Words of wisdom

‘It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.’

• Theodore Roosevelt

Words of wisdom that I’ve held close to me not only during UPSC preparation, but also generally in life.

I wanted to share this with you, especially with those who didn’t make it through prelims this year. I’ve been through a situation where I couldn’t clear prelims in my first attempt. I know that empty feeling all too well.

As hard as it may be at the moment, know that things WILL get better, it WILL be okay, even if it doesn’t seem like it in the moment.

It’s not the end, only a new beginning, of better days that lie ahead.

🤍🕊️