The Journey To Sustainability And Having A Broader Impact

A sublime reality of being human is that we all have divergent points of view; we may arrive at the same destination but many of us like taking the scenic route since we prefer learning from our own experiences and sometimes, mistakes.

- Rakesh Wahi

However, the world has unwittingly united around one truth; that we live in uncertain times and even the wisest won’t harbor a guess at what 2021 holds in store. Using the oxymoron ‘cautiously optimistic’ is fashionable but personifies cluelessness. Talking about truths, I reflected a great deal on the words of the Dalai Lama as he described the four noble truths in his book, The Middle Way, which is “faith grounded in reason”. I had received a personal copy from His Holiness in 2018 and have referred to it whenever I have wanted to introspect. The four noble truths are i) suffering; ii) the cause of suffering; iii) the cessation of suffering; and iv) the path to be cultivated to eradicate suffering. This is a very profound discourse as every situation in life can basically be encapsulated in these four truths; some may want to replace the word ‘suffering’ with ‘challenge’.

The real solution to any problem lies in the path that we choose to pursue. My introspection over the last three months focused first on being brutally critical of myself as a means for self-improvement and for defining and perhaps redefining the things that are important for me. What do I really want to do in this final phase, who do I want to spend my time with and what impact do I want to make. These answers now form my resolution, not just for 2021 but also for the proverbial last mile. There is no time for rancor; the past cannot be changed. The focus must be on the future and how we can continuously improve and make an impact irrespective of the magnitude.