Five struggles you must pick up & win

As a child we are generally protected from the external world and the struggles it may present. While this is a safe period and one must use it wisely to gain strength, momentum and direction towards what eventually you may want to do in life. Much before what life may present, its struggles will and should dawn on you someday or the other.

What better way to navigate this phase of life — but to be wise and choose what you want to struggle for.

My thoughts are inspired by my own struggles — which were not chosen by me — and what struggles I wish that my children and younger professionals go through. Read carefully; it may well help you tread well on your career front much better.

#1 Struggle for the right information. You need clear and unambiguous information of things you need to know — your self-assessment, your quest for a career, your curiosity, anything under this sun. As a young mind, you must have the urge to know, and know things well. Any amount of struggle you do to get the right information is worth it. Cause only when you know will you grow.

#2 Struggle to find a good mentor. Learn from others’ mistakes, and your mentor would do well to teach you from his/her own mistakes and caution you about things you might run into. Many of us don’t put enough effort to find a mentor and struggle later as we end up repeating mistakes which we could as well avoid.

#3 Struggle for articulation and communication. This is what separates the wheat from the chaff. How well you have learned to communicate your thoughts will decide how well you are heard and received by your colleagues, peers, seniors, and even yourself. Defining what you need defines what you get.

#4 Struggle to stay humble. This can be a nasty struggle to win. If you have tread the path correctly till now, chances are you will be somewhat successful, and somewhat self-congratulatory. That often leads to undermining someone else’s struggles and makes you a bit arrogant or cocky. Master the art of being humble and grounded — there are always new things to learn.

#5 Struggle to stay updated with technology. This is like running on a treadmill which picks up speed every kilometre you run. But the struggle is worth it. Technology makes you productive, and productivity is what one cares for. Stay relevant always — technology can be your best friend when everything else is changing around you.

Hope you pick up the above five struggles in your life and pass on many other learnings to your colleagues and peers. Happy reading.