Valluvar's Strategy for Success

Valluvar’s Strategy for Success

Dr. R. Prabhakaran

Introduction

Numerous books on “self-help” written by eminent psychologists and others have analyzed the characteristics of people who are considered successful in one or more aspects of their lives. Also, excellent seminars are frequently conducted by very talented, motivational speakers who encourage their audience to emulate the successes of other successful people. These books and seminars have undoubtedly been beneficial to many people. Like the modern-day psychologists and self-help gurus, Valluvar, who lived about two thousand years ago, has analyzed several aspects of human life. He has proposed his own strategy for success in his magnum opus, the Kural. The strategy proposed by Valluvar has stood the test of time and is still valid. The purpose of this essay is to describe Valluvar’s strategy for achieving success in life.

 

What is success?

Generally, success is considered the attainment of wealth, position, honors, recognition, etc. But this definition of success seems somewhat incomplete. If an individual would like to achieve recognition and fame and if he gets them, he will certainly consider that as a success. On the other hand, if someone does not want recognition and fame and if he happens to get them, he will feel uncomfortable and might not consider that a success. Success may mean different things to different people. It may also mean different things at different times for the same person. For example, when a young man is in financial difficulties, he may consider that success if he works hard and gets a bonus. When financially secure, he may consider receiving a major promotion as a success instead of a bonus. So, defining success as “attaining a desired goal” seems more appropriate.

 

People often dream of success. A dream is an aspiration or wishful thinking of achieving the desired goal. If so, what is the difference between a dream and a goal? Dreams are something one thinks about. Goals are something one acts on. Dreams can happen without any effort, whereas goals require action. Dreams are imaginary. Goals are based on reality. Dreams do not have a deadline. But goals do have deadlines. In order for the dream to come true, one should have a goal and work towards achieving that goal. Once that goal is achieved, one is said to have attained success.

 

            If success means achieving the desired goal, can there be a unique strategy for success that is independent of the goal? If someone dreams of becoming wealthy, he will develop specific goals and plan his actions towards that goal and work towards that goal. Similarly, if someone wants to achieve fame, there are different approaches, and the actions to be taken will depend upon the type of fame the individual is hoping to achieve. Whereas, if someone has the goal of reducing his weight, he will definitely need a totally different set of actions than the one who wants to accumulate wealth or achieve fame. Therefore, is it really possible to have a common, comprehensive strategy for achieving success or attaining the desired goal? Although the strategy for achieving a specific goal is clearly dependent upon that goal, the underlying principles for achieving any goal are the same. In his remarkable book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” Dr. Steven R. Covey describes the seven habits common among successful people. The well-known self-help guru Zig Ziglar is considered one of the most outstanding motivational speakers who had the phenomenal ability to uplift and inspire his audiences through his eloquent delivery of effective messages. In his seminal book “See You at the Top,” he identifies a six-step process that would lead his readers to success in their lives. The strategies recommended by Steven Covey, Zig Ziglar, and others like them are basic to accomplishing any goal. Two thousand years ago, Valluvar also adopted a similar approach and arrived at a general strategy for achieving any goal in his eternally valid and universally acceptable Kural.

 

Step 1. Dream Big

            The well-known comedy actor Jim Carrey went to Hollywood in 1987 looking for a career in acting. When he was struggling to find his way through Hollywood, he wrote a check for himself for $10 million. He dated the check “Thanksgiving 1995” and added the notation “for acting services rendered.” That was his dream. By the time the year 1995 came, he had become successful in his career and had acted in several box-office hit movies. He had become a superstar, and his asking price per picture was $20 million. Jim Carrey’s story is not an isolated example of dreaming for success. Great inventors, artists, leaders, and athletic superstars have all used the “creative visualization” technique, which is another name for dreaming. For example, Wilbur and Orville Wright must have imagined the possibility of constructing a flying machine before they set out to design and build Kitty Hawk in 1903. When President John F. Kennedy expressed his desire for the Americans to travel to the moon, it was his dream. The famous Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King dreamed of racial equality and wished that someday “justice would roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream” in the USA. Successful athletes routinely visualize their success before they attain it. Musicians imagine receiving standing ovations and accolades from their audiences before their actual concerts. Great generals like Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte visualized their success in the wars they waged and motivated their troops to achieve their victories. It is a common practice in many corporations to express their lofty ideals regarding their products and services in their vision statements which help to motivate their employees to do their best. Therefore, it appears that many successful people from all walks of life have dreams or visions of their success.

