learning to lead by saeed rashid
DESCRIPTION
'Learning to Lead' is a book by notable Pakistani scholar Saeed Rashid. He has dedicated this book to: 'The Future Jinnahs of Pakistan' ...For more information on Saeed Rashid, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saeed_RashidThis book is for information uses only. It is provided here as fair use for the motivation of youth, and no commercial gains are intended. People are encouraged to buy it from the Publisher.TRANSCRIPT
NATIONAL ANTHEM(An English Version)
Blessed be thou sacred land,Happy be thou beautious realm,Thou symbol of hi$ resolve,Land of Pakistan.Blissful be thou citadel of faith,The might of brother-hood of man,May nation, country and state,Shine in glory everlasting,Blessed be the goal of ambition,Our flag of crescent and star,Guide to progess and perflection,Interpreter of the past, glory ofIhe present, inspiration of our fulurc,Symbol of Almighty's protection,
SAEED RASHID
LEARNINGTO
LEAI)
SAEED RASHID
h4ARHABA ENTERPRISESCIVIL I-INES, JFIELUM
u
The
Dedicated
to
F'uture Jinnahsof
Pakistan
Name of the book
Purpose of the book
Especially addressed to
Author
Address
Edition
Publishers
Printed at
Price
Deluxe Edition
Paper-back
All Rights Reserved
Learning To Lead
To promote value-orientedleadership
The leaders in the making
Prof Saeed Rashid
Principal Army Public School,Mangla Cantt.
Second revised edition 1992
Marhaba EnterprisesCivil Lines, Jhelum Ph: P.P.7339
Chan Charagh PrinterGowalmandi, Rawalpindi Ph:73589
Rs. 200
Rs. L20
fHE AUTHOR
Prof. Saeed Rashid received his formal education
number of years. Being a veteran of Pakistan Movement
his firm commitment and life-long mission has been to
promote Pakistaniat. As an educationist his main
contribution has been in the field of value orientation.
He is known for his passion for character-building'
His published works are as under:
Living With LeadershiPLearning To LeadIn Search Of MaturitYFrom School To College
A Lasting LighthouseThe Character And Conduct Of Quaid-e-Azam
Hayat-e-Quaid-e-AzamGuftar- o-Kirdar- e- Q uaid - e - Azam
Tazkara-e-IqbalMukalmat-e-IqbalShad Bad Manzil-e-MuradKirdar-Ki-KirnainKirdar SazTazkara-e-ShuhadaJuraton KaY NishanHaq Nawaz Kiyani Shaheed Sitara-e-Jurat
Akram Shaheed Nishan-e-Haider
Dastan-c-Ilm-o-Amal (2 volumes)
Character Building And Public Speaking
Pakistaniat And Charactcr Building
I
PREFACE
Since leadership is essentially a way of life' a style
of living, a mode of fletng, thinking and doing' "a''
d
matter 6f values and attitudes, so any proper progl?mle
oi*ining in leadership, has to be value-oriented laying
greater stress on the development of right values.ang
attitudes, over and above t^he external framework of
leadershiP.
It is in view of this concept that these orbntation
talks have been piepared' fhly deal with the basic
;;il., and attitudet titat are called for' especially.in the
i;il;i ,tug", of the process .of learning to lead' The
intention ls to give ariinsight into the art of leading and
following.
The points raised and discussed in these lectures
arenottheoretical-aetiuerationslistedfromtheclassical[ottt on the subject, they are very much real problems
and discerning oU."*uiiottt gleaned from years of
practical e*perlence in this field'
Although these orientation talks' for obvious
reasons, have been addressed to the young 1:."9:t: "lll"
i"ua"rrt ip_oriented educational/training institutrons, mey
are in fact meaniiot tttt consideration of all the people
that are interested Litntt in teaching or learning to lead'
Saeed Rashid
I, l_
21.22.23.24.
25.26.27.28.
29.30.37.
32.33.34.35.
' 36.37.38,39.
Re-adjusting Habits 57
In Search of HaPPiness 6l
Avoiding DePression 63
Conquest of Success 65Preface I
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.'8.9.10.1,1.12.13.14.15.16.77.18.19.20.
PART I
In Search of Ideals 1Discipl ineisFreedom . . . . . . .3Kindsof Character . . . .5Image-building 8Surplus Value l,lFunctional Seniority 13Two Ways of Learning to Follow . . . 1,6Attitudes and Attributes of a lrader 18Sincerity and l-oyalty . . 22Dimensions of Discipline . 24Integrity - Moral and Psychological . . . . . . 27Matur i ty . . . . . .29The Ability to Respond 33Perspect iveGap . . . . " .39The Art of Gettingon . . 43The Unpleasant Part 47Met iculousness . . . . . .49Enthusiasm and Energy 51Investment and Consumption . . 52Sense of Priorities 54
PART tr
Sixteen PersonalitY Factors
Self-image
TotheGCs.. . .A Sol{ier's lrtter to his Son
A Soldier's PraYer for his Son
PART IV
YourRivalsandYou . . . . . 82
PART Itr
697481
9295
101
From a Father to
Courage
his Son
103105108110Ltztl4118r20
Patience
Climb the HillImpatience . .:.
BewareWhen You Find
IN SEARCH OF IDEALS
Now that after years of aspiring and struggling,you have won the first round of your careet, stop a whileand give a serious thought to the crucial questions; whatare your ideals of life? What things do you passionatelyvalue more than the others, i.e; what are your personalvalues? A career or a profession is only a means tb anend: what are the ends you consider worth pursuing?
These are some of the questions and queries thatwill have to be honestly looked into if you have worth-while ambitions in your life. Each one of us can be ahero if he wants to in his own way and in his own place.Greatness lies not in what one actually achieves(because that,depends on so many extraneous factorsbeyond one's control) but in what dreams he honestlydreams and what heights he sincerely wants to scale;against what heavy odds and handicaps both internal andexternal such a fighter struggles to inch ahead, only Godknows and only with Him lies his reward. So each one ofus, whatever be his position and wherever he may bestruggling in the cause of great values and ideals, is ahero; and it's a privilege to live a hero's life and when itcomes to, die a hero's death.
But that does not imply a life of deprivation.Officers are also human beings. They have every right togood things in life. Plato in his ideal state, Republic,iuggested that the "Republic" should offer the very best
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of^-the good things in life to its warrior_guardians(officers) on the logical ground that they ur" prEpur"Jiogive their best to the Republic.
. So aiming high and the pursuit of moral idealsdoes not mean that you deny yourself legitimatecomforts, pleasures and privil.g", tt ut are due"; y""from your''Republic", bufit doei mean that you *iff jlu.your very best to the Republic.
- So you, as a young leader, had better see beyond
the promised profession, beyond the prospective career,beyond the eventful, youihful yeais, deep into thetwilight of life. Doing that, fixing your eyes on theguiding stars beyond the horizon wi]l set your pace now.
God has given you a grand opportunity to be thearchitect of your own destiny and thai of the nation; leiit not be said that you did not prove equal to the task.
DISCIPLINE IS FREEDOM
'Discipline' is from 'disciple. A disciple is alearner. Hence discipline means learning, learning toorganise oneself to grow, to develop, to improve.Discipline means learning to be free, learning to besuccessful.
Discipline is freedom. To be more disciplined isto be more free. Discipline is power. To be moredisciplined means to be more powerful, more effectiveand more efficient. Discipline is security too. To bemore disciplined is to be more secure, more confidentand more courageous. Discipline is harmony andharmony produces happiness.
What is a song? Discipline of sounds. What isdance? Discipline of movements. What is a paining?Discipline of lines and colours.
FREEDOM: Freedom is of two types: Freedom fromand freedorn for. Freedom from sornething is differentfrom freedom for something.
To be free means to be free to choose, choosingimplies thinking, for you can not make a choice unlessyou think about the possible advantages anddisadvantages of a choice. So only he can choose betterwho can think better. And only he can think better who
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is better educated and better disciplined. Freedominvolves responsibility. To be free.is to be responsibleand to be more responsible is to be more free. Thosewho are not responsible or do not want to beresponsible, feel a fear of freedom. They wish to escapefrom freedom by one means or the other: Irresponsibilityor indiscipline is only a means of escape from freedom.
The heights by great men reached and keptWere not attained by sudden flight,But they, while their companions slept,Were toiling upward in the night.
We have not wings, we cannot soar,But we have feet to scale and climb,By slow degrees, by more and more,The cloudy summit of our time.
****! r t t
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KINDS OF CHARACTER
Psychologically, character is broadly of two kinds:
strong and weak. -
A strong will, courage and
deter-mination constitute strong character; while a weak
will, lack of determination and lack of confidence go
into the making of weak character.
There is another classification of character'
Morally, character can be divided into two categories:
good and bad. If a person's moral values and attitudes
ire good, he is saib to have good character' On the
othei hand, the one whose moral values and attitudes
are bad, is said to have bad character'
Given these four classifications of character
amongst averhge human beings, there are four possible
combinations:
(a) Strong + Good(b) Strong + Bad(c) Weak + Good(d) Weak + Bad
The ideal combination is just one; strong + good
character. Men of strong and good character are the salt
of the earth. They arJ the ones that make the world
better, hapPier and richer.
The people of the second category' of strong +
bad charactLr too make their mark and sometimes do
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attain a spectacular measure of success in various fields.There is no dearth of such men around you. In fact menof this type seem to dominate the scene at the moment.Although they lack moral scruples, they have the will,thecourage and the determination to pursue their designs.
The third combination- weak + good character,is also quite common. A lot of good p.opt" fall into thiscategory. They themselves are good, do not do badthings.nor.!o1hey want to break discipline. But they areweak in will. They are only passively good. They do notactively resist evil. In fact they accept-it; for eximple, ifa person of strong + bad character decides to take thelead in any form of indiscipline or undesirable activitv.the chances are that the docile, good + weak oneswould sheepishly follow him.
The fourth type-weak + bad character, also formsa-distinct group. They are either lackeys of strong + badcharacter category or a nuisance on their own. iou ."r,expect some good from a strong + bad man. At least heis not a coward and might have some self-regard but arnan of weak + bad character can go to any extent todegrade himself or others.
These are four broad divisions of humancharacter with hundreds of shades in between thecombinations. No two persons are alike in the pattern oftheir character. character is not something staiic either..F{uman beings change, imperceptibly sliding from oneshade to another. So you cannot pass a judgement which
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will hold good for ever. Furthermore, overt behaviourmight be misleading. A hundred and one subtle factorsenter into the making of character. But the four broadclassifications hold good for all practical purposes.
We want you to develop into young men of strongand good character. Values are of two kinds: basicvalues and religious values; traits like courage, integrity,determination, hard work, etc., are basic values withoutwhich no nation or individual can ever make a headwavin any field. Without determination and hard work.without honesty (even as a policy), and dedication to apurpose (however bad), one cannot achieve even a badend, much less a good one. All men, Muslims or non-Muslims, the morally good or the morally bad, have tofollow the basic character values. But there is vetanother set of values which emphasizes not only justicebut Ihsan and sacrifice for the good of others. These.values are essentially religious values. Others mav beironest because it is a good policy. A Muslim is honestg 1 matter of principle The eharacter <lf a goodFakistani is cornposed cf hoth basic values as *eil asreligious values.
F'east not on the shore, frtr therelto.ltly breathes the tune of li!<:tirapple witk the waves and darelwunortality is stife.
Iqbai
I,{
IMAGI{ H{.-JILDING
You rnay not be curiscious of the fact that the wayyou dress, look, walk, talk and behave, Ieaves someimpression on those around you, whether juniors orseniors. After sometime, a mental picture of yourpersonality starts taking shape in their minds. This isyour image that is going to determine their reactions andresponses to you. This image-making process goes onimperceptibly all the time and may be most active at atime when you are least conscious of it.
What you really are, is not unimportant, but whatmatters more, is the sort of image you have projected foryourself in the minds of your juniors and seniors. Youare liked or disliked, honoured or dishonoured,appreciated or ignored with reference to your image,which may be and often is, different from your own self-image.
So, in day to day life, your image matters most.Your superiors may be able to get an insight into yourre.al personality, but your juniors will be mostlyccncerned with your overt behaviour, especially wheni,ou atre off your guard, or under strain, or in high spirits
'.lr in low spirits. Under such conditions, they keenlyvratch you and form an image of your inner personalityand iater on respond to you accordingly.
