On Role Models

Interaction Program for NepaliSat-1 in Kathmandu. 

One of things I was looking forward to back home was to interact and hear out what the younger generation had to say about the work we were doing here in Japan. It's incredible to think what a kilo in space can genuinely do to motivate, generate curiosity and build connection with people who didn't give a shit a year ago. 

What was even more shocking was kids coming upto me and saying that I am their role model. Given that I know myself extremely well, of all the misery and pain and failures and more misery I have gone through, I just wanted to say "Hey kid, that's probably a bad idea." But then I decided to simply smile, nod and thank them. 

If I hadn't felt the pressure before, I was feeling it now. 

That also makes me think, how many of my role models did the same? The world as we know it is a brutal place. The appearance of effortlessness that we see in bond movies are work of fiction and that casts serious doubts on people who appear to have solved their and the world's problem aren't as invulnerable as they seem. They are as frustrated, insecure, lost, misdirected and misconstrued. They also went on to do great things anyhow. 

Maybe that's the thing. To feel afraid, to feel lost, to feel abandoned and still go plough through ahead and do it against all odds. It's not about being fearless, it's about feeling the fear and achieving the things you and I want to achieve. That's what our role models did and that's exactly what we need to do.