Question: When I achieve something, I get joy; but it isn't long before I realise that, for many others, that very thing is easy. Does God want each of us to try and do everything, or would it be better if we left some things to His "specialists"?

Sri Chinmoy: If I achieve something, it is quite natural for me to get joy. But I must not compare myself with others. If others find it easy to do the particular thing that I did, I should not let that take away my joy. I have achieved something according to my capacity. I did it by virtue of my skill, plus God's Grace. If others are superior to me in this field and if it is easy for them to do what I did, I should not let this enter into my mind. Comparison, in this case, is hurtful.

There are some people who are of the opinion that instead of being a jack of all trades but master of none, it is better to pay attention to only one subject and achieve mastery in that. Others want to be like a gardener who gets joy by having many types of flowers in his garden. Some of the flowers may attract the attention of many people, while other flowers may attract the attention of very few. But if the gardener himself is satisfied with all the flowers, then why should he not give himself joy by having flowers of many different types?

In my case, many people ask why I do not remain confined to the field in which I excel, which is spirituality and yoga, instead of entering into so many other fields as well. But my Beloved Supreme does not want that. He says, "You do not have to be the greatest musician, you do not have to be the greatest artist, you do not have to be the greatest athlete or the greatest in any field." He wants me only to express in and through my life the things that He tells me.

True, I am not the best or the highest in anything; nobody has to remind me of that. But if my Inner Pilot is satisfied with whatever He has achieved in and through me, then I shall continue. I realised God many, many, many, many years ago — long before this incarnation. But if He wants me to enter now into other fields, which are also expressions of my spirituality and divinity, why should I remain in only one aspect of my life?

As a spiritual figure, I am infinitely, infinitely higher than as an artist or singer or musician. But that must not prevent me from entering into other fields. Perhaps someone can be good in twenty subjects and excellent in only one subject. But that is no reason for him to pay all attention to the one subject and ignore everything else. Our philosophy is the acceptance of life. While accepting life, we enter into quite a few fields. If in one of these fields we can do extremely well, that is wonderful. But just because we can do very well in only one area, we must not ignore the other capacities that God wants to manifest in and through us.