Valluvar places great importance on having lofty ideals as the basis for human achievements. The height of the water lilies' stems in a pond continues to increase as the water level rises. Valluvar says, in the same manner, the greatness achieved by an individual is in proportion to the lofty ideals he has in his mind.

The stalk of waterlily grows as the water level rises; so also, the greatness achieved by a man is determined by his lofty ideals.                       (kural – 595)

 

            The question arises as to whether ‘Having big dreams guarantees success?” The simple answer is “No.” Dreams alone cannot guarantee success. The probability of success increases if the dreams are accompanied by appropriate goals, hard work, dedication, and persistence. Even then, it is entirely possible that one may not achieve the desired degree of success. The famous boxer Mike Tyson is quoted as saying, “If I shoot for the moon, even if I don’t get the moon, I might get some clouds.” That is very true. If the big dream is accompanied by dedication, specific goals, hard work, and persistence, one may achieve positive results if not complete success.

 

            One of my brothers had a dream of becoming a General in the Indian army. That was his dream right from a very early age. During his school days, he studied the life history of Napoleon Bonaparte with great interest and admired Napoleon’s military genius. When he was about eighteen years old, he wanted to join the army. He could only join as a soldier. But his dream of becoming a high-ranking officer was always alive. He appeared for competitive examinations held for the selection of officers. Although he scored very high on the written tests, he failed the interview. This was primarily due to the bias in the Indian army that once someone was a soldier, he was considered virtually unfit to become an officer. But, in his third attempt, he was successful and became an officer. By virtue of his superior performance, he was promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, and Brigadier General. He was shortlisted for the position of Major General. But, in India, positions like Major General and above are political appointments. He did not have the necessary political connection, so he had to retire as a Brigadier General. Even though his dream did not materialize the way he anticipated, he accomplished most of what he hoped to achieve and had a great career in the Indian army.

 

            The story of my brother is not unique. There are numerous examples of athletes, military generals, politicians, and corporate leaders achieving most of their dreams, if not in their entirety. The process of dreaming and working towards achieving the dream produces a wealth of benefits for the dreamer. Valluvar has thought about this aspect of the dream and says that it is still good to dream and work towards it even if it does not come true.

 

Think lofty thoughts always; even if they fail to materialize, it is still as good as having materialized.                        (kural – 596)

 

So, lofty ideals and big dreams are indeed the basis for success; therefore, one should certainly dream, and persistent hard work towards achieving that dream will invariably make the dream come true.

 

Step 2. Set goals

            Is it possible to play a football game without a goal line being marked or a basketball game played without a hoop? The players will be totally lost, and the game cannot be played. They are essential for playing the game. So also, the goals in life are of vital importance for our success. Thinking big dreams is an excellent beginning. But to realize those dreams, specific goals must be set, and relevant actions should be undertaken to achieve those goals. By nature, dreams are expressions of our desires. The more intense and passionate our dreams are, the more likely we will take actions to achieve those dreams. In order to achieve our dreams, it is essential that our actions are focused towards a clear, attainable, and relevant goal to achieve our dreams.

