the-ultimate-question

Who I am doesn't matter. What I will do to make the world a better place matters.

I've realised that the ultimate answer to life does not lie in the destination, but in the journey.

I am curious, hard working, gritty, humble, funny, enthusiastic, caring and mature.

I'm an eternal optimist and a diehard romantic. I refuse to let fools change my approach towards life.

I want to live a life less ordinary more epic.

1. A lifetime is sometimes not sufficient to truly know yourself; forget knowing someone else.
2. A sign of real maturity is not saying something at the wrong time, even if it's the right thing to say.
3. A simple test for a good person is how they treat those who they have nothing to gain from.
4. Accept your mistakes. It's okay to make mistakes. It's not okay to repeat mistakes.
5. Act decisively. Make sure that you try your best that your actions don't hurt others.
6. Act today, for a better tomorrow. The trees which shield us from the sun today were sown in the past by our ancestors who toiled under the same sun.
7. Actions speak louder than words.
8. Always be honest. Don't be brutally honest.
9. Always say yes to things unless you have a really good reason to say no.
10. Analysis is more important than design.
11. Apologise only if you mean it.
12. Appreciate people for doing their job. Not only when they do it really well.
13. Ask questions, but have faith. Be aware that some answers might be beyond your understanding. Be aware that there are unknown unknowns – things you don't know that you don't know. Be curious. Ask why and don't stop asking until you are satisfied with the answer.
14. Be mindful.
15. Be thankful for everything you have. Be content. You don't need much to be happy. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.
16. Be your own competition. Don't compare yourself with others. Compare yourself with yourself from yesterday.
17. Best things in life are free.
18. Book smarts and traditional intelligence can only take you so far, you need good attitude, street smarts and emotional intelligence to – make the next big leap.
19. Bravery isn't the absence of fear. It's about doing the right thing despite the fear.
20. Breathe deep. Talk less. Dream big.
21. Call people with their names. Look at them when you talk to them.
22. Change is the only constant.
23. Choose the person who you work for. Not the company.
24. Coercion doesn't work. Just plant a thought in someone's mind. The tree will grow if they choose to water it.
25. Context is critical.
26. Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day, saying, I will try again tomorrow ~ Mary Anne – Radmacher
27. Crying? Nay, you are flying. Soar the skies, feel the wind in your hair and cry your heart out when you reach a height where your tears will evaporate before they reach Earth. Then forgive those who have wronged you without telling them that you have. Shed the weight and fly again.
28. Dance as if no one's watching.
29. Dark chocolate releases magic which makes you fall in love with yourself.
30. Defense by attack is a solid strategy if used in moderation.
31. Define your needs. Have clarity.
32. Diamonds aren't made in factories. It takes years of tremendous pressure and heat to make one. But once their turmoil ends they are the toughest and brightest things you'll ever see.
33. Did man create God or did God create man?
34. Disagree with the statement, not the person making the statement.
35. Do not be afraid to walk alone.
36. Do not rely on others to manage your money. Do it yourself.
37. Do the right thing, even when no one is watching
38. Don't be a bird which flies but loses touch with the ground. Instead be a tree so that your roots are deeply grounded as your branches reach towards the sky and give shade and support to those who are not that fortunate to become trees themselves.
39. Don't be afraid to cut your losses.
40. Don't be in a hurry to grow up. Never stop learning. What you learn about yourself and the world around you matters. The experiences you have matter. It's okay to ask for help. It's okay to say “I don't know”.
41. Don't be the bottleneck. Pass the ball.
42. Don't disregard your gut feeling.
43. Don't douse the fire which shows you the path because it also shows you your shadow.
44. Don't expect and you shall not get disappointed.
45. Don't give people the answer. Help them to discover the answer by themselves.
46. Don't give up just yet. It gets tougher and tougher until it becomes very easy.
47. Don't live in the past. Nor in the future. Learn from the past, to build a better future.
48. Don't make detailed plans. Too many variables. Make rough plans and then adapt.
49. Don't make it slow and arduous.
50. Don't panic. Drop the anchor when your boat is in the middle of a storm and wait for it to pass.
51. Don't panic. Relax. Give your wounds time to heal. Find your balance.
52. Don't seek perfection. Good enough is usually good enough.
53. Don't set yourself up for failure.
54. Don't start counting down when you're about to start. Start counting down when you're about to give up
55. Don't steal someone else's chocolate.
56. Don't strive to be perfect. Good is usually good enough.
57. Don't tell people what to think, teach them how to think and then let them reach a decision on their own.
58. Don't try. Just be.
59. Don't use a hammer when you need a needle.
60. Don't work for money (if your needs are met).
61. Donate generously.
62. Each adversity is an opportunity to be better. There is glory in getting up every time you fall.
