One Equation and Three Axioms

Steven Hawking has once said, "One can't really argue with a mathematical theorem."

As a mathematician, I believe in it whole heartedly. However, mathematical theorems are not the only ones which are absolute, there are equations and axioms in life which are also absolute.

Today, I will like share with you one equation and three axioms of life.

First is the equation is by Jack Canfield (co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul).

Outcome = Event + Response

Most people when face with setbacks will say that they are just no good, or they do not have rich parents or they are plain unlucky. They blame anyone, anything but themselves. This is the fact:

“We cannot control every single thing that happens to us, but we can control how we choose to respond to it.”

Nick Vujicic is in Singapore recently. He is 30 year old Australian, a truly amazing person. He was born without limbs. He attempted suicide when he was 10 as he was an easy target for bullies in school. However, he defies all odds and went to graduate with a double degree in accounting and financial planning. Today, he is a sought-after motivational speaker, leading a life without limits. And this is what he said

“If you can't get a miracle, become one.”

Instead of wallowing in self-pity of why he was born this way, he takes responsibility for his own life to be the best person that he can be and traded the life of self pity to a life of purpose.

This is the power of the equation, Outcome equals to event plus RESPONSE.

Next I will move on to the three axioms.

Axiom Number 1.
You are what you believe and you have to take responsibility for the outcome. Taking responsibility will give you the power to be in control.

Let me share with you another story that of Roger Bannister. At the time when people believed that it was not only impossible for a person to complete one mile in less than four minutes but also dangerous to the health of those who tried to do so, he chose to believe otherwise. He not just believed in it, he took responsibility for it. Roger Bannister was then a 25-year old medical student at Oxford. He trained hard and he approached his belief scientifically using his medical knowledge. On that fateful day, May 6, 1954, he raced and crossed the finish line with a time of 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds. The psychological barrier of 4 minute mile was broken forever.

Axiom Number 2. Persistence pays. The key to success in life is to take consistent action every day, every minute, every moment. Every time you do something you learn from it and you will find a way to do it better next time.

By using this same formula, we have Colonel Sanders who built an empire of KFC restaurants all over the world. At the age of 65, Colonel Sanders’ one and only restaurant failed due to the opening of the new highway, Interstate 75 which diverted customers’ traffic from his restaurant. He took a meager $105 dollars from his first social security check. He then decided to sell his secret chicken recipe. He was a very, very, very persistent man and he stayed true to his path even after 1,009 “no”s. He succeeded eventually because he focused on the solution and not the problem. With each “no”, he learnt how to win a potential franchise in his next encounter.

Axiom Number 3 is the most important. I save the best for the last. It is to have goals . You cannot hit a target if you do not know what it is. Setting goals will us focus and move us in the direction we would like to go.

So my dear friends, do set goals that stretch your potential. Believe in yourself, take responsibility for your action and be persistent. And I will like to close with the following chorus from the song, I believe I can fly by R Kelly,

I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe