Some people have all the luck

'But it is so easy for you. You are so talented and good at everything. Not all of us are as talented as you. So unfair,' she said.


We were having a conversation about loving what you do and doing what you love and whether it is indeed possible to follow your passion and make a  decent living out of it.

I wanted to tell her that most people saw only the sheen, not the grit, nor the passing through the cogs a million times, bearing the pain as you discovered you were much stronger than you thought and that you did not crumble after all.

I wanted to tell her about the thousands and thousands of pages I have written before I was considered worthy of publication. I wanted to tell her about the  back-breaking hours of  meticulous research I have done, sometimes to write just a single para, so that the facts I am stating are accurate.

I wanted to tell her about how I travelled in so many Indian cities, in the unrelenting heat, going to far flung colleges that offered art courses, looking for someone who would teach me portraiture specifically, but how I returned back each time disappointed.

I wanted to tell her  in the UK, when I finally found the portraiture course that I wanted to do, how I walked through four inches of snow, in freezing sub-zero temperatures for 35 minutes to reach my class and how I was the only student in the course who had the rare distinction of not missing a single class.

I wanted to tell her about the time I cried and cried when I lost my dad, and the people I considered 'friends' turned away and how strangers who I met online turned out to be my biggest support systems (and later good friends).
 I wanted to tell her that the best way I discovered to overcome my grief was to immerse myself in work and more work.

I wanted to tell her about all the opportunities I had grabbed even the seemingly useless ones, because I was so afraid that if I did not, the void that was inside me would engulf me.

I wanted to tell her that I wrote  and I painted as I had finally found my calling.
I wanted to finally tell her that  'I really think it is not about talent, it is about hard work. But most people do not seem to see that.'

But I do not think she wanted to hear.

So  I smiled and said  "Yeah, you're right you know. Some people have all the luck. It is so unfair."
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Comments

  1. yeah..of course you must be hearing it all the time...people only see the success not the determination & hard work that made it happen.....WE, your fans know your hardwork (ur work shows that, your books show that) but some people would just not understand....let them be, n keep goin on...just the way u always do...good that u dont know any other way :-)
    may God keep blessing you :-)

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  2. :)! Hugz! This made me remind all my struggles in this country as well.

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  3. dis is for d first time i m writing here.

    sorry for the slang.

    well, frankly speaking we do meet such people who always keep cribbing, mostly due to and on luck. i wish i could share with you how a seemingly casual boy got transformed himself into a man with the hard work that he did. he knew none of the arts required for his profession, but he learnt them with such sincerity that he today he has risen to a place where none amongst his mates could reach, created a record, rewrote the history and hopefully he is going to be honoured with a one of the highly respected Presidential awards at he hands of H.E. The President of India.

    P.S.: the guy i am mentioning above has one very significant similarity with Madam. Both love writing and mind it, we guys communicate with letters, yes i am mentioning about hand written letters sent by post!!!

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  4. *hugs and kisses*

    Just redirect everyone who says you have it all to this post.

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  5. Anonymous6:51 AM

    Each of us can fill our life with things we want, provided we are willing to pay the price to get it.

    Sad, that people will envy you your life, but not learn from you the actionables which took you there.

    You handle the comments in a very mature way. No point arguing with people who don't want to understand.

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  6. Anonymous6:51 AM

    Each of us can fill our life with things we want, provided we are willing to pay the price to get it.

    Sad, that people will envy you your life, but not learn from you the actionables which took you there.

    You handle the comments in a very mature way. No point arguing with people who don't want to understand.

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  7. Anonymous7:11 AM

    Sorry, clicked twice!

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  8. Anonymous8:05 AM

    Unfair that only success is visible to people and the efforts that were put in to reach there are ignored.

    People hardly realise that everyone has their share of ups and downs and the successful person right in front of you is the one who had the guts to rise up every time after falling down.
    Recently a friend of mine told me that I am plain lucky to find a job immediately after quitting the previous one, and that too in a city like Delhi which has no scope for the technology I work in. Now, how can I explain to her that I sat at home for 2 months, unemployed and gave 5 interviews before I earned this job!

