To my younger self.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had an inclination towards art forms. Ironically, I’ve never been good at them. As a child, I’ve participated in multiple different events at school, be it dancing, singing, essay writing, or sports. I’ve never shied away from giving it a shot. While there have been times I’ve been mocked, I’ve surprisingly found myself not caring much about it.
Almost a year ago, I came across this youtube channel called Yes Theory. Fifteen minutes later, I found myself reading more about them and going through their history.
Built on a brand line that says, “SEEK DISCOMFORT”, Yes Theory is, by all means, my favourite storytelling team.
Growing up, one of the most cliched dialogues I’ve heard online and offline has to be “Get out of your comfort zone”. As a child, this meant just another random google search to me. Today, it makes a lot more sense.
While popular media portrays seeking discomfort as a grandeur, I obsess over celebrating small discomforts too. Yes, seeking discomfort is going out for that Bunjee Jump you’ve been thinking of, but it’s also about approaching a stranger and making a conversation with them.
Thanks to Yes Theory, I keep reinforcing that belief within me. At multiple points in my adult life, I’ve found it to be useful for me. Even more than that, I find it building a certain kind of self-belief in me.
As a matter of fact, I strongly advocate this as part of our curriculum in schools. Growing up in semi-rural India, I’ve had to deal with a fair amount of inferiority complex back in my teenage. Spending 18 years of my life in a bubble, I’ve been repeatedly told in one way or the other about the competition outside the city.
Competition in exams, competition in fashion, competition in dating!
Today, as a more mature version of a 13-year-old Shahzer, I understand that competition is necessary. After all, Darwin spent his entire life trying to explain that to us.
But do you know what’s more important than competition?
It’s the ability to enjoy competition.
As far as my tiny little brain can think, the ability to enjoy competition comes after you truly realise your self-worth. Your self worth is not limited to the amount of money you make or the number of followers you have. Rather, it’s a culmination of the learnings you’ve had from the experiences in life.
Simply put, I strongly believe that every experience has a learning for you. Limiting yourself to your area of strength might give you a headstart, but chances are, it might saturate you as well. On the other hand, seeking discomfort, and failing at things, gives you a broader perspective to keep. It helps you fight the competition within yourself.
Always, go ahead and give it a shot. Your discomfort is your biggest asset.
