Develop A Soldier In Your Mind

I often ask myself – am I as competent as a soldier, at least mentally? If a soldier was in my place, doing my job, would he do what I am doing now? Would he stop working, when I stop?

This has helped me greatly to overcome laziness and keep myself disciplined, sharp and focused. It also has helped me in physical fitness as well.

Yesterday, I cried looking at the picture of daughter of Martyr Col. Mahadik, saluting her father. She looks like my daughter. 🙁
I think the sacrifice of such soldiers should never go waste. We all should remember very well, at all times, that, this luxurious, happy life that we live comes at a very costly price of lives of our soldiers.

I think the difference between a first and a third world country is not related to economics. It is related to mentality and patriotism.
If people take up responsibility of the nation on to themselves and do their bit to help others, to contribute to society, then the country will excel, regardless of economy. We Indians need to go a long way in achieving that. Japan is first world and India is still not there, just because – amount of patriotism in a Japanese mind is higher than Indian.

Honorable HRD Minister of India, Ms Smriti Irani wants students to have glimpse of a soldier’s life. (source). I am so happy to know that. I have met a few soldiers in my life and I remember and cherish each and every moment of those conversations.
If you ever feel lazy, lack motivation, just do one thing. Talk to a soldier. 

If students have glimpse of soldier’s life, then they will get to know the cost of their freedom, luxury and happiness. It will make them responsible, it will make them more disciplined. It will help them excel in their field of interest. The country will have excellent engineers, doctors, managers, bankers, clerks, teachers, professors with compassionate hearts, competitive brains and helping minds.

Let us nurture a soldier in our mind. Let us be responsible. Let us be disciplined. It will surely help us to have a better mental and physical health.

Warrior Mindset

Do you know why we crave oily and salty crunchy foods? Because, these types of foods store water and energy in our body in the form of fat, so that we can use these resources during the time of crisis, when food is not available. 
When someone tries to hit your head, your arms instinctively cover the temple area, just above the ear because it is a very sensitive area.

Explained as Shankha marma by Acharya Sushruta, this spot is categorized as Sadyo pranahara Marma. Any injury to this region can cause sudden death. 

In the 60 lakh years of evolution of human beings, we have developed defensive and protective mechanisms like these which have made us to survive and thrive without becoming extinct. 

But unfortunately the 60 lakh years of learning are quickly being undone in the recent 20 years. At least in our grandparents’ time, they were hard workers, plowing the ground, sowing the seeds, growing foods, climbing trees and collecting fruits, hunting animals, bringing water from miles away and so on.

But now? At the press of a smartphone button a person or a drone will be outside our door with whatever food in the world that I decide to eat. 

During our parents’ time, sweets and delicacies were prepared only during festivals and special occasions but now, any type of dish is available, just we have to take the pain of pressing 2 – 3 buttons. 

Previously if your grandpa did not run faster, a lion would eat him alive. Today, even if your son comes last in a running race, he wins a participation medal. 

60 lakh years of evolution of surviving mechanisms are getting undone in just 20 years.

Solution to this huge problem lies in the warrior mindset. 

In the grape yard, the wines that receive less water, suffer with more sunlight and all the troubles are the wines which yield anti oxidant rich, pigment rich grapes.
We need to create some adversities and challenge ourselves to become stronger and to survive longer.
We need to bring back the survival mentality, we need to adopt a warrior mindset.

Simple solutions:
Running. Try to increase pace everyday, every week and try to cover the longest distance possible in the shortest time. Try to improve your capacity constantly. 

Work – Whatever your job is, try to do it more efficiently than yesterday. Test your capacity, do not settle. Always improvise. 

Fast – Train your mind and body to live without food for a few hours every now and then.
Meditation, celibacy, self control – To train the brain to avoid distractions and to be war ready anytime, to bring the mind to single point focus anytime required. 

Food restrictions – Try to avoid foods that you extremely love. Put a law against your own desires and be 100% committed to it for a few days. 

Shut down social media abruptly. Whenever you are relaxing and scrolling Instagram, shut it down abruptly and get on with your real life. This should reduce craving. 

Cut your emotions –
You feel like yelling at a waitress but can you shut your mouth and not do that? You feel like throwing a temper tantrum but can you shut that urge? You feel like splurging a million dollars on a car but can you control that desire? 

Physical activities – Gym, Yoga, weight training, dancing, zumba, swimming, aerobics whatever you like, do it 30 minutes a day. At the end of this session, you should be sweating with your breathing just short of gasping. 

Post covid, you have seen so many young people dying. Life is short and you have so many things to achieve. Try to develop the mindset that there might not be a tomorrow, to fulfill your dreams and all that you have is now.