WHY I WANT TO WRITE?

I don’t recollect exactly, but may be, 15/ 20 years back, Shri Dinkar Gangal, ex editor of Maharashtra Times had come to our house, and we were generally chatting about various topics. Out of nowhere, I asked him a genuine but a very novice question, why does a new writer write a new book? In my limited understanding whatever knowledge is there, is already available in few books like Bhagwad Geeta, Mahabharat, Ramayan or writings of our Saints. What can be new?

I don’t remember what he replied exactly but I do remember his smile, which I thought was because of my foolishness. He had said something like, each writer has his own perspective, style and it can resonate differently with different readers. I don’t know how much I understood that at that time, that question lingered in my mind for a very long time.

Sometime back, while going through blog of my friend, Shailesh Dhuri, I came across a reference to George Orwell’s essay on four reasons of writing. It was tough read. Even after reading it, I was not sure why I wanted to write.

I know, I am not a good writer. I was not great in school. I did not like subjects of English and Marathi or I was not good at writing essays. So, I don’t have that natural flair for writing. In fact, I have never written anything excepts budgets, business plans, minutes of meetings etc.

Thanks to Mark Zuckerberg, writing has become open to all through platforms like Facebook. Now every person has become writer and can express himself and get a pat on the back in form of likes and comments. I joined the bandwagon and may have written few posts on my experiences. I may have received few good comments, likes and subconsciously I might have started thinking that I can write.

But because of my practice of meditation over years, I understand how mind works. I know, if I start writing expecting likes and comments, and if that does not happen, I will get upset. I did not want to go down that path. So that is not the main reason why I want to write.

Although, I found George Orwell’s essay difficult to fully understand, I remember the first reason he mentioned and I quote “Sheer egoism. Desire to seem clever, to be talked about, to be remembered after death, to get your own back on the grown-ups who snubbed you in childhood, etc., etc. It is humbug to pretend this is not a motive, and a strong one.”

I would be lying if I said this is not one of the reasons, I want to write. It may not be the main reason, but somewhere in the background, it does exist and I accept it.

Now let me come to the actual reasons for writing.

I read a lot on topics ranging from Investments, behavioural aspects of investing, meditation, research on meditation, spirituality, buddhism, lifestyle improvements through better eating, movement. I also listen to lot of interviews of portfolio managers, investors, economists, and healthcare specialist focusing on diet, exercise and meditation.

I feel writing helps me process the information in better manner. These days, there is overdose of information. We need to distil it, and writing helps me do that. I strongly believe in implementation of knowledge rather than just accumulating it. Writing helps me in this.

For last three years, I have been a full-time investor. Its challenging and lonely game. Sometimes it becomes monotonous. It lacks structure. (one more topic for my writing in future). Writing helps me formalize my process and my thesis. It helps me clarify my thought process.

Having been in the healthcare field for many years, I have come across the benefits of writing on brain functioning. Research indicates that handwriting activates a more extensive, interconnected neural network compared to typing, which is crucial for memory formation, learning, and cognitive longevity. So, I handwrite first and then type.

By God’s grace, I had an opportunity to take a different path at various stages of life. Be it choosing commerce despite good marks in 10^th, in math and science or not pursuing for CA course as first option after my commerce graduation or entering business in the field of Ayurved or becoming a full times investor or starting and learning about meditation, meditative lifestyle, at the age of 40 (a bit late perhaps).

These varied experiences have shaped my thinking. I try to implement what I learn and that leads to new experiences. I am willing to share these through writing. If someone finds it useful or resonates with it that would be good. I am also open to helping anyone who genuinely wants to explore such a lifestyle.

I know, just my intention is not enough, I also need to express it. This is my way of doing that.

Now I can connect the dots of what Gangal Sir might have been trying to tell me years ago.

So, in a way, my purpose of writing is largely selfish (स्वार्थ) and if in that process, it helps others (परमार्थ) that is well and good.