Your ‘Firsts’ are a glamourous piece of sh*t!

(Pardon my language LinkedIn and my future recruiters)

Remember your first class test grade? Or your first poem? Your first sketch? Your first football goal? Your first recorded song? Your first-ever dance performance? Your ‘actual’ first trip out with friends? Or, my favourite, your first crush!

Your firsts were (let’s just say “with an exception”) either extremely stupid, abstract, unapproachable, forgotten or downright questionable.?

The idea of ‘firsts’ has been glamorized to the extent that you have been made to believe that your firsts need to be exceptionally amazing and perfect!

Humorously enough, my first "crush" (obviously not just "crush") was someone I would go together to school with, and for the best part I can recall, got my first butterflies when he gave me extra candy on his birthday.

Do I even remember his face anymore?

Not at all!

Do I remember his name?

Again, not at all!

But what did I learn from this harmless infatuation for somebody?

Have a liking for someone you can have a clear conversation with! Someone you know as a person and not just an idea!

To be fair, these are the words coming out of a young adult, rather than a 7-year-old, the lesson I grasped back then was, ‘Be in your limits!’

So, why do we idealize the idea of our first achievement so much?

And what purpose do they really serve?

1. Your ‘Firsts’ have an ulterior agenda; to be your leap of faith, in the sea of nothingness…

Your firsts carve out a pool of endless possibilities for you; they serve as your practice learning phase and a free subscription to hit-and-trial.

1. They help you escape the loop of self-doubt and introspection.
2. They give you the courage that ‘You could and you did’!
3. They tell you ‘I know now, what’s next?’
4. Your firsts, in isolation, give you the confidence of making the same mistake again, and again, until you get better at it. And in a social setting, gives you the scope for competitive performances.

Alternatively, your firsts tell you the value of the thing you achieved that ever existed in your life, whether you truly wanted it, or were just fascinated by its appeal and material value! And you understand the fine line that differentiates between your needs and wants.

Living in the world of today, we tend to rely a lot on the return of everything that we do! ROI is the absolute buzzword. The ROI of every course bought, the ROI of companionships, ROI on the money invested in stocks; always forgetting that

The function and formula of life can never be cracked or documented. It can be aided or mirrored, but never be said for certain.

Luck, resources and the accessibility of those resources will always be a key factor in all these discussions.

“So, how do you avoid that? My first attempt was great, but how do I maintain that and push myself back onto the same regime?”

Here’s what I aim to do:

• Measure your growth: As where are Vs. where you were before

In the time taken, research and homework needed, goals reached, etc.

• Incentivize yourself!

Taking time to appreciate your hard work and efforts is an extremely underrated phenomenon in the South Asian part of the world, treat yourself with that Tiramisu Cheesecake you love the most!

• Equip Yourself and Trust the Testimonials

Make it the first and last thought about the thing you want to achieve and make sure to read about people already in the business, the more you learn about their mistakes, the more you’ll be willing to explore)

• THE BIGGEST CLICHé: Set Goals for yourself

Perhaps the most important and overrated part: Unless you face the consequences of your actions, the easier it is to procrastinate. As crucial as being unapologetic to yourself is, it is also the most necessary to know the repercussions that hamper self-growth and development!

The only way in which you can help yourself from falling prey to this oasis of ‘firsts’ and resting on your laurels is to persevere…

And perseverance, my friend, is effin’ underrated.

For me, my firsts have been the leaps of faith I took at the various junctures of life!

Took the shift from Computer Science to Fashion Design, and to Professional Writing and Blogging.

So,

To,?whoever needs to hear this,

“Your Firsts are just a glamourous piece of sh*t and utterly flawed yet extremely special”

What was your recent first experience? Let me know below <3

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