Setback Success Stardom & An Innocuous Catapult

 Safety of Ports or Sea of Opportunities?

Ships, berthed at ports are safe. But aren't ships meant to be out there on the high seas, conquering waves and braving storms searching for treasures that lie seven seas and beyond?

Life is no different.

Caged in protective environments and living off what has been inherited is survival,  mere existence. Repeated setbacks and failures are integral to chasing dreams and fulfilling them. Triumphs over tribulations sweeten success to no end. Poise with which setbacks are handled and the determination to get back on the feet to persist with the fight set victors apart from the vanquished.

Setback and spring back! The innocuous catapult has a lot to teach.

Scenes Behind Success

The pellet and the target grab all the attention. The straining structure, stretched strings and soft seating are seldom seen. It is the pellet’s impact that is always discussed and not what got it there. Without untiring stems, instantaneously retracting elastic strings and a secure seating, the pellet could have never taken flight.  

It is the success and fame of an individual that we notice, admire and envy. Success pushes the sweat and blood, toil and torment into the shadows. Glitz and glory, covers wounds and scars.

What better an analogy than a catapult?

The Skelton 

Take a look at the catapult. The most striking aspect about this very rudimentary weapon is the skeletal construct consisting of a stem, the lower straight part branching out into two hands at the top. The stem and the two branches have to be strong enough individually and collectively to withstand pulls. Short stems are unstable compared to longer stems and may not generate enough throw. Long stems leverage launch better than short ones.

The branches symbolise the domain of our skill sets, competencies, aptitudes as well as physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual assets. Though we may not be equally competent in all the assets we possess, each one has to be individually strong enough to withstand the demands made on it, internal synergies making the union better.

The main stem represents our values and belief systems, inherited and acquired. How deep-rooted the competencies are in value-belief systems, dictates how well an individual can weather struggles, stress and strain. Fickle minds, short stems, flip easy. Deep rooted value systems help leverage unbelievable inner capacities so strong it can weather even the most terrible of real-life storms.

Fulcrum

A crucial part of the catapult is the joint where the two branches join the main stem. Structurally, it is the fulcrum that hosts three cantilevers straining against each other. In real life, it is the decision center, the human mind where excruciating dilemmas of “to be or not to be” are hosted, churned and handled. It dictates thresholds and tolerance, decides on strive or surrender, opts between flight and fight, choose between morality and convenience, and handles conflicts and convergence. This junction belongs to both the branches and the stem.

Deceptive Looks

The catapult, without the strings, is just a piece of dead wood. It is the elasticity of this flimsy looking pieces that allows the catapult to gather energy and garner momentum while being stretched. Under stress and strain, it actually plots to strike back the moment it can. Its ability to instantaneously spring back to normalcy gives it the power to throw far and impact the target. It also defines the limitations of the catapult. Under strain if it breaks, the catapult is nothing but firewood.

In real life, they define the limits to which an individual can stretch himself or herself. It defines the tolerance limits, the breaking points. It symbolises determination and persistency components of human efforts and together, our endurance. The instantaneous retraction is the ability to get back after each fall. Every throw may not reach or destroy the target. But with time each throw does.  Spurts of determination may not guarantee victory but persistence seldom goes unrewarded. Easily broken strings are nothing but burdens.

Cocoon or Cage?

The seating, innocuous at first sight, is as important as other components. Though it holds the pellet secure when pulled back, it doesn’t hinder the pellet’s flight forward. It actually facilitates the pellet’s release at the right time.

In real life it is our comfort zone. Whether it becomes an enabling nourishing cocoon that help us emerge victorious or a debilitating cage the safety of which we cling on depends on us. While cocooned we prepare ourselves to be launched to the target regardless of the uncertain flight. The decision to cage or cocoon oneself makes all the difference between success and failure. The willingness to abandon comfort zones and launch oneself into the vast expanse of uncertainty is a key factor in achieving success in life.

Search

Individual strength of each part of the catapult is important but its shoot efficiency comes from how well the parts converge and generate synergies. More than the excellence in one individual trait or few skills, what matters is the collective strength of skills and competencies and the ability to bring it to play when and where required. But for longevity of success and good of the society these have to be deep rooted in strong value systems.

Search. Look inwards. 

You may find the beautiful catapult ready to leverage your strengths and launch you into stardom. 

Pick up and launch. 

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