Reasons to Wake Up

Aleksandra Strugalska — Sun, 14 Nov 2021 14:59:00 +0000

magine the goal you truly want to achieve in life — something you’ve dreamed of since childhood. Visualize it clearly in your mind. What is it? Becoming a famous singer? A scientist? A doctor? A writer? Owning a successful company? Or perhaps creating a revolutionary product? Each of us dreams of something, but only a few truly turn those dreams into reality.

Many of us want to achieve great things, but what are we actually doing to get there — beyond merely imagining the finish line? Why are there people who not only take action toward their dreams but also reach greatness and achieve success?

Why does the majority of us simply exist, never accomplishing our goals — and why is it that, at the very end, our final thought is often regret for never having tried?

It’s a November evening in 2021. I’m watching a new Netflix series — “My Name.” The father of the main character is brutally murdered. His daughter, Yoon Ji Woo, consumed by grief and vengeance, joins a criminal organization involved in drug trafficking. After undergoing intense training, she receives a new identity and begins her career as a police officer. All of this — to infiltrate the narcotics division, find her father’s killer, and find solace in killing him with her own hands.

"Did you think you are special?"

“Did you really think you were special?” These are the words the antagonist, Ganjgjae, throws at the main heroine during one of their confrontations. He wants to destroy and humiliate her. His actions are driven by hatred, jealousy, and envy, because it was he who was supposed to be “the special one.” It was he who was meant to stand where she stands now. He feels that Yoon Ji Woo took something from him when she defeated him in a competition.

Instead of reflecting on how he could become better in the future or what he could do to improve his skills, he allows himself to be consumed by low, primitive emotions—those typical of the “small and weak,” who react intensely to a wounded ego by trampling others who possess what they themselves desire. Yet when we ask what truly made the protagonist special, it certainly wasn’t her belief in her own uniqueness. Quite the opposite. And that, to my dismay, is exactly what today’s society is trying to convince us of. We keep saying, “Everyone is special.” But that is one of the greatest lies of the 21st century. Not everyone is special—and there’s nothing wrong with that.

The world needs ordinary people. It’s their everyday life that forms the foundation on which extraordinary individuals can even exist. If we were all special, then, in truth, none of us would be. The very word “special” would lose its meaning.

The main heroine stood out from the rest because she was exceptional at her work, consistently achieving results far above average. However, it’s important to realize that she wasn’t born that way. Step by step, through systematic, continuous, and disciplined effort, she trained day and night — to the point of exhaustion. She did more work than others, and therefore, she achieved better results than others.

Imagine you want to become a singer and you practice for one hour a day over six years. I doubt that would be enough to achieve real success, but you would certainly be better than those who never practice at all. Now imagine that instead of practicing for one hour a day, you devote eight hours a day to your singing practice — consistently, for six years straight. It’s hard to believe that after such dedication, you wouldn’t become an outstanding vocalist.

However, consistent effort is only one part of the formula for success — a formula that’s surprisingly simple yet incredibly difficult for most people to follow. We rarely encounter individuals who work in a disciplined, repetitive, and uninterrupted manner.

So, what else makes up the ingredients of success?

The next essential element on the road to success, inseparable from consistency, is motivation and purpose. They are what make you rise each morning and, day after day, keep working toward your goal. It is because of them that no obstacle can persuade you to abandon your mission.

When someone has strong motivation, a clear goal, and knows the answer to the question “Why do I want to achieve what I’ve set out to do?”, they will pursue it relentlessly. It will not feel difficult — it will feel natural. The main heroine was driven by revenge — revenge became the purpose of her life. From the perspective of mental health and higher values, this emotion is, of course, toxic and destructive. However, in her case, it was such a powerful driving force that she built her entire existence around it. It was a need that consumed every part of her life — so intense that almost nothing could stand in her way.

"Do you trust her?
I trust her desperation - she will be our dagger."

