Why is it that some people achieve their highest potential, and some people don’t? What are the secrets to success? And how can everyone benefit from knowing them? These are a few, age-old questions humankind continues to ponder. In these modern times, we often lose sight of how our problems have been relevant for centuries, and in many cases, have already been solved.
In his book Journey From Life to Life, Dr. Krishna Bhatta addresses attaining goals by explaining the Five Pillars of Success. These pillars, offered centuries ago by the Bhagavad Gita, are a universal formula for clarifying the mysteries of achieving success. And since the pursuit of success is still very much a part of modern life, these pillars are just as relevant today as when they were written.
Each person will experience numerous obstacles and factors that can potentially limit their success. Dr. Bhatta explains that the impact of these obstacles depends on the reaction of the person. Serious-minded people who have a strong desire to achieve success will find a way around the hindrance to continue their journey toward their goal. But in some cases, being victorious over the barrier is not as easy as merely restructuring your plan.
Dr. Bhatta further explains that some of the limiting factors are within our control, and some of them aren’t. Naturally, the obstacles we cannot control are much more challenging to navigate. Therefore, achieving success is dependent on understanding the five key aspects that influence any endeavor. The following are the Five Pillars of Success that Dr. Bhatta says are extremely useful for anyone who desires to achieve their highest potential:
Platform
The Platform represents a person’s position of authority. By nature, a CEO’s platform affords a wider scope of power and a greater ability to impose ideas upon the company and the world, than an employee’s platform. This fact does not mean an employee’s platform is insufficient for achieving success. The employee’s platform is different, yet still has a structure for the employee to succeed.
Individual
This pillar refers to the specific qualities of those attempting an undertaking. No two people are exactly alike. Not only are their biological structures different, but their experiences that affect their values and morals are different, as well. The experiences, opportunities, and challenges have forged them into unique, one-of-a-kind people, all capable in their own ways. But their journeys have played an enormous role in the results of their success. Therefore, some will achieve higher levels of success than others.
Tools
Tools are the available technology and resources an individual has when attempting to produce an intended result. For example, an employee working on a project with limited means can achieve success using the resources available to them. And a person given remarkable technology and unlimited resources attempting the same project will attain success, as well. However, if you compare the results, success will look completely different. Most would say the employee who afforded unlimited resources, must have outperformed the one using basic tools. Both achieved success; however, one performed at a higher level because of the tools provided to them.
Efforts
Efforts describe the various strategies one might use to achieve a goal. Naturally, the more options, the greater the chances of success in any action. This is why a person with any platform—and even limited tools—can achieve. It’s the concept of trying until you succeed, which means experiencing failure and pivoting around it.
Divine
The last pillar is Divine; however, in Western culture, one might say it’s “luck”. This pillar refers to a specific person taking the right actions for the right reasons. When this occurrence happens, seemingly random activities take place to aid that person in achieving their purpose. Basically, the more we strive to do right, the more likely we will receive this phenomenon.
Dr. Bhatta says this pillar is probably the most important because it allows the people working for success the boost they need. This pillar is a testament for doing all the right things because they are “right” even if it seems like you are not progressing towards success.
Achieving success is a crucial part of our life journey and one of the key concepts for understanding in Dr. Bhatta’s book Journey from Life to Life. As he explains, the keys to success are within everyone’s grasp. Knowing that one person’s success looks different than others keeps us from devaluing our accomplishments by comparing them.
Dr. Bhatta advocates that people who desire success must be mindful of these five pillars. It is not enough to merely want success. Success is attainable by giving attention to the following: trying to achieve at the highest level of your platform, using the tools available to your most significant ability, and putting forth your grandest efforts. People must also be aware of how their characteristics both assist and hinder them in pursuing their goals. And lastly, they must maximize on the divine, or luck, they receive.