SUNDAY STORY
A Thank you letter + 4 things I learnt post launching Matters that Matter
Hey buddy, Glad to see you here! Welcome to Sunday, 23rd July 2023’s Matters that Matter.
Happy Reading!
A Thank you letter + 4 things I learnt post-launching Matters that Matter
So, today’s Sunday Story is not about any burning issue but an expression of gratitude towards you all and a collection of things I learnt since the past one month of launching Matters That Matter. I hope you enjoy reading it.
After finishing my last semester of BTech at IITK in April, I came back home with no idea about how I would spend the next few months before I join Bain and Company. I mean, I had some idea since I was working on a project but yet not much. Up until now, I had been told what to do next, or I followed what others were doing. That was no longer to happen, so I established to do something uncustomary, something I could have never thought of if not provided with this time period. Yet no clue about what exactly to do.
“Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill says, “There’s a difference between wishing for a thing and being ready to receive it.”
And hence, I made myself ready to receive that purpose which resonates with me to the core. I love reading newspapers, by the way. One day while discussing the Manipur riots with a friend, she told me how she wished to stay aware of such topics, but the time crunch and the commitment involved were major hurdles to overcome. At this moment, on a Thursday eve of 22nd June 2023, I came up with the idea of Matters that Matter. The very next day, we had the first-ever post by MTM. On Friday itself, I came up with the names, the whole theme around MTM, and all the other related logistics. And hence, MTM was born out of sheer passion to share what I learn every single day with all of you so that we can together be more aware and responsible citizens of the world. The idea was to put forward only the most relevant topics in under 5 minutes but with enough details and facts so that the readers could form informed opinions without shelling out a lot of time. Time’s money, you know :-P
Anyways, that idea grew, and we now have an Instagram page to reach those who prefer it as the platform over the newsletter format. And it’s growing further, with me brainstorming over ways to deliver things I truly believe in. So, wait for it ;-)
In all of this, something that I have been happy about is how I managed to wake up every single morning with the newspaper for the past 30 days and not leave my desk until I finished writing MTM. But the impetus behind this consistency is what makes me happier. It’s the sheer love and support that you all have blessed me with. I am grateful to have a family and a set of friends who are ready to support me without any terms whatsoever. Every single day I wake up to write MTM with those people in my mind who have subscribed to this newsletter. Their belief in me and my passion, is everything to me! Believing in someone’s work is not an easy job. It comes with truly putting your biases and thoughts aside and being receptive to what the other person has to say. It’s a noble trait, and I am so grateful to receive such affection
With all that said, I also wanted to share a few things I learnt during this time frame. These are practically my mental notes for myself but I would be glad if someone finds it thought-provoking. So here you go! 4 things launching Matters that Matters has taught me:
When you find someone who’s being what you aspire to be, support them instead of getting intimidated – Comparing yourself to others is a natural phenomenon. We all do it every day but it’s not just our self-image that gets hurt but also an opportunity to receive a new growth spurt. It’s easy to fall into the trap of undermining someone’s success, but all it needs is a present mind to pull you out of it and start appreciating that person’s efforts. Everyone loves heartfelt appreciation and support. Who knows, you may find your next friend in that person. “You are a sum of 5 people you surround yourself with”. With your new friend by your side now, you can aim for something much bigger that you would have never thought of otherwise.
Having a core team that matches your energy and enthusiasm is a must – You might not be able to do ‘everything and anything’ alone. Napoleon Hill talks about a Mastermind Alliance – “Maintain perfect harmony between yourself and your Master Mind group…This principle can not obtain where PERFECT HARMONY does not prevail.” And well, it’s quite true. You don’t wanna get stuck in a situation where ‘you keeping your word’ depends on someone’s will who doesn’t resonate with your ambitions.
A balance between planning and jumping headfirst – The latter is what I have done all along this journey till now, and I’m glad for choosing it, but I won’t lie and say that the road hasn’t been bumpy. These are like the two faces of a coin. While spending all the time planning is nothing but a form of procrastination, jumping head-first can make you feel lost several times for obvious reasons. I still lean towards the latter more since if you sit and wait for the opportunity to come, you must be damn lucky if you receive it. Ideally, there should be a balance. Anyways, what to do if you are like me and you still choose to take a leap of faith more often than not? That’s when we come to the last part…
The best answers to your problems come from within you – In these times when we are so integrated with the world around us, stepping back and spending some time alone is, not gonna lie, a tough job! But ponder over it – when was the last time you did that, like actually sat in silence alone, reflecting on your thoughts, your goals, your emotions? Losing this touch leaves us rudderless, and so we look for our answers in the outside world. We consult our friends, family, go by the societal norms and end up living just like our other rudderless companions.
It happened twice this month when I doubted if I was doing what I was supposed to do. I saw myself talking to others, scrolling Instagram and basically avoiding that self-talk. I guess your inner self informs you that you need to converse with it by showing up as anxiety. So, what to do? This is what I did - take a breather, step back, and write down your thoughts before going to bed. Things would gain much more clarity the next morning. It sounds simple, but it’s tough. Picking up your phone comes more naturally. I have just begun to pick up those cues I receive when my ‘self’ wants to converse with me. Slow and steady, we grow.
Pheww, a lot of things to assimilate! If you have come this far, I hope you found something useful in this read. Again, I’m just learning and giving myself this time to go beyond what I should do “ideally.” I don’t know how long I would keep up with all of this, but I’m listening to my passion for sure, and it’s been made possible because of you all. So, thank you for trusting and supporting me in all of this. It’s been a pretty great month so far!
Sending you all the love and support from my side. Have a great great day ahead!
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Your suggestions are invaluable and would help Matters that Matter to improve and deliver to the community better. So, feel free to reach out! Until then, sending best wishes and love <3