Category: Career

• What should I do after a failure? What’s next?

  The real truth is that no matter how optimistic or cheerful we are, there are moments in our life that will make us question our own existence, our purpose and our identity. It usually happens when you face a major setback or failure, which makes you doubt your own actions and ideas.

  Over the past few months, with a series of setbacks, I realized that we truly have two practical options. Either we can give up and settle for something that doesn’t speak to us, or we can let the failure sink in, learn from it and then get up to try again or re-design our plan. Either way, we have to adjust our own perspective, which is what will be reflected in our behavior.

  A fundamental truth about such a situation is that,  sometimes, setbacks (especially the ones we don’t have much control over) isn’t really about us. Yes, it has an impact on us, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that we lack in a particular skill or there is something wrong with us. It is just that the world is a vast place with millions of people, and at any given moment most of us are aiming and fighting for similar things, so having a setback doesn’t mean you should feel sad or give up. For example, if you are competing with thousands of other students for a scholarship and you don’t get the scholarship, it doesn’t mean that your academic qualification is suddenly not up to the mark, or that you are not good enough. It just means that the scholarship board for their own reasons and thought process made their decision, not because one student is better than the other, but because that one student might be what they are looking for. This is important to understand because that one person might be what ”they are looking for”, had it been a different type of scholarship, or a different group of people, they would be looking for another type of person.

  In the above section, I attributed the fact that the world has millions of people competing for similar opportunities as a reason for a setback, but ironically, this is the same reason that can motivate you to fight for what you want after a setback. Let’s look at this line of thought from a different and a more hopeful perspective, ”the world is vast, with millions of people (more chance to meet like-minded people or more chances to learn from people) and there are so many opportunities, that we can’t possibly be tied down to the grief of one failure.

  Hence, what’s next after a failure? Well, anything you want! You can choose anything in the world that speaks to you and makes sense to you. “Failure isn’t the end of the world, because the world is still here for you to explore and choose for yourself, what you want to do next.”

  March 25, 2019

  failure, how to move on, how to overcome depression, how to overcome failure, how to overcome setback, how to start again, overcoming failure, success

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• Inspiration decoded

  

  As a kid, I watched this cartoon called Pokemon. In this show, there was a mystic bird called Ho-oh, who was very rare and the sight of whom, promised hope and greatness in life. Now, it is later revealed that she makes herself visible only to those who are truly capable and those with a true and pure heart. (Needless to say, the protagonist Ash and his Pikachu see this bird in the very first episode of the First Arc. Isn’t he lucky?).  This bird seems like the best analogy for Inspiration now, to my adult mind. (The child in me still hopes that Pokemon are real and that I get a Charmander; but that’s secondary, I suppose).

  These days, inspiration is this mystic Pokemon who everyone wants to catch. The problem is, we want the bird to fly down to us, and trap itself in the cage we hold in our hand. Inspiration, we all believe, is something we ‘ought’ to get, as if it is something that belongs to us and we have a right over. The other school of thought that is a continuation of this belief is that it is a matter of luck and comes to people, just randomly.

  But didn’t Elizebeth Gilbert, in her famous TED talk, talk about how some of the greatest people in history describe Inspiration as something they caught out of thin air? Didn’t she recommend that all people should believe that too? Yes, yes, dear sir, I concede to your idyllic memory. But the truth is, she meant it as a way to beat the stress of expectation and fame, rather than as a justification for throwing in the towel.

  I do admit that inspiration seems to come out of nowhere. But really, it’s a culmination of everything we have done and everywhere we have been.  Even when we are not consciously thinking of something, our mind keeps making connections in the background. A Coursera Course of ‘Learning How to Learn’ gives us a little more insight into it. According to them, when we are stressed, our brains and systems do not work as efficiently. But after a stressful period, when we take a break and calm down, then our brain starts making connections and intrinsically understanding the problems and analyzing it on the unconscious level, that is, in the background.

  At this functioning level, it understands the concept in its unique way, based on all your experiences and knowledge. It is when this process goes on, that often, uncanny connections are made and the mind comes up with gems.