Your juniors are always inquisitive about you.They may keep mum, they may look unconcerned or
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inclifferent, but in fact they are most stlsceptible to what
you do and what you do not do, to what you say and
*hut you do not say. They make a mental note of the
minutest details of your behaviour' your mannerisms, etc'
They watch for insiance, with critical eyes, how yo-u.deaL
with the offenders. They would at once detect and decry
if you are partial.to anyone for one reason or the other'your juniors may have the same weaknesses or vices as
you have, but would never excuse you for indulging in
them.
There is a good reason for that watchful attitude'
Your superiors understand the difficulties of your age
and posiiion and may forgive you for petty lapses, but in
the eyes of the juniois, you are a big gun' Yol are their
hero; they ideilize you. They are genuinely. shocked
when ttrey fina that their hero has the feet of clay. Then
they wouid swing'to the other extreme and reject you
struightu*ay. They would hate you as intensely as they
once admired You PassionatelY.
So if you have any weakness (and who does not
have?)becarefulnottobetrayi t .Payspecialat tent ionto the externals of your behaviour-sloppiness, rudeness'
irrdecency, show of iemper, lack of moral courage or bad
l'aith.
Thus leadership is maintained by prestige' If.you
havc high prestige, your orders will carry weight'
'tlrcrwis-e nrit. No6ody can effectively lead by invoking
l'car of authtlrity all the time.
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To sum up, you should be all the time carefulabout the image you are building for yourself. But thatdoes not mean that you put up a false show to impressothers. This just can not happen. You cannot wear amake-up all the time. If you work hard and take interestin your job, you do not have to worry about the image atall. It will take care of itself.
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SURPLUS VALUE
Doing plain duty is not enough. If you want aspecial reward, make a special contribution or createwhat is called surplus value. You are rewarded for notjust doing your duty, but for what you have done on yourown in addition to what was anyway your obligation. Themore you do this, the more you arp valued andappreciated.
So do not rest satisfied with carrying out what youhave been asked to do in so many words; try tounderstand the intention behind the instruction and alsotry to understand the mind that has given the order.What is the explicit requirement and what is the implicitone? Ask yourself these two questions and then getgoing with the problem. Use all your intelligence,resourcefulness and initiative and give your senior apleasant surprise by doing the task better and quickerthan he expected. The quality of work matters as'muchas promptness.
Don't ask unnecessary questions. Don't take pettyproblems to the senior; that betrays mental reservations,unwillingness or incompetencr.
Put the surplus value in your work willingly andenthusiastically. The little bit which is your own, will inthe first place, give you personal satisfaction andseconclly, will earn you the gratitude of your seniorsthough they may nnt always say so in so many words.
+*****
There is nothing greater in this world than your ownconscience and when appear before your God you can saythat you did your duty with the highest sense of integityand with loyalty and faithfulness.
Quaid-e-Azam
T
L2
Your image as good, honest and devoted worker will begradually built up and will earn you respect and highregard.
This is the time when the foundations of yourfuture career are being laid. The question whether youare going to be a senior officer in about twenty-fiveyears'time, is being decided now. A career is marred ormade bit by and that too in the early years of training.This may seem a high aim, but you have got to aim high.Aiming high calls for stern self-discipline, unflinching,intelligent hard work, and immense courage ofconviction. Naturally you will have to pay a high pricefor a high target.
The idea of surplus value is not limited to yourposition as a leader. If you develop a general attitude ofdoing more than the minimum required, contributingmore than expected and giving more than receiving, youwould find your whole life better, richer and happier.
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F'UNCTIONAL SENIORITY
You are going to ptuy the leader. As such you will
be exercising a lot of power over your juniors as their
senior. So you had better be quite clear in your mind as
to the nature of this senioritY.
Yet the temptation is there to overreach yourself,
to overdo and over-react and fall a victim to the false
feeling that yopr are "hell of a guy", exceptionally gifted;
intrinsieally.supeligr; born to rule, etc., etc'
controlled or guided bY values.
You cannot play the leader effectively if you are
not inspired by some great ideal of your own' by what
Bernar'd shaw called moral passion. The sense of moral
responsibility will keep a check on how you use Jourh.uthority unO will restrain you from overreaching,
overdoing, or over-reacting.
Your task as_ a leader is going to be doublydifficult. on the one hand, your autliorit! is limited. youare supposed to lead, not to drive. you are not expectedto^ be bullying or hard hitting; on the other hand, someof your juniors, being immature, may strain vourpatience. Teenagers, by and large, are a strange tot. Ifyou are gentle and kind, they may take if as a sign ofweakness and if you are strict and formal with tlem,they
-uy g.u-bl". Moreover, at times, they may
thernselves behave most unreasonably, but would expectyou to be meticulously reasonable and fair. Thev mavmake a hundred and one mistakes, but if you ,uff.. ulapse, once in a blue moon, they would ai on." catchyou and tear you to pieces. The immature ones tend toexaggerate beyond all proportions. Sometimes, becauseot unconscious fears, they find it difficult to distinguishbetween reality and fantasy. If A mishap happens 6n.",they would report as if it has been happening forever.'Once' is 'always' in their idiom. Some .id.t, aretemperamentally not cut out for the hard corporate life,they feel ill-adjusted to the increasingly deminding andexacting pattern of the life over here, so thev findeverything wrong around them and blame the seniors fortheir real or imaginary sufferings.
Moreover, young people are rirostly extremists inliking and disliking things and people. Oui of a large lotof youngsters; some are b<iund to be peevish,,toirchy,uncooperative, grumbling; fault-fincling, su.spicious,
15
indifferent or hostile (for a variety of reasons)' while
some others will be pleasant, cheerful' willingly co-to imProve, obedient anda cross section of humanitY
nge is to get on with all ofthem, to give them much
needed security, and to help them grow and flower into
fine persons---a most demanding task indeed' It is
rotn"itting like running a marathon race with heavy
;;J;p;. Yet it is w"orth running' others' scores of
lfi"- U"f"re you, have run it and have run it fast enough
to touch the taPe first.
In the long run, learning to lead will turn out to
be more rewarding than I
learning here. While learnlearning to tie confideunderstanding, fair and, iintegrated. Tn-ese are themost useful and helPful as
While learning to le
mistakes. Error is the stellearn to make decisions onrisk of going wrong occasiowill never learn to PlaY thenrake a nr-rte each time you make a wrgng move;analyse
it; find out what went wrong to avoid repbtition of it'
li)xperience comes from intelligent experrrnenting'
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t6
TWO WAYS OF LEARNINGTO FOLLOW
used for ages for making human beings learn to behavethis way or that.
The other way of learning to follow is byidefrtification, i.e. tle iearner. identiiies himself with hissenior, elder,ituperior or hero. That is, he desires to be
17
like him; in fact he imagines he is like him'so he
deliberately and willingly tries to do what his hero does,
to speak u. t "
speaks, io dress as he dresses' In short he
eoei all out to imitate him in all matters, big and small,
ind doing so gives him a lot,of satisfaction'
in followership wholly dependent on
no eood. It is not effective and
times 6f ,tt"tt. Followership based on
more durable and dePendable.
who is worthy of submission, is in human nature'
Trainingconditioning isdependable inidentification is
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ATTITUDES AND ATTRIBUTESOF A LEADER
Military Academies have been doing exactly this forcenturies and have done it fairly well.
Given below is a resume of what are generallytaken to be the desired qualities of a leader:-
WLL to LEAD: Will to lead is the firsrrequirement for leadership. However, will to leacl is
Secondly. leading is not the same thing asbullying, because bullying springs tiom cowardice. Abully is essentiallv a coward. He is weak with the strongand strong with the we.ak. Bullying results from lack ofconfidence and courage. Builying in fact is a cover for afeeling of inferiority. However, will to command is thecrude for.m of will to lead. Both involve conficlence antl
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courage - the basic elements of leadership.
Leading involves decision-making and courage totake a risk and accept responsibility for theconsequences. It is very demanding, whereas thefollowing is not so. Obeying orders may be physicallyuncomfortable, but mentally it is comfortable. So it is forthis reason that most people, even those placed inpositions of authority, do not like to make independenthard decisions. In fact some may rnortally fear makingmoves on their own. Such non-leaders may want to sharethe responsibility of decision-making with others, whichresults in sharing the power too. Consulting others is adifferent matter, but the responsibility of making adecision must always rest ,with the one who is in thelead. A true leader makes no excuses when he fails, norhe looks for scapegoats.
TRUST: Trust is the essential link between theleader and the led. As the renowned historian, Toynbeehas put it, "The leader must make his fellows hisfollowers". This can happen only if they trust him enoughnot to examine or attack each of his individual actionsand are willing to go along with him for a while.
This unwavering trust in the leader arises only ifthe followers have full faith in the leader's integrity andin his ability to lead.ion a much smaller scale, the sametype of trust must be there between the,players of o :lcam ancl their captain. The team captain or the leader 'Iras got to truilcl up this trust in his calibre and integrity
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if he wishes to function effectively.
PHYStrCAL STAMINA: Laders in all walks oflife are,knowm for their immense physical stamina. Theyhave an inexhaustible store of energy, steely nerves andirnmense capacity for sustained hard work, both physicaland mental under most trying circumstances, andmoreover' need less rest and sleep to recoup. FromAlexander the, Great down the ages to the Quaid-e-Azam, this is a constant pattern. This energJ andstamina has nothing to do the with physical robustness.It's in their bones and nerves. Unflagging energJ is thelite-blood of leadership.
VISION: A leader is a person with a vision. Hesees far ahead and far deeper than the people he leads.He has an uncanny sense of destiny and direction; andhe knows how to guide and lead his people.
FAITH: A leader is a man of immense faith inhis ideals and faith in his own ability to act:ualize theideals he has set himself. His conviction is unshakableand inspiring. Disappointments do not frustrate him.Each falure reinforces his determination to hold on tothe last.
COURAGE: Apart from physical courage andlnoral courage, of which a true leader possesses a lot, heis not deficient in intellectual couragO eithe.r,:. .thecourdge to think dispassionately and:.fu.."' *re'.iealityratiqnally .and.not to let his 'egd' 's.taird itr the.watri of;
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t<x*:* t* tF
I will not live out of me,I will not see,witlt o,thers eYesMy good is good, mY evil ill,I woudn't be free, I can not be,While I take'ihirgs
^ osllers please io rate them'
I dare attennpt to lay out 'ny
own road'
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SINCERITY AND LOYALTY
sincerity is not possibre without identification,without mentally extendlng yourself to cover ttr" oit
".,the external thing, the objeci of your sincerity.
, Sj"cerity is not possible without a hard core oflove and respect for thi purpose or for tt
" p"rrtn yo,
are sincere to.
. Sincerity goes beyond the literal meaning ofwords. It goes straight to the spirit of the words of"theorder, or of the assigned duty.
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.. li"cerity gives birth. to loyalty and loyalty acceptsthe unpleasant from the object bf toyatty ai gfaOfy aJ itdoes the pleasant.
Loyalty is a matter of passionate feelings; it is amental attitude; it grows out of the ,Self u, i flo*",grows out of the stalk of a plant. Hence loyalty cannotbe imposed from outside; it iannot Lre ordered by dint ofauthoritv.
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The purpose or the persons themselves unworthyof respect and love, can never inspire loyalty. Mere forceof authority can have flattery ancl forcecl obeclience butnot the loyalty inspired by the aclmirable character.
In sum, you can get loyalty if you yourself aresincere and loyal to the great cause and also to thepersons placed above and below you.
"The safety, honour and welfure of your countrycome first, always and every time. The honour, welfare andcomfort of the men you command come next. your ownease, cornfort, and safety come last, always and every time.,,
Gen Chetwood(While inaugurating the I.M.A in 1932)
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DIMENSIONS OF DICIPLINE
There are three dimensions of discipline: power,
pleasure and security, each has its secrets. Let's look into
them.
DISCIPLINE IS POWER: Discipl ine l i teral ly
means 'learning'. Learning to organize one's powers of
head and heart. Without organization, men's powers and
higher achievements. The story of civilization is the story
of how man has been gradually able to learn to organize
and utilize his natural capacities. The better he was able
to do this, the more spectacular the advances he made.
So discipline is a means of organizing and organizing is
a means of producing power. Hence discipline is power.
