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You are here: Home / Life / The 41st Lesson

The 41st Lesson

I read this story recently about a man who went fishing in his boat. After some waiting, something tugged on the line. He got it out.

He saw the fish had silver and gold-coloured fins. It was very beautiful. He put it in the boat, even as the fish started struggling for life.

Then, to his surprise, the fish spoke, “Let me go into the river. Just put me back in the water. I will give you three wishes. You can ask for anything but put me back in the water now.”

The man thought for a few minutes. The fish was struggling for life, getting weaker and weaker.

Then he said, “Okay make it five wishes, I’ll let you go.”

The fish said, “No, three.” Its voice was already weak.

The man then thought for a few more minutes and said, “Okay four-and-a-half.”

The fish was very weak, but managed to say, “No, only three, I can do only three.”

Then the man again said, “Okay let’s make a deal – four.”

The fish didn’t say anything.

It was dead.

I remember this story on my birthday today. Birthdays, after all, serve as reminders that life isn’t standing still and is, in fact, passing by quickly.

Turning forty-one has made me look back and reflect on the last four decades of my life. And like I have done over the past few years – see here, here, here, here, and here – I wanted to share one key life lesson – the 41st lesson – that has guided my life over the past few years.

And that lesson is to live life as it is, without trying to deal with it.

Life is short. It is just slipping all the time. And if we use our limited time here trying to make deals with it, it will be over before we know what’s happening.

Instead of regretting about the past and worrying about the future, if we put all our attention and energy towards living in this moment – which is all that we have – and working on our inner wellbeing – which is all what we can control, whatever the situation – that should be a life well lived (not dealt with, but lived).

As I look back at these forty-one years, I have run into quite a few bumps and climbed over a few mountains. And who hasn’t?

But the fact that I have survived to tell you the tale makes me realize how lucky I am to be here, right now, writing these words. And how grateful I should be, every waking moment, for this miracle called “life,” instead of trying to make deals with it.

Who knows how many birthdays I will see?

Let me not waste time dealing, only living.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Naman Garg says

    December 7, 2019 at 2:39 pm

    Happy Birthday Sir!

  2. Yash Mishra says

    December 7, 2019 at 3:20 pm

    Happy Birthday Vishalji !! Lots of love.

  3. Koustubh says

    December 7, 2019 at 3:21 pm

    Wishing you a very Happy Birthday

  4. Anand N V says

    December 7, 2019 at 3:43 pm

    Happy birthday Vishal

    • Rajesh says

      December 8, 2019 at 4:53 pm

      Happy Birthday Vishal

  5. Madan Lal Sikri says

    December 7, 2019 at 4:52 pm

    Wish you many many Happy Returns of the Day Vishal…God bless you with good health n Happy life ahead..Keep enrichting the tribe members with your wise words on living life n investing..Best Wishes.

  6. Ranjith Adiga says

    December 7, 2019 at 6:27 pm

    Happy birthday sir

    • Hashim Nomani says

      December 10, 2019 at 10:07 am

      Many happy returns of the day Vishalji🎂

  7. Yogesh says

    December 8, 2019 at 9:00 am

    Happy birthday 💐🎂

  8. Rahul Chaudhary says

    December 8, 2019 at 11:37 am

    Happy Birthday .

  9. Dr. Chetali Samant says

    December 8, 2019 at 12:57 pm

    Happy Birthday Dear Vishal, apki life Vishal aur Safal rahe 🙂

  10. Sayuj Nath says

    December 8, 2019 at 2:36 pm

    Happy Birthday.

    • Suresh says

      December 9, 2019 at 4:14 pm

      Happy birthday vishal. 41st birthday is nothing. Still a lot of steam left. 40s are the right period to assimilate our experience. I really enjoyed my life during 40s and 50s. No regrets. At 62, life seems still good. All the best

  11. Ketan Desai says

    December 8, 2019 at 2:42 pm

    Wish you many many happy returns of the day, dear Vishal. Good reflections, as usual. Keep writing, and inspiring people like me!
    Cheers. Ketan

  12. Akshay joshi says

    December 8, 2019 at 2:43 pm

    Happy birthday vishal sir

  13. Kranthi says

    December 8, 2019 at 2:55 pm

    Happy birthday

  14. Dr Suresh S Sarda says

    December 8, 2019 at 2:56 pm

    Vishal, you are rare combination of knowledge and peace. You are calm, even though you are in a volatile field. God bless you.