 

            Pursuing actions without a clear goal is like undertaking a journey without deciding on the destination. We may end up somewhere and not necessarily in our desired destination. It is also essential that the goal should be realistic and attainable. For example, if an older man in his 90s sets a goal of running one hundred meters in under ten seconds, it would be impossible for him to achieve that goal. He would have wasted his energy and perhaps endangered himself. Finally, if the goal has no relevance to the dream, then it will not help to achieve the dream. For example, if one wants to be wealthy, one must have a relevant goal and should not engage in risky financial ventures where he is likely to lose his capital. Valluvar has considered all these issues in the goal-setting process. He emphasizes the need for a clear goal based on a thorough analysis of the situation. He is in favor of consulting knowledgeable people before actions are undertaken. His ideas regarding the need for a clear goal and the goal-setting process can be found in the following kurals.

 

            Those who fear disgrace will not venture anything without having a clear goal in mind.    (kural - 464)

            Consider the pros and cons and the net gain before venturing into any action.                   (kural - 461)

            Nothing is difficult to attain for those who consult with knowledgeable people

            before venturing into action.                                                                                                  (kural – 462)

Actions should follow analytic decisions resulting from deep deliberations; it is a

disgrace to commence actions before such deliberations.                                                    (Kural – 467)

 

One will be ruined if one does what should not be done; one will be ruined

if one fails to do what should be done.                                                                                  (kural – 466)

 

Step 3. Develop a Plan

            It is said that “failing to plan is planning to fail.” Zig Ziglar makes a humorous remark in his book, “See You at the Top,” that Sir Edmund Hilary was not just walking around and one day found himself on the top of Mount Everest. Sir Edmund Hilary and other successful people in other walks of life, like business, politics, and warfare, did not achieve their success by simply having a dream and a goal. They all had a well-thought-out plan and worked hard to achieve their goals. This is true in our personal life too. Once a goal has been established, then one should consider all aspects related to that goal and chart a clear plan of action. A dream without appropriate goals will be just a wishful thinking. A goal without a plan is also not attainable. Once a relevant, realistic and achievable goal is set, the next step is to develop a plan to achieve that goal. Valluvar offers several interesting and valuable suggestions regarding the planning process. As usual, his approach is very general. His ideas about planning are applicable to a General preparing for a war or for, a businessman venturing on a new project, or an individual trying to achieve his personal goal based on his ambitions, desires, and dreams. He stresses five aspects as essential components of a good plan.

 

            Consider the resources, means, tasks, timing, and place of action thoroughly before embarking on the action.             (kural – 675)

 

            The term “resources” mentioned in the above kural would imply financial resources, human resources, and other necessary resources. Valluvar discusses the importance of resources in the following kural:

 

Before launching an operation, assess the resources needed for the task, your own resources, the resources

of the enemy (competitor), and the resources of your allies, and then act.                                     (kural – 471)

 

            In the modern days, corporate as well as military planners base their plans on what is called “SWOT Analysis.” SWOT is the acronym for Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat. Though the details may vary, the basic idea of Valluvar in the above kural and the SWOT analysis is very similar. By way of explanation for this kural, Dr. S. M. Diaz attributes the humiliating defeat of the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in the Kuwait war to his lack of appreciation for the military strength of the USA. If an individual’s goal has anything to do with competing with others, then the principles of SWOT analysis are also applicable to that individual. In the following kurals, Valluvar warns that a lack of realistic assessment of one’s resources could spell danger:

 

There are many who, ignorant of their resources (or the lack of them), have haughtily set out to compete with

others in great enthusiasm and have been broken down in the midst of their campaign.              (kural – 473)

 

If one who has climbed to the topmost branch of a tree ventures to go up still further,

it will result in the end of his life.                                                                                                                               (kural – 476)

 

            The term “means” referred to in kural 675 can also be considered a reference to the tools or equipment necessary for achieving the goal. The tools can be manufactured gadgets or intellectual tools like a book or anything that would help address the question, “How to achieve the goal?” The “tasks” referred to in kural 675 are the various steps necessary to accomplish the goal. When the plan includes a careful analysis of the resources, the means, and the tasks, then the questions such as “what?”, “how?” and “who?” would have been addressed.

