Yes, you can. ACT now.

 Close your eyes for a moment. Think of your deepest desire. (Not your secret sex fantasy, silly! Not that desire!) Think of a goal or wish that you have had and have secretly nurtured. Maybe you want to become a published writer. Maybe you want to have a body that make heads turn when you walk into the room. Maybe you want to be able to sing in front of a crowd of hundred people. Maybe you just want a loving companion. Maybe you want your marriage to improve.

Now answer this question--How badly do you want to achieve it? How willing are you to put in the hours and practice required? Most importantly are you prepared to fail? Are you prepared to get up, dust yourself and walk on with a shrug, in case you fall flat on your face? Are you prepared to commit yourself to discipline?

It is indeed hard. It is easy to wish. It is easier to make a fifty excuses. (I don't have time. I have to do this-this and this, I don't have talent)

A lot of people walk upto me and say " Oh--just look at you. I am so jealous of your body/figure. What do you do? " Or they say "How are you so good at so many things? Lucky you are."

A few days back , when I was walking my dog in the morning, I met a middle aged lady (a working woman who is also a mother to two)  who was super-impressed that I am a published author. She is an aspiring writer and has written a few stories. Her desire is to get published. She walked a long way with me and I told her a lot of resources she could use and I shared with her, everything that I possible could. I told her about a magazine which was accepting submissions and even offered to mail her the details and link. I told her to drop me a mail and that I would surely forward to her the call for submission.

It has been more than 14 days now and there is no e-mail from her or any action from her side. I see her most mornings and we exchange short pleasantries and go our way. She hasn't said why she did not mail me nor have I asked. She did appreciate my portraits though and said I was very good at it, and I thanked her politely and told her I had worked hard at it.

This interaction, later made me think. It made me realise that most people want things but are not willing to act to get them. I also realised that many people are limited by self-defeating beliefs. (Maybe i am not good enough. What if I fail? I can't do it at my age)

If you believe that you want to achieve something, you CAN. No matter what your background, no matter what your age. But the main thing is that you must believe that you can.

Then you must ACT. 'Act' includes 'making time'. You can 'make time' if you get up an hour earlier each day.

That is the hard part.
Which takes us back to  what i said at the begining of the post ;-)

Destroy the self limiting beliefs. Yes, you can. Yes you are worthy. Yes, you are loved. Surround yourself with people who encourage you. Do not waste time thinking about people who left you. Do not think about situations which make you unhappy.

March forward. ACT.Yes, you can.
Trust me. I know what I am talking about.

Much love,
Preeti

ps:  'Life is what you make it' is Number ONE at Flipkart and is now on India Today Top selling fiction list.


Comments

  1. Let me be frank here. This post gave me goosebumps. Yes, it did just that and its the crystal truth. Well, have been toying with the idea of getting a collection of short stories themed on love published. Have just got started on that and response from my friend circle has been very encouraging. Also sponsors would come and publishing at a lesser level would not be a hindrance as I work for a publication house myself. But then, time & dedication - warding off distractions as FB, to start with and finding an escapade from other disturbances at home. Sacrifices to be made of writing at Goddamit hours and few hours later turning up at work for a great length of time is something I have put my heart and soul too. I did start well, then health reasons curbed my staying up way too late, but now that am better and with encouragement am looking to get back on track.

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  2. That was an inspiring post Preeti. I do believe that we can achieve things if we make up our mind, but this theory has limitations. Not everything is achievable with hard work unless you have the talent .

    For example, I want to be a good dancer and I love dancing. I am so bad at it that, so many hours of dance class/different dance CDs have not helped me. So , hard work where your talent lies is the key?

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  3. Very inspiring and so true. There are no excuses to hard work and discipline. One reason I admire you so much is because you practice what you preach.....very few do that.

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  4. Amazing....

    I will even follow what you said..

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  5. Well written , excellent post..

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  6. This post has really boosted up my spirit!! When we think peacefully, it seems as if we have tied ourselves with imaginary ropes which do not allow us to move forward! We just need to free ourselves from those ropes and fly in order to achieve our goals!

    My day has begun wonderfully with beautiful rains and ur post!!!


    Very well written!!!

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  7. Preeti
    Very motivating and inspiring esp for me... i can completely relate to what you wrote above esp regarding taking the first step and rising above ur self doubts..
    Truly admire you and your spirit
    God bless you with happiness always
    Best Wishes
    Rujuta

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  8. Wonderful. So rightly written. Laziness is the biggest reason most ppl put off things (im talking for myself...hehehe)

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  9. Eagerly waiting for yr posts. Thanks for these inspiring words
    Praying for you always

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  10. Hi Preeti,

    I was just fed up of listening to negative comments, with negativity all around :( This post was very good, was just looking for a booster like this which inspires me.Right post i read at the right time. very inspired to read it,esp 'Wake up half an hour early...'

