Do you know who you are?

Have you ever asked yourself, "Who the hell am I"?

If not, either you know youself very well, or you haven't tried yet.

" I do not know who I am, I have tried to do so, and have failed."

So many of us are unaware of the fact that we don't really know who we are. Even I was, until now. Recently I went through an ordeal in which I had to take a series of decisions which led to an outcome that was completely inconsistent with my knowledge of my personality. Put simply, I went with the unexpected. How did that happen?

Right from our childhood, we are completely under the false assumption that we know ourselves very well. But over the years, there are certain times when we are kicked by our own choices. For example, an engineering student who cursed MBA graduates throughout his life might end up preparing for CAT, a girl coming out of a relationship promises herself not to be in one any soon might fall in love with a friend whom she narrated her story, a man who hardly cares for anyone in the world might be very protective for his children. These are the big things in life; Career, Love, Family. On a smaller scale too, on a day-to-day basis, we come across such instances where we choose an option which we hadn't even imagined of earlier. The reason behind this strange behaviour is - circumstances. It's the situation that makes us act unexpectedly. We are designed so as to give unique responses in tough times. Gases behave differently at their critical points, so do humans!

While it is the circumstances that interfere with our thoughts and bend our decisions, it somewhat depends on us too. Consider a case where you chose something you didn't expect. Did that work out? If it did, were you still in disagreement with your decision? No! Not at all. On the contrary, you now appreciate that you did what you didn't want to. A witty decision taken in a shitty situation has now changed your life! You are an investment banker having a 7-figure salary, you are happily married, and you love your family!

As absurd as it may sound, it is true that we are not exactly who we think we are. Most of our perception about ourselves is built up on our thoughts, less on our actions. We believe that we do what we think is right, but in reality we do what is required. This is how we survive in a practical world.

So, from now on, before judging others, try to test yourself. Those who rely on destiny and take their chances on luck, stop that and act now. Think, analyse and interpret. That will help you understand yourself better, thus making you a better person, eventually.

I hope this letter finds you in good health and happiness. It's a lovely weather today!

Regards,

Rohit Bhatia

P.S. Those who write biographies, try working on your autobiography instead. Trust me, it's more difficult than you think!