  So, is the solution to just wait till this ‘inspiration’ comes in? Well, that’s often what most of us seem to do. This specifically plagues the writers between us. I can talk from personal experience though, that this approach is not the best approach as it often leads to missing deadlines and delays in submissions (ask those who have had to deal with my delays). The better approach seems to be to create a ‘bad’ first draft on the basis of what you understand and can think at that moment. After that, you can work on improving and revising it. Putting things down in a more concrete way, after all often helps us process in a more positive way.

  ‘Inspiration’ thus, is a slow process that requires deliberate and consistent hard work, not for days, but years, for it comes from everything you put into your mind through the years. So, as you go ahead to ‘catch em all’, do remember that the mystical bird only comes to those who have earned their place there, and even then, puts up a great fight before being captured.

  Some additional resources on inspiration:

  Read: Awaken the giant within by Anthony Rob

  Watch: Ted- How great leaders inspire action by Simon Sinek

   

   

   

  September 5, 2018

  anthony rob, dreams, failure, family, friend, happy, how to be inspired, inspiration, inspiring, intrinsic motivation, life, motivating, motivation, new, pokemon, productivity, Quotes, simon sinek, success, ted talks, what is inspiration, women, work, working hard

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• How to be productive with these 8 tips

  Success can be achieved by not just one huge task, but a series of small tasks that you have to perform every single day. Learning the art of productivity and applying it will help you in every area of your life. It is not a simple task but with these few tips, you can make the most out of your day.

  1- Start your Day Early

  Wake up to the birds chirping, to the first rays of sunlight and to feel the fresh air of the morning. Rather than hitting the snooze button and getting another 10 minutes of sleep, wake up early and start your day fresh.

  Use this time to get ahead with your work, or think of new ideas as your mind will have fresh new ideas. Alternatively, you can spend this time to relax and exercise or do something you love to start your day on a good note.

  2- Follow a Routine

  Once your life is organized, success will follow. An organized life is within everyone’s reach, it’s only a routine away. Making a routine is simple, but following it is the difficult part. You have to be focused and determined in doing so and before you know it, in a week or two, you’ll be automatically tuned to this routine. Following our own plans and routine will ensure that your actions are productive.

  3- Healthy diet

  An entire day’s energy is based on what you eat in the morning. Skipping your breakfast is the biggest sin for your body. Having your breakfast and then eating light snacks throughout the day is essential to keep your mind and body sharp. Keeping yourself hydrated might seem like an unimportant task when it comes to productivity, but this simple act actually helps in increasing your brain power.

  4- Regular Exercise

  Exercise stimulates the body to exert hormones which will only keep you healthy but also increases your memory power. If you want more reasons to exercise, then remember that exercise also fights stress and improves the concentration power of your mind.

  5- Focus on mental health

  Keeping your body physically healthy is not enough to lead a productive and successful life. Mental health is often the most neglected part of the human body and a stress-free mind is as important as a healthy body. Yoga or even simple meditation can keep you peaceful, reduce mental health problems and help you deal with your tasks effectively.

  6- Restful Sleep

  A headache in the morning can ruin an entire day. Getting a good night’s sleep can help you to be more relaxed and focused for the day ahead. It can also improve your health- mentally and physically. A minimum of 6 hours sleep is prescribed by health professionals. At the same time, sleeping for more than 8 hours will make your body overtired.

  7- Stop Procrastinating

  Delaying something that you can actually finish today, is the biggest culprit that affects your productivity. There is only one solution to this problem- just do it. Procrastination might seem like the easiest way to enjoy your day or avoid anxiety due to a difficult task but you have to do it one day, so why not today? Therefore, take the time and do the task for the day and then relax without worrying about it.

  8- Read a Book

  Reading can improve your memory and keep you relaxed. There is no better therapy for stress than reading. Take any book you like, be it a biography or a fictional novel. Take 5 minutes off from surfing the net and read, preferably, before bed as it can help to keep your eyes relaxed and get a good night’s sleep.