Discipline or organizing implies putting the pieces
touches great heights. However, to cl iscipl ine one's
internal urges, is such a task that sometimes even the
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strongest people have fumbled and flatered in the
prn..tt . Alexander, the Great, was able to conquer the
world but he was not able to conquer his own spir i t ful ly '
He ki l lecl his dearest fr iend Clitrus in a temper; he never
excused himself for that nor have the historians'
DISCPLINE IS PLEASURE: Discipline is a source of
power to conquer, power to win fame ancl glory' And
winning fame, status and prestige is a very satisfying
experience. It is a pleasure. So discipl ine is indirectly a
source of pleasure too.
DISCIPLINE IS PRIDE,: Conquering external
opposit ion powers is a pleasure but the most satisfying
eiperience i, .onqu"ring one's own Self, one's own wild
pa.ssions and pressing them into the service of great
ideals. Those who can do it are the happiest persons on
God's earth. Even if they have to die, they enjoy dying'
AII martyrs clo it. socrates clicl it when he willingly drank
a cup oi hemlock and slowly sank into eternal sleep'
Jamuqa clid it when he asked Changez Khan to kill him
instead of sparing his l i fe. (In The Secret History of the
Mongols, tire inciclent has been described in vivid
cletai is). Jamuqa had been Changez Khan's chum as a
boy. Both greatly l iked each t l ther. Later on, consequent
upon tr ibal r ivalry, he turned against the great Khan and
t<ittect 70 of the Khan's most faithful men by boil ing
tlrem into oi l . Later on, he was captured ancl was
proclucecl before him; Changez Khan had a look at him
s<lnreho* he meltecl; in a f lash of mercy, he wanted to
sl)are his l i fe. He asked Jamuqa:
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"How do you want rne to treat you?"And the bold reply was:"As an enemy is treated".
"What! Do you want the fate of an enemy?"asked the Khan .
"l do. I want to be kil led" was the answer.
And the great Khan reluctantly obliged him. Thatis the spirit of the man who khan conquered his Self ,who knows the value of honour. He is great even in thisdefeat.
So self-discipline or self-conquest is the greatestsource of power, the greatest source of pride andsatisfaction. It gives a strange feeling of superiority. Youbecome big in your own eyes. Nothing's like that.
DISOPLINE IS SECURITY. Discipline givessecurity . If you have gained power through discipliningyour capacities and organizing them into a pattern ,security will be a by-product of the process. As has beenpointed out by the psychologists, the best security is thatwhich you yourself give to yourself. Thus discipline issecurity too.
27
INTEGRITY -MORAL ANDPSYCHOLOGICAL
Integrity is of two kinds--moral and psychological'
No effective leadership is possible without moral
i"i.gri,v fntegrity.is not just honesty and uprightness' It
is th"e hard coie of character' If you are an officer' your
i;i;.. will, first of all, want to know whether you are
'h";;;; on.t'foit in your dealings and whether you are
;;;;i;tand sincere in what you say and clo' Above all'
lfr"V *iff watch with the keenest eyes how you use or
misuse government property and facilities' Your slightest
;ilfi fi',is ,ega.cl, t'u*Lu"i unintentional or casual' will
do immense harm to your image' -Leadership stands on
;G;ily and falls over lack oflt' Brishtness' efficiency'
knowledge, plent, will be all undlne if one lacks
integrity.
Integrity is the primary root from which other
moral quuiiti". shoot out' Integrity makes. u .*3nresponsiblr, .ourug"ous, dependable' trustworthy' bold'
frant< and straightforward'
Integrity in fact is the basic moral trait; leaders
and followers; seniors ancl juniors; the old and the young
uii-n""d integrity. If a peison has integrity' you know
that he is not going to lie, cheat' or let you down' You
know beforehanO Inat he will not dishonour the trust
placed in him.
Keeping faith, being above board in matters of
lr
7A
money and material, being fair in personal dealings,honouring a promise and upholding the trust, areintegral parts of leading, be it for a good end or for abad one.
Psychological integrity is a differilt matter. Itmeans that the personality functions as a compact wholei.e., different trends, urges, emotions blencl together ina hormonious pattern within the framework of personalvalues and attitudes. Psychological integrity ensurespersonal happiness, physical ancl mental well being,freedom from anxieties and c<lmplexes ancl maximumgrowth of personali ty.
It results in greater .efficiency and creativity. Itprovides stability to conduct and strength to character. [tis the source of moral courage. Absolute moral integrityis an ideal, attainable tough not easy to attain, especialllrin the context of current social conditions. However, aminimum level is must.
Similarly perfect psychological integrity ofpersonali ty is also an ideal. You need not despair i f youfind yourself caught in the whirlpool of emotionalconfl icts, or fal l ing short of your cherished values andfailing in sclme of your commitments.
To err is human. Fall we must, here and there,but we must be up on clur feet at once, inching ahedd inpursuit of ideal moral and psychological integrity.
29
MATURITY"Ripeness is a11...."
(ShakesPeare in King Lear)
informal.
In fact the main aim of good education is to
ripeness or maturitY.
So as a young leader, one of your prime
objectives should be to acquire maturity' It is an
att:rinahle quality, thclugh it has its levels and degrees'
T- T
30
What is maturity? It is difficult to give a precisedefinition of maturity, but the function of maturity canbe described. It is the ability to give an appropriateresponse in a given situation, in other words, to reactintelligently, keeping in view the possible consequencesof an action. Maturity involves self-restraint, patience,ob1'ective thinking and the ability to foresee possiblerepercussions of a decision or an action, and therebychoosing one course of action out of several.
Maturity implies patience and discretion, itdemands that you should not act impulsively, i.€., on thespur of the moment, that you should look as far aheadinto the future as possible and foresee the end-productof your actions. It also demands that you should belogical and realistic in your approach.
If a senior cadet or G.C. wishes to be respectedas a superior member of.the cadet community, he has toevolve a pattern of behaviour in keeping with the level 'of his seniority.
In fact seniority and maturity or ability to respondproperly should go together. Seniority devoid" ofcorresponding level of maturity or responsibility willinevitably be ineffective. Moreover, it may lead tounpleasant and embarrassing situations.
., Hence the most challenging task before you as aseniof\cadet is to develop maturity corresponding to thelevel of your seniority. This is a life-long process, but you
3l
should pursue it right from now' Here are some hints
that may helP:
a" Do not get emotionally involved in a situation
and ou"nitf taking extreme positions and
always leave a *ay out of the situation'
b. Do not lose your temper' Do not get excited
over trifles'
c. Do not believe or disbelieve what is conveyed
to you without verifying it or listening to the
other side of the storY'
d. Learn to forestall si'tuations and be mentally
pr"put*O to meet a situation before it arises'
tn ottrer *ords look aheacl and also look back
und tutt" att precautions to avoid a bad
situation'
e' Justice comes before kindness'
f. Be acutely conscious of the image that your
character angl conduct Projects'
g. Do not get prov<lkecl too soon nor provoke
others into extreme Ptlsit ions'
h. Avoid personal ,out-bursts' incliscreet and
offensive expresslons' as they' hurt the self-
respect of ttre other person mclst' ancl he
k.
I.
32
might retaliate in sheer desperation. Similarlysarcastic remarks and tone must alwavs beavoided.
I. In dealing with disciplinary problems, do notassume authority that is not yours byappointment.
j. Make proper use of the chain of command:never by pass it.
Do not criticize your juniors in their absence.This would only harm you and nobody.
Do not take airs before your juniors. Thisweakness might be exploited.
Fairness and.firmness come first, always andevery time.
33
THE ABILITY TO RESPOND
Life is an unencling chain of situations and
greater magnitude.
Personal tragedies and national tragedies more
often than not 1t". from failure to respond
appropriately to changing situations' The whole purpose
ui'y.,ut eclucation here is to clevelop your abil ity to
m.
n. Use the right tone, right words, dress andplace when you have to exert your authority.
I admire the courage of the way-farer,who disdains to set his feetOn the path that is not beset,With deserls and mountains and streanns.
h
Iqbai
34
respond to the situations appropriately, not to anyspecif ic situation but to a complex variety of situationsthat you are l ikely to face in your l i fe especial ly as anofficer in the Services.
Cadets of the same entry can be different fromeach other in many respects---in physical strength, inintelligence, in aptitude, in knowledge, and in courage.But none of these differences matters as much as thedifference in their abit i ty ' to respond.
There is no l imit to situations and there is nocount of the responses that you have to make all thetime to meet them. But your suc€ess in l i fe and thequality of this success clepencls on cultivating the abilityto make the correct move on the chessboard of life (thatyou have to play on your own ). This condition of doingit on your own, deserves special attention. The bestcoach in the world may be available to you to help youlearn a game; but once the referee blows the whistle,you will have to do all the playing yourself and foryourself.
Simi lar ly al l types of learning in the last analysisis a very personal affair. Moreover, there is no end tolearning. The olcler: you grow, the more y<lu have tolearn. The more imprlrtant post you hold, the higheryour rank, the more complex are the situations that youhave to responcl to. SO YOUR MIND, YOURPERSONALITY, YOUR CHARACTER-----IN AWORD YOUR ABIITITY TO RESPOND St{OUt_D
3.5
AISO GROW CORRESPONDINGLY' More often
than not, it so happens that people n.nly ,tut-u.1.:
physically, but clo not attain the social ' emotlonal' moral
and intellectual maturity commensurate with their-age'
position or status. itli, it the basic cause of most of our
troubles.
Itpurpose.that end,However,
is difficult to clevise a set of rules f91 t]tis
ntt "Ju.o,ional
effclrts are aimecl at achieving
to enable you to make the correct moves'
here are some broad guidelines:-
a. LIFE STYLE: Broad
u choose a Part icular career'
devisecl for You is in fact the
wav of life of a career officer; you cannot afford to reject
;? il;;il ;] life. lf vou attempt to do so' vou will
undermine the superstructure of your education and
training.
b. OUTLOOK AND ATTITUDES: You have to be
very clear in your mind about your priorities in life-
about immediate goals and.long-term goals; and be
prepared to pay thJprice for both' You cannot both eat
i""".ur." u"o tt* ii' rnis is impossible" You must look
far into the future, as fat ahead as possible and.plan
t; activities accordingly' ln case'you are- unable to
i;;g; the immeJiut" "pi"usure for the sake of rea-l
36
distant pleasure, you won't be able to make muchheaclway in l ife. Your attitude matters a great deal.Remember positive attitucles have positive results.Therefore have a burning desire to forge aheacl. Musterall your energy trl realize the goal you have set yourself.
c. MENTAL MATURITy: The ability to iespondinvolves the whole personality, yet it depenis mostiy onmental maturity. Mental maturity has vast knowledgeand varied experience as its warp ancl woof. So stuiywidely and learn ro think. Not everyb<ldy thinks. Collectinformzrtion like a honey-bee, clrop by drop. Organize itinto knowledge, rhen cligest it and ch-ange- it intounderstanding. Go on doing these three things for a longtime, and you will sooner or later develop that raremental quality called insight.
d. EMOTIONAL STABILITy: Temper is a matterof one's nature. Yet you should see to it that as a leaderyou do not suffer from lack of emotional stabilitv.Energy is the bed-rock of leadership; enthusiasm is iislife-blood. But hypersensitiveness, excitability, anclirritability stand in the way of making a correct ."iponse.At the root of these emotional handicapi liesnervousness, a feeling of inferiority or lack of emotionalstabil ity.
e. SENSE OF HUMOUR: Tension and humour donot go together, just as tension and effective responsesdo not go together either. A tense man hardly laughsand hardly makes the right move either. Cultivate a
3'7
sense of humour. Laugh away minor problems' Genial i ty
wil l keep your nerveslmooth. Indirectly i t wil l help you
choose the correct response to a challenging problem'
f. DEI-AYED RESPONSE OR DELIBERATE
RESPONSE: All human beings are creatures of impulse
in varying clegrees. But young people, l ike y^ou' are
part icularlv prnn" to reaciing irnpulsively'To offset that
t"ndsrrc), ' learn
to make a delayed response. .ordeliberate response to complex problems" First think 'weigh, calculale, foresee possible consequences of any
to'7",'taking into account its pros and cons' Then make
the final move and adjust your position to respond t9-1h.'
