The next time you’re walking on the sidewalk, take a good look at everyone around you. You will see several people glued to their phones, you will see someone who’s running late but still anxiously waiting for a taxi, you will see a group of drivers getting restless till the lights turn green and a couple of delivery boys rushing through the traffic to deliver the food on time.
Very seldom do people take a break from all this hustle-bustle and appreciate how far they’ve come!
The pedestrians wish they had a bike, the taxi drivers wish they had another job, the people in the car wish they had a better car, and the shopkeepers wish they had a bigger store.
There are hundreds of people living the same dream you are. There are hundreds of people wishing for the same things you are. And there are hundreds more who’re living your dream and still wishing for more. There is no end to this chaotic chain. You keep wanting more and more.
The world has gotten so fast-paced that even when everyone is at a loss for breath, they’re trying to run the marathon of life. The marathon of life is a constant cycle where you obsessively try to reach the finish line, but the finish line keeps moving along with you.
During your high school years, you want to have a phone. During your university years, you want to have a girlfriend. At work, you want to get a promotion. Back at home, you want to buy a big TV.
In your 30s, you want to build your first house. And in your 40s, you want to quit your job and tour the world.
* Breathes out *
Think of all the times you were genuinely happy.
Were you looking for something or someone or were you just content with what you were doing and those who were around you?
Chances are nothing else mattered and it may not have been exactly what you planned for yourself. But it didn’t matter at the time because what was happening to you at that moment was actually more important. It is the times like these that we have to mimic very often to embody the peace that we want in our lives. Go into things uncertain. The worst that could happen is that it didn’t go according to your plan and you didn’t get to the next big thing that you so desperately wanted. But that doesn’t mean your growth is stunted. The so-called plan is always bound to change.
Your plan to pursue a master’s may not be relevant at a time when you’ve found something that keeps you motivated as you wake up. Just because all your friends are going for it, does not mean that it really is the next big thing. You don’t have to chase it like everyone else. Your journey is unique to you. So the ability to be agile on your feet and adapt to a situation is what is going to make you, The Next Big Thing.
Every milestone is just the beginning of the remaining part of your journey. Every time you think that “you’ve made it”, you’ll realize that you felt that joy only for a couple of days. Come the third day, your problems are still there. And they’re here to stay.
What we need to do is to stop looking. We need to enjoy everything around us and not wait for the what-ifs. Take a pause and enjoy the fast cars that pass you by. You don’t have to compete with everyone out there. You don’t have to be validated by everyone out there. And heck, you don’t even have to be the best version of yourself.
Maybe when you stop searching for whatever it is that you are looking for, is when you will find what you really want.
And maybe, when you stop trying so hard to get to the next best thing, is when you’ll actually get to the next best thing.
Pshh pshh…
Guess what?
Every time I need to dig into my own mind, I feel like I need a friendly voice to help me out. So I created something, a podcast, that will have all my blogs as part of an audio library I can go back to. And if I’m being honest, these episodes have helped me more than anyone. So if you’d like to keep revisiting these thoughts and listen to more of my content, you can head to my podcast, Within 5 Minutes, which serves as an audio library for these blogs — https://linktr.ee/hacchuu. Don’t worry, it is available on all your favourite streaming platforms!
Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/hacchuu
Email — harsh@ctrlaltgrow.com
You can help me out by buying me a coffee! — https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hacchuu
I apologise, but, in my opinion, you are not right. I can prove it. Write to me in PM, we will talk.