More than 35 years ago I was blacklisted from jobs in Mumbai. Also my family took my being sacked from an earlier job very badly and put a lot of pressure on me to find employment. I did not understand the intentions of high society which was to teach me a lesson and hound me out of Mumbai.
My reaction (I will not call it a response) was legendary in terms of foolishness. I posted two job applications a day, every day, for a year and attended all the interviews I could. All to no avail since I had been blacklisted.
This was prior to the Internet so it required some effort.
News of my job hunt travelled around the world.
Now 35 years later I need a job again. My strategy this time around will be completely different. This strategy will be based on my reading of spiritual books. Have a look at the quote below:
Rumi
I have successfully developed a routine for my daily needs for it is not my nature to exert my energies unnecessarily and bring needless suffering upon myself. Indeed, for my earthly needs like money, food, clothing, and other basics, if I just stay put and remain patient, they come my way. When I chase after them my life becomes a suffering hell and I feel diminished. When I wait, however, everything comes to me painlessly and graciously, for those needs are also seeking me and are pulling me towards them. If they can’t pull me then they come to me; and if I can’t properly attract them, I eventually go after them.
Rumi’s Little Book of Wisdom Reviews & Ratings – Amazon.in
So basically wait. No need to be desperate for a job (or even the necessities of life). If the job does not come on its own then it may be necessary to make some efforts. But Plan A is to be patient and wait.
Here is another quote this time from Emerson’s Essay on Self Reliance:
Caliph Ali is quoted as saying: Thy lot or portion in life is seeking after thee. Therefore be at rest from seeking after it.
Basically depend on God’s will. Advaita Vedanta thinks of this life on earth and the Universe as God’s dream. God can dream what he likes; it depends on him. No need to worry because:
- Firstly it is all a dream, an appearance.
- The sense of a self separate from the rest of existence is a delusion. So it logically follows that whatever is experienced by the separate self is also a delusion. How could it be otherwise. Why worry what might happen to Nikhil Gangoli when you are not Nikhil Gangoli
- God is unconditional love. And he knows what is best for us.
Solid reasons to stop worrying and live life.
Now you need to use a bit of common sense in applying these teachings. Rumi was a man of God so what was best for him may not be what will work for you.
Basically what you can do is to try but not very hard. Don’t be desperate and don’t lose your dignity. Your getting a job does not mainly depend on you or even your prospective employer. God – as I said earlier – can dream what he likes.
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