.onr"qu.n."t of thit move firmly and boldly'(This
principle, however, will not be extended to situations'*h"r" you would be required to take quick
-decisions'Your spontaneous responses will be correct if you have
succeederl in cultivating correct attitudes)'
g. VOICE, WORDS, AND ACCENT: In the end
iour attention is to be invited to a seemingly minor' but
ieally a significant point. As a le.acler' you will have to
do a lot of talking to the junior cadets on various
occasions. Sometimes you are their companlon'
,o*"ti-.t a guide, sometimes a friend' and at other
times a pure and simple commander----a stern task
master andstrict disciplinarian' You have to acljust your
iJio.n, expression, uoi." and tone accorcling to the
nature of iituation. correct idiom ancl tone according to
the situation would make your response rnore effective'
In f:rct, you wil l be well advised to choose the right dress
V
38
and right place for a paiticular occasion. If tough talkinghas to be done, clo it when you are formally clressed, anddo it from the official seat.
Ability to respond correctly is a very complexability. It is rrot acquired in a matter of clays. It,s a lifelong process. So, start learning your first formal lessonsin ability to respond earnestly.
39
PERSPECTIVE GAP
As a responsible young leader you should develop
a sense of perspective. A lot of grumbling and uncalled-
for unj.ust'criticism of those placed above you results
from lack of PersPectivg.
For example you receive an order which makes
no sense to you. You make a request ttl your higher-ups''and it is rejected out-right. You are puzzled as.to. why
such a g"nuin" request has been callously turned 9ryn'Youfre-tanclfulminate,getfrustratedanc|disgusted.Thereason is that the perspective or mental vision of your
superior is different. The order that looks odd to you as
an isolated piece may be an integral . part. of an
administrative frame-work, which is there in your
senior's mind. He has in his mind a host of
considerations, long range and short range' which are
not known to you. dn" gt"ut difference between you and
your superioi is that when you. make a request for 3nyiting your approach is entirely personal. You think it is
gooJ anrl n"i"ttury for you as an indiviclual, whereas
ioul ,up.rior has t6 look at your problem from the point
Lf ui.*'of the goocl 'f
the cadet community as a whole.
oneunfairact iorrmayset inmot ionawht l lechainofreactiotts. What is gotid for you now may not he il t!"
interest of community as a whole; moreover' if the
superior allows the iequest in one case (yours) and
cli iallows in another, thii would amount to favourit ism,
which is sure to .arouse deep resentment' He cannot
affortl tt l be kind to you alone, less in exceptional
, .* r . r*r f .*{ . t (
Life k a wlnleLuck is a whole
Churchill
F
40
circumstances. Justice comes f irst and kinclness later. soyour superior has to look at things from a differentangle. He knows that an exception eventually becomesa precedent. He has to klok ahead into the future, intoyour future, and that of the community, and so sometimes perforce takes unp'pular and unpleasant decisions.
An individual, in self- interest may be part ial,self ish and short-sighted. The senior has gor to beimpartial, just, and far-sighted; so your task is io cJevelopa sense of perspective and learn to look at thines froman impersonal point of view. Thus you can und"erstandreal spir i t behind an orcler and get an insight into theinner working of the senior's mind, reflecting the pointof view of the administration.
A lot of unhappiness and i l l -wil l in this world-springs from this unfortunate fact that people clo notappreciate each other's point of view. 'Ihey presumethings and, without verifuing, believe in them.
On the other side, your juniors too have a poinfof view. They see the privileges you enjoy from adifferent angle;-so you must also unclerstancl the point ofv iew of your juniors. Remember that a l l author i tyarouses resentment of some sort in those placed belclw,and the authority of Course-mates arouses jealousy andanxiety, for i t ntakes one conscious of on's owninadequacy or inferiori ty. Human nature is apt to takethe easy way out. Insteacl of recognizing ancl appreciatingsuperiority, most people woulcl l ike either not to accept
4T
it or challenge it. So in understanding your juniors, try toget an insight intcl the working of their mind; how theylook at things, how they tencl to react to work anddiscipline. Try to accommodate them as far as possible.Never provoke them into taking extreme positions. youshould have a feeling for their thoughts ancl emotions,and do not rub them the wrong way. Everybody has histender spots. Do not touch them all the time. Nagging isthe last thing to be resorted to.
However, the most serious challenge to yourauthority will come from your own rank group. Ilyouare senior to them by virtue of appointment, do notforget that you also belong to the same group. Theyknow_you fully well. Even if you are really sup-erior tothe whole lot, it will not be psychologically easy-for themto accept your superiority. Do not assert yourself toomuch, but do not acquiesce either. Dealing with yourown group calls for a great deal of maturity.
But the fact remains that the leader and the ledcan never have the same perspective. you as juniorcannot fully appreciate the point of vicw of your seniorwho can never fully accommodate his juniors, even if heunderstands their point of view.
So each senior has to play the role of an eclucatorto change the heart of his juniors so that they share hismission and, if possible, his vision. The perspective gaphas to be bridged as far as possible.
'\r
42
There is another means of closing the perspectivegap, i.e., through faith, confidence and respect. Forinstance , the Quaid was a genius, a toweringpersonality. Barring a few, the teeming millions couldhardly understand or appreciate his political perspective.But they all had immense confidence in him, in hiscompetency, in his integrity and in his leadership. Andit worked. You can emulate his example in your ownway.
*: l*X*
Science is an instrument for the presentation of Lift.Science is a means of establishing the Self.Science and art (ue seryanrc of Lift.
lqbal
43
THE ART OF'GETTING OI'J
An important part of leadership concerns
Let it be plain to you that seniority is relative, notabsolute. You are senior to so many and in turn junior
and as Fakistanis. No one is superior to the other, excepton one count, i.e., goodness (Taqwa). So remember thatan appointment or for that matter, any other ran\,however high, does not make you superior by itself. Itonly confers upon you heavier responsibility, a gteateropportunity to do good or harm to the people placedunder your charge.
Avoid at all costs the overbearing attitude. For aleader, the greatest temptation is to become a blusteringbully; resist it. If you ever give in to this temptation, youwill never learn to tle a leader.
Asscrtion is t lne thing, bullying another. Do notrrr ix up thc t t t rc wi th the t t ther. Due assert ion comesl ' rorrr stre:r ' rgt l r . l t I r ( 's l r l ) l )oscs conf idcnce. The onc who
'$
M
is confident and brave will never stoop to the level ofterrorizing those who are weak. A bully is really acoward and mentally deficient, whereas a real leader iscourageous and mentally sharp.
So one thing that you should never do is bullyingand indulging in violence. And another thing that youshould never do is losing your temper; such responses doharm and never solve any problem. Self-restraint is therule to be observed always and everytime.
But self-restraint alone is not enough. It won'ttake you far. Silence is not enough, it can be frightful.We need music, flowers. A world without flowers andsweet music will not be worth living in. Similarly weneed kindness and sympathy. Human beings can put upwith pain, but they cannot put up with cold indifference.Human beings of all ages need love and understanding,first and foremost.
As a leader, be gentle in your speech andmanners. In tackling disciplinary problems, be tolerant.Give a patient hearing even to minor complaints. lt maylook like a minor problem to you, but it may be a sourceof great anxiety to a junior.
Gentle speech is too not enough. Be actively kindto the juniors, especially when they are in distress orsuffering from real or imaginary troubles. Y<lungstersseparated from their loving parents unconsciously lookfor parent substitutes. The staff would taclcle that
45
problem but you should also try to be considerate'
Do not ever make the fatal mistake of favouring
one cadet at the cost of the other' It is true that we
human beings are creatures of impulse' We have our
likes and elislikes. Some junieir troys are good workers'
obedient unO .o"p.rative wtrile o^thers are not only
naughty, Uut "u"r,'no'ty,
tli"ttpegiful and casual' with
offensive manners unA" *uy of talking; there. might, be
,orr.run, grumbleis, colleciors of grudg":,ond ryi:9T:oi .n*pLintt, touchy, -over-sensitive;
there may De
ilniili;;iittir'tino or that' But be tolerant' Learn to
understand "u"ryon"'
Get on with all and get the best
;;t;i;".h one. That is exactlv vour task'
Finally, a very precious^ piece of advice: Good
Uoy, u,ta Liight hrny.t tun toott aft'er themselves' Just give
them broaC guiOairce and do not bother them and do
not bother yourr"lf about them' Likewise do not give too
much attention io proutem boys either. Keep them
within limits; thatls all' Let the senior staff. d:il-itlh
;il the way they deem fit' Your greatest attentron
ttt".iO go to ihe rnediocres' especiallv to those who are
diffident, who lack '*u'tn"'"'
who are withdrawing' shy
;;i;dre-tied. Help them to come up by giving them
confidence unO ""to'ragement' .Help
them to stand. on
their own r."t. rtlr-ril"n', majority deserves your fullest
attention.
Being a leader is a great opportunity to learn-to
be human"l S"i," it with both hands' It is a great
t ld
T
**I i**
The quality of merq is not strain,d.It droppuh as the gentle rain from lrcaven upon tlrc placebeneaii;It is Wice blessed.It blesseth him that gives and him that takes;'Tis mightiest in the mightiest.
Shakespeare
47
THE UNPLEASANT PART
Your job has some seemingly unplea,sani T:t:too. fnow them beforehand and be mentally prepareo
to adjust to them'
There will be dema
You would also t
occasional well-Placed or.t
You on a Particular occaslon'
r ever or that You have lost
course something serious has
taken Place'
Yet another sort of unpleasantness and emotional
stress will be your tot' when you have to be firm with
adventuretoo.
46
Take it in that spirit.
r
48
your own class fellows. In the process, you may lose theirgoodwill and friendship, and il they choose ro beuncooperative, the situation may strain'y*.".*..r, tu,hold on to the principle # iurti"".Justice beforefriendship and eventually you *o'ufA *ln;-ot'i"oil;,conscience would be satisfied.
These and. many other situations, now and lateron jn other positions or ,rrponriblity, ur; ;;;";';"confront you in varying intensitf. Hence the need tocultivate the courage to-fa." th;;;the undersl"G;"tackle them.
lnt and demanding situationsty required for successfulther-n as apart of the game,
p ro ces s e s h ave t h e i r. rn u - "
n, ro.l, $i3li'Ll?l;, f,f il;exception. lt runs '-rvrosi ni,r,"- ti,i" i;ff#JT j[,","::"ln ?l:" iffi:]thu,n 3 smooth going on beaten tru.lr. However in theend, there is the honour and satisfaction of achievement.Your position as a_ leade, i, ;;;io u. a tough bout.But "box on". Come what way.
49
METICULOUSNESS
'Meticulous'is an adjective which literally means,'too careful about small things or details'.Meticulousness means the state of being meticulous;being very careful about minor details.
Meticulousness is vital to success. If you have gotto do a job, do it meticulously. You cannot be simply toometiculous about your tasks. The more careful you are,the more you attend to details, the tletter it is.Meticulousness leads to correctness which coupled withminute details ensures success.
So form a habit, a mental attitude ofmeticulousness in carrying out even minor, seeminglyunimportant tasks. All tasks assigned to you are intendedto train you to undertake more complex and difficulttasks in futune. The simple leads to the complex, theeasy to the difficult , but exactness and meticulousnessare a must.
As an appointment-holder, you are a sort of staffofficer on a small scale. If now you pick up the mentalhabit of going into small details, it witt help youimmensely in the days ahead as a real staff officer, aswell as in other walks of life.
By being meticulous and exact, you would alsogain confidence in your position and it would alsoirnpress your seniors. Seeing your example, your juniors
50
will be careful in their own work, and by finding you socareful, your seniors would assign you tasks that call forgreater responsibility and integrity. The circle iscomplete. It all started from being very careful aboutsmall details of tasks.
Some people do not like meticulousness. Mindingthe minute details does not appeal to them. They say itis irksome, awfully boring. Well, it will be boring if it isnot viewed in the right perspective. Meticulousness is ameans to an end; the end is to be able to do great thingslater on, years after your assignment as an appointment-holder is over. It is the groundwork for producing careerofficers.
i1
ENTHUSIASM AND ENERGY
A person who is lazy can never become a goodofficer. Being passively good is not enough either. Youmust be up and doing. You must be enthusiastic aboutwhat you undertake to do and do it earnestly. A leadercan only be effective if he goes about his jobenergetically and puts his heart and soul into his work.If you do not take your task seriously, nobody wouldtake you seriously.
Sloth is one of the seven deadly sins according tothe Bible. Being slothful, you can never inspireconfidence in your leadership. A bad man who is moreenergetic and confident will have more followers andwill prove a better leader for a bad purpose than a goodman who is listless. diffident and indifferent leader ofeven a good cause.
