Guest column pritam Panda

“Twinkle twinkle little star, How I wonder what you are? Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.” Like this nursery rhyme says, we all want to reach up to the sky.

I grew up as a small town dozy awkward boy, but only recently realised it was so good for me to be abnormally awkward because that helped me focus better on where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do instead of just focusing on being normal. It is always good to get inspired but copying someone, their behaviour and style while growing up, somewhere deteriorates one’s own identity.

I would not solely blame it on the growing adolescents, but rather suggest that the problem lies with the “grown-ups”, who often tend to catapult their progeny to do so, just to stand apart in the so called competition of their counterparts.

I was lucky to be born to parents who decided to decide nothing for me and instead, just obligated me to one thing, and that is to take my own decisions, to understand myself better and my goals better and work towards it, to dream big and wake up just to run and chase them.

My profession favours me to go to places, meet new people, varied minds and get to know the big world that Google has made smaller! I am amazed and often feel really blessed to meet teenagers and aspirants from across the globe, who look forward to me as an inspiration, a guide or should I put it as a “success icon”, who they get inspired from and want to become like.

One may be guessing that something I should feel proud of and yes, I do. But at most times I don’t, especially when the fact of inspiration is limited to more of following my style. I am just another human being with errors and ambiguity, not worth copying. The world around you will always tell you something since people have a “tongue” to speak and you have an “ear” to hear it, but what about your “brain”?

That petite organ must be put to use to choose what to imbibe and what to filter away.

Identifying oneself at a young age is the biggest necessity to be confident and successful and come up with an original persona. It may be considered a serious call for emergency for the Gen-X today, and more importantly for their parents and the society they live in for a better future. I come across these few lines every now and then from Odia youths — “I wanted to be a photographer, but my parents want me to be an engineer”, “I appeared for a joint entrance, wanting to opt for software engineering but was selected into fashion technology.”

Parents don’t seem to tire from saying: “I want my son to become like you one day (no matter if the son is more interested in chemistry and mathematics than art and design!)”.

It’s a sheer transparent truth that the youth is partially being misled not only by their own mindsets but also to some extent by their parents and perhaps the “not so well-planned” existing academic structures.

In fact, it is your inclination towards something that should stimulate you to follow a certain profession and dream big in it and not the push from parents or just the success of another person. I had only had a simple diploma in fashion design and technology owing to financial constraints and had to suppress the complex somewhere in my heart, that despite tasting some success in my field, I couldn’t study further and attain a higher degree in fashion. However, in June 2011, I was bestowed with an honorary masters degree from Ecole Normale Superere (a premier French University). I am not saying this to boast of my achievements, but just to screen the reality and the power of interest, knack, dedication and focus towards what I always wanted in my life that helped me fulfil my aspirations.

I am super thankful to God and my parents, who let me unfastened to explore my dreams my way and never persuaded or influenced me with their concepts of a successful life. It was the want and desire of me to be “ME” and not someone else that has always helped me.

Letting a tender mind free to follow the signs of the heartbeat ushers a better future, than curbing it.

This piece of note is to all the fashion, art and design aspirants, or perhaps to everyone else also:

People around us always have a say - When I was fat they said: “He’s so fat! He will burst of flab!”

- When I went thin: “He must be on grass or drugs he is going so thin!”

- When I am fit today: “He is just got all this to maintain his celebrity hood, and he must be cashing in to loads of supplements.”

- When I go out with women: “He is a big-time Casanova, a womaniser, a lothario!”

- When I go out with men: “He might be swinging the other way!”

So, whatever we do, good or bad, people always have a say. But, the truth is it is you guys, who need to decide what matters to you more, where you wish to foray and not follow others’ dreams to let yours go waste. Focus and determination are keys to the “twinkling star”, but there is no certain proved algorithm by which it can be reached.

Neither your parents, nor anyone else can pave the way for you. So, come out of the art of being a good follower and dream big. Wake up and run to chase your dreams.