The Search for an Inspiration: A non-idealistic approach.
The UPSC Mains results were declared a couple of days back and the media is full of interviews of successful candidates. Aspirants are eagerly going over every word from the source of success to inspire themselves. That brings us to the first question, "Do we need an inspiration"? Perhaps, we will quickly reach a unanimous conclusion - "for sure !". But at this point of time, I would like to split this idea into more parts:
Inspiration - Purpose - Drive - Mood and then go our way up.
Ever heard this from your friends "I am not in a mood to study today", "Are yaar, I will start after this weekend". What gets you in the Mood?
Classical music or hard rock?
Garam Chai or Thandi Lassi?
So far so good. But if you are waiting for Sachin to hit another century to get you in the mood, ask yourself, is it really your mood, or you are losing your drive?
What makes you get out of bed early in the morning (or keep you awake late night) with an energy that yells, "I want to study today". What drives you?
Students often tell me that its the "search for success" that drives them. But how long can the search for success last? Till the time that you realize, that indeed in a super competitive exam, most of the aspirants have to settle for a lesser outcome. Sometimes, it happens even sooner, they get depressed seeing a close friend or a class-mate doing very well. Perhaps the drive needs to come from a higher idea - Purpose.
Ask yourself, would you be competing for Civil Services even if it did not carry the social reputation it enjoys? Can the quest for a social reputation motivate you for so many months for a focused hard work. Ask yourself, that the social change you aspire to bring is your innate desire or a bookish answer for your interview, even before the prelims. If despite so much of questioning and challenging, you want to do things the hard way, that is, prepare for UPSC, let's continue.
Every life should have a purpose, every second we spend should have a purpose. If you have a purpose, you have a direction. If you have a direction you have a drive. If you have the drive, mood is immaterial. Its your vision, your goal that will keep you on the track, and at a pace.
Coming back to Inspiration. It is what gives you your purpose.
Do not search for inspiration in success stories. Do not confuse inspiration with a short-term mood builder. Search for inspiration in stories that talk about struggle, hard-work, and a higher purpose. Failure they may be from a results perspective but look for the triumph of the spirit. Search for an inspiration around you, in people, in nature.
If you are inspired, you have a purpose that can drive you, you are on your path.
The UPSC Mains results were declared a couple of days back and the media is full of interviews of successful candidates. Aspirants are eagerly going over every word from the source of success to inspire themselves. That brings us to the first question, "Do we need an inspiration"? Perhaps, we will quickly reach a unanimous conclusion - "for sure !". But at this point of time, I would like to split this idea into more parts:
Inspiration - Purpose - Drive - Mood and then go our way up.
Ever heard this from your friends "I am not in a mood to study today", "Are yaar, I will start after this weekend". What gets you in the Mood?
Classical music or hard rock?
Garam Chai or Thandi Lassi?
So far so good. But if you are waiting for Sachin to hit another century to get you in the mood, ask yourself, is it really your mood, or you are losing your drive?
What makes you get out of bed early in the morning (or keep you awake late night) with an energy that yells, "I want to study today". What drives you?
Students often tell me that its the "search for success" that drives them. But how long can the search for success last? Till the time that you realize, that indeed in a super competitive exam, most of the aspirants have to settle for a lesser outcome. Sometimes, it happens even sooner, they get depressed seeing a close friend or a class-mate doing very well. Perhaps the drive needs to come from a higher idea - Purpose.
Ask yourself, would you be competing for Civil Services even if it did not carry the social reputation it enjoys? Can the quest for a social reputation motivate you for so many months for a focused hard work. Ask yourself, that the social change you aspire to bring is your innate desire or a bookish answer for your interview, even before the prelims. If despite so much of questioning and challenging, you want to do things the hard way, that is, prepare for UPSC, let's continue.
Every life should have a purpose, every second we spend should have a purpose. If you have a purpose, you have a direction. If you have a direction you have a drive. If you have the drive, mood is immaterial. Its your vision, your goal that will keep you on the track, and at a pace.
Coming back to Inspiration. It is what gives you your purpose.
Do not search for inspiration in success stories. Do not confuse inspiration with a short-term mood builder. Search for inspiration in stories that talk about struggle, hard-work, and a higher purpose. Failure they may be from a results perspective but look for the triumph of the spirit. Search for an inspiration around you, in people, in nature.
If you are inspired, you have a purpose that can drive you, you are on your path.
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