Skip to main content

How I handle success

26 September 2016

I like to wallow in it like pig in filth. I have a broad overview of what constitutes success, and hitting any of those milestones is enough for me to get a massive ego boost that takes its own sweet time to deflate. I love to bring up old achievements, however small they may be- in order to feel good about myself. Mental masturbation never was better. This gives me a I-am-better-than-you syndrome, for longer than what is necessary. This also inhibits my growth and lowers/ alters my growth trajectory considerably. By the time I realize what's happening, I'm already crashing, swimming in a deep pit of anxiety and self loathing.

Back to square negative one.

At this point, not only should I concentrate on working my way up, but I should also spend time and efforts into cajoling myself to not feel so bad about others being better than me. I sound like a narcissist, but that's only because I am. Sort of.

Waste of time.

I think this is why Stoicism attracts me so much, even though I only have a fairly vague idea of what it actually is. I have an audio book or a pdf of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations some where, I need to fish it out and read (study) it soon. But I have a dozen fucking books that need my attention.

I need more discipline and a refined work ethic. I should stop dicking around. I need some sort of semblance in life.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Peter Principle and the (Middle) Managerial Trap

If you are in any managerial position (thanks to promotions) and this is the first time you’re hearing of the Peter Principle, then you are already a lost cause.  Close this tab and go back to scrolling Instagram reels. Bye-bye. According to Wikipedia (remember that old relic, before ChatGPT became the de facto encyclopedia? Remember encyclopedia? Never mind). According to Wikipedia, the Peter Principle “observes that people in a hierarchy tend to rise to 'a level of respective incompetence’”, which means your promotions are based on how good you are at your current role. You continue to rise the rungs of corporate till you reach a position where you, and you will, suck at your job. At some point in your career, you will end up rotting away at a level you are least competent at; some place where you barely scrape by, unsure of where you’re faltering because the barometer for quality is hidden behind a thick veil of your own incompetence. Hence, the burnout.  And the desperate ...

Clubhouse. CoWin. China.

If you feel an odd sense of deja vu while reading this piece, then you've spent too much time switching between Facebook and Clubhouse. Unless you've been living underground or in a home with ACT broadband, you know what Clubhouse is - it is where many people can have their Mann ki Baat at once. And Facebook has turned into a platform to critique, analyse and make fun of discussions that happen on Clubouse. Congrats Clubhouse, you just replaced the Indian Government, at least as far as Facebook discourses go. Clubhouse is more or less an impulsive, live podcast session - an open space where everyone is made to feel like Joe Rogan. But no one talks about DMT or shaved gorillas or MMA or shaved gorillas doing MMA while on DMT. But it always does sound like everyone is on something stronger than the devil's lettuce. Maybe you need that to hear your own thoughts over the din of uncomprehensive ramblings and mouth-breathing noises. Speaking of noises, Saudi Arabia restricted the...

Bharatipura: The Curious Case of the Solo Social Reformer

  Set against the backdrop of a caste-ridden society, Bharatipura delves into the idealism of Jagannatha, a man whose philosophy is as well-intentioned as it is misguided. Having recently returned from England, he attempts to apply Western models of social justice to his village's deeply entrenched caste system. He is aware of the struggles of communities like the Black population in the West and wants to initiate similar change for the Holeyaru, the community of manual scavengers. Jagannatha's efforts are futile because he fails to grasp how social movements gain momentum. While he aims to lead a strong agitation, he discovers he is a lone crusader. The novel expertly highlights how the injustice of the caste system has been internalized by both the upper castes and the Dalits, with neither group showing a true willingness to change. His well-intentioned initiatives fail because the very people he seeks to uplift are not prepared to embrace his cause. This resistance is rooted...