My 20s Eye-opening Think Piece (Entry 2)
By Happiness Stephen
This think piece intends to share my thoughts on random facts or ideas gained from experiences, personal and others
Hi lovelies, I hope you are doing great. This is the second entry for my random musings and realizations drawn from experiences and observations. I’m so excited to share it with you and truly hope that you find something to relate to. These thoughts are written in love, and with you in mind, so I hope you receive them with the same care.
Okay, Let’s have it.
This think piece is centered on the importance of preparation. Sounds cliché, right? But hear me out.I used to believe that preparation only applies to what you are familiar with, like revising what you’ve studied, or practicing what you’ve learned in order to achieve a goal, but somehow, along the way I learnt that preparation goes beyond that. It is the intentional act of readying your mind and posture for action, even when you are unsure of the exact outcome. It’s that internal alignment with your goal that often leads to success, clarity and excellence.
One of the most recent examples I can share with you to drive home my point is that of my experience during my Chinese lessons in level 2. Because Chinese was unfamiliar territory for me, and we were just starting Level 2, I assumed there was no need to prepare before class. I told myself everything would be broken down for us anyway, I mean, that’s what learning is about, right?
But what did that mindset get me? Confusion. The kind that builds up to frustration. Why? Because there were students who had taken time to prepare, what we call in Hanyu: 复习和预习好了 (Fùxí hé yùxí hǎo le), meaning they had reviewed and previewed the material thoroughly. And so, it was easier for them to grasp what was being taught. The teacher could engage them at deeper levels, while the rest of us who didn’t prepare were left behind, blank, lost, and even forgetting what we already knew.
That experience taught me that waiting to be taught isn’t enough. Sometimes, you have to show up already positioned to receive. That being said, let me say this to you plainly, always prepare ahead before stepping into anything. Preparation is your way of telling your brain, “Get ready, we’re about to do this!” And just like that, your mind begins to align itself with success and clarity. Beyond that, preparation gives you a solid edge. It opens up your capacity to learn more while taking action because you’re already familiar with the basics. You’re not starting from zero, you’re building on a foundation. And that makes all the difference.
So Darling, maybe this little piece is the nudge you’ve been needing to finally prepare for that thing going on in your life. Don’t wait until it’s time, before you start scrambling to get ready. By then, it might just be too late. Take the initiative now, start preparing. Think of preparation as the bricks, cement and water needed to build a strong foundation. I really hoped you gained something from this, sugarhearts.
Feel free to share your experiences with me, how preparation has helped you, or how the lack of it has affected you. I’d love to hear from you.
Bye for now, till the next ride.
Thoughts from Yours,
Zaram.
ALSO READ: The Tortured Youth Diary (entry 1)