“Do you trust her?” “I trust her desperation — it will be our dagger.” The quote comes from a scene between the gang leader and his right-hand man. One of them did not trust Yoon Ji Woo, but the other recognized in her motivation an opportunity to achieve his own goals and secure his interests. This trait is worth noting — it’s what distinguishes a true leader.

A leader understands people and knows how to select the right ones for their team. If we know what someone wants to achieve and what motivates them — and if that motivation is strong enough — we can trust that they will reach their goal. And if our goals align, we can reach success together. (Of course, this refers to conscious collaboration, not manipulation — the latter never leads anywhere good.)

Thus, the recipe for achieving your goal already includes two key ingredients: consistency / perseverance and motivation with a clear purpose. The final element is finding the right way — and that’s where the next story from the series comes in.

"No matter how much you train, they will be stronger anyway, don't think about winning, but about killing [...] attack their vital points"

“No matter how much you train — they will always be stronger. Don’t think about winning, think about killing […]. Aim for their vital points.” These words were spoken to the heroine by her mentor during training. He revealed to her the way to achieve her goal and showed how to gain a competitive advantage. He assessed the situation realistically — something that is incredibly important both in life and in business. As much as we might insist that if Yoon Ji Woo trained long enough, she would eventually become stronger than the men, the truth is that from an anatomical and physiological perspective, that simply wasn’t possible. The protagonist was a slender, petite woman. No matter how hard she trained, she could not surpass the men in physical strength — they had greater mass, height, and body structure. Therefore, she had to find another way to outperform them.

Choi Mujin taught Yoon Ji Woo to target vital points. He told her not to try to win with brute strength — because that would never happen. Instead, she learned to rely on speed, intelligence, and knowledge. While the men depended on their physical power, she used her understanding of anatomy, her agility, which was easier for her to master, and most importantly, her motivation, which fueled her daily actions and gave her unshakable persistence.

The combination of these three elements created the perfect formula. And most importantly — her goal was not to become “the best” or “the perfect warrior,” but simply to achieve her objective. She succeeded in obtaining what she sought. It’s not my place to judge whether her goal was right or wrong — but it was her life’s mission. I wish the same for each of us — to achieve our goals and fulfill the dreams we have always carried in our hearts.

"Now It's Just Beginning"

The main heroine trained for several years before she finally heard the words: “Now it truly begins.” Remember, if you want to achieve your dreams quickly — ideally by tomorrow — let me remind you that patience and discipline are just as essential as perseverance. I have never seen or heard of anyone who achieved success “overnight.” And even if it appears that someone did, we often forget (or simply don’t know) how many years of preparation, practice, and persistence came before that moment — the unseen effort beneath the surface of the water, hidden beneath the tip of the iceberg we now call success. We live in an age obsessed with speed — with quick wins, instant results, and rapid achievements. But the truth is simple: it’s impossible. True success requires time, consistency, and humility toward the process.

As I write this blog, I’ve just finished watching “My Name” on Netflix, and I can confidently say it’s one of the most intriguing productions of the year 2021. Diverse characters, strong personalities, a world portrayed in a raw yet believable way (still within the bounds of enjoyable storytelling), an unconventional script, unexpected plot twists, a captivating soundtrack, and brilliantly choreographed fight scenes — these are just a few of its many strengths. I highly recommend it and give it an 8 out of 10 on Filmweb. When you decide to watch it, pay attention to the elements I’ve discussed above — I’d love to hear your impressions and thoughts. Take a moment to reflect: What do you want to achieve? And what is your motivation? The method will reveal itself along the way — the first step is simply to start taking action!

Organize your life.

The first publication in the Untold product series, created to share methodology for organizing everyday life, cultivating systematic discipline, and developing proper habits. Drawing from the author's experience, knowledge, beliefs, and commonly available coaching tools, she aims to inspire you to take action and present you with a straightforward approach to achieving fulfillment and building self-esteem. Written in a simple way, it contains examples from everyday life, practical tips, exercises, and beautiful graphics. Available in e-book and audiobook.

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Artykuł Reasons to Wake Up pochodzi z serwisu Untold.

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Reasons to Wake Up

Organize your life.