This long-winding list is endless and keeps evolving with age and experience! Is that just me or is it so for you too?

Well, for this phase of my life, here are 5 key reminders-to-self that I keep muttering on repeat:

1. Know your WHY & Let it evolve with Time and Learning. Yes, this one’s straight from the book by Simon Sinek. You absolutely need to have an unwavering sense of direction to achieve your life goals. But then, resilience is what gets you through life every time you hit rock bottom. And, one form of resilience is to know when to adjust your compass accordingly. As you learn better and grow with every setback, your “WHY” will evolve. That’s exactly how it’s meant to be. Let it change and grow with you.
2. ASK for help with the HOW-TOs and the WHATs. Yes, your life’s purpose is yours for a reason. No one else is meant to get it. It’s not anyone’s job to understand your vision. Having said that, each one needs one (at least) to walk the path. It is what it is. The self-made success story is a myth. Every success story is a compassionate contribution of a globe of people. Seek out mentorship, ask for guidance, and accept support with everything beyond your skillset. This is not just about you. It is also about the opportunities you can offer to those who are better at different tasks than you and those whose purpose aligns with yours in ways you couldn’t have imagined. Give them that chance too.
3. You’ve still got to DO THE WORK YOURSELF. All that jazz is cool but this is key. Work as much as you can each day, with or without motivation, with or without returns, with or without acknowledgement. That’s all it takes.
4. Let it TAKE as much TIME as it will. You cannot know how much time it’ll take and no one can really tell you that either. Everyone is on their own timeline, in their own life story. Celebrate others’ success moments just as you would yours. Even that human tinge of jealousy would only tell you what you want for yourself and add that to your efforts and experiments. Be grateful for today when you know more than you did yesterday. And keep living with this gratitude one day at a time.
5. PIVOT & REROUTE as many times as you need to, but just KEEP AT IT. Grit is not about hitting a stonewall repeatedly, till the end of time. Grit is knowing when to persevere and when to reroute. Let the world say you quit. And maybe you did quit. You got to quit at one thing that’s not aligned with your values and purpose to make space for everything that is. Simple, never easy! Adaptability enhances consistency, even when motivation fails to do so.

Reminders-to-self are a personal mantra; and one that serves its purpose and evolves into a more aspirational one. So, this is what it is for me as of now. If I had to choose only one, it would be this:

Take as many re-routes as needed, but just keep at it.

What’s your THE ONE key reminder-to-self?

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