After my UPSC results, someone came up to me and asked: “Now that you’ve succeeded after a long journey, you must have learnt a lot of lessons along the way. If you were to meet your younger self who is starting his preparation just now, what advice would you give him?”
I wrote this speech trying to answer that question. I titled it Letter to My Younger Self and delivered the talk recently to a group of bright, enthusiastic aspirants at the Ravindra Bharati Auditorium in Hyderabad.
Sharing it here so that it reaches those who couldn’t attend the event. Hope you find it useful.
Thank you sir!
It would be helpful if you can suggest some tips for effective reading of news paper so as to save time.
This touched my heart, brought tears and rejuvenated me and my belief to continue and persist. It inspired me to not lose hope and do what the present demands. Thank you sir.
I really like how you consider others as your own and not have boundaries of self and others. Keep being such beautiful human being.
Thanks and best wishes.
???glad to see your reply! Your my inspiration.
Love u sir…ua my inspiration
I didn’t get it man!
From where ,i will get it
Hii Sir glad to see your Inspirational Video. I am also an Engineer working in MNC company not Satisfied with My work !. willing to achieve something, Please Guide me sir through Ur Inspirational words.
Quite thoughtful and much needed.Thankyou for sharing!
Thank you.
Sir suggest some test series to get perfection on ncerts
Thankyou for sharing it sir..I think now I will able to concentrate more on my small targets…
Sir could you please tell that how did you prepare current affairs for prelims specially…
I’d written about my current affair strategy in one of my comments on this site. Please find it.
Hello sir, Thank u so much sir….these true words Wil surely helps me in my journey,no matter what I should move on and have determination,perseverance and commitment with my goal……..Thank you again sir.
All the very best!
It is such a motivating video…
I never thought I would begin to admire you to an extent where my day starts with watching you speak and ends with reading your writings!!! It’s reallyyy euphoric at times ?plzz do continue writing!!!
Thanks. You are kind.
Sure, plan to write more.
keep writing sir ,it would of great help
I saved this as Guru Mantra. You’ve not mentioned anything about your interview in your site. Best wishes for your 93rd FC. – a 2019 Aspirant
All the very best!
Thank you sir
Could you suggest how to read newspapers and prepare for current affairs.
I didn’t make notes from newspapers but read them carefully. I’d make a mental note of important recurring issues. I would do this exercise for a week and then on a fine weekend, I would just sit and go through 7 days current affairs compilation from CD/Forum/Insights (choose as per your liking, all of cover the same content anyway) As I read these online compilation, I used to highlight important things so that they became my revision material when I refer to it later.
Thank you sir…
Sir,
My name is Divyam Verma. I am a junior BITSIAN from 2017 Batch. I saw a bit of coincidence while reading this post so I decided to share.
1. This “Letter to my Younger Self” post was posted on my Birthday which is 11th Aug 1999 (!).
2. I am exactly a decade junior to you.
3. While you were addressing your fellow BITSians on 13th August, I was also present there (!).
4. I also asked you a question from the audience ( Is leadership skills necessary for UPSC ? – yes the second question!) and you gave such an awesome answer ( while looking at me!!) which uprooted all my self doubt.
5. I just hope there was a fifth point too…
I hope that this much of coincidence will be necessary for cracking the UPSC Exams (lol). Another thing I want to mention is reading your blog feels like drinking the milk of a cow ( mother cow does all the hardwork, eating grass, digesting and making milk. But the calf gets it for free!).
I just wrote complete booklist in my diary and will refer it whenever I feel lost. I will also keep reading your blog because I always thought there should be a different study plan for people who cracked JEE , BITSAT etc. but your words still ring in my mind that ‘Arrogance will take you nowhere’. So I pretend to not succumb to arrogance. Hope to see more of your success stories and maybe meet you personally after clearing UPSC CSE (!!). Thank you for the precious support.
Regards
Glad to know. Best wishes, my fellow BITSian!
Sir
I am a upsc aspirant from a small city of port blair.I am going to prepare for upsc 2020 please tell me how much time should I spend in a day to prepare
It is very motivating sir. The speech that you have delivered is very valuable and boosted me up to start preparing without the hesitation of being imperfect at first(“start imperfect”). That example of pot was really good. I will keep it in my mind. Thank you so much for motivating and giving us a right direction.
All the very best!
Hi Anudeep
Waiting for more articles by you, especially on meditation.
Thanks
I’m hard pressed for time at the academy. Hope to publish before end of FC.
Hi Anudeep,
Hearty congratulations…
Really inspired by your journey..
I am writing my mains this year and this is my first attempt. …I request you to upload your all your mains test copies which would really be helpful. Thanks in advance
HI ANUDEEP SIR,
In interview upsc DAF it is asking leadership position in college. If am I not having that will be iam out of th race ? or will the board think it a weak point
in me.
THANK YOU.
Hi sir Iam Raju From karimnagar District I want to guides with you sir My goal also IAS sir ..Sir when ur free just cal me once sir please…This is my Request sir ….This is my Nbr 8008270758
Hello sir,
Life is sometimes very cruel but at the same we tend to forget it teaches us very important lessons as well.
I am a tax assistant in CGST DELHI and fighting very hard to prepare for CSE. I would like to request you to pls share your time table/ schedule as it is very difficult to prepare with regular job and due to some circumstances I cannot afford to go on EOL.
Waiting for your reply,
All the very best for FC
Stay Blessed
Warm Regards
Sandeep Kumar
Hi sir, I want to evaluate my answers online …for this what I have to do …pls suggest me.
Great to hear the golden words for the up comming youth i mean the aspirants…we take you as an inspiring personality.
Very inspiring video .Thanks for it sir. Just got the lost confidence after seeing it. I will remember those three things as a thumb rule for my civil services preparation. I m glad that you are still helping the aspirants like us. I request you to continue helping us.
Will do. All the best!
Thanks sir.
Sir please help me , how to prepare for upsc with a job , as u always been my source of inspiration nd a guider too , so please try to help in ur own words , how to give our best in upsc preparation wt a job.
9am-8pm job
I have listened to so many toppers that I have lost count..BT one thing that I always believed and u proved is that failures r there to make us stronger …because one attempt and ist time topper would have made u an accomplishelment but ur failures and ur persistence and endurance made u an inspiration. Great lecture
Best of the best gets humbled! So you are!!!hearty congratulations!!!
thanks sir. We all look up to you. Respect!!!!
Sir ! This post filled me writing up about the best day of 2k18! Yes I attend the “Vijaya padam” @ravindra bharti auditorium just to watch you n boost myself by knowing your journey live there and also your cute cherishing personality. I am blessed to get valuable advice n clear path .
And all your bligs have always keep me motivating ! U r my guru since that day !
Hyderabadis?
I’m glad you found the speech helpful. My best wishes.
It was 21-may 2018 !
And I made one commitment that day to be there one day when my efforts are in the right way and fruitful.
They way u say ” mee lo kasi unteh edaina sadinchochu”. (Im not that good in Telgu).
thank you sir god bless u