    Many many happy returns of the day! It’s never late for a celebration!

    • Yogendra Singh says

      December 8, 2019 at 3:43 pm

      Happy Birthday Sir😊

  15. GAURAV VASHISTHA (IT DEPT) says

    December 8, 2019 at 3:01 pm

    wish you happy birth day sir ji

  16. Rajeev says

    December 8, 2019 at 3:25 pm

    Happy Birthday Vishal

    Hope you have a healthy year. Enjoy every moment. Wonderfully expressed by you… Let’s live in the moment.

  17. Venkatesh says

    December 8, 2019 at 3:40 pm

    Happy birthday

  18. Jay says

    December 8, 2019 at 3:45 pm

    Happy bday Vishal!

  19. Hari says

    December 8, 2019 at 3:56 pm

    Happy birthday Vishalji! Wishing you many more!
    Thanks for sharing this deep perspective.

  20. Sourabh Kumar wankhede says

    December 8, 2019 at 4:01 pm

    Best wishes on your Birthday sir.

  21. bala says

    December 8, 2019 at 4:12 pm

    Happy Birthday Vishal.

  22. Deepak pandey says

    December 8, 2019 at 4:16 pm

    Happy b’day Vishal!! Every post of yours make me richer in my understanding about Life. God bless you!!

  23. Ca Mukesh Chudiwal says

    December 8, 2019 at 4:21 pm

    Happy bday Vishal Sir!

  24. Atul Sodhi says

    December 8, 2019 at 4:33 pm

    Happy Birthday Vishal ji

  25. Sanjai Saxena says

    December 8, 2019 at 4:34 pm

    A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip.

  26. Arun Kanakal says

    December 8, 2019 at 4:35 pm

    Dear Vishal : wish you a Happy Birthday. GOD bless you and wish many many more Birthdays so that we keep on learning lessons from you. 🌹🌹🌹

  27. Dr madhavarao says

    December 8, 2019 at 4:44 pm

    Many many happy returns of the day.

  28. Vohra Mohammedi says

    December 8, 2019 at 4:48 pm

    Wow,,what a sublime post. Happy birthday!!

  29. SASIKUMAR says

    December 8, 2019 at 4:51 pm

    Long Live,Vishal !

  30. Praveen says

    December 8, 2019 at 4:52 pm

    Many more happy returns of the day Dear Vishal sir..

  31. Pd says

    December 8, 2019 at 4:53 pm

    Wishing Vishal ji more of healthier years ahead!

  32. Amit says

    December 8, 2019 at 5:05 pm

    Happy birthday Vishal ,
    I wish that we will be receiving many more lessons on each of your future birthdays.
    God bless..

  33. Neeraj says

    December 8, 2019 at 5:11 pm

    Happy birthday Vishal….

  34. Shashikant Patel says

    December 8, 2019 at 5:13 pm

    Happy Birthday Vishal
    have a Vishal life ahead and keep
    making people’s life Vishal like yours

    🙏Thanks for your Vishal wisdoms
    Truly a meaningful name of your

  35. Vineet Nagpal says

    December 8, 2019 at 5:14 pm

    Many many wishes on your birthday. keep writing your stories as it really opens up mind and heart and the way we should live and lead our life . Stay blessed.

  36. Vijay Tiwari says

    December 8, 2019 at 5:32 pm

    Happy Birthday Sir.

  37. Milind says

    December 8, 2019 at 5:36 pm

    Happy birthday Vishal!
    Great thought you shared, as always.
    God bless you.

  38. Vishal Goswami says

    December 8, 2019 at 5:37 pm

    Happy Birthday Vishal!

  39. Manish says

    December 8, 2019 at 5:41 pm

    Happy Birthday Vishal. Enjoy the day.

