APJ Abdul Kalam and Evan Carmichael argue that India's youth must resist pressure to conform and pursue what makes them feel alive, even if it breaks family expectations. Lasting success comes from playing for yourself, not for others' approval. External pressure can be managed like a muscle through practice.
Chapters
Good morning, Believe Nation! Today's message is Fight to Be You. Over to you, APJ Abdul Kalam.
I learned— what did I learn from the youth of 11 million people? I learned, youth wants to be unique. Every youth wants to be unique. That is you. Every youth wants to be unique. That is you. But the world around you is doing its best day and night to make you just everybody else. Now, now, the question is whether you want to be you or everybody else. You? You want to be you? Yes! Not everybody else. Now, the question, being like everybody else, is convenient at the first glance, but not satisfying in the long vision. The challenge therefore, my young friends, is that you have to fight the hardest battle. You have to fight the hardest battle. Which any human being can ever imagine to fight and never stop fighting until you arrive at your destined place, that is the unique you.
So I love this message, and I feel like I've talked about this recently on my channel. Hmm, too many entrepreneurs do things because their friends want them to do it, their parents want them to do it, the rest of their family want them to do it, their culture, their society wants them to do it. And you're only really gonna have a major impact, you're only gonna really have the success you're looking for, you're only gonna really have the money and the love and the atmosphere that you want when you are doing something that makes you come alive and you're living your life instead of what other people want you to do. And I get how that can be hard sometimes. If you are in a family of lawyers and there's 10 generations of lawyers and you are expected to be the next person to be a lawyer and follow in that tradition, then it's hard to break free and it takes a lot of guts to do it. But it's gonna take a lot of guts to chase your dream. It's gonna take a lot of guts to have a big impact. It's gonna take a lot of guts to overcome all the other obstacles that are come along your path. This is just the first of many to come. The key is to stop caring as much about what other people are thinking about you and live your path because it's the right path for you, not the right path for them. I recently brought on Alex, who helps me run this business, Toronto Dance Salsa, and one of the things that I just can't help doing is seeing more in people, right? I believe in people. I see something better in them than what they see in themselves. I can't help it. It's part of what I do. And being around me, you're going to get an injection of belief. It just is going to happen. And I challenge people to think bigger and step outside their comfort zone and try to be the best version of themselves. And Alex said, hey, Don't you care what people think about you when you challenge them? Because they may not always be receptive to it. And the short answer is no, I don't really care. And it's because I know my intention is good, right? And you should know that your intention is good. Like, you may not be right, it may not be the right answer, you might make mistakes, but if the intention is good and it's in your heart, then you have to go and do it. I don't know if you can ever completely Ignore the pressures from outsiders, from parents, from family, from friends. I don't know if that's ever totally possible, at least for me, but with practice you get better at it and better at it and better at it. And it comes from the realization, understanding that they may be coming from a place of love and a desire to want to help you out, but following that path is not in your best interest. And the more you get used to exercising that muscle the less you're going to worry about what other people are thinking and the more you're going to play for yourself.
Believe.
So yeah, what that guy said. So the question of the day today is, how do you fight to be you? Leave it in the comments below. I'm going to join the discussion. Thank you so much for watching. Have an amazing day. Continue to believe, and I'll see you again tomorrow morning for another shot of espresso. I wake up every morning, espresso keeps me going.
