I used to play safe even when there was nothing at stake. To play safe is to accept that there is an inherent risk in doing otherwise. Or else, you are not challenging yourself enough which will lead to an inanely boring life. It hit me hard when I realised that I could challenge myself in diluted terms and it would only mean personal growth.

Tackling intellectually difficult problems is one such case where there is only an upside, even when you don’t succeed. I used to shy away from them because I knew the end result. But now, I don’t hesitate to look at them. Another surprising realisation is that people gravitate towards others who tackle difficult problems. And Theodore Roosevelt agrees with me, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.”