“The most dangerous thing is life is not poverty; it's remaining the same”

January 2026, a chilly winter morning—the very first Tuesday of the year. At 5:30 a.m., the sun was still hidden behind the horizon.

I was out in the cold, probably for the first time in this season of weather. Dropping my mother at the station. On my way back, riding in a cab, I gazed out the window, that world slowly waking up around me. I wondered what motivates people to rise so early, to leave warm blankets, and to win that very first battle of the day

While these thoughts occupied my mind, I noticed a long row of autos and cabs parked along the roadside. Despite the dozens of vehicles lining up, only a handful of their owners were already awake, out in the biting cold, with numb hands cleaning with cold water and preparing their vehicles for the day ahead. Wasn't an easy job. While the rest of the vehicle owners waited for dawn, sleeping in warm

Maybe they have learnt this mantra early: if they need a better life, no one can give it to them. 'They will remain the same until the pain of remaining the same is greater than the pain of change.' They have to earn it through the pain of change.

For many of us this was a normal morning routine, but it stuck with me deeply. I got answers to questions with which I had been juggling since last week, and none of the YouTube videos or motivation books could do it

I kept questioning myself – should I continue writing? With so many accounts and so much content already out there, why would anyone read my words? In a world of 8 billion, where do I stand? I am not adding new significance to this world...and this doubting list kept compounding every day. It's a bitter truth that everyone faces.

I realised how life mirrors scenarios in the real world; we just have to look at it with open eyes. We exist in a world teeming with people, all seemingly doing similar things, but only a tiny fraction truly stand out. It is that one percent—those who show up consistently, regardless of the circumstances.

Ginger (love of my life) - used to tell me, 'You just have to start; the rest leave to universe to show its magic.'

He told me, “You don’t have to compete with 8 billion people. Most of them are just part of the herd. Your real competition is with that one percent who are consistent.”

I understood his words back then, but they hadn’t truly resonated with me until I witnessed this winter morning scene. Watching those few cab drivers, I finally felt the impact of that truth—sometimes, we need a tangible example to truly internalise a lesson.

There is no perfect time; it's only today, and today is expensive. I realised this and started again with my first content of the year. All these days, I wasted my valuable time thinking, 'Should I start?'

The dangerous thing is life is not poverty; it's remaining the same. Imagine yourself remaining the same, only doing exciting things like watching movies, scrolling, and staying in bed extra in 2027, 2028, 2029, and so on.

It's better to stay busy getting better. I have learnt that I have to do the boring things: write daily, draft mail, read and make notes. All with discipline. Then these boring things will become exciting one day. And all those exciting things will become boring soon.

This fact is so damn universal, and everyone knows it already. In every field—whether it’s preparing for a competitive exam, writing a blog, creating YouTube videos, or managing an Instagram account—the story is the same. Thousands sign up, many appear, but only a handful persist long enough to truly achieve something meaningful. The ones who qualify, who break through, who succeed, are not always the most talented or the most fortunate; they are usually the most consistent.

What matters is showing up again and again, refining my craft, and embracing the slow, steady progress that consistency brings. I don’t have to outdo 8 billion people. I only have to join and stay with that dedicated one percent.

This winter morning was not just a morning – it was a lesson.