From excuse to excellence
'If you want to feed a person for a day give him a fish, if you wish to feed him for a lifetime, teach him how to fish.' Dr Ajit Varwandkar is a Career Psychologist and a Thought process Transformation Expert by profession. He is working on enhancing employability through career guidance and training. Just capacity development is not his motto; enabling youth is the intent. He started his career as a mechanical engineer and eventually went into clinical psychology, management and doctoral research. He is an avid trainer of Thought Engineering for corporate and educational institutes. He is a music lover and plays the Indian classical percussion instrument – Tabla. He is the author of the book Think Success and Be Successful. He loves to write inspirational blogs on self-improvement and career development issues. He believes in living life at zero complaint level and is always keen to focus on solutions than on excuses. LESS ... MORE
What if I told you that everything you achieve in life, your happiness, relationships, and success is a direct reflection of your thoughts? How would you react?
It's true—your thoughts are the architects of your reality. The quality of your life hinges not just on what you think, but also on what you choose to tolerate, and more importantly, on what you consciously decide not to think about.
In my journey as a coach and observer of life, I've seen people who don't just live with excuses, they embrace them. These are the ones who settle into mediocrity, or worse, spiral down into chronic failure. Laddu Pinto was one such man. He had big dreams, but his life was stuck in a loop of poor choices and constant justifications.
When I met Laddu, I made a simple suggestion: 'Stop tolerating substandard thinking.' That one piece of advice struck a deep chord in him. That very moment, he made a life-altering decision; he resolved that anything less than his dream destination was simply unacceptable. And friends, I want you to know that from that day forward, Laddu began a complete transformation. Within eight years, he built a life most only dream of.
You see, success isn't an external event – it's an internal decision.
Look around your social circle. You'll find numerous people who've overcome challenges simply through the power of elevated thinking. They didn't have more resources or better luck; they had better thoughts.
And yet, what pains me is how many people quietly convince themselves that they're not meant for greatness. Deep down, they know they deserve more. But still, they settle. They create ceilings for themselves, and then decorate those ceilings with excuses.
Let me share a truth I've learned: Most people don't fail because of a lack of talent or opportunity. They fail because they've accepted that they don't deserve more than what they already have. They shrink their dreams to fit their self-doubt. If you're one of those people who has ever settled for less – ask yourself, Why?
The secret to breaking free lies in your willingness to demand more from yourself. Set non-negotiable standards. Adopt a discipline that becomes your DNA and not just a box you tick on your to-do list. Success is not a matter of chance, but a matter of choice backed by commitment.
I recall another story: a man who wanted to regain his fitness. He consulted a professional coach, paid the fees, got a perfect plan, and… nothing happened. Three months later, he looked the same, except for a lighter wallet.
His problem wasn't the plan. It wasn't even a lack of effort. His real downfall was the way he spoke to himself. 'It's okay,' he'd say, 'Diseases are a part of life. I'm just not the kind of person who can be fit again.' That inner dialogue became his reality.
This is not just his story, it's the story of countless entrepreneurs, dreamers, and students who want big things but don't believe they can achieve them. Their own minds stop them long before the world ever does.
Friends, if you truly want to transform your life, don't start by changing your actions; rather, start by changing your thoughts. Don't just hope to succeed, decide that you will. And when you do, your journey will begin to align with your destiny.
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