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Normal Is Never Universally Normal


We all have listened to parents /teachers/ role models speak of the normal course of action to achieve success and yet this does not click with many. Why the understanding of normal is not the same for all of us. What is the missing point that it works for some and does not for many? The other day I was listening to a wise person and it sort of held key to this dilemma. Luckily I had missed the trap for most of my life but that was a blessing and not a conscious action now I will be able to break the shackles of unproductivity knowingly.
 
A classical musician has a different daily schedule- waking up early morning, missing out on cold drinks going to bed at a good time etc. It is his normal which might be viewed as austere or harsh by many other householders but to the musician, it is the only way to act- nothing extraordinary or special about it. A student who wants to top score or clear any top competitive test will be more with books or notebooks and almost no time for chat or entertainment. It is the student's normal.
 
However, the problem will start when this student looks around and notices that most of his friends have a lot of time for gossip, party, games and movies and start getting doubts about his schedule. Now he apparently does not know that those mates have different goals or no goals in their life and thus their normal schedule has to be different from his normal schedule.
 
Normal is to be seen with respect to one's goal. Since everyone has different goals, normal has to be different for everyone. Since one's goal is not visible, we unknowingly make the mistake of assuming that the other person also wants the same life that I want and thus their easy schedule should be mine. This is a mistake of transference - logical syllogism. This is the missing link and coming to know of this was my aha moment.

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