Live through the competitive world: Pandemic Situation
“Motivation without action is nothing more than an illusion”
By Intan Dwikarlina
I believe we, once or maybe even twice, have been trapped into situations where everybody seems to move (way too) swiftly. We could barely catch up with them on the other side. At those particular times, the only thing we can do is to adapt and re-adjust our pace since doing something productive sounds easier than done. Writing down all the motivational quotes, sticking them either on the mirror or the wall, in the hopes that the next day when we wake-up we will soon be ready to tick off our to-do list.
Living in the era of “motivation without action is nothing more than an illusion”, we strive relentlessly to reaffirm our values at every step of the way and fulfill our deepest longings.. Starting off from crawling to running, we have been taught to keep striving hard to keep ourselves on the right track. Some days, perhaps, passed well as they should, but other days often slipped beyond our measure and drove us into unbearable hardship and agony.
As social creatures who exist in a competitive world, we must be aware of natural selection that will occur. The real world is brutal and not necessarily fair. We might know that we have the capabilities but so does everyone else. Often at times, we can easily get distracted or pulled down consistently. We let down our guards by unconsciously hesitating on our faith & values. Without principles, the technology will be rendered useless. It merely drenches us in sorrow when we give more value to someone’s accomplishments rather than working towards achieving our own.
We have to admit that there will be moments when we will not be able to bash the challenging roadblocks and honestly, it is completely fine. It’s totally normal to feel exhausted by our competitive daily routine, so we should stop dismissing that feeling and our obsession to outrank others. Overburdening ourselves will only torture us at the end of the day. Therefore, finding the right balance between enthusiasm and ambitions is important without letting our desperate desires raid and take control.
The battle we have now is not only the outbreak of a virus but also against our own wrong perceptions & illusions. Coping with these rough times is not enough: since we have to also try to build our resilience along the process. Here are my bits of advice for everyone who is currently struggling on the same page as me:
- Early planning and preparation will help us to not feel overwhelmed.
- Adopt a small, achievable target to conquer every day.
- Seek supportive, encouraging working partners & colleagues.
- Trust every step of the milestone you take while persevering with a positive mindset.
- Find your source of happiness to restore your drained energy.
Rather than just taking this as a raw advice, you better tailor it to your current circumstances. I am positive that you know yourself better than anyone else. So, let’s take a deep breath, make amends with ourselves, redefine our purpose, and stay focused on the big picture.
About the author-
Intan Dwikarlina is an Indonesian long-life learner who currently in 3rd year of medical school. Aspired to become inspiring youth, she keen to expand her experience in various fields, including engaging herself in team-work and academic activities.