The Year that Was, and the Year that Will Be
This year changed me — how many times have we heard other people say this? How many times do we tell this to ourselves? Reflecting on the self, and the world that we are foraying into
We are all basking in the glory of Lionel Messi. What a match that was! Honestly, I only ever watched FIFA for peer pressure. Okay, I have to admit — I love the boys on the field! But that’s about it.
Lionel Messi stood out to be the GOAT. We all were happy — because he deserved the win for who he was, and how much he had put in.
Another event that defined 2022 was the Russia-Ukraine conflict. While one leader was closed down in communication, the other left no opportunity to deliver his message, throw light on the grief, and become a statesman who, like David, took on a Goliath.
The truth that evades us, leaves no room for conspiracy — at least for the wise. Hence I’d just admire Zelensky’s grit and move on.
The UK Election. Liz Truss got the chair and then left it when she couldn’t do enough to retain it. Giving room to the first Prime Minister of colour — Rishi Sunak. Who knew? This comes as a catharsis, even though layered.
These three men are living examples of facing tumultuous times. While one owns the victory he worked for his entire life, the other isn’t close but wouldn’t stop. At least he’d go down in history, like our third man in question, and he — for that matter, has miles to go before he can sleep in peace.
That’s for all of us. I don’t know you, or your life — but I do know, that you’re striving. Some of you may be reaping the fruit of strife and thriving, some of you may be on the verge of giving up.
I, for one, have switched two jobs in this one year. But was it the doing of a single year?
So, a year can’t change you. A year can be a milestone like it was for Messi, Zelensky or Sunak. But it’s somewhere in the past when the change would have begun. It’s about opportunity, timing and I won’t call it luck — but it sure is destiny.
I’ve seen myself switch from journalism to PR to influencing to branding and marketing. And on more than one occasion, I’ve loved and hated them alike. I’ve tried moving back from the last to the first—the third to the second.
But where does this take me?
What I learn from the above examples, is the importance of a clear goal.
That justifies intent.
What do I want to be? What will that do for me? The second question is more important than the first, because as a child we wanted to be everything at once, but narrowed down to one role, or at least one stream.
What will that designation or package do for you? What problems will it solve? And more importantly, what does it take for one to take on more issues?
I hope you already know, or just realised — problems don’t finish. We have to live moments of happiness between days of darkness.
My optimistic self would vouch for calling life a happy journey with some speed-breakers of sorrow.
What one needs to take on an unpredictable life (everyone’s is, by and far), is discipline and grit.
Improve your habits. Show up. Live up to the challenge. There are so many self-help books and stories for inspiration, that I feel small adding to this list.
Eventually, you can’t follow a template — you need to create one for yourself. And the more you overthink or skirt around it for one excuse or the other, the farther you are from that goal.
This is when intent starts wavering too. And spoilt for our convenient lives, we start pulling in our skies and making our ambitions smaller.
On the path from intent to goal, discipline is your map and grit is your accelerator.
But it’s not a straight road. We are in tough times — a looming recession, layoffs, more battle for money — we sailed through a storm called the Pandemic, but now the ship needs repairs.
The ship here is our economy.
No matter how entitled we felt to our designation or buck, it’s all going to come to question. One might have to prove their worth everyday.
I’d mention what helps me in times of turmoil:
- Taking breaks, before the car to the journey of success starts making whirring sounds! Breaks help avoid burnouts, ease anxiety and help you refresh and re-align.
While on this break, make sure to tell co-passengers or onlookers on the road that you’re taking one and why. It helps avoid conflict, confusion or conspiracy. You may not need to be elaborate, for me my therapist is a mechanic who I tell in detail about my issues.
2. Having a companion who you can give the steering to, once in a while. Share the load, or they’d be fatigued too. This co-passenger(s) can be your spouse, family, business partner or team. Be sure to check their driving skills, or what they can do for you to make the journey easier!
3. Seeking help. Your map may be the best, but there might be a fellow driver who’s driven a car for more years, faced the same challenges and may avoid a pit or roadblock for you. In real life, you call them mentors.
Have more than one mentor for different times of advice. Again, if your map doesn’t work out for you, theirs might not be foolproof for you too. Take a bit of redirection, align it to your own map, and start driving! Don’t forget to thank them, and be there for them on the way, if and when you cross paths.
4. You doing you. I can’t stress enough, about the importance of believing in yourself. Half of our dreams die because we think we can’t do it. We either think something or someone is too good for us, or we are too good for them. But you can’t know the road till you’ve driven on it, can you?
What is the worst that can happen? You’ll make a mistake. You’ll be scolded for it. You may end up disappointing someone. Many people. You may burn some cash. Until it doesn’t threaten someone’s well-being, take the risk and do what it takes.
Success, love and happiness are blanket terms which vary for people. As we foray into the new year, we should change the habits that hold us back from being better people. That’s all that should change year in and year out.
Wishing everyone strength for bracing tough times and everything they wish for, but principally what serves them and their larger plan. Leave some room for miracles — I, for one, believe in the Almighty who has a vision for me in mind. But that shouldn’t stop me from effort.
To a newer, better, happier self who becomes the GOAT of their life!
