The Secrets Of The Highly Efficient - Yashraj Sharma

Well, hello, dear reader! Before you start reading, there's one request I'd like to make to you. This is a big article, but trust me if you read it. It will be worth the time.

At some point in our lives, I'm sure we've all procrastinated. Sometimes, when your lazy side just takes over you and instead of knowing that right now is the perfect time to do some task, that lazy version of yourself just seems to take the steering wheel of your mind. We start doing things that we would define as "stupid" when we think about it; I mean, we all know that it's not wrong if I say that the first thing you do is go and check the fridge to see if something has magically appeared in there which wasn't there 10 minutes ago when you checked it for the same reason. 

You must be wondering what you are even reading, which is completely unrelated to the title you read, before opening this article in the first place.

So, I read a book called Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins. Many of you might have yet to hear about this book or even this author. Well, I'm not going to tell you much about this book, but from reading it, I have come to learn of the two secrets of the highly efficient people we see every day on our devices and say, "Wow! They are excellent at their work. I'm sure they worked hard". These have helped me bring about some change in my life, and if you also practice them in your life, it'll give results, some outstanding ones. 

Number one: Motivation is absolute crap

I know this may have felt a bit harsh, but sometimes we just have to take it and accept it the way it is, right? So, there are always some things like guilt, dread, anxiety, self-hatred, and all of those good procrastinator feelings. These feelings are like quicksand. They grab you under and won't let you go. When it feels like that, it's elementary to drift off and continue making all the comfortable decisions you previously created that left you here. This is where "motivation" comes into play, commonly heard of when people set out to do something but end up in this situation. Even the best pep-talk or self-hack is nothing but a temporary fix. It won't amplify your voice or uplift your life. Motivation changes absolutely nobody. You need to fall in love with suffering and pain to transform from the little soul you are today into the most unbreakable and hardest person God has ever created. By which, I mean being the most successful person on the planet in the thing you do. 

Number two: The 3D mantra

Before you get too excited, I'm not recommending any movie but instead the one basic principle yet the most important one in your entire life you'll ever need in any situation to achieve any goal you set for yourself. This mantra says:

D- Discipline

D- Determination

D- Dedication

If you follow this mantra for every work you set out to do, I can guarantee you'll see results far better than expected.

The two things I just mentioned can be used in every area of your life, whether you're a student struggling in studies, trying to become the best or an adult. In the end, I'd like to say you need to know how to master your mind and defy the odds. Trust me, if you learn to do that and work hard daily. You'll see yourself becoming 1% better at the end of each day.

Yashraj Sharma

Gyanshree School

Grade IX Image of the book courtesy BOL.COM

SOME SECRETS MUST NEVER BE REVEALED OR EXPOSED - Part II

I quickly hid my head under the window pane. My body was shivering convulsively, and I could not get a hold of it. I tried taking deep breaths to calm myself down from what I had seen. The murder was so fresh a thought in my mind that it prevented me from thinking of solutions. After a few minutes of intense thinking, I realised that calling the police for help would be the best solution. I took out my phone from the back pocket of my jeans and dialled 999 with haste. Unfortunately, the network was too low to make contacts, and I cursed the government for not establishing an exemplary network system in the town. I was so engrossed in finding a solution that I had hardly noticed that I was utterly drenched in sweat due to fear. Evidently, I was of no help; therefore, I decided to head back to my apartment and said to myself that I would report the crime the following day. 

I was about to leave when I heard mumbling from the dining room. I froze for a while. The two men were having a conversation with each other. I gathered every ounce of courage left in me and peeked through the window yet again. The scar-faced man was saying something to his partner in crime in an undertone voice. I could neither hear nor interpret what he was saying to his pal. Suddenly, the second man turned around and came face to face with his partner. He had a stern countenance and held a sharp, steely knife, still stained with blood. He was smoking a cigar in his mouth and took a deep puff of it. He then said in a loud and clear voice.

"Dispose of the body somewhere no one in this town can find. Inform everyone in the colony that she moved to another city after finding a better job. These are commands from our boss."

The former wore his gloves and tossed the immobile dead body over his shoulder. The second man started speaking again.

"You do know why we were ordered to kill her, don't you?."

"Yeah."

The second man grinned and began laughing like a lunatic. He again took a deep puff of his cigar and continued.

"This silly woman was trying to know our whereabouts and our motives. How dare she? Not only did she know that we were murderers but also that we were members of the deadliest criminal organisation, ' The Illuminati'. Poor Ms Plank died a painful death. Alas! She had to pay for her sins. Trying to inform the police about our following motives. Yes, she deserved such a painful death. 'The Illuminati' must never be exposed. Well then, let's get going, shall we?"

I was just amazed and wonderstruck. For a second, I thought the world had paused for a while. Did I hear it correctly? I was asking the question to my conscience again and again. "What, 'The Illuminati'? " I believed that Illuminati was nothing more than a rumour.