    Sigh! But that's how life is. You've been doing pretty well in handling things and I am sure you will continue to do.

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  9. I know I want to do something with my life. Not sit in an office and just be there, I want to do something which will make me happy. Will I be able to... I do not know... but I want to try. Am I trying? Maybe not hard enough.

    Thank you for writing this post... I think I need to tell myself that I have to push myself and never feel later that I should have done more.

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  10. Yes, so many times people just see the glamour and not the grit and determination and backbreaking work behind it .. Ah well whenever I am low on motivation or I need a well timed kick on my butt I come over here and read what you have to say .. brings me right back on track :)

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  11. Really life is like that only -hard. We can't be at the top in a night, it takes lot of hard days to make it to success(if we go the straight way).
    Preeti Di, hadn't thought your life had so many challenges. Yes, i am like those typical people everyone is pointing.

    And you indeed is a superwoman.

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  12. Anonymous11:59 AM

    Hi Preeti,

    Have been following your blog for quite sometime but this is the 1st time I am commenting here.

    I do not mean to undermine all the hard work that one has to do to become successful but along with the tremendous amount of time & energy one puts into it, don't we need that sheer talent that will make us successful and may be even an iota of luck that will help us identify the innate talent in us..
    Just wanted to know your thoughts on it.

    Just to clarify, I do not in any way agree with the 'her' in the post. But I do feel that along with hard work, one needs to be lucky at least a bit. Don't you think so?

    - Mystery

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  13. Yeah right its unfair. When someone is doing good people tend to say those lines whoever said it to you. None of them care to know what was the efforts put in.

    When I got selected in one of the known companies (which did not even call me yet since 2 months ) my college mates told it is your luck. Bah.. What luck? I earned it. I did four internships every semester breaks, working in leading companies in Bangalore without stipend, living on the money that my dad gave, and when I was stone broke I had to skip food for weeks because I did not feel like asking more from my dad. Skipped to take public transport just to save money and had to walk for for miles to reach my place. had to adjust in someone else's house and when I got PG, was thrown out before I could complete my duration ( she did not bother to give back my Rs.5000 till date) Got bullied by boss..

    And others say its all luck! wow.Only some of my good friends know how hard it was for me to get here. They keep cheering me up. Yes its all my luck, I grabbed opportunity, had to pay for it but its worth it. :) I can understand what you are saying Preeti. It is waste of explaining them because they won't understand.

    I would tell You worked hard to get your luck to stick to you.. Just keep working hard and see the luck will follow you asking ' Preeti Madam, Preeti Madam, let me be with you PLEASE!'

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  14. Preeti, After reading your blogs the first thing I did was to order your books. I should say that both your books as well as your blogs gives a clear indication that you have something special in you. You are unique. You have a profound influence on all your readers. We can very well understand the hardwork and effort behind all your success.

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  15. Devangana: thanks a lot :) Hope you liked them.

    Sridevi: You are always super-sweet to me :) Good you used all your set-backs as a stepping stone. Wishing you the very best.

    Lifeismystery: Thank you for commenting. I do believe that so called Talent is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. Everyone is talented in SOMETHING surely? May not be a 'big thing' like playing football..Maybe a talent lies in running a home well? In being a good mother? In helping others? In teaching street kids? I think if we look within ourselves and find out true calling, our talents will automatically emerge.

    Jnyandeep: I am no superwoman but thanks! :)

    Ruchira: Aww--thanks :)

    Aathira: Now is the time for you to enjoy your darling daughter!! There is sooo much time ahead of you!

    itswhereiscribble: You are kind :) Thank you.

    oijuggle: People will always envy! But I am fine with that now :)

    Sucheta: A big hug right back!

