Rule of 21 and rule of 10000

A friend once told me that if I wish to make something activity as a habit of my daily routine then I should ensure that I do the activity for first 21 days. Thereafter it would automatically become part of your routine.

Similarly rule of 10000 says If you invest 10000 hours into some activity then you can develop masterly proficiency in the same.

Enough for now.. will write later

Missed post

It just happened. :)

Gold Medal or world record

Ben Jhonson was once asked "What do you prefer, Gold Medal or World Record"?
He said Gold Medal coz no one can take it away.
He was proved wrong. His medal was taken back when he was tested positive in a dope test.

He argued famously "If you don't take it, You won't make it". Probably that was the order at that time.

There were some people including great Carl Lowis who were alleged to have taken stimulants but they were never caught and thus remained clean..
And then some were convicted unfairly. Time comes when people get judgemental and skeptical about you. But in such situations friends do not seek explanation and enemies don't take explanation. Thus trust is what drives the relationships and the world forward.

For me the answer would have been absolute world record becoz that wud get me gold medal anyway.

Good Night

Thought of the day

Happiness is state of mind.

Few days break

appeared for some mocks. Realised under preparation. So taking few days off to refresh my GS and current affair. Will start again soon.

The index list of "How to prepare series" articles

I always desired to compile my thoughts on various topics related to Civil Services Preparation. I compiled this list long back but somehow this got lost in the noise of other work. Now, time has come when I should start compiling my thoughts slowly but steadily. There are lot of memories. Initially I'll try to put scant immediate information without caring much for structure and other things. Once the material is collected then I would refine it.

One thing, I always wonder about Shashi Tharoor is "How did he write so many books?". He is such a busy person but still he write such bulky books. I wonder if they have large helping staff or people working under him. For writing so much, One should be reading as well in proportionate manner. Thus Tharoor is really commendable in this sense.

Anyway, I do not have much to write today. So just copy pasting the index of articles which I intend to write in next few days. Given that Interview is impending so I may miss the schedule but putting this index here would help me in reminding of the pending work.

Before all this one important article is also remaining i.e. on "Why Technology". I'll write that some time soon.


1. My experience of Civil Services
a. How to write a good answer?
i. Different model answers
b. Preparation tips for 1st/2nd/3rd/4th attempt guys
c. How to score good marks in Essay?
d. How to consolidate the information?
e. What are various memory techniques and how to catalogue information?
f. What are general tips on reading tactics/techniques?
g. What are the various ways to answer questions in subjects and General studies?
h. What are various sources which I should refer while preparing for General Studies?
i. How to prepare for CSAT?
j. How should I utilize my time immediately after the exam?
k. How to keep the momentum of study?
l. What is the ideal balance of fun-family-focus on civil?
m. What are various do’s and don’ts of group study?
n. How to prepare for Interview?
o. What should I do for hobby development?
p. Importance of Discussion in the preparation process?
q. How should one finish new reports/12th Five year plan/IYB/Survey/Budget
r. How to read Newspaper and pros and cons of notes making?
s. Frame of mind on the eve of prelims/mains/interview
t. Behavioral learning during the process and behavioral tips for preparation
u. Subject specific tips
v. Karma vs. Bhagya philosophy
w. Study table arrangements
x. Arrangement of books in the book rack
y. Role of technology
z. Cracking Civil Service with a Job in Hand
aa. Create objective while reading
bb. How to avoid negative answer in exam
cc. 5 point approach/stakeholder/critical point/summary/common sense technique
dd. How to start-end answer?
ee. Prelims vs. Mains orientation
ff. Newspaper Indexing
gg. 10 Common reforms
hh. Multi-dimensional perspective
ii. Quotation/Fact/12th plan/IYB
jj. Revision Rule
kk. How to read Magazines
ll. Indexing tricks
mm. Presentation-prelims/Main/Interview
nn. English Importance and Improvement
oo. Psyche of student – Illusion of Knowledge/Learning Outcome/Learning Strategy
pp. Consistency in newspaper Reading
qq. Rules of Group Discussion
rr. Importance of saying No in Civil Services
ss. Full day waste scenario: Phone calls/ No prior plan of the day/ No long sitting/ Not living in the present


2. Why should I prepare for civil services?
3. What is civil service all about?
4. Importance of failure in the civil services and how to convert it in success?
5. How is this book different from other books?
a. Examples
b. Pragmatic approach over theoretical concepts
c. Purely from experience and nothing text bookish
6. Additional
a. Quotes for essay
b. Mnemonics
c. Various chronology
d. Evolution
e. Important thinkers and their thoughts
f. Interesting facts/events to make the answer interesting
g. Anecdotes/Historical analogies
h. List of books and reference material which one should read/refer
i. Important statistics
j. List of conventions and landmark conferences


Two quotes before signing off...
"Branding is about 90% behavior and 10% communication"
"Logo of a company should be so simple that one could draw it in sand"


Good Night

Civil Services Mains Result

I had a bad dream last night. Woke up late in the morning. Went to psychology lab class.
Later in the evening, I decided to visit Lal Mandir to meet honourable Nangmati Mataji.
She is Jain Saint, very pious and loving in nature. She gave me her blessings.

In the night, we started playing cricket on terrace. Suddenly results came. Somehow my 6th sense got activated. I checked my mobile randomly, and saw upsc result on the system. It was wonderful. Within 5 seconds, I checked my result. Over the years, I have got conditioned to "no matches" search result of pdf files. I was glad that this time it was not so.

The excitement is very measured. Its more tilted to the side of caution. I am thankful to god for providing me this opportunity of interview this time. This is my last try so glad that i have opportunity of taking this one last winning shot at goalpost.

Over the years my patience, character were tested by upsc. May god give me strength to tide over this final barrier. This phase is also equally difficult. Let us hope for the best and do our best. Amen