Aspire for the best
Muhammd Iqbal dedicated his first philosophical Persian poetry book, 'Asraar-e-Khudi', to his professor of Persian at Cambridge, Reynold A Nicholson. The legendary Englishman and an authority on Persian mysticism, especially on Jalaluddin Rumi, quickly glanced through his favourite student's book. It was excellent but not up to his exacting standards.
'Are you happy with it,' Nicholson asked Iqbal.
'Yes, I'm,' he replied. 'Didn't it occur to you that you could write even better?' asked Nicholson. 'No,' replied young Iqbal.
'Don't be satisfied with the best. Strive for the very best,' Nicholson said, and with this life- transforming piece of advice, he returned the book to Iqbal.
Iqbal got the insinuation and rewrote the book. This time, Nicholson was so happy that he not only praised the book effusively but also agreed to translate it into English.
It was the 'Secrets of the Self'. Iqbal got a lifetime lesson that 'good' or 'excellent' were not enough, one must go beyond that and aspire for the very best.
Excellence in any field is an ever- evolving process. One must uplift one's standards to the supreme heights.