So erithusiasm is the marrow of leadership. Youmust have a passion, a moral passion with a passionatefaith in your ideal. You must perform yourcornmonplace duties in relation to a great ideal, that ofsen*rice to Pakistan, to humanity and to Islam.Remember that courage and conviction go together'
*,Fi .*13
Life's battles don't always goTo the stronger or faster man;But soon or late the man who winsIs the man who thinl<s he can.
52
INVESTMENT AND CONSUMPTION
There are two basic concepts of Economics.When you spend some money to produce more money,it is investment, and when you spend some money tosatisfu a need or desire which does not produce moremoney, it is called consumption. A nation is rich andstrong if it produces more than what it consumes.Similarly an individual is rich if he produces more thanhe consumes. Investment precedes production.
At this stage of your career, you have two mostimportant factors of production at your disposal----timeand energy and these are perishable goods. lt isimperative that you make the most appropriate use ofyour time and energy. A large number of students areliving with you. Even if their energies vary, the amountof time is the same. Which of these boys are going tolive fuller, happier and richer lives in future, say, inabout twenty years' time? The answer is simple: thosewho are investing more today will be able to consumemore tomoirow. Hence you ought to be very carefulabout how you use your units of time and energy. Beingyoung you are at the peak of your energy. Let it not flowinto unproductive channels.
And now is the opportunity of making themaximum investment of your time and energy ineducation. At every step, ask this question:" What is thebest use of this unit of time and energy" ? 'Am I using iton consumption or on investment" ? For instance, if you
53
have worked for about ten hours, the time and energy
*", on healthy recreation for two hours is' of course'
g'ood investment. It will recoup you' The cells of your
brain that had been fatigued by intense mental activity
*iii U" replaced o. ,"p-oit"d by rest and you will be
brrr", fitted for another rouncl of sustained hard work'
This is also investment. The same applies to the time
soent in an afternoon nap of reasonable duration; boys
;h" il;;; relutarty take rest after lunch for some time'
*"V -i.imizJ
tneir chances of working harder and
longer for the rest of the daY'
So even well-earned rest and relaxation is a
productive u.se oj time and energy' Do not shy away
from recreatlon, tt too is important' But the main thing
ir-,ttu, it shoulcl be induiged in moderately' What
matters is investment, not consumption'
l f t * :kt i
We are here not to play, to dream to drift
Wu ltoru hard work to c)o and loads to lift'
Slun not the strugle, it's God's gifi'
54
SENSE OF PRIORITIES
. (From a question-answer session at a Study Circle
meeting)
Principal: There is a thought-provoking piece of verses:
Lrfe's battles don't always go,
To the stronger or faster man;
But soon' or late the rnan who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.
O. Then which ones do better?
O. Wtat are the characteristics of this categoty (i.student? Wat is the secret of thcir doing bettcr?
r
55
A. The secret lies in their sense of priorities' The
students that have better and stronger sense of priorities
do better at all t",,t, """-s,
and lnterviews and other
,n"rttgt-["r"g "qrrut,
iiit they who mostly reach the top in
theii chosen career or profession'
O. Wkat do you 'nean
by a sense of piorities?
A. A student in his teens, particularly in late teens'
l' p"riJ in different direitions bv lil passiens'
pryit orogical presiures, and educational .outigi1tl11 -1'that stage, he is a live wire, an over-flowing resewoir of -
energy. ln this state of his body and mind' if he can draw
the line between his wants and needs and consequent
up;;AJ h*ur"n"tt, is able to place his long term needs
in order of their reGtiue value or importance before his
immediate arrd moie pressing wants and desires; this
process in called ,"1if"g the pr-iorities right' Mlnd you' in
#ff* pii*i1i"t t"'gttt, ih" u*ut"ness of ends and
means is a vital fu.tot' b"t" the priorities are set right'
a new life style emerges; a new-sense of purpose and
direction takes .Lnttoi oi on"', living habits and study
habits; discipline ceases to be any piobleT'^ltt {act' in
the life of a purpot"-oti"nt"d stubent or G'C'' there is
no room left foi uny fntt of ind.iscipline'. irregularity'
casualness n, l.tOiiie'"nt" to educational and social
obligations. Hard work automatically OoYt:^'1lO
conJentration comes on its own as there are no tenslons'
or conflict, intiJ"'-As a result of all this' efficiency
incrcast:s ,,n.t nu,lpr.rl of work, both quantatively' and
r.i,,.f i , i ,, i t*ly inrprrivcs' I ' Ience it is no wonder that his
l*
f,
56
academic anel social performance is exceptionally good.
9 Da you wte-6n ta s(ty that only tlrc mecliocre candevelop a sense of trtriority?'ls being irigttt "
lioiirliz
A. Not at all. I clid,not say that. The mentally brightand talented srudents that a.e aureto ;;";l;;;J""r"t",priorities, {o far batter than their mediocre counter_parts because they have the added advantage
"trrp".i",intellect' when tarent is carerurty nurtured, the resurt issimply superb. Tho-se who cro .iio"ptionurry weril;;"yfield of human endeavour, ur.- A.finitely ;he """r'ri",are both highly talented and possess an equally high
:gn-r" of priorities. When I said the mediocres with ahigh sense of purpose, do very *"11, I _.un, ioiuy'ilu,the mediocre students who ur" in majority, n."O nit i.Llconstrained or handicapped by being medjocres. What
iilffi,]t the sense of priorities whlch .un off_r", uny
9. Does temperatnent play any part in tlte attainmentoJ" academic excellencc or social responsibility?
A Yes, i t does to some extent. l t has been observedthat the students of balanceo Jisposit ion and statlretemperament concentrate better on stuclies, .un *unkhand.er and longer. Consequently fhev proclucc hetterresults- and prove to be -'n."
responsible anddependable. Of course, geniuses are an exception. Tnsunl up, one could say: awareness is al l which,.r,, t"priorities ught"
I
1
57
READJUSTING HABITS
Any modification in one's life style involvesreplacement or readjustment of habits. Habits are saidto be second nature. Lord Wellington would say, "Habitsare ten times nature." Flabits are formidable things, noteasy to displace or replace. Rejecting them does nothelp. Wishing to dislodge them would not do. Onebecomes a helpless toy in the hands of one's ownentrenched habits. Personality splits, conflict results andunhappiness overtakes a person caught in the clutches ofbad habits. Self-confidence is undermined and academic,social and moral problems accumulate on account ofone's inability to get rid of undesirable habits. Ftrowever,habits can be harnessed. There is no cause for despair ifyou only use the correct technique.
NATURE OF T{ABMSA habit is not a matter of knowledge. Knowing
good from bad would not do.
(a) Ilabits have a physical-basrs: Habits are due topathways running through nerve centers. Each repetitiondeepens the pathway. Each subsequent repetition makesit further easier until it becomes automatic. There isneryous compulsion to repeat it without your thinkingabout it or wanting it.
(b) Some habits have a psychological basis: You maynot like them in your sober moments; you may evencondemn them in day light, but it is possible that
-*l
58
unconsciously they may be linked with your mentalconflicts, anxieties, obsessions, fears or perversions.Srnoking, stealing, drinking, day-dreaming, uugruiq,vandalism, wilful defiance of disciplin., .ruy-i,uroEn iniohabits for psychological ,eajons. ln that casepsychological approach is needed to tackle theundesirable pattern of habits.
(c). H-abits may have a chemicat basis: if one gets usedto introducing into one's body through eating, irinking,p-uffing or injecting substances that uiing auoii chemicalchanges in one's blood stream, this sori of habit will bethe hardest to counteract. once this stage is reached,nothing short of clinical treatment will di All forms oftobacco, codeine, nicotine, preparations and all so_calledsedative drugs have a strong habit-forming tendency.They get assimilated straight into the blood ind directiyaffect the nervous system. Their excessive ur. por",grave dangers to health, character and efficien*. Th"period below twenty is the proper time to make requiredadjustment in one's habit patterns.
How best to effect changes in habits is the crucialquestion. William Jarnes, the father of rnodernpsychology, in his monumental work, ,psychology, hassuggested the folowing approach:
"ln_ the acquisition of a new habit, or the leavingoff an old one, we must take care to launch ourselvefwith as strong and decided an initiative as possible.Accumulate all possible circumstances which shall
59
and every day during which a breakdown is,postponedadds to the chances of its not occurring at all.
The second maxim is: Never suffer an exception
to occur, till the new habit is securely rooted in your life'
Each lapse is like letting fall a ball of string which
one is carefully winding uP; a single slip undoes more
than a great many turns will wind again. So do not let a
lapse happen.
Continuity of training is the great means of
making the nervous act infallibly right-
A third maxim is: Seize the very first possible
Eventually readjusting of habits turns out to be a
problem of will, will-power. If you have a strong will, you
can effect the change better. But unfortunately most bad
hahits tcrtcl t t l wcitkcn this very power-the nerves you are
r,l* I
60
Will-power is partly a matter of nerves also. Havea look at your health, nutrition, sleep, rest, exerciseschedule. See that you do not worry too much or do notsubject yourself to constant strain and stress. Take a self-directed course in strengthening the will-power. Oneuseful tip is: Fveryday deliberately do or avoid doingsmall acts which are normal, which you are used todoing or not doing. By repeating this exercise, you willbe strengthening your will-power and gaining confidence.
. Lastly it may be noted that habits are channels ofnervous energy, so while attempting tr-r readjust, providealternative channels also. Replace the unwanted habitwith the wanted one. If you want to stop doingsomething, start doing something else in its place.Vacuum is not possible"
New habits require new surroundings, newprogrammes, new activities, new interests and newfriends also. You will have strengthened the old habitsfor not taking proper care.
***r(r i* t (* t *
Sow an act, reap a habit;Sow a habit, reap a character.
6l
IN SEARCH OF HAPPINESS
To a large degree happiness depends on a frameof mind, on a habit of thinking. Persons who cultivate apositive outlook can be happy in spite of circumstancesihat would cause others to be totally unhappy. Everyperson wants to be happy. But merely wanting to behuppy does not make one so. Happiness is -
no.t 1commodity to be bqught or sold. lt is not an inheritedtrait either. lt does not depend on riches, status, poweror knowledge, though good health and provision ofnecessities of life are prerequisites. Happiness comes asa by-product of other activities of life. lt comes as therewaid of creative living. lt does not result from makinghappiness the primary reason for living, but from livingunselfishly, amicably and actively.
Sometimes a person becomes unhappy simplybegause he indulges in discontent. Be resigned to yourlife's fortunes, good or bad, and be determined to livesuccessfully, happily, even so. Cultivate the habit ofhappiness anci your life will be full of pricelessexperiences regardless cf what comes and goes. Youshould not, however, use an attitude of resignation as asubstitute for accomplishment or as an excuse for doingless than your best.
But each person's life includes certain featuresthat no amount of effort or desire can change. lt is mostunfortunate when a person allows these unchangeableconditions to interfere with his happiness. Nothing canremove the possibility of disappointment; you have to
i l t
develop the habit orro.urril2g your thoughrs on life,s iovsand priceless moments rather tt u., onTir;pd;#;ir.
63
AVOIDING DEPRESSION
Lack of happiness sometime results from faulty&ttitudes, negative values and.narrowly materialisticoutlook on life. Sometimes unhappiness springs fromdeep-rooted unconscious. mental conflicts, complexes,fears, phobias and anxieties.
But more often than not, occasional or periodicfits of depression and boredom that college students falla prey to, are usually caused by factors physical in
Thev are as fallow:
Insufficient Sleep: lt is easier to be at one's bestone possesses an abundance of energy. Duringone recharges one's neryous battery and
nishes one's store of energJ. When one gets plenty
, r****
of sleep, one feelg courageous and enthusiastical.With arleep deficit, one tends to be downcast and depressed
Individtal acisl's in reluion to the community,lone, he is nothing;The wwe uists inThe riverOutside tlre river, it is nuhing.
cven though things may be moving smoothly.
2. Fatigue: fatigue is more often than not an attitudeof mind. lt results from a depletion of body's resourcesboth physical and mental. When a person is fatigued,even cherished incentives lose lustre and life appearsdrab.
IQBAL
fatigue is retieved by physical activity and wearinpss of
3.
muscles may be alleviated by the use of brain.
_ Generally fatigue results from overwork andsleeptessness (uiually ;;u, ;;;;;ing' tr," ;;il;";;).
