If there is anyone I respect the most in the world, it’s astronauts. It’s not because of the uniform they wear or because of the work they do. I respect them because of what they stand for in today’s time, and when I look at them, I see hope. When I talk about sacrifice, it’s not only the time astronauts commit to the mission, but a lot more comes with it.
That said, the blue uniform they wear on the ground is undoubtedly worth admiration. Being an astronaut is not an easy feat. It is more than clearing the interview process alongside 20,000+ applications and making it to astronaut candidacy. It is more than spending two years of your life training for everything space can throw at you. It is about overcoming physical, mental, and psychological obstacles that we face every day. It is about teamwork and trusting your team with your life. It is about embracing adversity in times of crisis and tackling it head-on.
Being an astronaut is hard. Staying away from family is more challenging. Every time astronauts go on a mission on the ISS or beyond, they know it can be their last trip. Let me correct myself; every single trip is a one-way ticket. There are 100’s of things that can go wrong, and despite everything, astronauts put their life on the line.
Being an astronaut is also about having high morals, ethics, nobility, and humility in oneself. It is about letting go of ego, anger, and fear. They know that their work is not for them or a few individuals but the planet as a whole. The responsibility they carry on their shoulders can be seen when they talk, and the honor for their work can be seen in their eyes.
Abandoning ego is hard; I battled it for five years of my life. Not something I am proud of. Selflessness and truthfulness lead to harmony. Holding on to ego and anger is like holding on to fire; in the end, you burn your hand. The moment you lose your cool in any situation, the person on the other end has already won.
If you want to improve, you must be content to be thought foolish and stupid.
Epictetus
We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility. – Rabindranath Tagore.
Now that I think of it by taking a step back, most individuals have an ego for no reason at all. There is absolutely no reason to act like a puffed chest. You realize that people are consumed so much by their egos that they forget to act like humans. Maybe that is why I happened to respect very few professors in my undergrad, as I learned most of everything I know on my own, but they acted like they knew it all.
I still say I don’t know jack s**t of how 99% of the things work. The entire internet is working on literal duct tapes, and it somehow “just” works. It’s mind-blowing.
There will always be more to learn. There will always be something you will leave out of learning, but accepting and comprehending that you will never be able to know it all is the start of letting go of your ego.
Before fixing a problem, you should accept that you have a problem. Acceptance is the first step to everything. To make the change, you need to accept and know where to make the change.
Letting go of power, money, and lust is not an easy feat. Some of the most assertive individuals have battled it for ages, yet they happen to slip now and then. The only way to let go of everything is to clear your mind—humanity before any religion. If you want to learn about sacrifice, talk to a single mother who raised a kid. She will preach you about sacrifice better than anyone in the world.
Being content with what you have is very different from striving for what you can be. Do not confuse ambition with greed. Although I can sit and debate over the two words for hours, I will put the distinction this way:
Ambition is at the very core of success and extraordinary achievement. Unlike greed, it’s a powerful, creative, and constructive force.
Jim Rohn
Power is only needed to do something bad. Usually, love is enough for everything.
Hence my tremendous respect for astronauts. I hope someday I fill in the shoes and provide my infinitesimal contribution to the bigger picture of what they stand for.