What do you think yoga and spiritual teachings have to say about accomplishments? Achieving success in life is certainly something we should strive for, but here's the key—when we get too wrapped up in our accomplishments, we start to believe that they define who we are. And that’s where the suffering begins. We forget the essence of who we truly are—the awareness and love that’s always present, no matter our external achievements.
There’s an ancient Indian story that captures this beautifully.
A wise king wanted his son, the future heir to the throne, to learn true wisdom before becoming ruler. So, the king made a bold decision. He sent his son away in the middle of the night, dressed as a beggar, and ordered that the boy never be allowed back into the kingdom. The prince, with no memory of his royal status, lived for years as a beggar, begging for food, shelter, and even shoes to protect his feet from the burning hot ground.
One day, as he sat outside a hotel begging for a few coins, a golden chariot arrived. A man stepped out and said, "Your father is dying and has called you back. You are to be the next king." In an instant, everything changed. The man who had once been a beggar stood tall, his face and eyes reflecting the confidence of a prince, though he was still in his ragged clothes. He climbed into the chariot and demanded to be taken somewhere where he could bathe, change into royal clothes, and return to the palace as the prince he truly was.
When he reunited with his father, he asked, "Why did you make me live as a beggar for so many years? I had forgotten who I was. If you hadn’t called me back, I would have died as a beggar, never knowing I was a prince."
The king replied, "This is the same lesson my father taught me. You needed to experience both extremes—being a beggar and being a king—to understand that neither is who you truly are. These are identities given by the world. They can change in an instant, but they do not define you. True wisdom comes when you realize that you are something beyond any title—prince or beggar. You are something eternal, unchangeable."
The deeper message here is this: Accomplishments are wonderful, but they do not define us. Whether you’re riding high as a "king" or facing hardships as a "beggar," those are just roles the world gives you. Your true self—the part that is eternal and unchangeable—exists beyond all of that.
So, the question to ask yourself is, "What am I really? Am I defined by my successes or failures, or is there something deeper, something more enduring within me?"
I’d love to know what this story brings up for you. Do you feel like there’s an identity or accomplishment you’ve been holding onto too tightly? If so, what’s one thing you could let go of, to reconnect with who you truly are?
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