Coping with change

Our views change over time. And mine surely is. And at time, it changes from one to another and back again.

When I was an undergrad and grad school, I used to think its not important to plan very far, just adapt with changing time and conditions. It does work and my life is very good.

When I was working, I learnt to think and plan carefully, day by day, month by month, and year by year. Its stressful. But it works too. Then I believe in planning. That one needs to consider to the maximum available information.

Now, I am back to grad school. I was reading a paper that talks about the uncertainty of the future, and goals change across time. While it maybe goal A when we started, it may be goal B when it ended. And at times, we do goalless things, e.g. listening to music. I remember Alexandra the Great, and Sun Pin (a great military strategist of warring period, China): they do not plan their battles, until the very moment where information arrives, and at times this means right before the battle drums. This is because opportunities present itself, at times, very late into the scenario. Information decays and alter. When we make decisions, we have to live in the present moment.

I am quite inspired by these discoveries. And I think I now have something to fall back on, and reconcile both Buddhism and my life experience.