Let Us Live Today as the People We Want to Become

Dear friends,
Warm greetings.

Who in this world does not wish to progress in life?

Every person carries some kind of dream in their heart.

For one person, it may be the dream of receiving a good education.

For another, it may be the desire to find a good job.

Someone may dream of starting a business of their own.

Another may wish to bring their family into a better and more secure position.

Some may have a deep desire to share their talents with the world.

But not everyone who dreams succeeds in achieving those dreams.

Why?

Very often, the reason is not that they lack ability.

It is not because they do not have good ideas.

It is not even necessarily because they lack opportunities.

What holds them back is often what they believe they do not have.

“Can I really do it?”

“Am I capable of doing this?”

“What will other people say?”

“What if I fail?”

“What if people laugh at me?”

“There are people much more talented than I am!”

Thoughts such as these can sometimes tie a person's feet and prevent them from moving forward.

That is why what holds most people back is not the quality of their ideas.

It is their lack of faith in themselves.

I am not a scholar.

I do not possess great qualifications that give me the authority to advise young people.

But having travelled through many paths in life, having learned from my mistakes, and having understood life through what I have seen and heard, I would like to share a small reflection based on my own experience.

First, Believe in Yourself

What a person thinks about themselves has a tremendous influence on their life.

A mind that repeatedly says, “I cannot do it,” will hesitate even to make an attempt.

But a mind that says, “Perhaps I can do it,” will at least take the first step.

That first step may be small.

But many great changes in life begin with a small first step.

When a child learns to walk, the child does not run on the very first day.

The child falls.

Gets up again.

Falls again.

And tries again.

If that child had thought,

“I have fallen, therefore I am not capable of walking,”

none of us would have learned to walk!

The child believes that it is possible.

That is why the child keeps trying.

The younger generation should never forget this simple lesson in life.

Failure is not proof that “I cannot do it.”

It is simply information telling us,

“I need to try again, perhaps in a different way.”

Dreaming Alone Is Not Enough

The thought, “You have to live your life as if you are already where you want to be,” carries a very deep meaning.

It does not mean that someone without money should live extravagantly like a wealthy person.

Nor does it mean that someone who has not yet completed their education should behave as though they are already a great scholar.

It is about a state of mind.

If you want to become a good teacher one day, start living today as a person who is eager to learn.

If you dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur one day, start learning today the value of time, money and responsibility.

If you want to become a good writer one day, start reading today.

If you want to become someone who contributes meaningfully to society, start today by trying to be useful to the people around you.

We do not have to wait until we reach our destination before adopting the lifestyle required for that destination.

We must begin developing those habits today.

“One Day” Can Be a Dangerous Phrase

There is a very deceptive phrase in our lives.

It is:

“One day.”

“One day I will study well.”

“One day I will exercise.”

“One day I will write a book.”

“One day I will start a business.”

“One day I will make my parents happy.”

“One day I will do something for society.”

And so we keep saying these things to ourselves.

But when will that “one day” actually come?

Life has never given us a guarantee about tomorrow.

So dream.

But connect that dream with at least one small action today.

Read a few pages of a book.

Learn a new skill.

Seek advice from a good and experienced person.

Give up one unhealthy habit.

Start one good habit.

Use one hour of your day productively instead of wasting it.

Small actions, when repeated consistently, can one day become a great life.

Do Not Compare Yourself With Others

One of the greatest challenges facing today's younger generation is comparison.

In the past, we generally compared ourselves only with a few people around us.

Today, social media has brought the entire world into our rooms.

Someone is travelling abroad.

Someone else has bought a new car.

Another person has built a large house.

Someone has started a business and posted about their success.

Another person shares the happiest moments of their life.

As young people watch all this, some begin to ask themselves,

“Why is my life not like that?”

and gradually start to underestimate themselves.

But there is an important truth we often forget.

What another person shows us is not their entire life.

It is only the part they have chosen to show.

It is not fair to compare our entire life with a few carefully selected moments from someone else's life.

Your competition is not with other people.

It is with the person you were yesterday.

Can you make a little progress today compared with yesterday?

Can you learn something today that you did not know yesterday?

Can you avoid repeating yesterday's mistake today?

Can you attempt something today that you were unable to do yesterday?

That is true progress.

Confidence Is Not Arrogance

There is an important distinction our young people need to understand.

Confidence does not mean:

“I know everything.”

That is arrogance.

Confidence means:

“I do not know everything, but I am capable of learning.”

Saying, “I will never fail,” is not confidence.

Saying, “Even if I fail, I will learn from it and rise again,” is confidence.

