Reviewed by ASIF ANWAR ALIG
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Three motivations in Forge Your Future by
late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, as cover page mentions, express book’s theme—a candid,
forthright and inspiring book. With distinction of being the first of its kind to
be titled through online vote before publication, interactivities between author
and his admirers motivated him to pen this book. His unswerving email interactions
with millions of young Indians took the shape of the book under review.
This
lifelong teacher breathed his last on 27 July 2015 while addressing the students
of Indian Institute of Management Shillong in India’s Meghalaya state. Reply to
some thirty emails from an average 300 Dr. Kalam used to receive daily, this
book stimulates all. Sections Preparing for Success; Creating a Better Society;
Empowering Women; Building a Strong India and Competing with the World etc. cover
decisive aspects pertaining to young generations to think beyond today.
Reply
of thirty selected emails from countless Dr. Kalam received since decades this book
inspires budding minds to think rational. His archetypal answers have no whims.
They insist for implying practicality in life. Take for example his perception
on ‘Process’ which instigates to perceive and think about certain events or happenings
in life. He logically explains that to attain success to change the way one literally
‘process’ situations or events, and in this verge transform the thinking levels.
Perceive problems accordingly to find an appropriate solution.
Dr.
Kalam emphasized that youngsters must think
to manifest their dreams. He caveated though that translating dreams into
reality wasn’t easy. One is bound to face the obstacles and must overcome them with
determination and discipline. He cites his own example that he could have
hardly achieved his goals without a disciplined lifestyle.
Sharing
some finest mantras Dr. Kalam insisted why goal setting is crucial for disciplined
life. He insisted that one must set goals for self in the areas of
specialization for appreciation and to work the level best to achieve them. Equally
did he believe determination a source of power to make it easy for everybody to
overcome the obstacles through willpower?
Success
is final destination in life but failures shouldn’t be considered setbacks.
They are just intermittent blockades during attaining success and therefore must
be unreservedly welcomed. Conviction brings definite win so long as one courageously
faces challenge of accepting negative situations. One need not fear for
anything if face difficult situations. Give spirituality a room with
determination which can ease achieving something meaningful in life. He
believed that ‘courage must be showcased
by heart and adapted in character’ because it is crucial to build personalities.
He foresaw the political dynamics of growing societies.
It is the role of the common masses to take essential measures to elect appropriate
visionary leaders to run the nations. Citizens are bound to play the pivotal
role to stand up against wrongdoings. They can keep an eye on the injustices happening
around them.
A message for the future generations the author
insisted that one must have courage to dream for better future even if encountering
tough phases. Courage awakens individual potentialities even in hopeless
situations. Loopholes won’t dominate if one gains ability, dreams for good and firmly commits for action.
With self-confidence and determination one achieves goals. He logically defines
how to build confidence: “if you think you can do something, then you can
actually get it done. And, if you think you cannot do it, you will not be able
to do it.”
Dr.
Kalam re-imposed religion & spirituality as much important as science. Religion
helps to focus on final outcomes because there is a connection between science
and spirituality. Those with faith in religion attain power for attaining inner
knowledge. Eventual success is bound to come through firm beliefs. Anybody with
creative bent of mind is bound to be motivated by the desire to achieve goals rather
than unnecessarily urging to beat the counterparts.
He
provided an example of his own life in the concluding chapter from his days of
struggle. It transformed his personality into a touchstone and still inspires millions—“I
opted for vegetarian meals at the school canteen instead of the non-vegetarian
meals which I had been used to at home, since that meant a saving of three
rupees every week. Though I came from a small place, I never felt small in
anyway and always had big dreams. I lived in a single pair of clothing and
shoes, wearing them for as long as was possible. Only when the first pair of
clothing and shoes would be completely worn out, would I get a new set. In
1954, when I decided to enroll for Aeronautical Engineering at the Madras
Institute of Technology, my sister had to sell two of her gold bangles to pay
for my admission fee.” With such honest confessions he motivated youngsters
to make better future with their willpower and self-determination.
He
wrote what he actually lived. His experience of attaining success was an accomplishment
of a lifetime. Based on his ideals he advised for four proven steps to gain
success as a person to be remembered—by age of twenty years one must define life’s
aim; keenness and passion to acquire constant knowledge through studying life
changing books and associating with the teachers or personalities who are true
mentors; one must follow disciplined lifestyle to do good efforts and fulfill dreams.
Last but not the least one should preserve and persist on the chosen path.
He
always valued time, resources and mindsets and opined that social media was an
important tool today. Its emergence proved vital source of communication as it created
innovative means to mobilize public opinions for overall growth. It resultantly
encouraged people’s participation in socio-political activities by engaging youths.
It is a healthy sign for mature democratic practice.
Philosophy
of life lies in practicing righteousness and simplicity, said Dr. Kalam. No
matter what situation we confronted in life we had ample scopes to choose right
or wrong paths. Choosing a right path leads to obtain sustainable stamina for action
we do as it would be based on a principle of righteousness. Those going on wrong
path are destined to fail in the absence of any heavenly power. Such inspirational
quotes were practicalities of his life. He has pointed out many aspects like emphasizing
to lead lives in situations of encountering unaccountable challenges pertaining
to health, finances, education, oppressions, abuses or transgressions and relationship
et al. One must choose a right path instead of delving into something wrong that
brings temporary relief.
He
argued for “religion historically been a most important factor in the family
cohesion of human societies.” Take for example many laws pertaining to human
societies like the laws of marriage, divorce and those to rear children having been
transmitted from several existing religions. He condemned societies which disrespected
women and believed that as God created men and women equal anybody disrespecting
or harming women were actually disrespecting the creator. 
While
arguing that life has rewards in the form of success for those having
determination in life, Dr. Kalam cited his own example—“during the days of World War
II, when I was ten years old and living with my family in Rameswaram, there was
scarcity of most food items and articles of daily use. Ours was a large joint
family with five sons and five daughters, three of whom had their own families.
My mother would be up at four every morning, then wake me up, help me bathe and
get dressed to go to my teacher, Shri Swamiyar, for learning mathematics. I
would return home from tuition at five thirty and my father would be waiting to
take me to the Arabic school to learn Namaaz and the Holy Quran. After that I
would go to the Rameswaram Road Railway Station, located three kilometers away,
to collect a bundle of newspapers thrown out from the passing Madras-Dhanushkodi
Express. I would pick up the bundle and run around Rameswaram distributing
newspapers in the town. By the time I would reach home after distributing the
newspapers, it would be eight o’clock and my mother would give me breakfast. I
was simultaneously studying and working. In the evening, after school, again I
would go around Rameswaram to collect dues from the customers to whom I had
delivered the newspaper in the morning.” Such is the appealing message we receive from
his life for us to introspect. http://www.ceylontoday.lk/thumb/epaper-images/60468.jpg
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