Y:lZ:: *.:ety: ltconsumes nervous energy fartoo fast and causes depressio" unoiirii";il;;;ii#;one neurotic, hypersensitive and moody.
65
CONQUEST OF SUCCESS
KINDS OF SUCCESS: It is hard to define success. lnthe truest sense of the word that person is successfulwho lives fully and creatively--who is happy, who findssatisfactioq in life and who shares blessings with thosearound. Not all can achieve the same degree of success.
level of person's apcomplishments, but by the differencebetween his starting point in life and his ultimateattainments.
Good heredity and a favourable environment,
64
****t *{ . l i r .*
IQBAL
llh
67
important to decide as early in life as possible on. one'slong-range goals. The boy who plans to be a scientist cantak6 adiantage of att opportunities to improve hisknowledge of the subject.
The one who does not keep one's goal clear, is indanger of getting distracted by passing interests ortem-pted to Jpendbne's time and energy in ways that donot contribute to one's ultimate success'
r t**xx**
The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong'
Old Testament
YOUR GOAL MUST BE CLEAR: In additionhaving deep insight into one's qualifications, it
t0.is
l i l
-\
69
SIXTEEN PERSONALITY FACTORS
of modern personalitY tests.
Factor High Score
DescriPtion
Factor Low Score
Description
1. A+ Out-going A- Reserved
2. B+ More Intelligent B- Less Intelligent
3. C+ Stable C- Emotional4. E+ Assertive E- Submissive5. F+ Happy-go-luckY F- Sober6. G+ Conscientious G- ExPedient
7. H+ Venture-some, bold H- Shy, fearful
8. l+ Tender-minded l- Tough-minded
9. L+ Suspicious l- Trusting
10.M+ Imaginative M- Practical
',ll
11.N+ Shrewdl2.O+ Apprehensive
1? 91+Experimenting74.Q2 + Self-sufficient15.Q3 + Controlled16.Q++Tense
1. Adaptable:Flexible; acceptschanges of p laneasily; satisfied withcompromises; is notupset, surpr ised,baffled, or irritated ifthings are differentfrom what heexpected.
2. Emotional:Excitable, cries a lot,sh ows af fe c t io n,anger, all emotions,to excess.
70
N- ForthrightO- PlacidQ1-ConservativeQ2-group-tiedQ3-CasualQ4-Relaxed
Vs Rigid:Insists that things bedone the way he hasalways done them; doesnot adapt his habits andways of thinking tothose. of the group;nonplussed i f h isroutine is upset.
Vs Calm:Stable, shows few signsof emotional excitemlntof any kind; remainscalm even underacts indisputes, dangers, socialhilarity etc.
3. Conscientious:Honest; knows whatis right and generallYdoes it. even if noone is watching him;does not tell lies orattemPt to deceiveothers; resPectsothers' ProPertY.
4. Conventional:Conforms toaccePted standards,ways of act ing,thinking, dressing,etc; does the ProPerthing; seemsdistressed if he findshe is being different.
5, Prone to jealotrsY:begrudges theachievement ofothers; uPset whenothers get attention'and demands morefor himself; resentfulwhen attention isgiven to others.
Unconscientious:Somewhatunscrupulous; not toocareful about thestandard of right andwrong where Personaldesires .are concerned;tells lies and is given tolittle deceits; does notrespect others' ProPertY.
IJnconventional,eccentric, actsdifferently from others'Not concerned aboutwearing the , sameclothes or doing thesame thing as others;has somewhat eccentricinterests, attitudes, andways of behaving; goeshis own rather Peculiarway.
Not jealous:fikeJ peoPle even ifthey do better than hedoes; is not uPset whenothers get attention, butjoins in praise.
7L
Vs
A detailed description of ten out of sixteenpersonality factors or source traits in order or po*.. unJimportance is as uncler:Vs
Vs
l *
6. Considerate, polite:deferential to needsof others; considersothers ' feel ings;allows them before!i* in line, givesthem the biggestshare. etc.
7. Quitting:gives up before hehas thoroughlyf in ished a lob;slipshod;works in fits
external difficulties.
8. Tender:governed bvsentiment; intuitive;sympathetic;sensitive to the
Inconsiderate, rude:insolent, defiant. and
rude.
Determined,persevering:sees a job through inspite of difficulties ortemptat ions; strongwilled; painstaking andthorough; sticks atanything unt i l heachieves his goal.
Tough, hard; governedby fact and necessitvrather than senti*"rf:unsympathetic; does notmind upsetting others ifthat is what has to bedone.
73
no body) if things gowrong; reluctant totake credi t forachievements; doesnot seem to think ofhimsel f as veryimportant orworthwhile.
10.Languid, fatigued, Vsslow: lacks vigour;vagUe and slow inspEech; dawdles, isslow in getting thingsdone.
there is conflict orthings go wrong; oftenbrags; quick to takecredit when things goright; has a very goodofinion of himself.
72
Vs
Vs
Now take a pencils and tick- 1vh.at r.s true first -"jftlli
your own case. I"Know thYself iis the oldest and the
wisest maxim.Vs
!kt l . **r* t t*X:8
feelings of others;cannot do things ifthey of fend hisfeelings.
9. Self-effacing: Vsblames himself (or
Egotistical:blames others whenever
t l
74
Self-image
Question.
Answer.
Question.
Answer.
Question.
Answer.
(A dialogue with a Psychologist)
Sir, what is the importance of Self-image?
image. Self-image is the base, the foundation,the moving force of personality.
Isn't the I.Q., the inherent mental ability thatcounts?
f.Q does count but i t 's not the clecidingfactor. In fact:
Life's battles don't always goTo the stronger or faster manBut soon or late the man who winsls the nrrn. who thinks he can.
It 's t . lre's thinlqint about one's Self, the Self-imzrge, that m.rl es all the diffcrence, not theLQ nor any u'her one single factor.
What is exlct ly ;he concept of Self- image?
'Image' l i t , . ' r i ly means 'mental picture' or
75
Question. Self-images is of how many types?
Answer. Broadly speaking of two types:
a. Positive or high Self-image'b. Negative or low Self-image'
Question. Which is more effective?
lx
76
Answer. Self-irnage, be it good or bad, high or low,positive or negative, is by its very nlture veryactive and effective.lt goes on building ordestroying the personality all the time.Therefore every care is to be taken by theparents, by the teachers, by the executivesand by the Commanders that a positive, notnegative Self-image is built-up, for the qualityof performance more or less wholly dependson the quality of Self-image. A student withhigh Self-image is bound to excel atacademics, & G. C., an officer with positiveSeh-image would definitely do better at allCourses and also on the battle field withcannon on right and cannon on left of him. Aperson with honourable Self-image wouldalways behave honourably. At the root ofcharacter is Self-image, the higher the Self-image, the better the charircter, the better theperformance in peace and war.
Question. I{ow is the Self-imase made?
Answer. One thing is certain that l ike the I. Q ortemperament, Self- image is not somethingthat a chi ld is born wi th.
Then how does one get i t?
Mostly from three sources:
a. From his own experiences especial ly thosein earlv chi ldhood at home and in the
Question.
Answer.
77
school.
From his environment, from the treatmentmeted out to him; from .what othersaround him, go on suggesting to hirn abouthis worth, or capabilities as a person'
Social suggestion- of this kind or that
counts a lot.
On the basis of what he has been himselfrat others have been
he himself , .startsielf---whether he iserwise.This thinking
about one's Self (auto-suggestion), this
belief about one's inner limits and
limitations, this idea of his 'Self,' is his
Sel f - image. A verY signi f icantcharacteriitic of Self-image is that it is
Self-motivating, urged by one's Self-imagea parson, so to say, compulsively. acts out
th'e role set by it- Self-image thus becomesthe motivating force behind what a person
does and whit he <loes not' A high self-
image urges him to go ahead, to
undErtake great tasks, to meet hughly
demanding- but equallY rewarding
challengesl The high Self-imag-e makes
him sai to himself: I can, I will' and he
does. in case of low Self image, the
response is other way round, i'e', in the
fac! of a task, a challenge' an opportunityot a rewarding option, the Self-doubt
l*
78
makes him think: I can't and he doesn't.
Does the Self-image acrunconsciously?
Mostly unconsciously.
Why is it so that a positive Self-image makesa man so dynamic, so creative, so energetic,so go-getting, in short, so successful?
There is a psychological reason behind it.Nothing on earth is greater than human brain(mind) in its potential. Even a genius usesonly 10 to 15 percent of his brain power.Each one of us is capable of much greaterachievements than what he actually achieves.
What is the role of Self-image in making aman make use of his brain-power?
The Research says: a high self-image releasesthe brain power in successive waves ofenergy; consequently all his faculties,including imagination function better at ahigher pitch, so much so that even his bodilyresistance increases. Hence a person with apositive Self-image is generally so active andso effective, whereas the low Self-imageconversely retards the mental powers, thebrain-cells get dried up, therefore, thefaculties function at the lowest ebb. Thewhole body-mind complex suffers from low
79
voltage of energy.Debility sets in' Depression
follows.
Can Self-i*u!"be reconstructed?or
Answer.
Question.
Answer.
Question.
Answer.
Question.
Answer.
Question.
Answer.
Yes, it can be reconstructed'
How?
The miracle of man is that he can change for
u"ti"i, i""a for worse too)' If the old
emotional scars are removed' if. the self-
.onii.t"n." is restored, a new Self-image can
"r"tt. and it does emerge' Extend the image
;;;;;" extend the area of success' A new
realiitic Self-image gives a person new
capabilities, new tilentl, and turns the failure
;d;;;;nality into success tvpe personalitv'
Question.
Answer.
Question.
Does Self-image affect one's attitudes?
Sir, you have talked about the Self-image^of
iniiiiOuurs, what about the Self-image of a
;;;pl;, of a communitY, of a nation?
Answer.
Question.
Answer.
80
Yes, the peoples, the communities, thenations too have their respective Self-image.It's pride in their culture, in their history andin their beliefs, that constitutes their Self-image.
Sir, could you sum-up the whole discussionfor us, the young people?Shakespeare said: Ripeness is ail. I wouldadd: 'Self-image is all.'
If you think you are beaten, you areIf you think, you dare not, you don'tIf you like to win but you think you can'tIt is almost certain, you won't;If you think you'll lose, you are lostFor out of the world, we findSuccess begins with a fellow's willIt's all in the state of mind.
81
TRUST
Trrrsi begets trust; fear escalates fear' Trust
catalyzes all other fto."ts"s, is contagipu:1':ft:.lt 3l:oerceptions, breeds trust in others, makes us less
iunl!"o"t, and is self-fulfilling'-F^ear and distrust over
;#"i"" itt" danger, trigger-defensive behaviour in
ffi;;;: "r.urut"
it JtensioiJand are self-fulfilling that is,
fear creates the danger'
Trust and fear are keys to understanding persons
and social systems. They are primary and catalytic
factors in all human living'
When the trust is high, relative to fear' people
and systems function well" When fear is high' relative to
trust, theY break down'
Ti'ust enhances the flow of mind-body-spirited and mobilized' All the
Person or the sYstem- are,tiing are more focussed andlre dlrect and effective way's'. When trust is high enough'
persons and social systems transcend apparent.limits
discovering new and'awesome abilities of which they
were PreviouslY unaware'
From'Trust'Bv Dr.Jack Gibb'
& le
--!
82
YOUR RTVALS AND YOU
There is a verse by Ghalib;. ,7 r . to e, l .' Y.f t r l , t L/!O.t Lc I 4 1t
/All of us tend to think that way. This seems to be
human nature. A nice person unwittingly thinks thatevery body is nice and honest like himself and behavesaccordingly, whereas a crook takes the rest of the worldas gang of shrewd crooks as he himself is andconsequently deals with people on that assumption. Bothare in the wrong. However a fair-minded and kind-hearted nice person suffers more and loses more ininter-personal relations than a dishonest but shrewdperson does. Why? The reason is obvious. The goocl manis generally more off the mark in his estimatJ than theother. The hard fact is that evil is evil. There is nodenying the existence of ill-will, malice, jealousy andeven active hostility in this world of imperfect humanbeings.
If you are good, honest, talented and hardworking or holding some important position now or arelikely to rise higher in the future, you are bound to comeacross four groups of people as follows:
83
(b) Some who compete hard against you, butdesist from hitting you below the belt.