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  11. Hi Preeti,

    This is so true. I agree with every singe thing you have written and I can vouch that when I look back into my life i have simply accomplished where I am through this beloief and approach. However I wonder why i lost it on the way I dont feel driven enough or something changed inside me. I wonder will I always be like this now. Do you have any thoughts on why this inspiration could go away for some people.

    Regards,

    Deepti

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  12. This post is so close to my heart. I was like that aspiring writer friend of yours, for so many years. Then I bit the bullet, made time, started blogging and then writing. Yes want and action are too very different things

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  13. Well said. In my opinion it is easy to be motivated for a short period of time. But as always to see real result you need to be patient and that's the point where lot of people give up. ( which includes me too :( )

    Kurund

    P.S. I am big fan of your writing and congrats on "Life is what you make it"

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  14. Every word of yours has touched somewhere deep inside. So many wants yet not enough action = failure!

    It was a "shaking up for waking up" i needed very badly.

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  15. Lovely words preeti and how true!

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  16. Very true!
    I can relate to that other woman very much. There are a dozen things I'd love/want to do! and I have no idea why I cant/dont do it!

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  17. I agree with you totally...."Showing up" is a major part of being a writer and I am currently working on that. And you are right, I want anything enough, I can always make it happen!

    However, from what I understand the problem with people who are not able to take action is the "fear of failure". I know you'll say that in order to fail, first you have to attempt - but the paralyzing fear of what will happen once I have acted is so acutely ingrained in almost all of us (reasons can be various - self-doubt, approval seeking tendencies etc) that it is difficult to go beyond.

    Very few of us are taught to be independent in thought as well as action. Some of us grow up to realize this and start taking our lives back, where as some just cannot make that jump.

    This post of yours has shaken me into action too :) Will blog about some small, easy techniques for overcoming fear and triggering action in any area of one's life.

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  18. very true Preeti, inspiring words...

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  19. a very inspiring post.....What u said is true....first we have to win over the self defeating belief....and work hard to get what we wish......

    I think, we cant do it because we arent good at it is the major stumbling block!!! once that is removed, everything falls in place.....

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  20. Anonymous9:23 PM

    awwwwww... loved this preeti di :) :)

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  21. You are absolutely right Preeti. You have to believe in yourself and push yourself till you get there. Act to make it happen :)

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  22. Great post preeti!I was confused and I had the same feeling that i don't have time...Now you have guided me I will follow it:-)And one day I also want to be a writer like you:-)You are very inspiring.......Thank you:-)

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  23. Great post preeti!I was confused and I had the same feeling that i don't have time...Now you have guided me I will follow it:-)And one day I also want to be a writer like you:-)You are very inspiring.......Thank you:-)

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  24. Hi Sister, what you have said in this post is true. yes most of the people are not ready to start a step to march. thanks to you for such an encouraging and enthusiastic post.

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  25. that one was one of your best posts!! :) was thinking how the axioms youve stated is sort of an embodiment of Who you are, What you are and Why you are!! :) (if that makes sense)

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  26. i really liked your inspiring story ..thats really very true ..

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  27. I always leave this page inspired....and today is no different:-))

    Thank U!!!!!!

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  28. Truly Inspiring !!

    Yes...I can...:)

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  29. Thank you all of you! I did read each one of your comments :)
    I have to say that it is YOUR words that inspire ME :)

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  30. Priti, the most I read your posts the better I feel. Will you help me get my work published and show me an opening if I asked? I am in a messy situation and need some footing. Even submissions to magzs, newspapers will do. need some kind of financial support. it is a long story but I really need help. get back to me on FB or at my email please. keep sharing your world wit hus. you never know whose life you will transform. love

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  31. Hi
    I agree with everything you wrote.I learnt a lesson reading your last lines "Surround yourself with people who encourage you. Do not waste time thinking about people who left you. Do not think about situations which make you unhappy."I always worry and feel depressed about a frnd who had been close to me for 25 years and now indifferent..your lines make me think,whether worrying worth it at all
    Love
    Mangala

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  32. Wow...i feel so lucky to read this post. It's so true.

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  33. Anonymous10:22 PM

    Truly inspiring Preeti.
    The most important point which i would like to stress is the impediments are really small but they do exist, like waking up early in the morning seems to be a simple issue, but that s the most difficult thing in life , if one lacks motivation. I personally feel if these so called SMALL things are looked upon success is all in our hands.

    Keerthi

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