“In a dimly lit room, a girl is sitting all bundled up in her blanket, the glow of the laptop screen lighting the room, reflecting on her nervous face. With fidgety hands, fingers tracing the edges of the keyboard, her eyes are darting nervously between the screen and the ENTER key.
All uncertain thoughts are racing through her mind about everything that could go wrong—self-doubt creeping in at every turn. The cursor stays motionless, poised over the submit button, as if waiting for the final click.
Stress builds.
With a deep breath, she makes the final click and, without a second thought, slams the laptop shut.”
. . . . .
That's me, by the way, in the script above. Quite a dramatic introduction, isn't it? But well... that's just classic me.
I have spent what feels like a lifetime second-guessing myself—my decisions, thoughts, opinions—convinced I have something amazing to offer the world but never quite sure of what it is. For as long as I can remember, my mind has been a circus of ideas, all spinning and flipping, but instead of jumping into action, I am just stuck in the loop of ‘what if’ or ‘Am I sure?’
It’s like I have got all these brilliant ideas planned out, like a whole movie that's playing in my head, but when the credits roll, all I have done is... nothing. It's maddening! Like being stuck in your own head, knowing you have the potential but never being able to break free from the constant hesitation.
There's just a perfect example for this as well. Back in school, I had this absolutely amazing project idea, but—BIG SURPRISE—I didn't act on it. It was the same old story: doubts creeping in, overthinking every little detail, and, of course, a lack of resources convincing me it wouldn't work. Fast forward to the project assessment day, and guess what? Another team basically presented the same idea I had—and they won!
Not that I was bitter or anything (okay, maybe a little), but the real kicker was the gut-wrenching regret I had later. All the thoughts like, ‘If only I had spoken up, shared my idea... Even if it had bombed, at least I would’ve known I tried,’ kept on suffocating me. However, all I could do was just sit there clapping, with a front-row seat to the success I could've had.
That incident really took a toll on me, leaving me in a place where I knew I needed to change something. So, I turned to the best advisor and therapist of all time—books!
Yes, that’s right. Not a fancy therapist’s office, but the quiet corners of the library. I was desperately browsing through the bookshelves to find that one life-saving book that would somehow sort out my entire life. A book with Swami Ji’s picture peeking behind a pile of magazines, titled Powers of the Mind and Practices for Life Building, was what caught my attention.
Being a little sceptical, I did pick it up upon my friend’s insistence, thinking it would turn out to be one of those typical philosophical books about life. However, to my utter surprise and shock, that book turned out to be a complete life-changer for me, shifting my mindset in ways I hadn't imagined.
That book felt like a personal guide, helping me unlock the best version of myself. The way it broke down the concept of understanding your mind and boosting your confidence wasn’t through some magical formula but by making you face yourself head-on.
One of the most important and fascinating facts I understood was that the biggest obstacle in my life wasn’t the world around me—it was me. Every doubt, every hesitation, every uncertain feeling came from my own mind. And the only way to conquer this was to stop avoiding myself, to stop letting the fears call the shots. I could imagine Swami Ji sitting across from me and saying, “Enough with the excuses. You’re stronger than you think.”
And the best part about this whole process was that it didn’t just inspire me to think differently—it taught me to act differently, giving me the means to break free from my self-imposed limits and restraints, motivating me to start living with more confidence and self-faith.
From that point on, I dove deeper into Swami Ji's teachings, soaking up his wisdom like a sponge. His thought process and way of living started to shape my perspective of myself.
There’s this one quote by Swami Ji that I hold on to when my mind is in the swirling abyss of ideas, uncertainties, and negativities:
“Take up that one idea, make that idea your life—think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, and every part of your body be full of that idea and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success!”
Whenever I am drowning in a sea of overthinking, I remind myself—just one idea. Live it, fully feel it, breathe it, own it. Everything else? Out of the window.
Another quote by Swami Ji that motivates me is:
“Take risks in life. If you win, you can lead; if you lose, you can guide.”
It’s now my life’s fundamental mantra, which I always follow when fear creeps in. Whatever the outcome, there’s always something to gain. And somehow, every time I recite these words, they pull me out of that pit of negativity into action.
Through all the ups and downs, one thing I have come to realise is that I have got something to offer—and if not that, then I definitely have something to learn.
In life, we try tons of things and fail at more than a few, but one of the most important things we miss along the way is that we actually know and learn various things!
All those missteps, wrong turns, and failed attempts actually give us a golden treasury of experience and learnings, making us into a better version of ourselves with each passing day.
And now, I am not just someone with big dreams anymore—I AM SOMEONE WHO TAKES ACTION!
And that’s exactly what brought me here as well—ready to take on this contest headfirst!!
The article "From Dreamers to Doers:Inspiring stories of youth changing the world" has been chosen among the top ten articles in The Trailblazers 2025, a national-level article writing competition organised by Youthisthan Foundation to celebrate National Youth Day on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.
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