(c) A large number of persons jealous of yourattainments may consciously or unconsciouslytry to let you down and might be secretlypleased to see harm coming to you. But theywould do so most insidiously while openlyprofessing to be your friends and well-wishers.
(d) A fourth group, small in number, but adangerous one would be actively hostile" toyou. Driven by grudge, ill-will and maliceagainst you, would stop at nothing and dotheir utmost to unfrrve you, harass you, ifyou do not toe their line. They wouldcdnsistently malign you, blackmail you andaccuse you of fantastic vices and malpractices'So whether as a bright student in the collegeor an occupant of any prestigious position inthe civil or the defence services, the problemof facing petty jealousies, rivalries, ill-will,malice, etc will be there, as it has alwaysbeen there in some form or the other.
Because evil is as much a reality as good; you
must take account of it. You must be conscious of its
presence and its designs. There are scores of good
people but by and large they are only passively good'
iTo*.utt you woulcl not find a crook who is passively
l i
(a) A few who respect and admire you.
84
bad. He will always be up and doing, active, assertive,pushing, designing, scheming the whole time. Beware ofhim. Being good does not mean to be ineffective andstupid. The Holy Prophet has said: "A believer is notstung twice from the same hole." Why should an honestperson be so weak, apologetic, docile or spineless thatsome unscrupulous fellow can give him worried days andsleepless nights? There is no earthly justification for that.But in actual life it has been often observed that anhonest person, more often than not, is either takenunawares when confronted with evil or fails to cope withit, which in fact means failure of personality. Somepeople do very well in comparatively less responsiblepositions. By their hard work, devotion to duty, integrity,knowledge, and professional competence, theyimmensely impress their superiors. But when they aregiven a position of prestige and power, and the storms ofopposition start threatening them, they are not able tohold their own. They cannot weather the storm. Ondiscovering that some people bear ill-will towards themand are intent on harming them, they feel frustrated anddepressed and endure intense mental strain andemotional distress. This inevitably affects their efficiencvtoo.
Irt us analyse the situation step by step. Whydoes an honest fellow feel dismayed and frustrated? Thereason may be his simplicity or naivete. He feels thatsince he does not indulge in spying and maligning anddoes not wilfully try to harm anyone, why shouldanybody else be inimical to him. This is very simple
85
alien to others' nature also! It is admittedly difficult to
understand people who are qualitatively different from
you, in valuis and in ways of thinking and feeling'
evil when it comes their waY.
t
Ncxt is the problem of evil i tself ' Why clo so
86
many people behave so badly, dishonestly andmaliciously as they d<l? It is a complex question. Th.r.are socio-economic reasons f'r lt. [n a capitalisticsociety, there is a premium on personal profit_motive ofIife. Ruthless competit ion at the infer-personal level isonly an offshoot of a philosophy of life which is fasteroding traditional stabirizing sociar varues andfundamental goals of life as emb-oclied in the ideology ofIslam.
Let us approach this problem from a scientificangle. The great law of biorogy is serf-centrecrness in thestruggle for self-preservation. Somehow, very early inthe process of evolution, the most primitlve livingorganism, the warring selfish entities, iailed the cellsIearned that if they combined to form a more comprexorganism, they would be better off. Somehow ihevworked out mutually cooperative rures. Each ceil wasserving.its own purpose, which was to keep on existing;but each was also serving the purpose of the other. Thriscooperativeness ensured the continued existence of eachorganism. The principle of altruistic selfishness cameinto being.
Great laws work at all levels. There seems to bea natural self-centredness in human beings too. Each ofus, as an organisnr, is impelled to preserve its identity atall costs. However if in human society, this buiit_inselfishness is not moclified or controllect, it leads todangerous social consequences and is detrimental toprogress as a whole. Selfishness is eventuallv self_
87
cooperate and learn to cultivate good-will for all and
malice for none, the problem of evil will be there and
has to be tackled as best as we can. The following
suggestions may be helPful:
learn to be modest and humble i 'e', adopt a
to His less-gifted creatures' lf you aregenuinely kincl and helpful and self-denying'most of your companions would cling to you
as grapes cling to a stem'
f
88
activity. Try to understand the behavior ofthose who intensely dislike you. Why do theydo so? What is their motive behind hatingyou, behind trying to harm you? Analyse theirbehaviour as well as your own, objectively.Are you quite sure that so and so reallydislikes you? Have you any tangible proof ofhis hostility could it not be a case of sheermisunderstanding? Is there anything in yourown behaviour and attitude which annoys himor others at the interpersonal level? If afterexploring the answers to these questions, youare sure that it is a case of ill-will, pure andsimple, then stick to your principles and donot compromise. A policy of appeasementwould not help. [t would be taken as a sign ofweakness and would encourage furtherintransigence. Steadfastly face the situationbut do not provoke your ill-wishers noraggr avate the s i tu ation.
Fierce opposition is not without a silver l ining.According to Iqbal even hostility has its positive aspects.In the first place, it is a clear proof that you are tloingyour task honestly. Hence strong opposition from vestedquarters is but natural.
In his long Persian poem -'secrets of Self '- Iqbalhas touched upon this point in the form of a story. Oncea young man from the city of Maro callecl on the greatsaint, Ali Hajveri, and complained of cruelties that his
89
enemies had inflicted upon him' He said: "I am
surroonded by ruthless enemies' My life is like that of a
lfart urni,lst itones. Teach me the way, O saint' to live
amongst enemies. "Hazrat Hthe fear of enemies. You areWhen the stone thinks itsellgets broken". Your enemy i
ir"r"n." is a source of excitement in your life' The one
who knows the secrets of self takes one's powerful
"n"-y as a boon from God' An enemy is as essential for
you t; bring out the best in you as the rain is for a"fur-"r', haiest. He spurs you into action' urges you to
make further advancement'
Iqbal believes in the philosophy of struggle'
Hence he has highlighted itre beneficial role of
opposition engineered by an enemy'
Similarly in one of his essays in- .'TahzibulAkhlaque', Sir Syecl Ahmad Khan, too' has highlighted
Itr" ur"fut role played by our enemies' He states that our
enemies in faciclou, u iuut"t' They criticize our failures
and shortcomings outspokenly which our friends and
tfrnputttirers ha-rdly do' O^ur enemy is wilfully out. to
J-p"t" our weak pointt. Of course, he exaggerates' but
what he says may be true in substance' He keeps us on
our toes" He makes us cautious and careful' He does not
let us relax. Sir Syed also quotes the Greek historian'
Plutarch, on the advantages of enmity'
fl
So the essence of this long discussion is that
90
jealous opposition and hostility are inseparable from thelife's game. Evil is very much there in ihe world. Hardworking hogesf plople like ail incumbents in positions ofauthority, had better take a serious note of this
Ii
;*s{
92
TO THE GCs
REMEMBER: You soldier youths, who are thus in allways the hope of your country; or must be, if she haveany hope: remember that your fitness for all future trustdepends upon what you are.No good soldier in his oldage, was ever careless or indolent in his youth. Many agiddy and thoughtless boy has become a good bishop ora good lawyer, or a good merchant; but no such oneever became a good General. I challenge you, in allhistory, to find a record of a good soldier who was notgrave and earnest in his youth. And, in general, I haveno patience with people who talk about "thethoughtlessness of youth" indulgently. I had infinitelyrather hear of thoughtless old age, and the indulgencedue to that. When a man has done his work, and nothingcan any way be materially altered in his fate, let himforget his toil, and jest with his fate, if he will; but whatexcuse can you find for wilfulness of thought, at the verytime, when every crisis of future fortune hangs on youdecisions. A youth thoughtless! when all the happiness ofhis home for ever depends on the challenges, or thepassions, of an hour! A youth thoughtless! when thecareer of all his clays depends on the opportunity of amoment! A youth thoughtless! when his every act is afoundation stone nf future conduct. and evervimagination a fountain of life or death! Be thoughtlessin any after years, rather than now, though, indeed, thereis only one place whcre a man may be nobly thoughtless,his death-bed. No thinkine should ever be left to bedone there.
93
Having, then, resolved that you will not waste
recklessly, but earnestly, use these T:l{ doy.t
{ l:t:remember that all the duties of her children to tjnglano
ds-----industry, and honour'n this that soldier Youth are:t, surelY, there is no reason'iblY or ProbablY be shorteraould therefore waste more
recklessly the portion of it that is granted you; neither
Oo ,tt" duties bf yout profession, which require you. to
t""p yout bodies strong, in any way.involve the keeping
of Vout minds weak. S-o far fiom that' the experi"n::'
ilr.'t utatnip, and the activity of a soldier's life render his
o"*"i, of ihought more accurate than those of other
il". ""J
*rtileifor others all knowledge is often little
more than a means of amusement, there is no form of
science which a soldier may not at some time or other
find bearing on business of life and death. A young
mathematician may be excused for languor in studying
,u*", to be descrited only with a pencil' but nor those
*t i.tt are to be described with a rocket' Your knowledge
oi u-*nof"some herb may involve the feeding of an army
and acquaintance with an obscure point 9f .gtgi*y'ih. tu...t, of a campaign' Never waste an instant's tlme'
iii"."rot"; the sin oi idln"tt is a thousind-fold greatet
i; t; than in other youth; for fates of those who will
o"6 day be under your command hang upon your
knowledge; tort *o*ents now will be lost lives then' and
;;;; i;ri"nt which you carelesslv take for play' vou buv
with blood..... ' .
94i First, then, by industry you must fulfil your vow to
your country; but all industry and earnestness wil l beuseless unless they are consecrated by y.ur resolution tobe in alt things men of honour; not honour in thecommon sense only, but in the highest. Rest on the forceof the two main words in the gr.;t verse, ,,integer vitae,scelerisque purue," you have vowecl vnui life toEngland; give it to her wholty; a bright, stainless, perfectlife-a knightly life.
95
A SOLDIER'S LETTER TO HIS SON
Brig M. Rafique Chairman Governor'slnspection Team34 Minto Road Dacca2 Mar. 1971'.
Danger tests one's strengtlt and capacityAnd is the touch-stone of the powers of themind and the bodv.
