The Mental Agony of Marks Psychosis

With growing focus on the marks culture, the psychosis in the society is growing.
Parents are getting all high strung and forcing their children to score high and higher irrespective of whether the child has high and equal aptitude for every subject. They are going beyond their means to get them into tuition classes and schools just to ensure high marks.

Students on the other hand are either becoming rebels without a cause or are sharing the neurosis of their parents and the entire society. We are seeing mental stress and tension creeping in at a very early age where it has not place to be.

Hard work is good. But then it needs to be targeted right. Every action needs to have a well understood agreed upon intention and aim. Education in itself has a noble intention to help people gain knowledge and wisdom to live a physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually fulfilling life. Examinations were to help the students to understand where they stand, what are their strengths, what they can do better and how.

However, over the period of time both these noble intentions seem to have taken a back seat. Hardly anyone seems to be interested in thinking long term in terms of fulfillment and happiness. Though these seem to be the primary aims of almost all when asked about, the focus is on the immediate gratification. High marks have become the hallmark of instant gratification that seems to be the trend today. Lower marks represent doom of sorts.

Are there any winners? I doubt. The high scorers are assigned higher and higher targets till the time they lose themselves and their self-esteem drops hugely because of feeling unfulfilled in spite of all the high grades. While those who are not the academic achievers are made to feel a total loss by the society and the family hence they grope to gather a few shreds of their remaining self-esteem.

It is high time that we bring our focus back to what is really important. If all was ok only because of high marks then why do achievers go into depression and struggle with addiction? If not any of these, they do crave for self- identity once the rat race is over and so get into one new race after another.

Competition is good and high grades are great. But they are not the sole bearers of happiness and prosperity. There is a whole world that is open for all. Something interesting is waiting for each of us. However, the parents and students need to understand the limited role of marks in life like that of everything else and instead understand the importance of focus, attentions, learning, an application of knowledge for a fulfilling life. Let the children explore in your guidance. If they are moving ahead with knowing they will progress the best.

Marks or no marks, there is a beautiful world waiting to be explored by all equally. The school grades do not decide our success or failure. We have too many examples to prove this. Need is to open our eyes and hearts to this faith and celebrate whatever results we stand with today. Tomorrow can be made more fulfilling from any stage. Provided we keep the channel open with them.

IT'S ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL (Inside every EMPLOYEE) By Dr Sapna Sharma

People are very interesting in the sense that they are each very unique and have a strong individuality in their personality. However, they gather under the umbrella of an organization that caters to some of their needs. Initially the focus is on the fulfillment of those outer worldly needs. In time those aims of joining the organization or cause come to be a routine and that is when the unrest peeks up its head.

I support my statement with this representation from one of the greatest psychologist of his time… Abraham Maslow.

Maslow stated that “Every person has a strong desire to realize his or her full potential, to ultimately reach a level of “self-actualization”. However, he climbs up to the next steps of needs when his first step has been fulfilled.

An important corollary states that: When one step on the needs and desires hierarchy has been fulfilled the person lives in restlessness till he can climb on to the next step.

Most people who take a regular accepted direction to education and employment and family settlement reach up to the third step in a normal course of life.

In our materialistic world the focus is on material growth. That is the reason that once the stage three is reached the race is only for more money, more possession, more power and yet the motivation, drive and satisfaction does not come out of it leading to frustration, wavering focus, looking for something new and lucrative.

Organizations suffer from mid life job changers or loyalty changers most. Their focus is on bettering the material perks and yet the response is rarely positive.

This is when the decision makers need to realize that everything in about an “INDIVIDUAL”. And it is different for each one of us. This is the time when the individual in them has to be addressed. This is when they have to be shown what exists beyond where they stand — namely the step four and step five. That is the way the best people we have, need to be made aware of WHO THEY ARE and they have to be helped to explore this question every once in a while.

A self aware person is more focused on tasks and goals as their self- awareness extends to about everything around them. Their efforts to what they do are enhanced because they have a personal reason for their performance rather than just the goal of the organization. They have to be encouraged and guided to explore their route to the next steps. Self realization and self actualization comes from different path to each person. These people have to be motivated to explore their INDIVIDUALITY, exposed to motivation and supported in their path.

Allotting Mentors and Coaches to mid level and senior staff is a definite step towards ensuring motivated, happy staff all the way.

A person on a path of personal growth is the best asset to any organization. Loyalties would be always with them who encourage them on this path.