  So now you can use these tips to make your day productive!

  July 11, 2018

  Career, goals, productive, productivity, routine, success

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• 5 habits of successful people that you can adopt!

  While there is no single formula for success, there are certain habits that can be found across a majority of the successful people. These habits are simple and easy to incorporate into your own routine, and they will not only help you get one step closer to your own success but also to happiness and peace of mind.

  1- Goal-directed tasks

  Successful people make it a point to focus on goal-directed activities. They minimize distractions in their life and even set aside a separate time for thinking!

  Initially, they put in the time to discover what their long term and short terms goals are, and then they focus on the tasks that help them get closer to their goals. Patience and perseverance are the core factors that underlie this behavior.

  Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller said, “To this day, I keep a schedule that is almost minute by minute.”

  So, what should you do? How do you begin?

  First of all, you have to be clear about your goals and then identify the day-to-day tasks that will help you achieve those goals. Once you identify these factors, you have to consistently work every single day on these tasks. Use your calendar instead of a ‘to-do list’ and plan out your day, then focus on getting things done for that day.

  2- Keep reading

  No matter how busy they are, many successful people will always take out time to read. They are constantly trying to gain more knowledge and learn as much as they can because they understand that the process of learning is everlasting. They mostly read biographies, educational books, inspirational books and self-help books.

  Someone once asked Warren Buffett about keys to success, he pointed to a stack of books and said, “Read 500 pages like this every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it.”

  Bill Gates has a habit of reading 1 book per week, Mark Cuban reads for 3 hours every day and Warren Buffett devotes 80% of his day to reading.

  So, take out at least 15 minutes from your schedule to read every day. Try to finish reading one book in a given period of time and then immediately move onto your next book.

  3- Stay fit

  You need to be physically and mentally healthy to be productive. It is a simple truth, but due to our own busy schedules and hectic lifestyles, we forget to take care of ourselves. Successful people understand this simple truth and make efforts to stay fit. They eat a healthy diet, and workout every day and try to keep their mind and body as healthy as they can.

  For example, Barrack Obama manages to workout 6 days a week for 45 minutes. John Lee Dumas goes for a 35-minute walk while listening to podcasts, every day.

  So it’s very simple, you have to take out some time to maintain your health. You should never skip your breakfast, consider it as a meal that sets the tone for the rest of your day. If you don’t want to go to the gym, then you can take up a sport or a hobby to get your heart pumping. As long as you keep yourself healthy, your mind and body will help you become more productive.

  4- Healthy Outlet

  With so much work and chaos around them, successful people have a constant outlet for their emotions and energy. They don’t wait for all the emotion to build up and then vent it out. They have a healthy outlet incorporated into their routine to remain calm, centered and ready to deal with the world.

  For example, Oprah Winfrey meditates 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening every day. This helps her remain calm and focused in her life.

  You can spend time with your family, visit new places every weekend, or focus on a hobby that really helps you channel your energy. These activities will not only help you feel relaxed but will also help you in concentrating better.

   5- Have inspiring friends

  Successful people are highly selective about their friends because they understand the powerful influence of friends. They try to minimize having connections with people who bring negativity in their life. When you want to achieve huge heights in life, you simply can’t have any place for negativity. Instead, they focus on socializing with people who inspire them in some way. They are most drawn to people who help them learn something new every time they meet. 

  Warren Buffett once said,”It’s important to associate with people that are better than yourself”.

  Now, if you are wondering where you can find inspiring people? Then, it is actually easier than you think. You can go on social media platforms and find people with similar interests, or you can attend workshops, seminars, and conferences to meet like-minded people. Go there alone and do not be afraid to strike a conversation with someone, it can turn out to be really beneficial for you.

  So, go ahead and incorporate these simple habits into your routine to make every day productive!

   

  References:

  https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/28/9-habits-of-highly-successful-people.html

  https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/299699#1

   

  July 6, 2018

  Career, habits, inspiring, life, success, successful, successful people

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• Why you shouldn’t be afraid of failure

  “To achieve great success, you need to be ready to face failure along the way.”

