13 February, 2013

Strong headed vs Strong minded

Some people say and think about me as, "very strong headed, rigid", etc. Some of my friends tell me, "it is very difficult to change your mind."
I would say Yes and No to the above. I am strong minded and strong willed. But I am not really RIGID or stubborn. Yes, I have a mind of my own and once I know that I am right, I make up my mind in one direction, I stick to it. I do not let anyone or anything dissuade me. I take the ground even if there are obstacles. This has nothing to do with rigidity. It has more to do with integrity and self respect. It is not ego. It is being answerable to your conscience, to your inner deeper self. One must have principles in life and should live with them. In Hindi we have a proverb, "Ganga gaye Gangadas, Jamuna gaye Jamunadas." Another similar one is, "Bin painde ka lota". Both these literally mean, a person who changes his party and mind quickly or a person who has no principles. He or she cannot be depended upon. Because this person is shallow. Another one is, "thali ka baingan. Na idhar ka na udhar ka." It refers to brinjal, which is kept on a plate and is unstable. But also in English we have a saying, "When in Rome, do as Romans do". Which means, that it is polite and also possibly more advantageous to abide by the customs of the society you live in. But in my case, I am my own society, my own moral police. I set rules and guidelines for myself and am ready to bear its advantages and disadvantages. At the end of the day, I am answerable to myself. In that perspective, if you think I am rigid and strong headed, then maybe I am. I execute and finish my tasks with determination, focus and precision. I am goal oriented, infallible, unwavering, unflinching and unshakable.