Saying, “I do not need anyone's help,” is not confidence.

Saying, “When I need help, I will not hesitate to ask for it,” is mature confidence.

Humility must accompany confidence.

Because it is often the tallest tree that bends its head the most.

We should rise.

But when we rise, we must never forget those who helped us rise.

Your Success Is Not Only for You

When a young person improves their life, it should not be viewed merely as an individual achievement.

As they rise, the people around them should rise too.

If you receive a good education, help someone else learn.

If you progress in your profession, create an opportunity for someone who is looking for work.

If you acquire a skill, share it with the next generation.

If you reach a good position in life, do not look down on those who are still struggling to get there. Instead, offer them a helping hand.

This is the bridge between individual progress and social progress.

“I alone must rise” is a desire.

“As I rise, those around me should rise too” is a responsibility.

If this attitude grows among our younger generation, it can lift not just one family, but an entire community.

Understand Your Parents' Dreams Too

When we are young, some of our parents' words may feel like restrictions.

“You must study.”

“Don't waste your time.”

“Choose your friends carefully.”

“Think about your future.”

Sometimes these words may even feel irritating.

But as time passes, we may come to understand the concern and love behind those words.

So, young people, follow your dreams.

At the same time, understand the love of those who worry about you and care about your journey.

You must live your own life.

But not by forgetting those who helped shape you.

The Way to Overcome Fear Is to Act

Fear is natural.

You may feel afraid when applying for a new job.

You may feel nervous when speaking on a stage.

You may feel afraid when starting a business.

You may even feel afraid when writing a book.

You may wonder,

“Will this turn out well?”

But I do not believe that a person without fear is necessarily courageous.

A truly courageous person is someone who moves forward despite being afraid.

If we wait for our fear to disappear completely before taking action, many good opportunities may pass us by.

Start with a small effort.

Then make another effort.

And another.

When you begin to act, your fear gradually begins to diminish.

Pay Attention to the Words You Say About Yourself

Throughout the day, we speak to ourselves many times.

“I cannot do it.”

“I am not lucky.”

“I will never get an opportunity.”

“I am not as talented as other people.”

If we keep repeating such thoughts in our minds, those words gradually begin to shape our lives.

Instead, try saying:

“I am trying.”

“I still have more to learn.”

“I cannot do it yet, but I will keep trying.”

“I will learn from my mistakes.”

“I will move forward as far as I can.”

This is not merely a change of words.

It is the first step towards changing your mindset.

Start Living Today as the Person You Want to Become

Think about the kind of person you want to become in the future.

Then begin developing at least some of the qualities of that person today.

Do you want to become an honest person?

Be honest today.

Do you want to become a responsible person?

Carry out even your small responsibilities properly today.

Do you want to become a loving person?

Treat the people around you with kindness today.

Do you want to become someone who contributes to society?

Help at least one person today.

Do you want to become a good leader?

First learn to lead yourself.

We do not have to wait until we reach our destination before becoming that person.

The journey begins the moment we start becoming that person.

Finally...

Dear young people,

You may not yet recognise the abilities within you.

Others may have underestimated you.

Sometimes your family circumstances may have held you back.

Some failures may have shaken your confidence.

The words of certain people may have hurt you deeply.

But none of these things has to determine your entire future.

Your past is a part of your life.

It is not your whole life.

Where you were yesterday is important.

But where you want to go tomorrow is also important — perhaps even more so.

If you have a dream, value it.

Take one small step towards that dream today.

Do not wait until others believe in you.

First, believe in yourself.

But let that belief be accompanied by humility.

Add hard work to it.

Add discipline.

Add consistency.

Add the willingness to help others.

Then your success will not belong to you alone.

Someone else may gain confidence by looking at you.

Someone else may find the courage to try because of you.

You may lift a family.

A family may help lift a community.

And the positive thinking of a community may help lift an entire generation.

Therefore, whatever you wish to achieve in life, do not simply dream about how you will live after you achieve it.

Start living today as the person who is worthy of that life.

Take the first step towards the place you wish to reach.

There will be obstacles along the way.

There will be failures too.

Some people may laugh.

Some may doubt you.

At times, you may even doubt yourself.

At such moments, remember just one thing:

Instead of asking,

“Can I do it?”

ask,

“If I want to make this possible, what can I do today?”

That question may change the direction of your life.

Begin with confidence.

Learn with humility.

Move forward with hard work.

And take others forward with you.

One day, when you look back, you should be able to say:

**“I did not merely achieve the life I dreamed of.

I also became the person worthy of that life.”**

You can do it.

With affection,
Sakthi Sakthithasan