Embracing “RESTART”
“Your life actually changes overnight, it just takes years to get there.”
I stumbled upon this quote while mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, and it struck a chord with me, especially when I reflected on the remarkable journey of IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma. From a humble beginning as a toilet sweeper and wheat grinder to donning the uniform of an IPS officer, his story is a testament to the transformative power of perseverance and resilience.
The Bollywood movie ‘12th Fail’ is his life story which depicts the struggle he went through to become an overnight success. And here is one major takeaway from the movie that brought me back to writing: RESTART!
I’ve embarked on various challenges only to falter and retreat to square one when the going gets tough. Whether it was committing to a daily writing challenge or undertaking the rigorous 75 hard/soft challenge, setbacks seemed inevitable, and self-doubt often crept in.
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As usual, I beat myself up a lot and then made peace with myself that maybe I was not determined enough to get through these challenges. But even after that I got back up and tried showing up again.
Even though it took me days to get back to my routines after continuously taking breaks, the important thing here is that I made a conscious effort to dust myself off and start anew. And in those moments of resilience, I found growth.
Manoj Kumar failed in 12th and had to reappear for his exams, he had to make multiple attempts to crack the UPSC and finally in the last attempt after years of hard work, persistence, and unwavering determination he got through and visited his family back in his remote village, wearing his IPS uniform, just like he had promised.
His mantra of “Restart” encapsulates that when you start working towards your goals, the universe conspires in your favor. He accepted his failures and reset his career with a new zeal. And that spirit inspired me and here I am writing my first article of 2024. While I may not have all the answers or a foolproof plan for the future, I am committed to embarking on the journey toward realizing my dreams.
I am lucky enough to be privileged, to have all the resources at my disposal and yet sometimes I fail to make optimum use of these opportunities, Sharma’s story serves as a poignant reminder that success is not determined by our circumstances, but by our resilience in the face of adversity. His story has taught me that where you come from doesn’t matter, your willingness to work hard and leave your mark in the world is what matters.
So here’s to restarting, embracing the journey with open arms, and paving the way for a brighter tomorrow. May we find the courage to pursue our dreams relentlessly.
