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Showing posts with the label Success

The Deceptive Secret of completing a Big Project Without Feeling Overwhelmed

Whether one admits it or not, it happens all the time. We look at a huge project and feel that wave of cold dread washing over our bones. I’m going to tell you a shameful secret about myself. It could ruin the little reputation that I have, but let it come. Years ago, I started writing a huge novel, but the tyranny of the project overwhelmed me. So I gave up on it. Did I just tell you that I failed? Exactly. I had just started my 21-kilometre run when I felt a heaviness on my chest. The enormity of the distance for an untrained person like me was powerful enough to wipe out all the motivation. Yes, I tell you, right on your face, I had wanted to crawl back into bed. I felt the game’s over. Finish. But I told myself to keep running, even if I didn’t reach the target. And so, I kept at it. As far as my novel is concerned, well, I couldn’t complete it, but I wrote two books and covered huge distances in marathons. And wh...

Change Slump to Resilience: How Unproductive Time Turned to a Lesson

Here’s the thing about hiccups: they’re often disguised as opportunities. Over the years, I’ve come to believe that every moment — good or bad — has something to teach us. Yes, some days, no matter how much we plan, life throws curveballs. Today was one of those days for me. Half the day has passed by, and I’m finding myself mentally drained, feeling as though I hadn’t accomplished anything concrete. Yet, as I reflect on the day, I realize it wasn’t a complete waste — far from it. A Slow Start with a Bright Spot The day began with a small but meaningful success: I offered my morning prayers on time. It was a quiet moment of gratitude and reflection, setting the tone for a promising day — or so I thought. But soon, the sluggishness set in. Despite my initial enthusiasm to write and hit a thousand-word target, I struggled to focus. Restlessness crept in, and my productivity felt like it had hit rock bottom. ...

Self-Care, Not Self-Harshness: Our Mantra to Joy and Productivity

I normally get overly harsh with myself when I miss any of my important work. This harshness causes me undue frustration, self-hatred, and more often than not, I see my joy and productivity taking a slump. But when this morning I missed my prayers, I treated myself with kindness, as a caring friend. I countered the rising flood of self-reproach with love, forcing myself to see if there could be any underlying reasons behind this slipup. Guess who the first culprit was? A late-night writing marathon to hit my 2,000-word target. While I got close, the cost was a sluggish start to my day. Reflecting on this, I realised that missing my prayers isn’t just about physical tiredness — it’s a signal that I need a better balance in my life. To address this, I’m committing to waking up early and taking proactive steps to reduce unnecessary stress. Stress, especially the avoidable kind, weighs he...

The Subtle Art of Staying Motivated and Reaching Your Goals Fast

For the past several days, I haven’t allowed myself the luxury of writing freely. Today, before diving into anything else, I’ve decided to hit the keys and reach at least 500 words. If I manage to cross 1,000 words, that’ll be a delightful bonus — but I’m not setting my sights on that just yet. Why? Because aiming too high can often feel discouraging. Instead, I strive to find a balance between setting a challenging goal and keeping it within reach. This balanced approach is something I’ve honed over time. Tasks that are overly ambitious can drain motivation because they feel insurmountable, while tasks that are too easy fail to provide the thrill of accomplishment. Striking a middle ground helps me stay motivated and ensures that I don’t fall into the traps of burnout or complacency. The Power of Balance in Goal-Setting 1. Confidence in Consisten...

Catching Amazing Growth Moments in the Everyday Overlooked Opportunities

In a world where distractions are endless and time feels scarce, finding moments for self-growth can seem challenging. But I’ve come to realise that some of the best opportunities for improvement are hidden in the everyday routines we often take for granted. Take my work at the front office, for example. My main job is to guide people and resolve their queries. On the surface, it might seem straightforward, but it’s given me countless chances to practice skills like patience, clear communication, and problem-solving. These are small but valuable ways I can grow each day, even in the middle of my regular responsibilities. Waiting for the “Ideal” Opportunity Like many others, I used to think, "If only I had better circumstances, I could do so much more." There were times when I wished for a quieter, more inspiring environment or for colleagues who pushed me harder. But over tim...

