Today’s overview:
What school should have taught you
#7 key things to remember.
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It’s the start of a new financial year in India and for the others who read this Newsletter from around the world - I am sure you’re planning financial freedom, closing in on it or maybe, you’ve not even thought about it.
And, that’s exactly what I am going to share in today’s edition of the 'Whatever Matters' newsletter.
Skills, tips and studies that we were never taught in our school.
They ignored it - thinking we were too young to understand.
We ignored it - thinking these are useless or dumb skills to have.
Well. Life has its own ways to teach everyone. It isn’t the easy way.
Back in school, you’d have faced intense situations during assignment submissions or while taking a test. We overcame it because those situations didn’t define if we got food on our table or if we had our job tomorrow.
But now (especially after 2020) the world has changed - if you can’t fix something you become part of the problem and guess what? It bites you in the back.
I was pushed around in school for not scoring well yet I am mostly acing in the real world. All thanks to these five skills that no one can ever rip off of me.
Whether you’re jumping in on a new job, or starting your career or are a stay-at-home parent. These skills will always come in handy.
All my newsletters are recorded, If you don’t like to read, do listen to my podcast for free,
#1 Public Speaking
Whether you’re 15 or you’re 45 - you will speak with the public as long as you’re alive. This is one key skill that you’re exposed to but never trained for until you take it up. Some of us are gifted with zero fear of speaking in front of larger crowds or smaller groups alike. But, 2 in every 3 kids share that they don’t have the intent to learn this as it causes anxiety and builds on their under-confidence.
While public speaking can be intimidating. It is important to know that speaking is a skill and can be improved with practice.
I remember my Mother pushing me to a local spoken English class where I failed at first but in school, I was named the best orator. It works. You can be trained.
#2 Knowing Your Limits is Empowering
Gary Vaynerchuk has embedded this word in my head and I can’t thank him enough. I didn’t even know what SA was until a few years back. Self-awareness (SA) is one of the most valuable traits.
It doesn’t just empower you. It liberates you and makes you a loveable and inspiring human. It can help reduce hate in society and it can help reduce self-judgement.
Accepting that you suck at something or you’re the winner at something is beyond a denial mindset - it’s empowering.
When you are self-aware, you are better equipped to understand your strengths and weaknesses, which is more important for personal and professional growth.
#3 The Power of Empathy
You learn empathy when someone showers it on you. In theory, empathy works wonders and is a god-like skill.
When you have to practise it - that’s when it will all come down to who you are and how you were raised.
If you were around people and family who didn’t care for your feelings or ever put themselves in your shoes - you might not have experienced empathy.
This is such an important skill - it connects you with another human - another soul. It’s surreal. You listen, do and care without an expectation. And, by practising empathy towards others you can communicate better with anyone.
Everyone cannot be in the same shoes, all of us have individual perspectives. Understanding other’s perspectives helps to improve communication, strengthen relationships and create a positive and supportive environment.
#4 Be Here Now
When the teacher calls out your name, what do you say?
‘Present’
But, were you? I highly doubt it. Even this newsletter - it is sent to over 170,000 people but guess how many open it?
Just 60,000. Sometimes it’s 130,000 - but that’s rare.
That’s because we’re always running away from our past towards a future while stepping on the present. Old saying never gets old though.
Our mind is like monkey minds i.e. our minds often drift away from the present either we overthink about the past or the future, which leads to anxiety.
Staying in the present moment is the true happiness. How do you do it?
My hack - Journalling. I sit down after dinner for 15 minutes alone and pen down everything that happened to me throughout the day. Somedays I just send a WhatsApp message to myself.
Let me be honest. It works and it helps.
#5 Consistency is Key
The jet airliner’s engine never stops.
A sportsperson’s gym schedule never stops.
A politician’s civil duty never stops.
The above statements may seem inconsistent - they might be, sometimes but let’s look at our life and count if we have at least 7 meals in the last 7 days.
If the answer is yes. That’s because your body consistently needs food. If you skip, you’ll skip living.
A consistent body and mind help you achieve the unthinkable. Whether you’re an IT professional, a mother of 2 children, a budding entrepreneur or a job seeker.
Wake up, and do the same things again and again over long periods - see the results.
Consistent effort is key to building soft skills, just like building muscle. Don't let setbacks discourage you.
While these skills take years to master you can take out a few weeks to get started. If you start, you’ll get going towards becoming better and then mastering it. If you ever get stuck in your job search - I am just a mail away. Drop a line at narayanan@chalkmeout.com or book a call directly at www.topmate.io/chalkmeout
7 things you should remember
1. Your scores/grades don't define you, your personality or your values.
2. Work at a restaurant or a supermarket, you'll learn what college can never teach.
3. Make friends with students smarter than you, they will push you to do your best.
4. If you gave 3/4 years to live someone else's dream, give at least 2 years for your dreams.
5. Some professors will scare you about your future, trust me - they're lying.
6. You're not going to be unemployed, you don't get a job in placements
7. Find that one professor who will trust you more than anyone, to build your life.
→ Quote of the week,
“To try and fail is at least to learn; to fail to try is to suffer the inestimable loss of what might have been” –Chester Barnard
→ Book of the Week,
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't necessarily our superior biology that made hom*o sapiens the world's dominant species. In Sapiens, Harari suggests our talent for believing in shared fictions – like religion, money, and law – allowed us unprecedented power but also created complex social systems that continue to puzzle us today.
Key Ideas shared in the book by Yuval,
The Cognitive Revolution:Around 70,000 years ago, a change in how hom*o sapiens thought sparked the ability for complex language, abstract thinking, and large-scale cooperation. This separated us from other human species and led to our dominance.
Imagined Realities:Our ability to believe in shared fictions (like religions, money, nations, human rights) allows us to work together on a massive scale. These created social structures, not biology, define most of our behaviors.
The Agricultural Revolution: A Luxury Trap:While farming initially led to population boom, it ultimately may have led to worse health for early farmers and created hierarchies that persist today.
Unification of Humankind:Empires, money, and universal religions gradually merged the human world into a single interwoven global system.
The Scientific Revolution:The past 500 years have witnessed unprecedented growth in human power due to a scientific approach of admitting ignorance and using experimentation to uncover the world's secrets.
Happiness - A Modern Question:Despite our material progress, it's unclear whether humans have become happier throughout history.
This week’s question to you
Are you happy with where you're right now? I receive over 1500 responses on each question and I am so happy that you take this step to share your thoughts and feelings. Step out, drop me a line with your thoughts, doubts or questions. I am happy to respond to each one of you.
