A small story of a demotivated kid!! When I was small and immature, I had an experience. It was a time when I was doing 7th grade or something. Me, my dad and some others were in a discussion about some random subject and at some point, we were discussing about the area/diameter of a circle and an old man asked me something like this "Have you learned about circle in your school?". With all due respect, I said something like this "Of course not, but I know the formula of the area of a circle". He began to criticize me, as if it is my mistake that the area of a circle is not included in the syllabus of a 7th grade student! He 'demotivated' me with some harsh and provoking dialogues and at a point he asked me a question, "Are you getting angry at me?". I should have acted weird and survived with a smile. It is a fact that it had affected me a little, as I still remember that incident even after 10 years. Today, I'm 'big' and mature(ahem!!) and I have a different policy (it can be wrongly interpreted as a survival policy). As far as you believe that 'you can't be nothing', no one can demotivate you for any reason.
Actually, is there something called 'motivation', 'demotivation', 'negative' or 'positive'? Everything comes under the category of 'facts'. I am a pathetic singer and I have no problem in admitting it (preferably by not singing. Why should I risk your comfort?). There are a lot of things in which I am not confident about, admitting them seems to be a good idea rather than giving others unrealistic expectations. Now-a-days, I can see things like this in our media. Let me take an old example( I should have used this example before. Pardon me for not being updated to media), when Indian cricket team was going to Australia for tournaments, the Australian team captain will probably come up with a fight with words through the media. The Indian captain responds, coach responds, or may be even the sweeper in an Indian cricket ground may respond which will eventually help some journalists to have their food. But, why would he(Indian captain) respond to such issues? Even if there were no record of an above average performance in Australia, the Indian captain would respond like "We will thrash Australia" and probably they would get thrashed by Australians, which will be food for the entire media for months! I know, I am a little pessimistic, but pessimists seem to be truthful. If you are confident of your abilities, be a pessimist. Indian captain should have shut his mouth and gave some surprises to Indian cricket fans when they get back. With no expectations, a small victory can make a lot of effects.
If we watch closely, you could see people who would demotivate you with your surroundings. There was a friend who used to make comments on almost everybody, who have a different native place than his place. The comments will be about your area or their behavior or their culture etc. "Oh! Are you from 'abc'? People of that native won't behave good in public". He deserved a lot of punches on his nose! Why can't you just ignore him? If it was me, I know that I always have a choice to be different from my surroundings and I always have the choice to behave good in public even if I am coming from a place where people who couldn't behave good in public. I definitely do not have the responsibility of my native place's behavioral habits. The point is, they are just playing with your confidence and if you fall for it, you have just lost one good opportunity. The confidence plays a major role in what you are. Sometimes, 'demotivators' are some people who are desperately trying to outsmart you with the knowledge or skill they have. You will have your unique knowledge and skills too.For every single human in this world, the skill and knowledge he do not have outsmart the skills and knowledge he have. So, there is no point in getting demotivated by those desperate people, no one can outsmart you in being you!
Sincerely,
Raghu
