Do not lose your patience

The only way to build a good life is by ensuring a strong base.

The world around us is constantly changing, sometimes to an extent where we might have a hard time catching up. We live in an era where opportunities abound and the world is at our fingertips. These trends have led to a culture where patience has taken a back seat. It is now all about instant messaging, instant coffee and instant gratification. It is easy to lose perspective. We often end up losing sight of the things that really matter. Hard work is compromised for the sake of quick, superficial returns. The only way you can build a good life is by being patient and ensuring a strong foundation.

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1 Think longitudinally: It is important for each of us to have a long-term vision. Look at the bigger picture.

2 Take a break: All of us should take a break every once in a while to relax, rejuvenate and come back stronger than before.

3 No alternative to hard work: Half-baked measures can only bring about superficial and short-lived success. While investing effort and energy might not bring instant results, it is bound to hold you in good stead in the long run.

4 Do not get carried away by others’ success: Seeing others around you going places and achieving quick success might make you doubt your abilities or potential. However, each of us has a different vision, different abilities and a different career path. Do not get caught in this trap of comparing yourself with others.

5 Plan: It is necessary to pause for a bit, evaluate the situation objectively and formulate a well-thought-out path for yourself.

6 Refrain from multi-tasking: In a rush to finish several things at one go, we invariably end up making mistakes. Prioritise your goals and take things one step at a time.

7 Take a holistic, well-balanced approach: In order to ‘keep up’, many of us forgo our friends, family and other interests we once had, in the hope of a better future. Extremes of either kind are unhealthy.

The author is director, mental health and behavioural sciences, Fortis Healthcare