  40. R K Chandrashekar says

    December 8, 2019 at 5:43 pm

    Posterity will remember your life as well lived. God bless a noble soul.

  41. Chakor says

    December 8, 2019 at 5:45 pm

    Happy birthday Vishal.
    You will definitely live this life king-size as you have chosen path of deliverying and serving people unselfishly.

  42. Mohit says

    December 8, 2019 at 6:01 pm

    Happy Birthday Vishal! We share the 41st! KeEp RoCkInG!

  43. Aysel Ozkan says

    December 8, 2019 at 6:18 pm

    Happy Birthday Vishal

  44. Vivek Mallik says

    December 8, 2019 at 6:27 pm

    May HIS blessings be always with you.
    Regards,

  45. abhay gaglani says

    December 8, 2019 at 6:34 pm

    Happy Birthday, Vishal

  46. Jamnadas Gajera says

    December 8, 2019 at 6:37 pm

    Happy Birthday.

    • Girish Deo says

      December 8, 2019 at 8:00 pm

      Vishalji,
      Happy birthday.
      Wish you a happy, healthy, prosperous and a long peaceful life.

  47. Ramesh Babu says

    December 8, 2019 at 6:53 pm

    Many Many Happy returns of the day.Happy Birthday !

  48. Indra says

    December 8, 2019 at 7:25 pm

    What a story and words. Happy Birthday Sir!

  49. Vikas Maheshwari says

    December 8, 2019 at 8:05 pm

    Many Many Happy Returns of the Vishal…

  50. MOHIT SINGAL says

    December 8, 2019 at 8:25 pm

    Yours writing always enlighten me.
    I wish I could write likes you.
    Please suggest me some books.
    May God bless you good health and long life.
    Warm regards
    MOHIT SINGAL

  51. Bill says

    December 8, 2019 at 8:43 pm

    Well written!

  52. Satish Sinha says

    December 8, 2019 at 9:44 pm

    Happy Birthday dear Vishal. God is gr8 and really we have this very moment to live.

  53. Shambu Padma says

    December 8, 2019 at 9:45 pm

    Belated Happy Birthday Sir
    Upcoming year gives you lot of prosperity & health,wealth
    More importantly Energy for teaching & inspiring the newcomers to Financial world

  54. Prashanth says

    December 8, 2019 at 9:51 pm

    Wish you many many Happy Returns of the Day Vishal…God bless you with good health n Happy life ahead..Keep enrichting the tribe members with your wise words on living life n investing..Best Wishes.

  55. Mehul Dadia says

    December 8, 2019 at 10:07 pm

    Very well written Vishal!!

  56. Arpit Jain says

    December 8, 2019 at 11:05 pm

    Belated Happy Birthday Vishal sir..!!

    Cheers,

  57. Yuvarajan says

    December 8, 2019 at 11:06 pm

    Happy birthday Vishal sir.

  58. anand says

    December 8, 2019 at 11:07 pm

    Belated best wishes and a nice thought provoking story which talks volumes. But again it all depends on the circumstances and its relevance to the particular context setting.

  59. R.Sridhar says

    December 8, 2019 at 11:10 pm

    Vishal, Wish you a very happy Birthday and a great year ahead. You have a unique way of writing and keep us all engaged through out the year and give us many interesting things to learn. We are all extremely lucky to receive your wisdom and wish you a long life.

  60. Sachiv Mehta says

    December 8, 2019 at 11:29 pm

    Happy birthday- any specific lessons for the 40th?!

  61. Dhananjay Joshi says

    December 8, 2019 at 11:40 pm

    Happy Birthday Vishalji.
    Be blessed always.
    Love

  62. Saurav says

    December 8, 2019 at 11:51 pm

    Many happy returns Vishal! Your posts are quite insightful.

  63. Anil says

    December 8, 2019 at 11:56 pm

    Belated Happy birthday Vishal. May all your dreams come true.