63. Each step matters. Each step no matter how small will either push you upwards or pull you downwards. These pushes and pulls accumulate – over a period of time and are a significant factor in your well being.
64. Ensure fair working conditions for those who you employ. Give them their fair share of leaves. Cover their insurance as long as they work for you.
65. Entrepreneurship isn't a subject. It's an attitude.
66. Even if you lose the war, don't lose the lesson. You win some, and you will certainly lose some.
67. Every once in a while look at yourself from a distance. As if you are looking at someone else.
68. Everyone has their own filters and rules about life. Don't ask why, because they seldom know why themselves.
69. Everyone needs to make their own mistakes. But you can learn from mine so that it hurts you less
70. Experience and temperament trumps energy and skill.
71. Experiential knowledge is the only real knowledge which sticks with you. Everything else fades away.
72. Fall in love. Even if it's with the wrong person. It teaches you a lot. You'll know what you don't want. But don't get stuck. Be quick to cut your losses.
73. Family isn't just the people you live with. Family is who you connect with. Talk to your family.
74. Fear is a good thing. It keeps us alive. It's only when it's in excess that it's bad. It cripples us and doesn't let us act. The real – bravery isn't being fearless. It's acting in spite of fear.
75. Feeling incomplete? And nothing else shall complete you except yourself..
76. Feelings are much like waves, we can't stop them from coming but we can choose which ones to surf ~ Jonatan Martensson
77. Find someone to care for. You'll heal in the process.
78. Find yourself a mentor. Mentor people.
79. First impressions are just that. First impressions. No more no less.
80. Focus. Don't multitask. Give people and things your complete attention.
81. Forgive, but don't forget.
82. Friendship is a judgement free zone. You are each other's safe place. Your secrets are safe with each other. You can be vulnerable around your friends and not worry about them taking advantage of you. Where you give to your friend without expecting anything. And you take from your friend without being apologetic. Where there is absolute trust, respect and care for each other's well being. Where you forgive each other eventually, no matter how bad a friend might have hurt you.
83. Generalisations are always wrong.
84. Getting hurt isn't necessarily as bad as we make it out to be. It makes us stronger and more aware of ourselves and those around us.
85. Give without expecting anything in return.
86. Go slow to go faster. Slow and steady wins the race.
87. Happily ever after is a myth. You will need to constantly work on your relationship. There are no shortcuts.
88. Have faith, but not blind faith. Question everything.
89. Health > Growth > Everything else.
90. Heaven isn't a destination. It's a journey. This journey is also called life.
91. Help before it's too late.
92. Hold your hands up high so others can pull you up when you're drowning. No one can help you if you don't want to be helped.
93. If it hurts no matter where you touch, you've most probably hurt your finger.
94. If you had to ask for it, you didn't deserve it. Or they don't deserve you.
95. If you have one shot left, give it your best shot.
96. If you know you are going to fail, fail fast.
97. If you wish that you'd stay young forever, you'll go crazy looking at each generation making the same mistakes over and over again.
98. Ignorance is a global pandemic.
99. Impermanence is comforting.
100. In life there will always be pain, either the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.
101. Intuition is 100x faster than thought.
102. Invest in yourself.
103. Is it too hot? Too humid? Too cold? The imperfections of the world around you don't matter if your mind is at peace.
104. Is the glass half empty? Well, fill it up yourself. No one else is going to do it for you.
105. It gets tougher and tougher until it becomes very easy. Don't give up.
106. It isn't about how many sorrys you have. It's about how many sorrys the other person can take.
107. It takes grit to stand your ground when you see a storm coming.
108. It's better to not say anything; than say the wrong thing. Know when to shut up.
109. It's not about the place; it's about the people that make the place.
110. It's often not about what's being sold, but about who's selling it to you. Similarly, it's often not about what's being told, but about who's telling it to you.
111. It's okay to ask for help.
112. It's okay to make mistakes. As long as you really understand the actual nature of the mistakes you made and learn from them. It's okay to lose the war, don't lose the lesson.
113. It's okay to say no.
114. It's tough to not question everything. But sometimes you need to have faith and just trust the process. Keep an open mind.
115. Keep an open mind. Always look for a different perspective on things.
116. Know thyself. Accept thyself. Love thyself.
117. Know when to cut your losses and move on.
118. Laugh with your heart, not just with your face.
119. Learning from other's mistakes is a super power. Most humans don't learn from their own mistakes in the first place.
120. Leave a generous tip. Leaving small change is disrespectful. Might as well not leave one.
121. Life has a learning curve. It'll get tougher and tougher, until it becomes very easy. Keep at it. Don't give up. Try again. You fail only when you stop trying.
122. Life is a loop. Often the actors change. The story remains the same..
