In 1998, we went for our first counter-insurgency patrol in Nagaland very excitedly. We were a bunch of IPS trainees attached to an army unit fighting militancy.
Unlike in the Police Academy, the dangers here were very real. So we put on heavy bulletproof vests and headgears (‘patka’), and carried rifles and ammunition.
The start was exciting – you never know what happens next. But after a few hours, with the sun beating down, we were sweating and exhausted. The bulletproof headgear was so heavy that you felt like your neck would break. The tedium was unbearable.
The start of any journey is exciting. But soon, the excitement fades and reality kicks in.
What you do next determines whether you are a professional or a dabbler.
Professional musicians practice for 10,000 to 20,000 hours to qualify for major orchestras. Athletes train for years before even qualifying for the national team. Researchers spend years grappling with a single problem.
Even in a startup, the initial days are heady – you are talking ideas, designing logos, creating a website, and so on. And then, the reality hits you – the rejections, failures, and losses.
Always, the question is – what do you do next?
A professional is one who can keep grinding long after it has stopped being pleasurable. The rest are all dabblers and amateurs.
If you want to achieve mastery in anything, this is the deal. Take it, or leave it.
– Rajan