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NamaskaarI have earlier shared my thoughts on ‘commitment’ and
‘comparison’. I believe that there can be no ‘commitment’ to a thought or an
ideal or an action unless one is convinced of the virtue of the action. The same
equally applies to an act of ‘compromise’. Hence, in this article I will deal
with ‘compromise’ and ‘conviction. These two also in a manner control our lives.
Ludwig Erhard defines ‘compromise’ as the art of dividing a cake in such a way
that everyone believes he has the biggest piece’.
Do we realise that we make ‘compromises’ every day.
Compromise made without conviction leads to unhappiness — whereas compromise
made with conviction leads to satisfaction and happiness.
True ‘Compromise’ happens only when one is convinced that compromise results in a win-win situation or it is best of the
worst options. In both options there are no regrets because, I repeat, conscious
compromise happens only when one is convinced that the solution is in one’s own
interest. Any action taken without conviction results in misery. The question I
have is :
Are we conscious of our convictions ?
Before we get into the answer let us examine how dictionary
defines
‘conviction’.
‘A strong persuasion or belief-awakened consciousness,
strong belief on the ground of satisfactory reasons or evidence, a settled belief or opinion’.
Firstly, whilst practising our profession we have to be first
convinced about the fairness of the financial statements before we certify the
same as ‘true and fair’. Secondly, whilst arguing an issue before an authority —
conviction in an argument makes all the difference in our presentation. I know
advocacy is an art and is said to have no connection with conviction — for
example — a lawyer advocating for a person accused of murder will do his best to
save his client, but defence based on conviction that the accused has not
committed murder will have a different
impact. I believe any action based on conviction smells different and sends a
very effective message.
Let us consider a few examples :
-
We prefer
democracy over dictatorship because we as a nation are convinced it is a
better form of government.
-
We practise team-building
because we are convinced it is good for our organisation and gives better
results.
-
We prefer consensus over
conflict because it is our conviction that consensus brings harmony.
-
Mohandas became Mahatama
because of his conviction in truth.
-
Arjun agreed to fight the
war with his kith and kin once he was convinced that it was not only right but
also moral.
-
Paramhansa Ramakrishna
suffered pain of cancer and didn’t seek relief from Ma Kali because of his
conviction in ‘Karma’.
-
Jesus’ conviction in
forgiveness made him say ‘Father forgive them for they know not what they do’.
-
Every action of human
repentance is based on the conviction of having done wrong.
-
Churchill won the second
world war because of the conviction of the British that he will win the war.
-
Obama delayed committing
additional troops to Afghan war till he was convinced that there is no
alternative or is the best of options.
The message of the above examples is : Without conviction
there is no convincing action.
Swami Dayanand Saraswati in his book on ‘Teachings of Gita’
says that values are initially taught to us by our parents and teachers. One
acts according to those values in one’s childhood, but unless one adopts those
values as one’s own values, the same are easily overlooked and transgressed.
Hence, to live a life according to ‘values’ one has to be convinced of the value of those ‘values’.
We have heard about it, we have read about it, hence we know
that there is no difference between ‘atma’ and ‘parmatama’, but we are not
convinced about it — the paradox is that we will experience and realise this
truth only when we are convinced — that is why it is said :
‘Guru vaka mol mantra’.
The ‘Guru Mantra’ helps us get convinced about the truth that
there is no difference between ‘atma and parmatama’.
Conviction plays a very important part in our lives and compromise based on
conviction is the basis of a happy life. Hence, to have a successful and
harmonious life, let us live our life with ‘conviction’.