123. Life is all about the choices you make and the journeys you choose to take. Make better choices or take calculated risks. It's too short to keep playing it safe. But remember, it's not a race.
124. Life is like playing a game of cards. You start with whatever hand you're dealt with and then slowly and steadily get yourself a better hand.
125. Life is too complicated to be explained in a single theory and too simple to be explained by a complicated theory.
126. Life isn't a zero-sum game. You just need to play fair, be forgiving (without being a pushover) and communicate with empathy to find a strategy which can be win-win for everyone involved.
127. Life isn't fair, it is what it is
128. Life trusts us more than we trust ourselves. The challenges it throws at us are surmountable. You just have to believe in yourself. Don't stop trying.
129. Listening is more important than talking.
130. Live close to your parents. Just having you around matters the world for them.
131. Live like there is a tomorrow. But don't rely on it.
132. Look inward. The problem usually lies within.
133. Love isn't about how much you can get, it's about how much you can give.
134. Make your own mistakes but don't be afraid to cut your losses
135. Mindset > Approach > Thought. You cant have the right approach without the right mindset.
136. Never ignore someone when they ask for help. It takes a lot of courage for people to admit that they need help.
137. Never leave small change as a tip. Leave a generous tip, if you must.
138. Never leave without saying goodbye.
139. Never start something unless you think you can do justice to it. It's okay to say no. If you can't say no, do it as an exception but make it clear that the result won't be as good as it can be. If you can never say no, quit.
140. Never stop learning.
141. Our reality is an illusion which our mind wants us to believe. You can change the reality you are in, by just being aware of this.
142. Pain is mandatory. Agony is optional.
143. Pay it forward.
144. People are not stubborn. You either haven't communicated well enough or haven't understood them or they are too tired to explain.
145. People deserve love and care. Especially the depressed. Just because the wounds are not visible, doesn't mean they don't exist.
146. People learn by having experiences. One can't get everything right the first time. Mistakes are only natural. So is getting hurt. It's all a part of growing up.
147. Pick your battles.
148. Play a sport, one shot at a time. It teaches you team work, mental strength and pushes you out of your comfort zone.
149. Play each ball on its merits. Don't premeditate your response to things.
150. Practice a skill before you need it. You don't learn how to yield a weapon when you're in the middle of a war.
151. Practice what you preach.
152. Prioritise ruthlessly. But respectfully.
153. Put your mask on before you help others put their masks on.
154. Put your phone away.
155. Put yourself first. But don't hurt others.
156. Question everything. Have faith, but not blind faith. Find your balance between questions and faith.
157. Quit when you're on top.
158. Read books. They are your window to the world.
159. Relationships are all about the journey, not where you end up.
160. Respect boundaries.
161. Respect knowledge, not authority.
162. Respect people's time and effort.
163. Say yes to things by default, say no only if you have a strong reason to not do something.
164. See things for what they are, not what you want them to be.
165. Skill and intellect are only one side of the coin, the other side is grit and heart.
166. Sleep over it.
167. Sometimes love is all you need, with a little bit of belief and a lot of laughter.
168. Sometimes we're in a hurry to say sorry. We're in a hurry to be forgiven. We apologize for the wrong thing. This hurts the other person even more, because they feel that we never understood them. You can't rush the other person to forgive you. Seek forgiveness and give it time.
169. Sometimes you lean back only to push yourself against the wall and come back stronger.
170. Sport helps build character and team spirit in an individual. It teaches you patience, strategic thinking and how to handle pressure situations. It's not just play time for the boys. Do yourself a favour and learn to play a sport.
171. Still waters run deep.
172. Talk to people from all walks of life.
173. Talk to your elders. Learn from their lives. Nothing else makes them happier.
174. Teach. It gives you clarity and also makes you a better student.
175. The challenges life throws at you are surmountable. You just have to believe. And yes, breathe.
176. The craziest dreams keep you awake all night.
177. The human race is like a kid with a gun.
178. The journey matters, not where it ends.
179. The more I know, the more I realize that I don't know
180. The mountains might seem insurmountable, until you take a step back to get a better view and then take small steps to start the journey to conquer them.
181. The only money that stays is the one that you have worked hard to earn.
182. The powerful motivator in our lives is not money; it's the opportunity to learn, grow in responsibilities, contribute to others, and be recognized for achievements.
183. The purpose of life is to live, not exist.
184. The pursuit is the reward, not the reward itself once the pursuit is over.
185. The quest for perfection is a major fallacy. Good enough is usually good enough
186. The reason social apps are so depressing is that they shove the loneliness in our face. So many people yet no one who's there for you when you need them the most.
