Success versus values

Success versus values

Introduction
The term success can mean different things to different people. For some, it may be a high profile job with a hefty salary, and swanky cars. For some others, it might be doing humanitarian work, and making a difference in the lives of others. For some others, it might be making it to the position of the Prime Minister of India.

The role of values in a success story
Certain values are considered important in a business context, such as honesty, integrity, humility, fairness, etc. As long as you stick to your values, and your scruples, you have nothing to fear.

Aamir Khan’s character Rancho famously said in the movie ‘3 idiots’ – don’t run after success, aim for perfection; success will automatically follow. True to meaning, we all need to understand that if we give our best shot, with our whole heart, and keeping our values in mind, eventually, we will succeed in our venture. This success will not happen overnight, it might take a long time in coming. But that will be the kind of success that lasts. Shortcuts don’t lead to long-lasting success.

It might look like the person who has no morals, and who is taking the easy way out, is getting what he or she wants. But sooner or later, the mud wall will crumble.

There are so many examples around us. Take the case of the Satyam Computers scam. Ramalinga Raju compromised with his values, cheated the investors, and made money through wrong means. He had a wonderful thing going, but eventually, the law caught up with him. If he thought he had won his ‘success’, then he was mistaken. Later he himself admitted that he had no peace of mind, and was constantly worrying about the law catching up with him.

On the other hand, take the case of Infosys. The founders had openly stated that they would not resort to corruption of any sort, in order to support their business. They had to go through a tough time with India’s notorious red tape during the initial days of their foundation. Mr. Narayana Murthy stood his ground, and refused to pay anything under the table to authorities, who had held up a foreign consignment that was to be delivered to Infosys.

Over a period of thirty years, the company moved to the top IT firms in the country, became the first Indian company to be listed in the NASDAQ, and generated a livelihood for several thousands of Indians.

Conclusion
Success is a fruit that tastes sweetest when it has the soil of values, and the manure of hard work. If we compromise with our values to get ahead in life, we will not be successful in any of our ventures. As Albert Einstein said, ‘Try not to be a man of success, but rather to be a man of value.’