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Got asked this simple yet powerful question:

“Why is it wrong to want to live a comfortable and secure life? Why does the world always project taking risks and constantly challenging yourself as the noble thing to do?”

There is no noble way to live life. No right/wrong. 

However…here is what is wrong. 

To make comfortable/secure choices but desire the outcomes that come from challenging yourself, by risking it. 

If you invested in FDs but desire the returns of stocks – that’s wrong. 

If you sit for placements, but desire the returns of a successful startup – that’s wrong. 

If you had kids, but desire the freedom of a childless couple – that’s wrong. 

If you just did what you were told to, but desire the growth of your colleague who took initiative – that’s wrong. 

If you played it safe, but desire the outcomes of risk – that’s wrong. 

“In the pursuit of comfort, don’t desire the rewards of risk. Embrace your choices, for in them lies the essence of your journey.”

Just saw a video from 1993 where people were apprehensive about using credit cards.
That was just 30 years ago!

People will always struggle to imagine the future. 

Imagine what all will be ‘wasn’t this obvious’ in 30 years from now?

My take:

– Blockchain 

– Space travel 

– Virtual worlds

– No classrooms 

– Knowledge digital uploads

– Lived for others

– Did not listen

– Feared till death

– Never loved herself

– Believed everyone else

– I wish I

– Why always me

No one is truly your friend until they have seen the worst of you and still stayed.

I have always found teacher-student conversations fascinating.
No, not the ones in school :))

The ones where there is no school, there is no class, there is no curriculum. 

There is simply curiosity.
From both sides. 

Find that teacher, by becoming that student. 

Because the best teachers are not born.
Their best is brought to the surface by their students. 

At the age of 14, I started preparing for engineering exams, only to realize I just could not manage my time.

Worse, I had NO CLUE why.

If someone asked me – what are you busy with the entire day, I would not have an answer.
So I decided to track my time.

Every hour of my day was recorded.

Just this act of measurement, led to the act of improvement.
Because for the first time I knew where my time went, why it went into that and how it made me feel.

I continued this for 13 more years (until 26).

You don’t have to do this for 13 years. Please no!

Do it for 10 days and you will see the difference in how you manage your time and work.

You cannot improve anything that you do not measure.

“Work for them before working for them”.

Instead of showing what you can do, or have done, assume you are working for them and do the work.

Send them that work. Or just share it online.

I came across a beautiful post on Instagram and had to share it with all of you.

Ask your mom these 7 questions:

1. What is the happiest memory you have about me, from the past?

2. What, according to you, is the best thing I have done for you?

3. What are the most beautiful and the most painful things about growing old?

4. How was the first year of your life after you became a mother?

5. Is there something you have kept a secret from me all these years?

6. What do you want the most from your children?

7. When you are gone, what is the one thing you want me to always remember?

As I reflected on these 7 questions, two things dawned upon me:

How little do we actually know of our parents, as a human.
How rarely do we have true and meaningful conversations about them.

I am guilty of the above too and I want to spend the rest of my time with my parents changing this.

I hope you do too, before it’s too late.

1) What are the things that I WANT to do?

These could be anything – do not put any constraints as yet. Do not think of whether you will get it, whether it’s the right thing for the future, or whether you are qualified. 

No constraints. 

Just a list of all the things you want to do. 

2) What is stopping me?

This is where the constraints are listed. 

It could be your capability, it could be your parents’ permission, it could be lack of opportunities, or it could be the fact that it doesn’t make enough money.

It could just be your mind tricking you that you can’t do it. 

Whatever is stopping you from doing it – figure that out. 

3) Which of these are in my control to fix?

THIS is the clincher. 

This is where you transfer control – from the world to yourself. 

YOU ARE IN CHARGE. 

Not your circumstances, your family, or the world. 

Which of these constraints are in your control to fix?

And you know what? You will realise that there are only so many things in your control. BUT if you were to take control of them – you will actually be ahead of most people in the same boat who want to do the same thing but never start. 

1. Attendance is compulsory

It’s not the attendance, but the attention that is an important factor in the growth of the student’s life. 

2. Your degree is your identity

Your degree is not your identity – what you do with that degree eventually becomes your identity. Those experiences, learnings, and lessons become who you are.

3. College is not only about earning a degree and getting a job.

It’s also about getting experience, exposure, and the opportunity to work on yourself, network, and get internships. 

It’s a journey to find yourself and understand what you really want to do in life.