Astonishingly Successful Embrace This Unexciting Activity (And Why We Should Too)

"To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future." Plutarch There’s something sacred in the quiet moments that follow a brisk morning walk: the sharp air, the gentle hum of the world coming to life, and the soothing warmth of a cup in hand. It’s a time when the soul feels at ease, preparing for the day ahead. This morning, I found peace in the early prayers at the mosque. It set a serene tone for my day, grounding me in the present moment. As I walked back home, the cold air nipped at my face, but I welcomed it. I found solace in the simple act of holding a steaming cup of tea, my hands warmed by its embrace. But today, my thoughts went deeper than the routine comfort of tea and silence. I couldn’t help but reflect on my time in Delhi — those formative years when my journey of learning and self-discovery was stil...

The Good and the Bad News About Your Progress

You know what’s good for your growth, and you know what’s holding you back. Yet, you often look the other way. Sure, you’ve made some progress and achieved a few milestones, but most of those accomplishments came from the progressive steps you’ve taken. And deep down, you probably know that if you’d taken even more of those steps, you’d be in a much better place today. Sound familiar? If so, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get real with yourself. Ask yourself these tough questions—your answers could ignite the change you need: What foolish habits or behaviours am I engaging in that are holding me back? How can I eliminate them? What obstacles are in the way of eliminating these barriers? What small action can I take today to start moving in the right direction? Take some time to sit down in a quiet space, away from distractions. Switch off your phone and let those around you know you n...

A surprisingly simple system to get your work done without irritation

Do you also have this feeling? Most of the time I feel that I’m not utilising my time and energies as best as I can to rev up my progress. This feeling twists my stomach in discontent, even though most of the times I remain busy. I mean, I don’t waste my time in Facebook, or in watching any mind-numbing web series. Maybe it happens with you, too. You might think of decluttering your life by crossing off secondary things (switching off phones, turning off the Internet, packing off television and so on.) But even when you do it, you feel that there’s a void – something which is sucking your productive time like a leech. Despite your hectic timetable, you feel that you’re not making progress on your core goals. When you look 6 months back, you get a view that you’re still where you were then. And then it gets downright hateful to swallow this shitty lump of guilt, right? If like most people, this situation fits on you, then here’re a few measures you can take up: Ask ...

Why successful people get their tasks done and others fail

I’m reading Miss Anne Sullivan’s letters, which she wrote to her former warden of the Perkins Institution for the Blind. Miss Sullivan has given an account of the progress that her deaf and blind pupil Helen Keller made as she taught her. It never appeared to me that she ever got in a hurry to teach her things, or that she overthought about the complexity of the task handed to her. She went slow. She took one thing at a time, and once it was done, she moved on to the other. Teaching a deaf and blind child isn’t easy. Many would say that it’s downright impossible. But Miss Sullivan didn’t let negative stories play in her mind, and she continued to do the little that she could at that given time. If I had been in her place, I might have thought and thought about the disparity between human beings. Maybe I would have thought that fortune didn’t favour the child, and the world is unfair. I would have got worried over the point whether Helen would be able to learn or not. “I...

An open secret to success you ignore

How success happens? Slowly. Gradually. And then in a smash. Suddenly. But we remain unaware of the slow changes that unfolded bit by bit beneath the surface, and feel no major activity took place. Behind the scenes work is hidden, because after all, it’s behind the scenes. It’s solitary, boring, hard work. Work that makes you fall and sucks your energy. Work that forces you to pass through dreary deserts and long droughts. Despite your massive efforts, you feel no progress is taking place, and this feeling could remain in your heart for months or even for years. Your belief in yourself begins to waver, and you feel like calling it quits. Let’s say that you’re trying to become a writer. You read different books, research the market, decide your target audience, and then assimilate all the information that you gathered to change it into a book. During all this unattractive time, you fall and fail several times. Friends and reviewers tell you that your arguments are g...