187. The world is really about dualities which co-exist in harmony. Good and bad. Introverts and extroverts. Explorers and gatherers. Yin and Yang.
188. There are no protocols. Follow your instincts.
189. There are so many people in the world who are less privileged than you. Who can't sleep peacefully at night. Who don't have a roof to protect them from the storm. Who are forced into labor, marriage or slavery. Who can't walk. Who can't feel. Who are blind, even though they can see.
190. There will always be someone better, learn from them.
191. There's a whole lot more to life. It's a goddamn treasure which we don't see even though it's right in front of us. We only realise what could have been once we don't have the opportunity to do it anymore
192. There's glory in getting up every time you fall. Be gracious in defeat.
193. Things will not automatically get better someday. Act today for a better tomorrow. The trees that give us shade from the sun were planted by our ancestors who toiled under the same sun.
194. Think before you speak.
195. Think broadly about the ways a problem can be solved before you think deeply about any one solution to the problem. Think deeply about the problem you are solving before you think broadly about the ways it can be solved.
196. Those who cannot walk want to fly while those who can walk want to sit and watch the world go by.
197. Thoughts are meaningless if your approach isn't correct. Your actions will be futile or hurtful, if you haven't thought them through.
198. To learn from your errs is human. To learn from others' errs is super ultra pro max human.
199. Today is a new day. Try to make it 1% better than yesterday.
200. Treat the cause. Not the symptom.
201. Treat thoughts as traffic. Let them come and watch them go away. You don't need to engage every thought.
202. Trust but verify. Delegate but monitor.
203. Try to do the right thing.
204. Use your judgement. Don't paint everything or everyone with the same brush.
205. Walking through doors. If you have one door open, walk through it. There might be an angel or a demon or more doors on the other side. All one can do is walk through the door then rejuvenate with the angel, fight the demon or walk a little more. There is always one door open. You just have to look hard enough or switch on the lights.
206. We deserve all the challenges that life throws at us. They make us stronger. You will surmount them. Life has more faith in you than you have in yourself.
207. We die when no one remembers that we ever existed.
208. We look for things in the wrong place and then blame the place.
209. We're in the age of YouTube shorts and Instagram reels and 140 character tweets. Very few people have the patience and perseverance to read a life changing book. This is why people become depressed when the gratification they seek isn't available to them instantly.
210. We've learnt that the universe is so huge and magnificent. Why do you still act like the universe revolves around you?
211. What good comes from suffering? Strength.
212. What you said and what they heard might be totally different things.
213. What you want doesn't matter. What matters is what you have to offer.
214. When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree ~ Vietnamese Proverb
215. When I play a sport, I don't play to my opponents weakness. I play to their strengths, so when I beat them at their game, they stay beaten.
216. When life gives you lemons, don't ask why you didn't get a diamond ring. You make the best goddamn lemonade ever made, turn it into a successful business and then buy the entire diamond store.
217. When you need to tell someone something pick a moment when they are in a place to listen, rather than when it's convenient for you to say it.
218. When you're already at the lowest point, there is only one way to go. Up!
219. Why? is the most important question ever. Try asking it 5 times.
220. Write. It helps you clear your mind.
221. You are in a better place than you think you are. You just don't realise it.
222. You are not a drop in the ocean. You are an ocean in a drop.
223. You aren't dumb, you are ignorant of the beauty that you'll uncover once you put in a little effort to push through the initial discomfort.
224. You can learn something from everyone. You just need to have a keen eye and an open mind.
225. You can't mess with free will.
226. You can't predict the future. But you can choose how you act today which will definitely have an impact on the future.
227. You can't really love someone else unless you love yourself first. People forget to love themselves and that is where most relationship issues start.
228. You cannot fly if you keep clinging to things. Learn to let go.
229. You don't know anyone's reality. Don't trivialise other people's lives just because you can't handle complexity.
230. You don't need a weapon to fight. You need grit.
231. You don't really know how far love can take you until you experience it for yourself.
232. You either die a hero or you stay long enough to turn into a villain.
233. You fail only when you stop trying.
234. You give yourself infinite chances but only after you treat each chance as if it's your last.
235. You may have to fight a battle multiple times in order to win it.
236. You need to ask the right questions to get the right answers.
237. You turn into those who you fight, if you fight them for too long.
238. You will find yourself once you lose yourself in nature.
239. You're too hard on yourself. Relax. Anything you choose is the right option.
240. Your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

