VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE Volume 5.4 May 2017 | Page 21

Opinion S tick to your roots. Why even after success you should stay grounded. By Gauri Bhrigu is something everyone is after. Something everyone wants S to uccess achieve in their respective lifespans. Many, who have achieved it, manage it well. But, for others, it can get to their heads. There have been numerous “success gone wrong” cases: people making bad decisions and ending up losing everything they have, becoming overconfident and thinking that they are better than others etc. This attitude can cost them their career. As students, it is necessary for us to understand how big a role success plays in our lives. Sticking to your roots is an important part of maintaining one’s success. It prevents success from overwhelming you. To stick to your roots means to stay true to yourself and follow what you have been taught. And though there have been several cases of “success gone wrong”, there have been many more cases of success gone right. These people are usually grounded in nature; people who use their success responsibly. The traditions, the values, the morals all prevent one from abusing their power and stop it from affecting them personally. Success is power and with “great power comes great responsibility”. Being responsible is to control the influence success has over you. This is crucial. Priyanka Chopra is an Indian actress, singer, film producer, philanthropist, and the winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant. A huge star in India, she decided to try her hand in Hollywood. She released songs and starred in tv shows and movies and became widely accepted in the States. She is a perfect example of someone who didn’t allow success to change who she was. She didn’t discard her Indian culture and values, even after moving to a new country, and a different movie industry. She didn’t change herself just so she could fit in. In fact, she brought it with her. On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon she played Holi, a Hindu festival of colors. Many celebrities try to act differently or change their way of living just for the sake of fitting in. They shy away from anything that might make them seem different. Not her. This might be why many young girls look up to her. Sticking to your roots keeps you grounded. It keeps you in check. Yes, success can be stressful and depressing. But staying true to yourself, can prevent it from getting the best of you. Staying in touch with your roots will help you be satisfied with what you have and will keep things in balance. In this tight knit Christian community of ours, it can be diffi- cult to envision anyone being badly influenced by success. But, outside this community it very much possible. So even when you leave this place, remember the teachings, the lessons and the morals you were taught as these would be your root and would be the anchor that keeps you from floating away. Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this page do not, in any way, represent the school’s opinion. These are owned and freely expressed by the individuals per se. 20