  How many times have we let an opportunity go because we are afraid of failing or making a mistake?

  Stumbling down and falling is a part of life, one doesn’t need to be afraid nor be embarrassed about it. If we start truly embracing and owning our failures, we will only grow and move towards the right path.

  The reality is that there will be a little bit of fear with every big step you take, and that small amount of fear is necessary to push you towards your goal, but the trick is to not let the fear grow so much that it actually prevents you from achieving your goals. This uncontrollable fear will only lead to regrets, missed opportunities and more trouble later on.

  “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.”  – Jack Canfield

  Life is all about learning, evolving, and growing, and no matter how philosophical that sounds, it is that simple. If you understand that failure is inevitable in the process of learning and growing, the fear will soon start disappearing, simply because there will be no place for it anymore. Your enthusiasm, curiosity, and zest for life will soon take over.

  In many ways, failure is the best teacher you can ever have. It will push you to think outside the box, work harder and try different approaches. It will help you learn so much about yourself, and make you think in-depth about your choices and decisions. All these things are essential for success and true contentment in life.

  The simple thing you should tell yourself every day is that failure is inevitable on the path to success. If you are not failing and trying again, that means you are not moving forward.

  So, now the question is how do we overcome this fear? How do we actually start embracing our failures?

  1. Understanding your strengths and weakness

  The first and the most important thing that you have to do is, take time to understand your strengths and weaknesses. You can do this through taking time to reflect on your decisions at the end of the day, or simply making a pros and cons list!

  This will help you to play to your strengths and enhance them, while at the same time being aware of your weak points and improving on them. This simple activity will help you be as prepared as you can when you perform a task, so every mistake or failure will just automatically become an opportunity for you to learn more about yourself.

  2. Changing your perspective

  “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas A. Edison

  Simply looking at the world through a different lens will immediately change the way you think and feel. If you think that failing in many things, makes YOU a failure, then you need to shift that perspective to understand that it’s not the same thing.

  How will you do that?

  Well, you need to start with changing your perspective about small events in your life, such as appreciating small things in your life and trying to look at problematic situations in a more optimistic way, or learning how to be calm when you are faced with minor stressors. Then you can move onto bigger events, such as looking at failure from a different angle.

  Changing your perspective about a failure by looking at it as an opportunity to learn and grow, will help you get rid of that fear.

  3. Managing your emotions

  When you experience failure, you don’t need to suppress it or deny its existence. It is not only unhealthy, it will come back at some point in your life. When you had a bad day at work or a fight with your friend, you need to let out your emotions in a healthy way. You can simply cry, write, exercise or talk to a friend.

  Once your emotions are settled, you can focus on dealing with the problem in an objective way.

  4. Don’t regret your decisions

  “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.”-Henry Ford

  There are some things you can’t change, you can only wish that you can go back in time and change it. But, you don’t need to be stuck in this thought process.

  The practice of not regretting your decisions comes with having confidence that any decisions you have taken in life, you took it for a reason, even if that reason doesn’t make sense at this point of time. Regretting your decisions will lead you to a path of self-pity, which will only cloud your judgment more than ever and make you doubt your own abilities.

  5. You have the power

  If you want to be stuck in a certain phase of life, then you can try to play it safe. But, if you want to move forward in life and achieve your goals, then you need to look at the process of failure as inevitable, even rewarding at times.

  You also need to remember that you have the power to overcome these situations, no matter how difficult or impossible it seems.

  You always need to keep in mind that you have the power to change, learn and move forward.

   

  Hope this helps you understand a bit about why you shouldn’t be afraid of failure and how to overcome this fear.

  Some additional resources that can help you:

  The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph– by Ryan Holiday

  The Value of Failure - by Shane Lester

  Adapt: Why Success Always Starts with Failure - By Tim Harford

  How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life - By Scott Adams

  June 23, 2018

  failure, fear, overcoming fear, success, winning

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