As a child, I had been told that Math is a very challenging subject. My siblings
too would hardly pass in Math. I have seen my siblings and their friends getting
failed in board exams in Math only. The fear of Math was injected so much that
I too got scared of this subject. Now, I have realized that people were
not afraid of Mathematics. They were scared of the perfection required in
Mathematics.
Mathematics is subject where the answer can either be right or wrong. Unlike other subjects, Math and Science have no scope of giving your opinions. The very thought of achieving perfection creates the fear of failure.
The same principle is applicable in real life as well. We are scared of risks because we are scared of failure. The definition of 'perfection' engraved on our minds is scary and dangerous because it is somebody else's definition. 'The world believes' has killed millions of 'I believe'. Perfection isn't Maths or Science that has to be universal. It is an opinion that needs flexibility and acceptance. Perfection isn't a fact, it is a fictional phenomenon hypothesized by individuals. The fear of failure enables us to make wrong and uncomfortable choices. The fear of failure leads to a lack of vision or a compromised vision.
It happens in a career as well. We are stuck in a job that thinks more of details and less of vision. All of us have a vision about our careers while joining the organization. However, the vision gets sidelined as we work more on details and perfection expected by the organization. We work more on achieving data than achieving wisdom. We work more on a fictional thing called 'perfection'. The fear of failure in achieving this professional perfection leads to disinterest and regret.
Before leaving a comfortable, high-paying job in the 90s, Jezz Bezos posed a self-inquiry, "At the end of my life will I regret not having done this?" We should ask ourselves the same question and if the answer is 'Yes', it is not worth doing.
- Amit Kharat
