Your intention will always be beaten by your environment.

I am quoting a TED talk, again.

Yesterday, I was listening to a TED talk by Peter Sage, which is worth a watch but I'd like to talk about a line specifically he said, "Your intention will always be beaten by your environment" and I had to pause for a minute to let that line sink in. I sensed that it was so true and relatable. For the last month, I've been setting goals that I have been unable to achieve; reasons? my environment. Now here's the catch: I realized that my environment is directly linked to my routine, decisions, and daily activities. Thus, when I looked at it from a third-person point of view, it hit me that those goals are not only overwhelming but also a little too boring (at least some of them). And then there it was - the glorious cognizance - my environment beat my intention. Now does it make sense why we feel inferior after a point when somebody keeps saying 'You are not good enough?'; interesting, how all of this is literally energy. It started making sense to me why you should be careful with your words, your actions, and your energy. After multiple awestruck-ing realizations, I have come to certain conclusions of my own which I am hoping to accept/apply in my life ––

• Choose what you consume - We live in a digital age, and with at least 2.5 quintillion bytes of data being created daily, there is a huge pool of information available to you. Luckily, you get to choose what to see, read, listen or more importantly pay attention to.

• Choose what to let go of - One of my teachers quoted this line by Steve Jobs (given below) which always somehow stayed with me. You can always choose to let go of things, people, incidences, situations, and experiences. It may take a little longer, but you have the choice to not do some things. So, unfollow that person who has been draining you for a long time. There you go.

"People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I'm actually as proud of the things we haven't done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things."

–– Steve Jobs

• Give yourself the permission to fail - It's time I get this tattooed on my forehead now! Really, allow yourself to suck a little, because you will never know if you are really good at or you'll never get good at something until you mess up. Mess up, and try again. Learn a little bit more, every day.

• You are perfectly on time - We've been made to believe life will work out only if we attain certain things at certain times only because everyone else is doing it instead of letting us believe that maybe life will work out irrespective of those things.

• It is okay to say no if it doesn't fit in your life - Lately, I've been saying yes to things that weren't really going to fit into my schedule, and it just cost me a lot more than money. So, really nobody is getting hurt if you say 'no', it is truly not the end of the world.

• Make choices that you can live with no regrets - This one might take time, but give it some overthinking and a few conversations with people smarter than you, and you'll know what to do.

• It will always work out - This may really come off as a cliche but it is...not. I can't give the details on how, what, why but let's just say it does work out.

Now, go enjoy the rest of your Sunday! - Written by Vanshika Patil