Algorithms are making our consumption less diverse – just like fast food companies ensure we eat same kind of stuff.
We need diversity and high-quality in what we feed to our bodies and what we feed our minds with.We don’t have to surrender to algorithmic content.
Choose your sources wisely.
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You’ve really come a long way along the road to maturity if your mind today is not troubled by events of the past or fear of an uncertain future.
It may not be 100% possible, but the aspiration of achieving equanimity is a worthy one to pursue.
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Greatness comes from acting on things that are in your circle of control or influence.
Greatness is diminished by engaging in gossip, whining, and complaining about problems outside your span of control.
If you really want to grow strong, act on solving the problems rather than chattering incessantly about them.
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Imagine that your results for an assessment just came out. People are calling in to check if you scored well. Teachers were anticipating you will do wonders. If you score well, people will congratulate and affirm their faith in your competence. If you score below your/their expectation, they will sympathize.
When the dust of results settle, think about what is true measure of your learning? Do your marks truly define what you learned about the subject, about your approach and about yourself?
The true measure of your result is the effort you put in. To be able to look into the mirror and say, “I gave it my all.” Marks and results are temporary but the habit of doing your absolute best in whatever you attempt serves you for a lifetime.
Recognitions are short-lived. People’s opinions are fickle, so they don’t matter. Then, why should you let their expectations dictate your sense of self-worth?
The real test is being able to face yourself in the mirror and feel with absolute certainty that you did your best.
Because the act of learning impacts us all differently. Some memorize well. Some learn by doing. Some needs other people to teach them. Some are self-learners. We all learn at different speed and rhythms. We are all unique but tests are standardized. That’s like putting an elephant and a rabbit on the same scale of measurement.
True learning is intrinsic and beyond any standard measure. It requires you to pour all your energy, creativity and passion into your subject. It requires you to try out, experiment, act and adapt.
And once you get into habit of doing that, nothing else will matter. Then, growth will become a happy by-product of your pursuit (and the way you do it). Opportunities will walk up to you.
Let unwavering dedication be real medal you pursue. Let the dust settle so you can see your true worth. Let real learning that makes a true impact in the world be your glittering prize.
Upward and onward!
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We are NOT:
We ARE:
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Tell the universe what you want in life. We get what we manifest. We become what we visualize.
Affirm yourself daily. Write your goals. Talk about it with friends. Think about what you are seeking.
And then see the magic. All that you manifested once will happen – not immediately, but eventually.
I once told a friend casually, “What if I can find an opportunity where I can sit on the top of an organization?”
Exactly 5 years later, I was country managing director of a large company spanning ~700 people.
Your thoughts are the architects of your destiny. Choose them wisely and then let it out to the universe and see the magic happen.
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You will start creating wonders when you stop looking for more information and start acting on the information you already have.
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I left a high-paying corporate job so that I can be closer to people I love. I let go of opportunity to relocate to a different country because I wanted to be close to my family.
It is important because success only matters when you can share it with those you love. That’s the whole point of being successful.
If you are successful but far away (and invisible) to those who truly love you – are you really successful?
Proximity to people you love (and people who love you) is worth way more than any job will ever pay you.
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Brilliance is important, but without reliability, your brilliance is fleeting.
People you serve (your family, your customers, your colleagues, friends etc) value your reliability far more than your brilliance.
Be reliable. Be consistent. Be integral. Do what you say you will do. Say only what you know you will be able to do.
Your life will change when you realize that being reliable > being brilliant alone.
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This quote resonated with me (and aligns with the previous post on oversharing)
“Your life is a movie. Don’t tell everyone your next scene – it will be boring and expected, otherwise.”
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Oversharing anything is the leakage of your energy. Telling people more than what they need to know is how people take you for granted.
Be an enigma. Let people wonder. Don’t seek attention. Be silent. That way, you’ll live peacefully. Peaceful people vibrate at a higher energy.
I once heard someone say, “Only speak when it’s time to say checkmate.”
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I love this quote:
“If you have a problem with me, call me. If you don’t have my number, you don’t know me well enough to have a problem with me.” – Christian Bale
This is so true. We often end up responding to problems people may have with us (e.g. trolls) when the best thing we can do is ignore them.
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Be gentle with people who love you. Because we often take them for granted the most.
Treat them gently. Tell them how much you love them. Thank them. Give them a surprise. Just notice small acts of love.
Gratitude in relationships brings appreciation for the goodness you are surrounded with.
Being good to people who are good to you is the least you can do for them.
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This has to be one of the best definitions of success I have come across.
“To laugh often and much: To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
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There is no fun in life and work if a clear future is charted for you with certainty. The joy is in finding your own unique path.
Joseph Campbell rightly said, “If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s.”
But how do you carve your own path? By trying out stuff. By taking diversions. Investing in areas where your skills overlap. Making mistakes. Failing fast and often. Adapting and learning from it. It’s only when you try many things that you find a few that are worthwhile.
Tom Peters, who I had the privilege of speaking with once, said: Whoever tries the most stuff wins.
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“I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone. It’s not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel all alone.” – Robin Williams
Be careful about who you choose to spend your time with!
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The other day, we met someone and the conversation started around diet and nutrition.
He shared with us that since he is a diabetic, he has stopped eating Wheat and Rice completely. We took a casual note of this without paying much attention.
The next day, he shared an Instagram reel of eating a loaded burger. A few days later, he was seen relishing some other unhealthy stuff.
That is how people are. Their actions are far away from the ideals they describe in their words.
Therefore, when you want to judge people, pay little attention to what they “say” and more attention to what they “do”.
For actions, they speak way louder than words.
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Don’t waste your words explaining things to someone who is:
a) Not capable of understanding
b) Not willing to understand
That is a waste of your energy. If someone is not capable of understanding your point of view, you can still explain, teach, clarify and educate.
But if someone is not willing to understand, that is a problem of intention.
Save yourself by not explaining.
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“I have to study” seems like a complain. It speaks of a compulsion.
“I get to study” seems like gratitude. That you get to study in a world where so many kids don’t have the privilege of going to a school.
Replace “I have to…” with “I get to…” and your mindset about your work, family, health, relationships, money, experiences etc. will change.
When you change your language, it shifts your perspective for better.
With change in perspective, we think, do and feel different.
It’s magical.
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Here’s a profound quote that highlights the importance of listening with an open mind.
“To listen is to lean in, softly, with a willingness to be changed by what we hear.” – Mark Nepo
Like a windshield, our preconceived notions, beliefs and judgments can block the essence of what other person is trying to say.
When we listen with a closed mind, we absorb only what we think we should know
When we listen with an open mind, we absorb the essence of what other person is saying.
Next time you are in a conversation, listen intentionally. Listening is an art that builds our connection with others.
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