Happy New Year 2017.

What is luck?

The word luck is often understood as some kind of miracle. Often luck is used as synonym of phrase “good fate”. Like wise bad fate is bad luck. Hindi word which has ascended on English vocabulary as well is KISMAT. 

Kismat encompasses everything what happens in a life time. From birth to death. Thus the word kismat is too broad. Thus if one believes in kismat s/he has to fatalistic and leave everything at the fate. But life does not play like that. We are posed with choices every moment and we choose our way forward.

I understand the kismat or luck or fate are relative to circumstances. When facing impossibility, all three are true. For example if I jump off a 30 story building, chances of death are certain and only some strange unforeseen event can prevent it but that is very unlikely too. So the question is:

What really is Kismat?

In algebra value of every veriable is presumed to be zero unless otherwise directed. In life most people aew not born as zero. They inherit culture, religion, habits, society and off course Wealth. The accident of birth determines the quantum and quality of it. The study of genetics also elucidate as to how we inherit our physical genes and confirms why Hindu do not marry within in same gotra or spindha.

So after landing on earth, the airport determines our destination. In short we get groomed at the airport and then some or most of us take a new flight out to cash in on our acquired skills, personality and possessions etc.

After a while we wonder if everything is pre-ordained or governed by Kismat? Another question which hounds a dissatisfied person:

Can I change my life?

Incidentally I have the answer and I have told many people but without any avail. To change the world you live in or to change your life, you have to begin with yourself. Nothing will change unless you change yourself. Infact I have story to tell about change and unchange.

Refusal to the kiss of luck:

This gentleman is a lawyer who hails from a very backward district in East India. Born in a peasant family he somehow qualified in law and chose to come to Delhi to practice. He met me though some common acquaintance few years back. Presently he is aged about 36 years. He is married and has one child. His problem is that while he works everyday, yet he is financially broke. It was so, 6 years back and it is same today. He is always hand to mouth.

Circa 2016:

June is a harsh month in New Delhi. Extremely hot weather and most Courts are closed due to vacations. This simpleton sent away his wife to the parents place with child to save money. Incidentally, I had called him to meet me with his seal as I needed him for some work. I did not know his financial position at all. Pure coincidence. When we met and as is my bad habit, I inquired about his financial health and came to know about that he was broke. I gave him some work. Coincidently the work, for which I had initially called him, did not fructify.

In next three months many small causes were entrusted to him. On my advice he opened a new bank account for savings, hidden from everybody including his wife. From June to September, he would come to office almost every evening barring when he got too late. Note that I did not commit anything to him. It was the small matters which kept coming and were entrusted to him. Some matters he got on his own as well. On 7st September he had 20K in cash and 14K in new bank account. This was equivalent to his three months expenses. We shall call him Mr. X, hereafter.

The world view:

We know the world as we see it. Sometimes the place of living changes but the world does not. Jihadi are a prime example. They are living in 21st century, denouncing every economic & technological progress made after 7th century and would like to take us back to stone age with the help of modern weapons. Similar are the racists and caste supremacists. Mr. X also hails from a place utterly divided by caste politics. He has his own house in Delhi now thanks to generosity of his parents.

In September Mr. X visited his hometown and everything changed. The old Kismat caught up. In next three months Mr. X visited us 3 times in 3 months when he needed some file or advice. Many asked me where he was? I told them that he is busy till January. How I knew? Because his funds could last only three months.

He returned few days back because he had to return a dossier which I demanded ASAP. Now hold your breath. He is broke again. No money in pocket and only 4k in bank. BTW he is also enrolled in a retirement plan since July which costs 1K every month. Which means that in four month this balance would be zero. So what went wrong?

The change which was undone:

1. Lack of financial discipline.
2. Clients took work on credit and he did not remember or could not charge properly.
3. Wasting time in gossips here and in native town like peasants/farmers without realizing that the farmers sell crop while lawyers sell time. All in the name of marketing.
4. Wasting time with politicians who gave him a post of National Secretary in a party, nobody had heard of. Not realizing that politics is the last luxury.
5. Spending more than earning. Spent 10K on a marriage of relative.
6. Under charging clients and working for less.
7. Less work.
8. Consumed by politics of home town which he had left 8 years back.
9. Wasting time on Facebook.

Resigning to Kismat:

When I first came to know, I was furious even though I knew all along what he was going to do. It was foretold Mr. X in June itself that the moment he is able to stand, he will run away but he promised not to do it again. First I took away his ATM card but next day I returned it for the reason that he is not my responsibility. He never was. He is making his own fate or may be ruining it, why should I bother?

In a short Mr. X is an adolescent of 16 years of age in terms of brain but the body of 36 years old with responsibility of that age.

Misplaced compassion:

The world is full of misplaced compassion. Mine too was misplaced compassion for an idiot. Stubborn and idiot are two words but have same meaning. A fool would be least resistant to change. That is his luck or Kismat or state of mind. Nobody can help with Kismat. And now we know what Kismat is.

How to change the luck?

You may be the finest person on earth but if you want to change your life, study yourself. There is no knowledge as powerful as self knowledge. Keep an eye on yourself and your habits. Self study and identity areas of change. Stick to the plan of changes. Alcohol is least intoxicating when compared to irresponsible behaviour.

One advise. If you meet a fool, do not get too close. He will bring his fate upon you too. That part of above story is still untold. Will share that sometime soon.