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:

• The degree we have
• The money we have
• The position of power we have
• The fancy possessions we can flaunt

We ARE:

• How we treat other people
• The difference we make to the world and people around us
• The problems we solve
• The humanity and kindness we bring to everything we do
• How we treat those who can do us no good
• What we do when no one is watching us

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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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