    Ankur: You have already shared the story! All that remains is the name :)

    Shachi: same pinch :)

    Priyaa: God bless you too!

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    Replies
    1. You are. Everyone who believe in determination and hardwork is a superwomen or superman.

      I fancy being one someday. God bless me.

      Delete
  16. That's what they do, don't they? I feel such assumptions are either just a lame attempt at conversation or a very rude way, which is the case most of the times, to dismiss the fact that someone has really worked hard to get there where she is now.

    I read somewhere that luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Therefore, by calling someone plain lucky, this brazen person, had she really understood the meaning of luck, would also have known that a lot of preparation and hard work was required to mint this luck after all!

    No matter what some say, for there will be some who like to paint with dirt, there are still others who know you better, have learnt about your ups and downs through your blog, and truly congratulate you on being the writer you are, the card maker and painter and above all a lovely Mother of Two :)

    Love always,
    Cheers!

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  17. Anonymous4:19 PM

    just read 34 bubblesgums & candies yesterday.... love the way you described things from a different perspective. you're right, people you think are your friends suddenly leave your side. it is sad, but that never stops me from making new friends :)happy painting ! i find art the best place to lose yourself , so relaxing & stress free

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  18. Am I?? Or is it because you are super sweet :) ... Thank you so much. When I get a job I am gonna tweet about it to you :) And when you launch your 4th book, I will be there :D

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  19. Hmm I don't know about that girl but I got to know how many hard roads you have traveled to reach the position you are at right now...
    And as I always believe there is no substitute to Hardwork you have once again proved right here
    And as I previously commented on one of your posts that no matter what you say there will be people who will criticize you and you should be encouraged that you are so good that people have started criticize you

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  20. You know I strongly believe that the type of people who make such comment actually never chased any dream with passion. Because everytime their passion called them they were busy weighing the possibility of their being lucky/unlucky in doing it successfully :D

    Loved your reply Preeti....that's the way to go ! I always aspire to be like you.. and God willing someday I surely will.

    Your Book life is what you make it was a gift to me which has opened new doors of possibilities to me and also made me aware what my true calling was - writing :)

    I can never thank you enough for that Preeti...Thanks a ton!

    May your tribe increase....AMEN

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  21. A beautiful touching post, written straight from the heart and that's what I respect most about you. You are not afraid to be the person that you are. You resonate it 24X7 and leave us with amazing positive energy. That takes inner light and real courage. Cheers!

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  22. Preeti Mam,
    I am remembering the book "The monk who sold his Ferrari' by Robin Sharma.‘In that book, the narrator of the story,John asks the central character Julian, “what is called ‘Luck’ my dear friend?”. Then Julian replies, “It’s nothing more than the marriage of preparation with opportunity”. As we see, preparation plays an important role in life success. When opportunity comes to a person, who is prepared, he can take the opportunity. This is what Julian Mantle considered as luck. So, if the luck knocks an unprepared mind, there is a high probability that, he miss his opportunity and misses his luck. So to be the lucky person, we all have to be well prepared ...

    Congratulations!! You are really a lucky person as you are really well prepared..

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  23. Preeti Mam, I was thinking about the book "The monk who sold his ferrari", by Robin Sharma.‘In that book, the narrator of the story,John asks the central character Julian, “what is called ‘Luck’ my dear friend?”. Then Julian replies, “It’s nothing more than the marriage of preparation with opportunity”. As we see, preparation plays an important role in life success. When opportunity comes to a person, who is prepared, he can take the opportunity. This is what Julian Mantle considered as luck. So, if the luck knocks an unprepared mind, there is a high probability that, he miss his opportunity and misses his luck. So to be the lucky person, we all have to be well prepared .
    And congratulations Mam, You are a very person,as you are so prepared through your dedication, passion and hard work.
    Take care..

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  24. hihiihi smart and wiity u :-)
    i like that :-)

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  25. hihiiih ur so smart nd witty
    i like dat :-)

    ReplyDelete

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