The New Mantra for the New Day!

The takeaway is that while the industry is imperative, you will thrive only if you are adept at unlearning, hustling, and aggressively finding solutions in a world where AI is taking over even before you are aware of it.

Sundays for me are laidback and without any alarms or reminders. I had just completed my yoga, mostly breathing exercises minus the rigor that a flushed Kareena Kapoor inspires through hers when I received a YouTube video in my really close friends' WhatsApp group. The one who sent it mentioned that it had pertinent information for parents and being on a roller-coaster ride with my teenager, I intended to at least skip and watch through it sometime.

With the post-breakfast coffee in my hand, I started listening to it. Before long, I got so hooked on the ideas discussed and directions doled out that I was totally convinced to share them with others. To sum it up in a single word, it is all about "Newness," which the dictionary defines as the quality of being new or original. And while it is primarily for parents and proteges, I would not like to restrict its viewership to a category or capacity. It is for all of us, irrespective of age or gender, and inclusive of the limitations that hinder growth at every stage.

The one concept that I liked the most and into which I had been initiated through a Yale course called 'The Science of Well-Being' is something called 'A Growth Mindset'. It focuses on learning (and not grades) over inherent qualities like talent and intelligence. Consequently, hard work is emphasized, and effort is predicted as a good sign. It also asks you to capitalize on your mistakes and make the most of your deficiencies. All these pointers are a clear shift from the concept of failing within the limited spectrum of career or job opportunities that society or tradition has had to offer. It is okay not to get scooped up by a company that comes to your college campus for recruiting as you can become a Youtuber or a solopreneur or whosoever you want to be. The only prerequisites are hard work and perseverance, and with such a progressive mindset, there can hardly be any flops or failures!

Now the 'whosoever-you-want-to-be' takes me to the next thread in the chain of thought. Passion! An extremely overrated word and one that has got nothing to do with one's career or for that matter, success. Pratham Mittal in the above video candidly segregates passion from the profession, and as an example, cites the Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, and his humble self. Here I’m also reminded of a Ted Talk by Terri Trespicio, in which she turns the ubiquitous "follow your passion" statement on its ear. In her opinion, passion is "the full force of your attention and energy that you give to whatever is right in front of you." This means that you don’t wait for passion to arrive but diligently do the job at hand, of course keeping your eyes and ears open to elevation and opportunities, and soon enough, passion will follow you. In fact, it has been proved that such an approach helps one build stronger relationships, be useful, and believe in gratitude. Moreover, the surprise element that is involved as you keep unfurling your scope and skills, is a good boost to push you further and farther.

That takes us to the next nugget, which is to keep looking for options to earn money as well as experience. Here, we may lean towards the western way of rearing a child, where he has to do chores, assume responsibilities and even earn from a tender age. This connects them to the real world and is, therefore, highly recommended for young adults. Indeed, the word "hustle" is the new-age mantra where everyone is expected to have a side hustle, and companies and employers prefer hustlers to toppers as enterprise overrides evaluation.

The takeaway is that while the industry is imperative, you will thrive only if you are adept at unlearning, hustling, and aggressively finding solutions in a world where AI is taking over even before you become aware of it. Having said that, let's begin this New Year with a new way of thinking that dissolves definitions and drives dynamism as the way forward.

By: Promita Banerjee Nag

Disclaimer:
This article and the opinions expressed in it are personal opinions. It is not meant for imposing specific views or endorsing a particular way of life. Also please do ignore any errors or omissions that you might come across. We pledge to learn from them. Happy viewing.