Things I've tried to balance at some point in my life.

1. Mind, body and soul

2. Growing up and being in touch with your inner child.

3. Understanding something and having faith

4. Chaos and tranquility

5. I and the world

6. Family and friends

7. Thought and action

8. Thinking slow and acting fast (and vice versa)

9. Thinking wide and thinking deep

10. Rules and exceptions

11. Listening and speaking up

12. Wisdom and craziness

13. Balance and extremes

14. Man and machine

15. Courage and fear

16. Change and stability

17. Cutting your losses and persevering

18. Form and function

19. War with yourself and peace with others (and vice versa)

20. Winning and losing

21. Losing the war but not losing the lesson

22. Poetry and irony

23. Switching on and shutting down

24. Speed and precision

25. Consumption and production

26. Giving and taking

27. Young and old

28. Harmony and distress

29. Structure and chaos

30. Black and white

31. Crying alone and laughing with others (and vice versa)

32. Losing your self and finding yourself

33. Solitude and being comfortable with each other's silence

34. Independence and support

35. Simplicity and complexity

36. Falling in love with someone and loving yourself more every day

37. Zero to one and one to infinity (and back to zero)

38. Freedom and restraint

39. Love and indifference

40. Knowledge and ignorance

41. Size and agility

42. Experience and fresh blood

43. Hello and goodbye

44. Half empty and half full

45. Making your own mistakes and learning from others’ mistakes

46. Memories and dreams

47. Learning and teaching

48. Life and death (and living on even after you die)

49. Feeling complete and staying incomplete

#lifeprotips

To a better place where you can be yourself without fear of being judged.

To a better place where you can act without fear of failure.

To a better place where you can laugh wholeheartedly.

To a better place where you can heal.

To a better place where you can find your balance.

To a better place where you can do the right thing no matter what the cost, even when no one is watching.

To a better place where you can get up every time you fall.

To a better place where you can sleep peacefully.

To a better place where you feel compassion for everyone without exception.

To a better place where you can eventually breathe your last with your heart as light as a feather because you know that you did all you could to make this world a better place.