My body had started releasing adrenaline in an excess amount that my legs were not moving even on my command. I managed to hide behind a bush somehow. I saw the men carrying away the body along with them. I stayed there until they left and immediately made my way home. The fear and horror were so immense that I couldn't sleep that night. The dead body of Ms Plank kept coming into my inward eye, making me feel uneasy and anxious. The first ray of sunlight entered my room no sooner than I got ready to go to the police station. A thought struck me just as I was about to leave my apartment. The woman killed last night must have done the same thing, informing the police about the criminal organisation. I suddenly realised that I was about to repeat the same mistake which Ms Plank committed, which resulted in her death.

I thought I would also die a throbbing death if I complained about the organisation since they are 'The Illuminati' and will surely come to hunt me down. I steadily went back to my room and seated myself on my bed. I tried to console myself that my decision not telling the police about the murder last night was best for me and convinced myself that "Some Secrets Must Never Be Revealed Or Exposed'.
Tenzin Norsang

SOME SECRETS MUST NEVER BE REVEALED - Part I

During the evening, I was strolling aimlessly in the lonely streets of the Nehru colony. The slanting and shimmering rays of sunlight slowly faded as the sun sank below the horizon. The darkness started taking over light as it gloomed over the streets. The streets were lit dimly, and the trees on either side of the road made eerie sounds. The night's cold wind rushed through my hair as if trying to take away all my positive energy. It was as if cruel disappointment had descended over the colony and had been sucked out of all happiness.

It was getting so late that I decided to head back towards my apartment. On my way back, I encountered no one. The streets were gloomy and mysterious as they had ever been. I was about to reach my place when I heard a girl screaming from a house on my right. I stopped at once and wondered what might have happened. A part of mine was urging me to go forth and investigate the case; therefore, I began walking steadily towards the house. The house windows were clattering, and the curtains were dancing mournfully. The dining room was dimly lit by a candle. I peeked through the window pane and saw two men in long black cloaks standing near the kitchen counter. One was bulky and had a well-marked scar on his face, while the other had his back to me. The latter was cleaning something off with a handkerchief. I craned slightly to get a better view and was utterly bewildered. I just couldn't believe my eyes. A woman of about thirty to forty years of age lay still and silent on the floor, now covered with blood flowing from her neck.

I was horrorstruck and shocked by the sight of it.

Tenzin Norsang

Friendship - Bhakti Gupta

"Though miles may lie between us, we are never far apart, for friendship doesn't count miles; it's measured by the heart." – Pratham Bhansali. 

I came to Gyanshree School at four in the nursery for the first time. I made a friend whose name is Khwahish. I made more friends, but Khwahish and I shared a special bond. And even now, we do things simultaneously, think the same thoughts, and read each other's minds! But the most important thing is that we both rely on each other and trust each other. We can share all our secrets and never feel insecure about it. We have different likes and dislikes, and we have different opinions, but we don't care for we love each other. From the age of 4 till today, when we have turned 9, we continue to be the best of friends, and I am sure we will always be. I would like to end by sharing a quote on friendship by Helen Keller that applies to our relationship - "True friends are never apart, maybe in the distance but never in heart."

Bhakti Gupta
Grade IV
Gyanshree School

Freedom - Avni Karmarkar

Once upon a time, there was a colourless tiger. All his shades were greys, blacks, and whites. So much so that he seemed like something out of an old black and white movie. His lack of colour had made him so famous that the world's greatest painters had come to his zoo to try to put some paint on him. None of them succeeded, as the colours would constantly just drip down off his skin.

Then along came Van Cough, the crazy painter. He was a strange guy who travelled all about, happily painting with his brush. It would be more accurate to say that he moved his brush about as if to paint; because he never put any paint on his brush, and neither did he use canvas or paper. He painted the air, and that's why they called him Can Gough. So, when he said he wanted to paint the colourless tiger, everyone had a good laugh. When entering the tiger's cage, he began whispering in the animal's ear and moving his dry brush up and down the tiger's body. And to everyone's surprise, the tiger's skin started to take on colour, and these were the most vivid colours any tiger had ever had. Van Cough spent a long time whispering to the animal and making slight adjustments to his painting. The result was stunning.

Everyone wanted to know what the painter's secret was. He explained to them that his brush was only good for painting real life and that to do that, he needed no colours. He had managed to paint the tiger using a phrase he kept whispering in its ear: "In just a few days, you will be free again, you shall see." And seeing how sad the tiger had been in his captivity and how joyful the tiger now seemed at the prospect of freedom, the zoo authorities transported him to the forest and set him free, where never again would he lose his colour.

Name: Avni Karmarkar

Grade: 5C

Billabong High International School, Thane

Honesty and Trust - Riya Vaishnav

Riya Vaishnav

I have been lied to before, and I know it can hurt the morals and personality of a person. I believe in the importance of trust and honesty because they help develop positive relationships. Trust allows one to be able to accept others positively. I think that telling the truth proves that you are a fair and loyal person. Their peers will be more accepted because they know that their secrets are kept with a safe person. On the other hand, people will never fully enjoy this person's company if one is not trusted.

Honesty and trust are an important part of bonding, for they are necessary for any personal relationship. One must be able to share their secrets with someone. I once got in trouble for something I did not do at school, and the principal thought I was lying when I wasn’t. This experience hurt me: I was not believed. When someone is not trusted, it can lower their self-esteem because they miss part of a relationship.

Riya Vaishnav 

Class X A

The Fabindia School