~Zenia Kaur
“During the time the boy had spent in the fields of Andalusia, he had become used to learning which path he should take by observing the ground and the sky. He had discovered that the presence of a certain bird meant that a snake was nearby, and that a certain shrub was a sign that there was water in the area. The sheep had taught him that. If God leads the sheep so well, he will also lead a man, he thought, and that made him feel better.” ~ Excerpt from ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho
It is not easy to remain in consciousness every time. Our thoughts unconsciously drift in past or in future. So it becomes all the more difficult to be in the present moment and focus on the task in hand. We might be obsessing over our past or building castles in future, depending upon the mood and motivation. However none is productive. People who are marred with guilt regarding their past (academic performance) and its consequences on the future, should ‘accept’ irreversibility of outcomes and instead learn from their mistakes. When you are ‘aware’ of your weaknesses, it would only account as your foolishness to not being able to take corrective steps. However, we must realize that our past performances either good or bad are a matter of ‘past’. Every new phase (read test, IAS exam here) brings with itself a new set of challenges to deal with. Needlessly one has to prepare for it from the beginning. Even people with brilliant backgrounds have to prepare for the exam from the basics, in fact they have to handle additional pressure of meeting the expectations of good results. So no journey is a cakewalk for somebody else.
Realize deeply that the present moment is all you will ever have. There is no greater time than NOW to experience the full power of you potential. Count your blessings, believe in your dreams, hard work and above all in the miracles of God.
