Giving Up On A Dream - When Is It Okay?
Some bad choices end up giving the best lessons.
Hello dear friend,
Welcome to a brand new edition of Be Your Best Friend With Anangsha - the weekly newsletter that constantly looks back upon its life, evaluates the mistakes it committed and tries to derive lessons from events.
Today, I want to talk about a meme I saw on Instagram, and how it pushed me on a trip down memory lane and ended up with an amazing lesson.
No matter where you’re at in life currently, I think this is an important lesson for everyone. But before that, here’s the meme that triggered this epiphany:
Looking at it, I was reminded of the point in my life when I had the same mindset.
I wanted a government job so bad, that I was prepared to stay in Delhi and study for as many attempts as it takes to crack the UPSC Engineering Services - a super tough govt exam in India👀
By 2016, I'd already spent a lot of my father's money on a year's worth of UPSC coaching classes. The institute I was studying in offered a 50% discount for "repeaters."
I was seriously considering taking another year of coaching so I could fare better in the UPSC exams than on my pathetic first attempt.
I didn't, though, because I got a job elsewhere through my GATE rank.
Looking back, I'm so happy I gave the UPSC dream up. Not sure having a job that transfers me from one Indian small town to another every 3 years would have been the ideal "happy ending" that looked so glamorous in my head.👀
In India, a UPSC job is amazing and filled with terrific opportunities for growth. I have mad respect for my friends and classmates who are in civil and engineering services now.
But I'm not cut out for it. As they say, it's not my cup of tea.
The key takeaway here?
It's incredible if you're ambitious, but it's also important to know when to give up on a certain dream. If the pursuit doesn't excite you anymore or you're no longer sure why you even want it, it's best to take a step back and re-evaluate your goals.
Your identity isn't tied to your goal. There's so much more to life than a government exam.
I have zero regrets I didn't spend years of my life preparing for an exam. If I did, who knows what my life would have been like, and would you have ever stumbled across my newsletter!💪
What's a dream that you gave up on? Do you have any regrets or are you grateful you didn't do whatever it takes? Share your story in the comments or leave a reply to this email.
Videos of the week
If you’d been following my previous newsletters, you’d know that I was on a 15-day trip first to the Maldives, and then to Jaipur, Rajasthan. I recorded a vlog walking down the white sand beaches of the Maldives. It’s filled with travel tips and my insights on the beautiful scenes around me.
Watch it here:
In case you missed it, here are some other cool videos I made during the past few days:
My new “pet” project
Many of you might know my darling pet 10-month-old Labrador, Lucyfur. If you’re hearing about her for the first time, here’s a picture:
My latest pet project is Lucy’s Instagram.
Yes, I created an Instagram profile for my dog, and I’m super excited to share her cuteness with the world in the form of pictures and reels.
If you’re a fan of watching cute dog videos, Lucy’s profile might make you smile.
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Check out my 90-day guide to finding your first high-paying freelance client.
You’ll find 5 pitching secrets, 2 email templates, and a solid framework to get your freelancing career started.
Note that I create this newsletter for you every week with lots of love. If you’d like to support me, here’s a link to buy me a book.
If you found this letter useful, don’t forget to forward this to a friend or ask them to sign up for my newsletter. It’s free, and you know me, I only send valuable content.
That’s all from my end today. I’ll see you again soon. Till then, stay strong. Keep smiling and be awesome.
With love,
Anangsha.