Admit defeat to win: A student's gospel for exam motivation and overcoming challenges

Admit defeat to win: A student's gospel for exam motivation and overcoming challenges

Listen to Story Competitive exams often feel like the be-all and end-all for many students, a gateway to prestigious institutions and lucrative careers. However, not everyone can clear these daunting tests, and that's perfectly okay. For students who find themselves on the other side of these exams, it's crucial to remember that success and fulfillment are not confined to a single path. Life offers a myriad of opportunities, and sometimes the journey to finding one's true calling begins where traditional routes end. Deependra Shanker Agarwal, entrepreneur and motivational speaker, shares life mantras with students struggling in competitive exams. Planning is an essential tool for constructing a meaningful life and fulfilling our responsibilities towards others. The real problem isn't planning itself but our perception of it. As the American meditation teacher Joseph Goldstein puts it, "a plan is just a thought." We often treat our plans as if they are a lasso thrown from the present around the future to bring it under our control. However, a plan is merely a present-moment statement of intent. It's an expression of your current thoughts on how you'd like to influence the future. The future, of course, is under no obligation to comply. When we have too many activities to fit into our schedules, we feel unpleasantly busy; when there are too few, we feel bored. If we manage to keep up with our schedules, we congratulate ourselves for 'staying on top of things' and feel justified in our existence. Where There Is No Struggle, There Is No Strength Suffering doesn't hold you; you hold suffering. Don't try to understand life; live it. Don't try to understand love; move into love. Through living and experiencing, true understanding emerges. The more you know, the more you realize how much remains unknown. In Life, There Is Always a Choice How do we overcome fear? We cannot overcome something that doesn't exist. Fear is a creation of our minds, often based on scenarios that never come to pass. Think of the 100 things you feared; 99 of them likely never happened. We can't overcome something that doesn't exist. Instead, enjoy the fear. We create it, much like a producer makes a horror movie. What Is the Goal of Life? There is no goal of life. Life is a goal in itself. By pursuing power, money, prestige, or other ambitions, we sacrifice our lives for meaningless pursuits. This realization often comes only at the time of death, with the shock that we were so focused on achieving the 'goal of life' that we forgot to live. Goals are always in the future, while life is in the present moment. Striving to achieve life means missing it. Living people live. Achievement is driven by ambition, which serves the ego. None of our achievements-power, knowledge, or material gain-will give us life. All achievement is the ambition of our ego. In pursuit of these goals, we lose our lives to trivial things. Ultimate Happiness Comes from Being Conscious Humans, unlike animals, have the burden of consciousness. Animals are inherently happy because they don't have to choose; they simply are. A Simple Way to Look at Life by Deependra Shanker Agarwal It's worthwhile to periodically reflect on our lives from a macro perspective. Even if we're moving at a great pace in the desired direction, ticking all the boxes, we must ask ourselves if we're driving in the "right" direction. In the words of Charles Einstein, life was supposed to be more joyful, real, and meaningful. The world was meant to be more beautiful. We weren't supposed to hate Mondays and live only for weekends and holidays. We shouldn't raise our hands to pee or be kept indoors on beautiful days. Are we killing time, or is time killing us? Spiritual leader Osho says that accepting yourself as you are is the most challenging task in the world because it goes against our training, education, and culture. This leads us to live socially acceptable but unfulfilled and stressful lives. Chronic Stress and Its Impact Chronic stress and depression are linked to increased risks of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. According to the American Institute of Stress, stress is implicated in at least 75% of all doctor's office visits. Prolonged stress weakens the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to infections. The percentage of 'Insecure Overachievers' in our society is growing rapidly, as the race is not about having enough but about having more than others. Not clearing the an exam can feel like a significant setback, but it's important to remember that it's just one of many paths to success. The knowledge, discipline, and resilience developed during your preparation journey equip you with valuable skills that can be applied in numerous other fields. Stay positive, explore your options, and choose a path that aligns with your strengths and passions. Your journey is far from over, and new opportunities await you.