FromJohn Rukin's Convocation Acldressat lhc Roval Naval Acaclemy Woolwich
x*****x*
IQBAL
My dear sonny,Please accept my very heartiest congratulations on
the success God tlas granted you as a result of your hard
labour. I am the happiest father to see you settled inyour major phase of life. I am all the more happy you-have
got your first choice for 19 Punjab Regiment' At
this stage I want to give you some guide-lines from my
experience but since it is not possible to do so in aletier, we shall wait until I return to West Pakistan' ln
the meantime, here are some important points you may
tike to think over. You have chosen the most honourable
and the most responsible profession that a man can have
in his life, honourable because this profession can at any
time ask you to sacrifice your life in the cause of your
God, youi country or your duty. No other profession
calls for this sacrifice. lt is responsible because you as an
officer will have the lives of your men entrusted to you
in battle. On your professional efficiencY, Your characterand your personal example, will depend whether these
wonderful men win battles and laurels for you, or lose
battles and get killed. ln other words in this pro.fession
you are not dealing with material things but with human
iife. Rs a coy comd,which is an officer's first command,
, l
96
you will have over one hundrecl lives which will be atyour mercy. How well you learn to hancile them in peacetime, and also how much respect they have for 1Lu lnpeace time, will depend what success you achieve in *u,with them. You do not have to wait for a war to see the
they become visible quiter are a good leader your menme also and this respect can
tasks thar you assisn ,n"-']tif'1"".;"*:i'ilT'5: ff#pride reflected in their turn out, saluting, ma.ct ing, anOin their inter-coy competitions; in fact in"everytnin!'trreydo both in and out-side the unit rines; more so the ratterwhen they are on their own without any supervision. Ifyou have achieved the standard of trg where your menwill work equally smartly and well *hen they are notbeing supervised then you can rest assured ihut yuu,leadership is effective and your men really trust you,have faith in you and your piofessional abiliiy, unO t ou.the affection for you to do what is right and not r"r you{own at any cost- such men will folow you and flcedeath cheerfully, on your orders, when the time comes.You are fortunate to have got a good bn. r have testedit in operations, besidei trg, games ancl othercompetitions during my period of command and I canassure you that 19 Punjab was second to none.However,let me warn you that good bns take a long time to matethrough the efforts of the officers, JCOs ind NCOs butthey, can quickly lose their form if the leadership fairs orweakens. You will find goocl and bad officers in every bnbut as long as, generally speaking, they are all wori<ing
97
as a team with good of the bn at heart you will have a
good bn. What do the men like in their officer? Honesty
ind truthfulness. Do not ever say what you do not mean
98
to command the respect and confidence of his men if hedoes not know his job and cannot give quick and sounddecisions on problems that face him. The profession ofarms is a continuously changing profession not infundamentals or basics but in cletails which affect tactics,etc. A good officer has to keep abreast of all the latestdevelopments having first had a firm foundation in thebasics. Your trg at the PMA was just an elementaryintroduction to the Army. Your real trg starts now. youwill have to educate yourself every day through your ownefforts. Handling and leading men is a fasiiniting joband hobby, if you are keen ancl watchful you witt-belearning each day - from the goocl inclividuals whatshould be and can be and from the bacl individuals whatshould not and cannot be done. Make a rule to keepyour eyes open and your mind open to absorb all that isgood and shun all that is unbecoming of a gentleman.Dishonourable acts like lying, cheeting etc have no placein the life of an officer and are the quickest way to hislosing respect with his men. One must remain simple,honest and straight-forward and solidly stand by what isright in the eyes of God and in your own heart and mind- your own heart and mind are the best guides you havein life, learn to consult them and act on their advice,keeping faith in God and Cod alone. Temptations willcome your way all the time. If you shun them with thecontempt they deserve, you are on the right path, if youfall a prey to them, you are lost and are no better thanmost of those we find around us these days" The decisionand the choice can only be yours and no one else's as towhich path you follow. The greatest and the most
99
valuable possession in life is self-respect. lt must bejealously guarderl because it is so easy to lose it;- onedishonorable act and it is gone; never to come back
others but at yourself and your God. If you do so, I can
tell you confidently that you have all the basic traits thatare needed for good leadership and I have my hopes and
implicitly by everyone at every level. You can have your
say when you are given an opportunity to do so but ifthL decision given finatly is against what you haveproposed, you must accept it without further commentind act as directed by your superior. Then there is no
further room for argument or suggestion or a long face'For this early stage of an officer's career, there is a good
old saying and a true one: 'A young officer is seen- butnot heartl' in other worcls: heai- and see and learn from
tr
100
your superiors but clo not start teaching them. The timefor sp.eaking up more and more wil l come as you gainexperience ancl rank in years to come when vnu *i l lhave other junior officers uncler your command io guideand teach. I know that all those who served under me in19 Punajb Regiment will expect a very high standardfrom you because I always expecte<l a high standard fromthem. I also know that Gocl willing, you will never belietheir expectations by failing them, your standard willlnshallah, in due course be higher than the one set byme. God be with you and may He grant ever increasingsuccgss in your career and in life. More when *e meetand continue this cliscussion.
With lots of lovefromDad
Brig Mohammad Rafique, a war veteran, andformer Principal of Military College Jhelum andLawrence College Ghoragali, wrote this letter to hisson,2 /Lt Riazul Haque (now a Lt Col) soon after hisobtaining the commission in the Army.
101
A SOLDIER'S PRAYER FOR HIS SONBY
GEN. MACARTHUR
the foundation stone of knowledge.Gad him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort,But under the'
'stress and
-spur of difficulties and
challenges.Let trim learn to stand up in the storm,l,et him learn compassioh for those who fail'Build me a son whose heart will be clear,Whose goal wil l be high,A son wio wil l master himself before he seeks to masterother men,One who will reach into the future, yet never forget thepast.And after all these things are his,Add, I pray, enough of a sense of humour ) -So ifruffr"'may alfrays be serious yet never take himselftoo seriously.
Give him humility,The simplicity of true greatness,The open mincl of true wisdom,And the meekness of trtte strength.
Then l, his father. wil l dare tu whtsper,"l have not lived in vain"
103
IFIfyou can keep your head when all about youAre losing theirs and blaming it on you;If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,But make allowance for their doubting too.
If you can wait and not be tired by waitingOr being lied about, don't deal in lies,Or being hated don't give way to hating,And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise.
If you can dream and not make dreams your master,If you can think and not make thoughts your aim;If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster,And treat these two imposters just the same.
If you can bear to hear the tru.th you've spokenTwisted by knaves to make a trfip Jor fools,Or watch the things you gave your lijb tc broken,And stoop und build 'em up with wom-owt tool,s"
If you can make one lrcap of all you.r' wirutingsAnd risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss;
And lose, and staft again at your beginningsAnd never hreathe a word about your loss.
rt
i . * i
104
If you can .force your heart and nerye and sinew
To sertte your turn long after they are *one,And so hold on when there is nothing in you,
Except the will which says to them: "Hold on"!
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,Or walk with kings, nor lose the cornmon touch,If neither foes nor loving fiends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much.
If you can fill the unforgiving minute,With sixty seconds'distance run.Yours is the Earth and everytlting that's in it,And, which is rnore, you'll be a MAN, my son!
Rudyard Kipling
105
FROM A FATHER TO HIS SON
My dearAlways rememberForEvery enemyThere1sA fiend.
In schoolItIsFar more honourableTo failThanTo cheat.
I want youTo realize earlyThatThe bulliesAre the easiestTo lick.
I want youTo learnTo beGentleWith the gentleAnd tough
With the tough.
I want youTo learnHow to laughWeni'ou areSad.
I want to tell youTlrcre1sNo slrumeInTears.
RememherMc dertr!A dollarEarnedIs oJ'fur more valueTlrun five Jbund.
I want youTo leamITotu to scoffAt cynicsAndBeware
V1
t,
Ia{
r07Of too muchSweetnessAs well
I want youTo have faithIn yourOwn ideasEven ifEvery one tellsYouThatThey are wrong.
I want youTo steerYourselfAway from envyIf you can.
I want youTo leamTo loseAndAlso enjoyWinning.
I want youTo haveStrengthNot to follow
106
The uowd.
My adviceTo you.IsLeamTo ftlterAll you hearOn a screen of truthAndTake onlyThe goodThat comes thrctugh.
I want youTo always haveThe sublime faitltIn yourselfBecauseIt is only thenYou will haveFaithIn mankind.
By all ,neansRead booksAs many as you canButDo haveSome
Quiet time
To ponder overThe etemal mysteryofBirds in the slgtBees in the sunAndFlowers on green hill-side.
I want youTo realizeOntyThe test of fireMakesFine steel.
I want youTo have courageTo be impatientWenIt is called farButHavePatienceTo be brave.
I want to tell youBy all meansSellYour hrain and brawnWcn it comcs toBut
NeverPut a pice tagOn yourHeaft and soul.
Adaptcd lrom a letterof Abralram Lincoln
writtcn Lo hisson's tcachcr
t&
108
A PRAYER 109
O, God!Give me courageTo tace the truthHowever unpleasant.
O, God!Give me courageTo ownMy mistkesAndFace the consequencesLike a MAN.
It's far betterTo sufferOnceAndLive therefter,With honour and dignityIn one's own eyesAndIn the eyes of the worldatLargeThanTo behaveDishonourablyLike a cowarclTo save one's skin
For the time beingAnd therebyLiveIn the shadow of shameFor the rest of lifeAndMoreoverIn the long run[.ose the careerAs well.
O, God!Give me courage
Not to lose headNorHeartWhenSuddenlyThe horizon gets darkThe cherished planscollapseUnexpected problemsappear from no whereAndAll seems to have beenlost in one stroke.
O, God!Give me courageNot to lose patienceWhenPressures pile upFrom right and left.
O, God!Give me courageAnd lightNot to lose faithNorInMyselfNorMy dear God!InYOUNever! Never!
ShakespeareInKing Learsqt'Ripeness is all,So it isAndThe hard coreofRipeness.lsPatieni.ceThat paves the wayForA promising career.
There isA Chinese proverb:'Patience wins,.It doesForPatienceIsThe strongest weapon.
O, God!Give me patienceMore and more of itAs
110
PATIENCE
I haveTo win battles(All types of ttrcm)That lieAhead of meIn years to come.Of all the challengesThatMan faces in his tiftThe most demanding0neIsThatofI nt er-personal relationsThat isHow to get onWith the peopleBe theyThe near and dear onesAt homeOrThe others in the worldAt largeTlrc answer liesInPatienceIt isPatience
That sustainsAll human relations.
O, God!Give me patienceMore and more of itSo thatI could meet thatChallengeAndThereby liveHappilyEffectivelyAnd lrcaltltily too.
Patience and under-standin!Go togetlrcrO, God!Give me undcrstandingMore und more oJ'itSo thatI could liveWithMy ownFailures and failingsLimits and limitationsAndWith those of othersPatientlY.
Patience and faithGo togetherO, God!Give me faitltInMy'Self'AndAbove allInYctuMy dear Cod!In YouAndInYour ProvidenceAndInYourAll-peruadingGraciousness.
111
' l
I
Impatience.More often than notLeadsToH^ty decisions.
O, God!Save meFromThe damageFromThe embanassrnentThatHotyImpulsive decisionsDoInvaiablyCause.
ImpatienceMore often than notProvokes I
Out-bursts of temperAndOutbursts of temperNeverResolve any issueOn the contrary,Without fail
LeaveThe situationWorseMuch worseThan beforeImpatienceLike a hull in a ChinashopDe.rtroysLife-long relationsM ost fonclly nurtured.,Very promising careersPains-takingly built overthe yearsAndRare opportunitiesInOneGoThatNo amount of tearsShed with. , 'deeprepenatanceAndNo amount of apologiesHowever sincereCanEverUndo,
O God!Give me strengtltAnd liglttNot to give inToImpatienceThatLike a bull in aChinashopDestroysLrft-long relationsMost fondly nurtured,Very promising careersPains-takingly built overthe years ,AndRare oppomtnitiesInOneGoThatNo amount of regretsHowever genuineNo amount of tearsShed with deep repentanceAndNo amount of apologiesHowever sincereCanEverl.Jndo.
t
nl
112
IMPATIENCE113
#
114
Ctimb the Hill
Climlt the hillMy dear
Future builder oJ' Pakistan!Climb tlrc hillWith a will
To reach the topAnd
Onto the top of tlrc hillYou'll reacltIf you only so willClimb the hillMy dear
Future pillur oJ' Pakistan!Climb thc hill
Though
Oft you may stumbleNever be downcastBe up
On your.feet
With courage and hopeTo reach the topAnd
115
Exeft harder
To stay at tlrc top
Retnetnber
My dear
Future protector of Pakistan!
Remember!
Progress and problc,ns ure the twins
Bom trriether
Tlrcy ulways go togctlrcr
The bigger thc. challenge
The heavier the odds
The greater the rewards
Yes, rny dear
Greater the rewards too!
Go on plodding
My dear
Future hopc of Pakistan!
Go on plodding
Inch ahead
Every day
Finnly and steadily
However
Weary thc way
tr
116
Climb the hill
My dear
Futurc pricle of Pctkistan
Climh the hill
With a will
To reach tlrc top
Never stop
For a whilc
Never look hack
For a tnoment
AIwqts
Look forwardAnd look
Beyond the hill
As well.
Go on toiling
My dear
Future Jinnah of Pakistan!
Go on toiling
Day in and day out
With a will
To reach the top
Antl
117
Struggle relentlesslY
To staY at tlrc toP
c;--'LJld L:,Sl"-d
6c-Lilcurlr+One gets what one stives for
One gets what one strives for'
I 1ti
BEWARE
BewareOf thatArch enemy of manThe Self-doubtThatAttacks you from insidePulling your front-line ddences to piecesAndSnatching awayYour main weaponThe self-confidenceFrom you,Leaves youExposedTo the weakest of your enerniesFrom outside.
BewareOf that arch enemy of manCalledSelf-douht
Takes away from you
Will to fightYourWill to winAndThe courage
1,1'9
To face the oddsAnd thusGets youBeatenBefore the battle hegins.
BewareMy dear!
BewareOf that arch enemy of yoursTheSelf-doubt!
v
our
ThatTakeYour
&
%
f
1
121,120
WHEN YOU
WenYou findThings dfficultAndTimes hard
WenYou findYour best hopesFailing youAnd theBest plans .Falling apart
WhenYou findSel-doubtLike a grey-houndChasing youAround
Don't lose heartNor hopeMy dear!
Have faithInAlmighty AllahHave faith
FIND InYour ownSelfAnd withI can, I willPlungeHeadlong!
&