My distractions have helped in my growth….

How have my distractions helped me? The attraction to distractions has made me what I am. What is life without distractions? My life has moved from one distraction to the other. I can say with conviction that they have been a very important part of my life.

My thoughts have been the biggest cause of distractions from my routine. I was or rather I will say am still a dreamer. I am very fond of talking with myself. Self-talk has been my best time pass. I have never felt lonely in my life because I am my best friend.

How distractions helped me….

I just cannot concentrate on anything, specially reading, for more than an hour at a stretch. I could never stick to my study table for more than an hour ever during the exams. My thoughts normally took me off every 30 or 45 minutes away from the books. I found it to be very helpful as I returned fully refreshed after the 5- or 10-minutes break. My academic performance was relatively good in school.

I did many tenures in remote areas during my professional life. There were hardly any people to interact with. There was no internet or even a TV connection to divert the mind. It is my thoughts which gave me company during such times and helped me maintain sanity.

Defence services Staff College is the most important competitive examination in the life of an officer in Indian Army. Officers study long hours (18 to 20 hours/ day) over months to prepare. There are officers who hire separate accommodation for studying to avoid family distractions. I just cannot stay away from people and am very talkative.  Given my attitude and habits it was taken for granted that I will never crack this exam.

I still thought of giving it a good try and took two months of break from the profession to study. My best of the efforts could produce only about five hours of study per day. Even in those five hours my three-year-old niece used to barge into my study room every 45 to 60 minutes and throw my study material all over. The distraction she provided me from the books every 45 to 60 minutes helped in rejuvenating/ refreshing the brain. I am convinced that this ‘Niece enforced regular break’ improved the retention capability of my brain and helped me in clearing the exam in the first go.

I was going strong as a happy bachelor when a beautiful young lady distracted me from my mission. She has turned out to be the most happening distraction/ biggest attraction of my life. We ended up marrying after a short period of courtship and life has certainly improved for the better.  

As you rise in any profession you start running out of friends. People who were once your best friends may at times turn into your biggest competitors. I have gone through these stages and found myself sitting alone in my room/ office for hours. At such times it was my thoughts which provided the much-needed break from the monotony. Lively face of a small girl with short hairs wearing multi colours hairpins and a broad grin have predominated the distractions. Whenever I am down, she just comes and lifts my mood and has helped me in finding answers to some of the most difficult questions. She is 20 years plus now, but my mind still sees that four-year-old.

Conclusion….

Distractions are not bad one should know how to treat/use them.  One never knows when a distraction may become the best attraction. Social media/ mobile phones have been categorized as the biggest distractions in life of a student. But then it is the social media which has saved/ made lives of so many. What one defines as distraction may be attraction for someone else. Distraction may be a God send gift to guide a person onto his life path. It may be the opportunity knocking at your door, do not miss out on it.

5 Lessons I learnt from my mistakes…..

Lessons I learnt during my life journey….