The toughest part of any big challenge is the first 30 to 50%. It holds true if you want to start a new business, bat in tough conditions, form a new habit or kick an old one! It holds true for CAT preparation as well as something like preparing for a marathon.
There are so many things we want to do in our careers, in our lives – personal as well as professional. But we put off many of them, including our dreams, to a later more comfortable, flexi-stretch date.
Why?
Starting is tough
For one, it is inertia. Any body continues to be in a state of rest unless some external force is applied (paraphrasing one of Newton’s laws). Applying an internal force is even tougher, and that is why beginning something that you want to do is not easy. We are creatures of habit, and changing them is tough indeed.
Two, your conviction in yourself is generally the weakest at the beginning of a new challenge. Doubts run high, quitting is easier, and so on.
Why it gets easier
And then, once you have been in it enough, and are preparing the right way, 2 things happen that make the rest of it easier.
One, you’ve covered a lot of distance (and many of you have, so, well done), you are in a flow, and it’s easier to keep going. Momentum is with you.
Two, if you taste any improvement along the way, your confidence gets a boost. Your belief gets a fillip.
So, where exactly are you right now?
If you aren’t feeling that way, you need to be more aware of your CAT preparation strategy and not miss the obvious. Sometimes, when you run, run, run, you lose track of progress and purpose – you do it out of habit, without being really aware. Wake up. You have to see where you are headed, how far have you come since you began and soak that in. You are already ahead of all those who haven’t started or have already quit, and that’s no mean feat.
If you have come so far, you can go the distance!
If you have improved 10%, you can improve 100%.
If you have improved in 1 thing, you can get better at 10 things.
Be aware of that – and it gets easier, and more enjoyable too.
To conclude:
So, as you go through with your efforts to ensure the best CAT Coaching experience for yourself, don’t lose sight of 3 things:
What you are doing right now? – Practice (keep perfecting it)
What you have achieved till now? – Progress (keep gaining confidence from it)
Why do you need to carry on? – Purpose (keep getting motivated from it)
About the author: Deekshant has sleep-walked through several 100 and 99.9 %iles in practically every section of the CAT. That he is a cricket fan and he writes okay is evident from most of his posts. 1000s of our students swear that he can motivate almost anyone to double his/her percentile through very simple yet powerful inputs. And that’s why every MBAGuru student has direct access to him via mail and Telegram. Oddly, he somehow also finds the time to write songs professionally. And yes … almost missed this … he is an alumnus of IIT Delhi & IIM Cal 
Really inspiring ✨ These little things can sometimes make a lot of difference!