    • Eric Grau says

      December 9, 2019 at 3:51 am

      A very happy birthday to you, Vishal, and may you live many long years the way you did till today and continue to enrich your readers with your wisdom.
      Best wishes, Eric

  64. Timothy Davis says

    December 9, 2019 at 6:55 am

    Excellent message Vishal and today (7th) is my 56th birthday so cheers to both of us🎉🎂🥂

  65. Utpal says

    December 9, 2019 at 7:00 am

    belated happy birthday Vishal, live long!

  66. Amit Bhavikatti says

    December 9, 2019 at 9:11 am

    Happy Birthday Vishal sir. Wishing you a long and safal life!

  67. Ramu Sadawarte says

    December 9, 2019 at 9:25 am

    Happy Birthday Vishal !!!!!

  68. Rohi Shetty says

    December 9, 2019 at 9:30 am

    Many happy returns of the day, Vishal! Thanks for the wonderful story.

  69. Faisal says

    December 9, 2019 at 10:09 am

    Happy Birthday Vishal sir, I have learnt a lot from you, your articles are so simple to read yet packed with great wisdom. Thanks for doing what you have been doing.

  70. Amar Kumar says

    December 9, 2019 at 11:09 am

    Happy Birthday Vishal Sir.

    You are Great

  71. Prashanth says

    December 9, 2019 at 11:16 am

    Many happy returns of the day Sir. God bless.

  72. Brad says

    December 9, 2019 at 11:29 am

    Happy birthday. May the best yet to come……..

  73. Anand says

    December 9, 2019 at 12:24 pm

    Happy Birthday, dear Vishal !

  74. ajay bhaskar says

    December 9, 2019 at 12:59 pm

    Happy birthday , Vishal

  75. Attila Rebak says

    December 9, 2019 at 1:01 pm

    Happy Birthday Vishal!

  76. BHAVIN SOLANKI says

    December 9, 2019 at 2:19 pm

    Many many happy returns of the day sir.

    Thank you for your knowledge sharing and guidance.

  77. Sumedh Bhadkamkar says

    December 9, 2019 at 4:23 pm

    Happy birthday, dear Vishal sir….Under your guidance, we “tribals” are becoming
    financially literate…Keep going, sir…

  78. Raj says

    December 9, 2019 at 5:13 pm

    Happy B’day Vishal, lot more years to come and stay blessed, with happiness and healthy

  79. Mohan Lal Tejwani says

    December 9, 2019 at 5:56 pm

    Happy B’day Vishal Ji.
    God bless you 🙏
    Very insightful article 👍 👌
    Thank you.

  80. A BHASKARAN says

    December 9, 2019 at 6:09 pm

    Happy birthday Vishal. Have a wonderful day and years ahead. Its always a pleasure reading your articles.

  81. Lalit Khurana says

    December 10, 2019 at 2:09 am

    Belated happy b’day Vishal ji….may god bless u with many more super exciting and healthy years…..great article and thought provoking….live life at present and be happy, humble and always have a feeling of gratitude…..thnk u

  82. Ganesh says

    December 10, 2019 at 4:35 am

    Happy Birthday Vishal… my Guru!
    I`ve been learning a lot from you, and I`m very grateful for that.

    Regards,
    Ganesh

  83. Murali thondebhavi says

    December 10, 2019 at 10:58 am

    Happy birthday Vishal. God bless you.

  84. Dipakkumar says

    December 10, 2019 at 5:15 pm

    Happy Birthday dear Vishal! though belated

  85. Gopal says

    December 12, 2019 at 1:19 am

    Good wishes on birthday. Summarised well the life lesson.

  86. Prasad N says

    December 12, 2019 at 12:23 pm

    Happy Birthday, Vishal !

  87. claudio says

    December 12, 2019 at 4:09 pm

    Its nice to read these sorts of posts from time to time Vishal. Most of us are so hell bent on understanding equities markets etc which is great but there’s also something assuring about looking within and finding resolve on just being.
    Thank you and happy birthday

  88. Yash says

    December 15, 2019 at 12:27 pm

    Belated Happy Birthday sir…your blog is full of wisdom love to read it.

  89. Jayendra Danidharia says

    December 16, 2019 at 2:36 pm

    Happy Birthday dear Vishalji💐
    Nice story👌

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