35 Years, 35 learnings

1. Being grateful is a life hack
   simply acknowledging that you probably have received your fair share of blessings to be able to read, hear, see, move, eat and connect should help you get out of any dark phase or negativity.


2. Taking action is a super power
   preparation is important but nothing beats the power of taking action, possibly failing, understanding from it and taking action again. Rinse and repeat.


3. Give and forget all about it
   giving something to someone who needs it, is an opportunity not to be missed. Do it often and don’t ponder or keep track. Keep giving.


4. Be kind and calm by default
   state in which your mind is, affects everything. Approaching the situation in a calm and kind manner sets you on the right path with people or circumstances.


5. Procrastination is the most dreaded enemy
   chances are you know what needs to be done. Delaying will only increase the efforts and grief later. Start. Now.


6. No matter what, never belittle yourself
   feeling sorry or ridiculed of yourself and your circumstances will not help you or anyone else. Avoid at any costs.


7. Talk less, listen more with care
   there are two ears and they are closer to your brain than your one mouth. Use the ears much more and when you do, pay attention.


8. Multitasking is a myth. Do one thing.
   As humans, we are not equipped to concentrate on multiple threads at a time. Do one thing at a time and do it right. 


9. Don’t be afraid of being embarrassed
   Number of great opportunities you lose due to over analysing how others perceive your actions is not worth it. Do your thing.


10. Respect every religion, Follow your beliefs.
    Religions are a set of principles millions of people follow and have been around for thousands of years. Show respect to others beliefs while following your own realizations. 


11. Don’t run away from awkward situations
    weird stuff happens in personal and professional lives. Deal with it. Don’t let that be a permanent resident in your mind.


12. Don’t know where to start? Get fit.
    physical fitness is usually a great way to start any transformation. Having a fit, lean, energetic physique will be an invaluable asset in all other life’s pursuits. 


13. Spend some time to choose the right words
    No matter what message you wish to convey, using the right words and tone is important. Meaning may change for the recipient if the choice of words is poor. Take your time.


14. You need to rest. Period.
    Don’t snooze, don’t hibernate, don’t restart, don’t go into sleep mode, just switch off for sometime every now and then. Body and mind.


15. Family is at the core of everything
    you don’t choose your parents and siblings. Try to be on the best terms with your folks and they will support you in every walk of your life. If it’s impossible, strive to be respectful and amicable.


16. Form meaningful honest friendships and nurture them
    friends act as fulcrum to balance out professional and personal life’s stress. Form a tribe which is close to each other and will show up in need.


17. You do not achieve anything on your own
    we are always standing on the shoulders of giants and acknowledging the fact that various people and situations helped you, makes you profound. Be profound. 


18. Fight to win, be prepared to lose
    the way society is functioning, every now and then you would be put up in a competition. Bear in mind that whenever there is a competition, there will be losers and you can be one of them and it’s fine. Rinse and repeat.


19. Forgive and forget as often as you can
    Revenge is romantic and will never go out of fashion but bear in mind that it consumes everything in you when you don’t forgive someone. Pulls you down more than anything else. Let it go.


20. Peace of mind is an invaluable asset
    do anything in your power to attain peace of mind. Use tools, techniques, religion, spiritual guidance, whatever. 


21. If you have knowledge, spread it
    try to teach, train, educate, uplift as many as possible with whatever knowledge you possess. Don’t be thrifty with knowledge.


22. Stop trying to make sense of everything
    It’s impossible to reach logical conclusions on many things, especially the way people behave. There’s too many variables and too many premises which you are not aware of. Take it easy.


23. Don’t find permanent solutions for temporary problems
    ride it through if you are aware that it’s a matter of time before something resolves itself. 


24. Success in anything, demands sacrifices
    bigger the success story, greater are the sacrifices made by the person. Shortcuts don’t exist in real life.


25. Make your own bed, wash your own underwear
    seems preachy but these two habits will instill a sense of self-reliance which helps in everything else. Try it for a month and see for yourself.


26. Do not invite but don’t avoid confrontation
    it’s inevitable that some arguments are bound to happen. Both personal and professional. Bear in mind that the only reason to get into confrontation is to resolve the conflict and get back to normalcy. 


27. Your better-half and children are priority number one
    universal fact. It immensely uplifts all aspects of your life if your core family is tightly bound to each other. Strive to strengthen these bonds with love, as years pass. 


28. Proactively strive for responsibility
    nothing helps you excel in life more than being responsible and accountable. Go out of your way to be tagged as responsible and you will be surprised at what you are capable of.


29. The Pareto principle (80/20 rule) is applicable everywhere
    Money, Fitness, Relationships, Business whatever you lack or want to excel in –  figure out the most vital action items to achieve and start doing it. Cut out the fluff.


30. Expectation is the root of all disappointment
    tough to understand, tougher to digest and toughest to implement. Not providing any explanation. Go figure.


31. Whenever possible, let a mentor guide you
    Life is too short to make all the mistakes by yourself. Don’t be afraid or think twice to seek mentorship in any challenge.


32. Once in a while, seek discomfort
    Too much comfort is unhealthy for your physical and mental fitness. Get out of that proverbial comfort-zone every now and then.


33. Travel. Often.
    Travel stretches your imagination and expands your mental horizon like nothing else. Being away from your territory is crucial for you to find your personality and evolve.


34. Read. More Often.
    Reading is travelling from the comfort of your couch and much much more. No explanations required but make it a habit if you wish to lead a meaningful life.


35. It’s a journey. Enjoy the ride.
    What felt like a destination, becomes a pit stop in this journey of life. Understand this and get back on the ride. With a smile. 🙂