WHAT'S NEXT???

‘What’s next’ isn’t just another question; it is a deep-rooted habit. I can probably even define my life journey through a series of ‘what’s next’ questions.

April 2005
“How were your exams? What’s next? Science, commerce, or arts?”

September 2005
“Good you chose science as your career stream. What’s next? Medicine or engineering?”

June 2009
“How’s your engineering going? What’s next? MS or MBA?”

July 2011
“MBA admit from an IIM. Wow! So, what’s next? Investment banking or FMCG?”

 July 2015
“Congrats on your promotion. So, what’s next? Buying a house or car? Marriage?”

And, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Sometimes I wonder, is life meant to be an assembly line where every step has to sequentially follow another, and every pause is equivalent to a failed system? Do we have to constantly think about where we want to go or what we want to do next? Is that how we are supposed to be wired? Then I wonder, if everyone’s living this way, perhaps that’s how it’s supposed to be! Maybe, I am a misfit in this world.

While all the above examples are external, we too are guilty of letting the ‘what’s next’ attitude turn us into robotic task-executioners. The result is a restless, frustrated, and agitated mind that does not know how to take a step back, reflect, pause, and enjoy the present. Think for a second and answer, when was the last time you truly lived a moment when your mind was fully in the present?

In a fast-paced world of imminent tasks and urgent action items, the ‘what’s next’ bug stops us from being happy and at peace. How many of us check our emails first thing in the morning and mentally create a schedule for the day? How many of us think about the Monday morning team meeting while having dinner on Sunday? Let’s be honest here, we all do. And then we complain about the lack of a ‘work-life balance.’ Would we feel happier if we start each day with a broad smile, talk to our loved ones for a few minutes, invest some time in our hobbies, eat a healthy breakfast with a clear mind, and then start thinking about the myriad priorities that need to be tackled at the workplace?

The same principle applies to relationships too. Have you ever been guilty of overly thinking about the next big family trip, instead of just appreciating and enjoying the weekend dinners? Do you overthink about where is your romantic relationship heading, instead of just enjoying the present? Can we instead spend a few minutes each day to think about three things that make our present truly wonderful?

While I have been overtly critical about the ‘what’s next’ attitude, at times, such attitude is necessary to provide a meaning and purpose to life. It gives us a sense of direction and predictability about the way forward. It helps us progress without getting too complacent in the current state. Imagine if Apple wouldn’t have asked ‘what’s next’, would they have created the Apple watch? Let’s be blunt. The world is competitive; ‘what’s next’ thus becomes important and integral to progress and growth.

Having said that, we can all learn the importance of living in the present, and being appreciative about what we have versus always trying to think ahead. 

 Going forward, I will spend the last weekend of every month, aimlessly strolling in the city, reflecting on the month gone by, without thinking about what’s next. After all, journeys shouldn’t always have a destination and life shouldn’t always have an agenda……

Comments

  1. gudakeshSeptember 13, 2015 at 1:27 AM

    nice read!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ninad BhangleSeptember 13, 2015 at 8:27 AM

    Thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownSeptember 14, 2015 at 10:03 AM

    See the last para you still saying about doing it on the last weekend of the month. Putting it down on your calendar. There's no need for a time to wander about :) the best moments are the ones that happen without planning. Good luck. Nice read.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ninad BhangleSeptember 17, 2015 at 9:12 PM

    Thank you. Agree with your comment. Best moments are always unplanned :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ninad BhangleSeptember 17, 2015 at 9:15 PM

    Thank you. Agree with your comment. Best moments are always unplanned :)

    ReplyDelete

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