Do we have enough courage to drop our long cherished plans and grab the opportunity to where our passion lies? Well, Kiran Manral does have that courage! She is a well known author of The Reluctant Detective, Once Upon A Crush, and All Aboard. One of the leading bloggers in India, she was ranked among the top five parenting bloggers by Blogadda. She is also a responsible mother, an efficient homemaker, and a kind personality who serves society with her IndiaHelps blog that not only provides help but also hope to many.
During our interaction with her during LogicTalk, a monthly knowledge sharing event, between industry stalwarts and LogiMates, she manifested the many angles of commonly known life lessons in a different light. She also shared some of her interesting personal life experiences justifying her philosophy – It’s OK to be without a plan.
So, here we list down the important takeaways from Kiran, which will add value to your life:
1. Dare to go against the predefined plans
Careers are pre-planned even before the child steps his foot on this earth. Often, parents have their own unfulfilled dreams and they wish to make them true through their children. Every day the child grows up dragging the burden of fulfilling his parents’ expectations and ends up sacrificing his desires and things he is passionate about. One of the greatest examples would be Mahatma Gandhi had he not dropped his legal profession, who would know him as Mahatma? If King Siddhartha had not chosen asceticism, how would have world worshipped him as Gautam Buddha? All these great people chose to go against their predetermined plans, and we are the witnesses of who they came to be known as.
2. Better to follow your passion now, than regret later
These people followed their passion. Passion is something that keeps you alive and excited every morning you wake up. However, without passion when you grow old, at the death bed, you must not regret about not following your heart.
Do you feel excited about your work, or do you feel it has just become monotonous? If it is not what you are passionate about, have the courage to say ‘No’ to it. Start pursuing what you want and don’t worry about where you would be in the next five years, as this is one question you would be often asked.
3. It’s OK not to follow a predefined plan
“Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?” The answer to this question is quite tricky as it is practically impossible to tell what will happen in the near future. Life is full of uncertainties. You never know you might stumble upon an excellent opportunity that you by no means dreamt about before.
But, when you have plans, you keep yourself constrained and end up in a dilemma – should I do it or should I not? If a particular plan doesn’t work out, do I have an alternative plan? What if even the alternative plan doesn’t work out? The phase of uncertainty is the most demoralizing phase you can ever have in your life.
According to Kiran, it is OK not to listen to the plan that is already chalked out for you by your parents, well-wishers, motivational speakers, life coaches, etc.
4. Don’t let others determine your life
We often see many people trying to educate others on how to live life, how to set goals, life mission statements, what to wear, how to communicate, and so on. Kiran says, it is a personal failure if you are simply leading a life that somebody else thinks appropriate for you. It is empowering, however, at the flip side, you have pressure to achieve the expected and to fit in certain parameters.
Instead, why not simply listen to your inner voice? It guides you while you tend to ignore it just because you don’t have enough courage to listen to it or believe in it. There can be more joy and happiness waiting for you if you show a little courage to answer your calling.
So, listen to your inner voice and as Kiran quotes , “Just jump off the cliff and you will develop your wings way down…”
