mocking sentence shook the boy deeply—and from that day, he began training as a boxer.
Years later, that same boy—Muhammad Ali Clay—became the world boxing champion.
He had everything now—from Cadillacs parked outside his home to hotels reserved for world leaders.
In an interview, he once said, “If my father hadn’t felt inferior and given me a bicycle instead of a car, I would never have become a world champion. It was the feeling of being behind that gave me the spirit to move ahead.”
All India Radio, New Delhi,
on 13-14 October 1984.
