Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian origin to go into space, has left an indelible mark and legacy that continues to inspire many. Born on March 17, 1962 in Haryana’s Karnal, Chawla left generations inspired by her uplifting words.
One such quote is: “Do something because you really want to. If you’re just doing it for the goal and not enjoying the journey, then I think you’re cheating yourself.”
What does the quote mean?
The quote simply means that people should take up the task that they really want to do. They should not only focus on the end goal but should also enjoy the journey they are on while trying to fulfill their goal. If one focuses only on the end goal, one may not enjoy the journey, which Chawla says is only cheating oneself.
Chawl’s words highlight the importance of being happy and passionate about something in life. Whether it’s a dream or a hobby. If people take the passion or happiness out of any task, then there is hardly anything left for them to look forward to. While achieving goals is one of the most important things, it is important that they are happy and fully present. Doing things just for themselves or to please others won’t help them in the long run and can only harbor feelings like burnout or negative thoughts.
The reason why one must continue to focus on their passion and happiness when setting their sights on something is simply because the journey to achieve any particular goal can be long and tiring. Excitement is what helps us get started on a project or task, but once we get down to the task, that excitement inevitably disappears. What will continue to motivate us or help us reach our goal is our determination, our passion for this project and our happiness with the result we could achieve.
It is also important to remember that the chances of success or failure are fifty-fifty and each of us would like to see ourselves become a winner. This is another reason why we should only do the things we really want, because if a person fails to fulfill their dream or achieve their goal, at least their passion and determination would be with them, reminding them every step of the way what it feels like to do something that makes them happy. No matter what the outcome of this long and tiring journey would be, how much a person enjoys their journey would always stay with them and in times of despair can help provide them with motivation and guidance.
For example, if someone only wants to make money in life and only focuses on that particular goal, there is a high probability that they will soon feel burnt out or may not like the work they are doing. They would then be left with two options: continue doing what they don’t enjoy because the result would be what they expected, or change course and find something that would make them happy and eventually help them earn decent money.
The Life of Kalpna Chawla: From Karnal to NASA
Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian origin to go into space, had a humble beginning. Born in Haryana’s Karnal, she was the first woman to study aeronautical engineering at Punjab Engineering College, before moving to the US to earn a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Texas in 1984. Chawla also received her doctorate from the University of Colorado in 1988.
Kalpana Chawla joined NASA in 1988 as a researcher at the Ames Research Center, focusing on computational fluid dynamics. Her historic journey began on November 19, 1997, when she was part of the six-person crew that flew aboard the STS-87 Columbia mission.
