Let’s start with a practice that must have stricken you at some point of time and a fact.
If an adult elephant lifts a weight only using the strength of its mighty trunk, it can lift approximately 300kg. However, they have been shown to be able to carry about 500kg of logs.
Then what on earth prevents them breaking the rope with which they are tied. Isn’t it strange? Well the world is full of such unbelievable facts.
The answer to this mind boggling question could perhaps be found in the words of Gautam Buddha. He once said:
“Rule Your Mind or It Will Rule You.”
Same goes with the mightily elephant.
“Till the time you don’t believe that you can do it, it won’t happen in reality.”
The way to chain an elephant is to start when it’s a baby. You don’t even need a chain – a strong rope will do.
The baby elephant will struggle, but eventually it will realize that it can’t break the rope, and even worse, continuing to struggle creates a painful burn on its leg. The baby elephant learns not to struggle – it accepts that the limit imposed by the rope or chain is permanent, and there is no use struggling against it.
Sure, the elephant grows up, and becomes the most powerful land mammal on the face of the earth. But the chains in its mind remain, and so the chains on its leg are never broken.
If not much, at least some wisdom lies in this eye opening fact – Till the time you don’t believe that you can do it, it won’t happen in reality.
Mains is a perfect example of a psychological warfare, and it must be won in the mind before it can be won in the examination hall.
“In those three hours what matters is not what you have read all the preceding years, but what clarity of thoughts you have developed.”
You must set your thought processes right and do some positive self talk which would ease your nerves and calm your anxieties.
Don’t let the effort of years go down.
In those three hours what matters is not what you have read all the preceding years, but what clarity of thoughts you have developed.
There are but two powers in the world, the sword and the mind. In the long run the sword is always beaten by the mind. And after prelims one thing is clear, if not anything else, that all have the potential but few who play it intelligently can emerge as victorious.
Few Do’s and Don’ts:
- Carry Whitener – at times in hurry some mistake is committed in filling up the attendance form – it can come handy.
- Carry Writing Pad, medicine for headache.
- Visit center once before 28th if possible.
- Leave studying on the eve of 27th – as it won’t do any benefit – things you read at the moment of entering examination hall leaves a mark on your mind – and that has a recency effect. So the recent content will have a priority over other content that you have prepared.
- Don’t read too much in between the two papers. As far as possible – have lunch and rest your mind – as it has to process information and arrange it in an ordered fashion again in second paper. This goes true for all the days having two papers.
- Don’t talk to your friends, family members and other aspirants in the gap. Just make a call and if someone is accompanying you, better you keep silent most of the time. It has a psychological impact.
- Don’t make Good the Enemy of Best: Don’t try to write few best answers, rather try to write all answers in a decent manner – it will increase your chances of selection. Don’t become emotional in a question where you know too much and have enough content, as this not only will make you to compromise at other places but in an effort to write too much some nonsensical and not-asked info is also written – So Emotional Intelligence is in general required by the candidate in every paper.
- Have a bottle of water (glucose added) – this is helpful at times.
- Have a set of pens (blue and black) – If time permits enclose important things in box in a pen of different color.
- Don’t Panic – This is the most common disease found in aspirants and the antidote to it is to have faith and confidence on yourself – the Golden rule says – amplify your strengths and minimize your weakness.
All said and done – If you become a Civil Servant – Not only you and your parents would be delighted but you will have a life time opportunity to serve poor who have no say in our grassroot democracy – in fact it wont be an exaggeration to say that the ‘Grassroot democracy in India has neither grass nor roots’ (potential essay topic).
Remember one thing – Nothing Worth; Comes Easy. The crucial time lies ahead, don’t be complacent and don’t come under any sort of stress – this will help you get few more marks.
Few lines that more or less depicts the situation of almost every aspirant:
Never ever let yourself down..
In the darkest night..
When nothing seems right..
No one to talk to; no one to fight..
I am all alone in the world with
Deserted roads and emptiness are my only sight.Ohhh.. my soul why you feel so alone
During the days of Mains I have chilling bones.
Want to get warmth of a fire place..
Don’t know why becoming a part of rat race.I know the time that is going will never return..
Who knows the time of despair will be over and from now my life will take a turn..I am the charioteer of my fate..
Not going to fall down for any bait..
The feeling of being left behind and fear of failure are the things of past..
The eternal peace is the goal in the life which is so fast..The only advice to you all is simple..
We are unique in our own ways and have something or the other which is special..Just find out your strengths and amplify them before they get crushed under thousands of wrinkle..
The choice is yours, whether you want to live your dreams or your fears.
Your unequivocal belief in yourself will definitely lead to joy of tears.
Wish you all the best!
Mridul Purohit, Director
Chrome IAS Academy