 

            The next aspect of planning is timing. It is often necessary to do things in the proper order. Doing tasks out of sequence may have undesirable results. The timing aspect is related to the prioritization of the tasks. This is very similar to Stephen Covey’s idea about “Put first things first,“ which he refers to as “Habit 3” in his popular book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” In the following kurals, Valluvar emphasizes the importance of the right time for actions. He also re-emphasizes the need to pay attention to the means and place.

 

Is there anything that is difficult to accomplish if one acts with the right means

at the right time?                                                                                                        (kural – 483)

            Even if one aspires to win the whole world, one can do so if one chooses the

            right time and place for action.                                                                                  (kural – 484)

Things that may be done at leisure could be implemented slowly and deliberately.

But, items requiring prompt action should not be put off even for a moment.        (Kural – 672)  

Bide your time like the stork for its prey; like the stork striking at its prey at

the opportune time, take swift action when the time is right.                                 (kural – 490)

           

            Finally, the proper place for action may be important in some cases. In the case of a business or real estate venture, choosing the location is considered very important. Military strategists place significant importance on the choice of the location to wage war. Depending on the situation, the location may be crucial for one’s own success. So, Valluvar’s emphasis on the place is not all that irrelevant. In the following kural, Valluvar uses an interesting metaphor to convey the importance of location:

 

            On a marshy ground where the foot sinks, even a fox can beat a mighty elephant

            with fearless eyes on his majestic face and two spears of ivory.                               (kural – 500)

 

            The annals of military history attribute the defeat of Napoleon when he invaded Russia to poor planning, which resulted in logistics failures, the revolt of the soldiers, and the death of almost 500,000 soldiers out of the 600,000 who marched into Russia. Major failures in Napoleon’s planning process were considering the Russian terrain and the severe cold Russian winters. If Napoleon had paid careful attention to timing and location, the result could have been different.

           

            It is true that many ambitious people have failed to achieve their goals due to ill-conceived plans. The five elements that Valluvar identifies as an essential part of the planning process - the resources, means, tasks, timing, and location – have always been crucial ingredients of a successful plan and will continue to be so in the future.

 

Step 4. Act with persistence

            The English author, art critic, and social commentator of the 19^th century, John Ruskin, said, “What we think or what we know or what we believe, in the end, is of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do.” Just as John Ruskin said, all ambitious dreams, meaningful goals, and carefully considered plans are useless unless one is ready to act upon them. Ultimately, it is the action that produces the result. Valluvar is a great proponent of persistent action. To begin with, Valluvar emphasizes total dedication and persistence to one’s goals. The intense desire to achieve success will facilitate the actual achievement of success. Valluvar highlights this idea in the following kurals:

 

If those who have planned an undertaking possess persistence, they will

achieve what they desire as they have desired.                                             (kural – 666)

 

It is easy to achieve your goal, provided you keep it in mind persistently.   (kural – 540)

 

            Persistence in the goals will serve as a constant reminder and encourage an individual to put forth more effort to accomplish those goals. Valluvar believes that the reward or the success is in proportion to the effort.

 

One should not give up by saying, “It is impossible.” Persistent efforts

 will lead to success.                                                                                        (kural – 611)

            Even if God does not answer your prayers, your efforts will yield

            proportionate rewards.                                                                                  (kural – 619)

 

            From the above, it is clear that Valluvar is a great believer in the human effort to achieve the desired goal. Valluvar is always pragmatic in his approach to all human problems. He is not oblivious to the potential setbacks one would encounter in pursuing one’s goal. One could encounter health-related issues, financial difficulties, legal issues, competition, and numerous other unforeseen problems in life that could interfere with the pursuit of one’s goals. Occurrences of unforeseen random events - alternately known as fate - often adversely affect one’s progress in achieving one’s goals. Valluvar’s guideline is to pursue the goal with relentless effort, even under those circumstances.

