Everyone wants to stand out, to be one or even several steps ahead of others in life.
But they don't want to do things that don’t show quick results or those they think would require them to go through much trouble, even if the rewards are sweet later on.
“The Law of Equivalent Exchange”.
It suddenly crossed my mind.
How long has it been since I last heard of it? I can't recall. I only remember I first encountered it in “Fullmetal Alchemist”, a masterpiece by Hiromu Arakawa.
The law itself is often linked to alchemy, an ancient tradition attempting to turn basic metals into noble ones and discover the “elixir of life”.
Its basic idea is simple: to obtain something, one must give up something of equal value.
This concept is rooted in the belief that nature maintains balance, and there is a cost for every action.
Even though this principle is mostly tied to alchemy, especially in the narrative of “Fullmetal Alchemist”, I believe it extends beyond the material world to include moral and spiritual aspects.
This can be observed in the concept of Karma in Hinduism and Buddhism, where actions come back to the doer in an equal manner, or in Newton’s Third Law of Motion, stating every action has an equal reaction.
Both highlight how actions and their effects are interconnected to maintain balance.
And so, how could this be different for those aiming for success? Shouldn’t they be prepared to match what they are willing to sacrifice with what they desire?
If they truly want to be steps ahead in certain parts of life, they have to be ready to step out of their comfort zone.
This means they have to get themselves prepared to experience countless failures, see little to no results at the start, sacrifice their time for partying and even their sleep hours to complete all the required tasks, and, on top of that, feel lonely for having no one understand what they are doing.
But, of course, what they’ll gain will be worth it. Not just in material terms but also spiritually, where they can feel indescribable contentment, pride, and satisfaction.
Success has its own price, and to obtain it, they have to pay an equal amount, either by themselves or by other people in their place.
That’s what I firmly believe. Nothing comes free in this world.
Then comes this concern. Are those born with a silver spoon in their mouths exempt from this law?
I personally don’t think so. No.
It may come across to us as “luck”, but I believe they already paid the price long, long time ago in their previous lives. And it is through other people, who now become their parents, that they receive what they had paid.
That being said, for those who start from absolutely zero in this lifetime, there’s only one question that, once they give their answer, there’ll be no turning back.
Are they truly ready and okay with the price for what they want?
The Law of Equivalent Exchange: “to obtain something, one must give up something of equal value.”
(Image source: Google)