 

            Those who work with ceaseless industry will overcome unplanned

            adverse events (fate).                                                                                     (kural – 620)

 

            Valluvar also gives us advice as to how to handle adversities. This, again, is applicable to all adversities in life. First of all, one should realize that it is not unusual to encounter adversities. Therefore, one should always be mentally prepared to meet adversities head-on. In fact, Valluvar recommends that when one encounters any kind of adversity, one should laugh at them because there is nothing better than laughter to overcome difficulties in life. These ideas can be found in the following kurals:

 

He who does not crave pleasure and realizes that adversity in life

is natural is not affected by adversity.                                                           (kural – 628)

Laugh at adversity; there is nothing better than laughter to

overcome adversity.                                                                                       (kural – 621)

If it appears that Valluvar’s approach to overcoming difficulties in life and succeeding in the midst of overwhelming adversities is unrealistic, the documented case histories of the extraordinary successes achieved by prominent people should serve as encouraging examples.

Despite the progressive neurodegenerative disease (known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) that has caused muscle weakness and paralysis throughout his adult life, Stephen Hawking (1942 - 2018), the British physicist has made outstanding contributions to physics and cosmology. His book, A Brief History of Time, has been a best seller and has sold more than 10 million copies in the past twenty years.

Helen Keller (1880 – 1968) was a deaf, blind, and mute woman. Undaunted by her adversities, she fought an incredibly courageous battle to communicate with the outside world and led a life of accomplishments. She became one of the 20^th century’s leading humanitarians.

Demosthenes (384 BC – 322 BC), the famous Greek orator of the 4^th century B.C., had speech impediments in his early days. It is said that in order to overcome his disability, he used to talk with pebbles in his mouth and recited verses while running. His orations provide insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece.

Soichiro Honda (1906 - 1991) was the son of a blacksmith in Japan. He was always interested in manufacturing. He was not interested in formal education. He became a car mechanic and started his own auto repair shop. Later he started a manufacturing plant to produce piston rings for Toyota cars. During World War II, a US bomber destroyed his plant. He rebuilt his plant, and it was subsequently demolished by an earthquake. Undaunted by manmade and natural calamities, he went on to start the Honda Motorcycle Company and eventually built the multi-billion-dollar, multi-national Honda Motor Company. In 1980, People magazine placed him on their “25 Most Intriguing People of the Year” and dubbed him as “the Japanese Henry Ford.”

Pancreatic cancer, ill health, and corporate squabble did not deter Steve Jobs (1955 – 2011) from becoming one of our time's great inventors and marketing geniuses.

Thomas Alva Edison (1847 – 1931) was not discouraged by his 14,000 failed attempts and went on to invent the incandescent light bulb.

In addition to the above-mentioned few, countless others have realized their dreams by setting proper goals and working with unwavering persistence to overcome formidable adversities. The biographies of these successful people and others like them point to Valluvar’s belief that adversity can be overcome by persistence and success can be achieved despite adversities is not all that naïve and unrealistic.

 

Step 5. Share the success

In addition to achieving success, Valluvar also expects successful people to share their success with others. According to him, basically, all people are equal. He considers it necessary for an intelligent person to empathize with others’ sufferings, and only those who help others can be regarded as truly living.

 

What benefit does someone derive from his knowledge if he does not treat

others’ suffering as his own?                                                                                      (kural – 315)

 

He who realizes that he is just like all other human beings is the one who

really lives; all others are deemed dead.                                                                    (kural -214)

 

Therefore, it is clear that Valluvar expects those who have been successful in accumulating wealth to share their wealth with the less fortunate, those who gained knowledge to share their knowledge with others, and those who have become successful to share their success in some form or the other with those who are struggling to realize their noble dreams.

 

Conclusion

Success can be defined as attaining the desired goal. Valluvar proposes a five-step process for achieving success in our lives. Valluvar’s process begins with having big dreams, setting relevant goals, planning to achieve those goals, and putting forth persistent hard work in executing the plan. The final step is to share our success with others seeking success in their lives. The process suggested by Valluvar is general and applicable to all those who want to achieve success in their lives.

 

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