The motivated Thinker

Your Mental Health Matters

Being an aspirant is tough, no doubt. In your 20s, you sacrifice so much—job, money, good food, time with friends, and even your hobbies. On top of that, you’re judged constantly, from college friends to even parents and relatives. It sometimes feels like you’re committing a crime.

Then, you see random people with millions of followers and money, and it hurts. After one or two attempts, even the support from loved ones fades. And this exam? It’s strange—you know more, but you score less. It’s isolating, stressful, and makes your heart race, sweat roll, and nightmares creep in.

But here’s the truth: Why should an exam decide your entire life? Think back—when you achieved something big, how long did the happiness last? A day? A month? Eventually, it became normal, and you wanted more.

So don’t be harsh on yourself. Be kind. Do at least one thing that makes you happy daily. Pamper yourself, go for a walk, exercise, or just relax. Don’t fall for the nonsense toppers say about cracking the exam in some “alien” way. That’s their marketing, not the truth.

Life is precious—live it. Billionaires will also die one day; that’s life’s reality. Don’t lose yourself for a mere exam. You are unique, talented, and worth so much more. Trust yourself and keep moving. 💪

The Motivated thinker your mental health companion - https://t.me/Motivationunleashed

Growing up in a middle-class family, every boy dreams of hearing his father say, “Son, I am proud of you.” That dream was my guiding light when I started preparing for civil services. But my journey wasn’t just about me—it was tied to my father’s unfulfilled dreams.

Years ago, my father also wanted to prepare for civil services. But times were different. Parenting back then came with early marriages and strict rules—career aspirations often took a back seat. My grandfather gave him just a two-year window to prepare. My father worked tirelessly, giving it his all. But fate had other plans.

One day, while traveling on a bus, the vehicle plunged into a river from a 40-foot-high bridge. Everyone on board died—except my father. He miraculously survived but was bedridden for six months. His injuries ended his preparation, and soon after, he was married. His dream of entering Dholpur House was gone, and he joined the first government job he could get to support his family.

But his dream lived on in me. He once told me, “Just enter Dholpur House—that’s all I want.” That day came sooner than expected. At just 23 and a half years old, I reached Dholpur House in my second attempt. My father hugged me right outside and said, “Son, you’ve made me proud. You fulfilled what I couldn’t, and no matter what happens in life, I’m content.”

I didn’t stop there—I entered Dholpur House thrice. The strength and determination to keep going came from him. My father often shared a story about one of his cricketing idols, Vinoo Mankad. The man inspired India’s first test win but was later dropped unfairly. When he made his comeback, he bowled over 70 overs, took five wickets, and scored a century—all in a single match. That tale of resilience and determination stayed with me.

It taught me to rise again, no matter how hard life tried to knock me down. That hug outside Dholpur House and my father’s pride are moments etched in my heart forever.

Hi Aspirants,

This is Oindrila Ganguly. The past year was the toughest in my life. I missed UPSC Prelims by 0.5 and 1 marks, and being from a middle-class family, the pressure to join government services was immense. Despite being placed at MICROSOFT during my NIT campus placement, I started preparing for UPSC.
After 2 successive Prelims debacle I first took a job and later started preparing for CAT.

Two days before CAT, I lost my father. Broken and unsure, I decided not to give the exam, but Aditya Sir (our IRON MAN) pushed me to try. With tears in my eyes, I appeared for CAT and scored 99.98 percentile. But life wasn’t done testing me. Before my IIM Ahmedabad GDPR, I lost my mother to cancer. Alone as a single girl child, I fought through unimaginable pain and somehow made it to IIM Ahmedabad.

The support and belief from Aditya Sir inspired me to give back to this community. That’s how CAT Success Hub and CSAT Simplified were born—to help others navigate their journeys.

Life will test you, but it’s your courage that will define you. Keep fighting—you are stronger than you think.

Yours,
Oindrila Ganguly

(Co-founder, CAT Success Hub https://t.me/catsuccess
& Head,
CSAT KYI - https://t.me/csatkarmayogiias )”

The only photo in my room is a quote by Swami Vivekananda—a daily reminder of focus and purpose.

This isn’t just for exams, but for life itself. Trying to juggle too much often leads to losing both. But a task done with full attention, energy, and dedication is far more rewarding than one done half-heartedly.

Stay focused. Keep your goals clear, and your life will follow suit. 🌟

Dear Students,

There’s something deeply fulfilling that we, as mentors and tutors, experience every day. Our happiest moments come when we hear about your success stories. These are the moments that make all the hard work worthwhile.

Every day, we interact with hundreds of students, and it often feels like we are a part of your journey. Our mornings begin with reading newspapers, preparing quizzes, teaching, addressing queries, and replying to your messages. Whether you realize it or not, we dedicate 12-14 hours to this work. Each day is filled with a mix of emotions—excitement, happiness, exhaustion, and sometimes even sadness.

But, for us, this work is not just about earning a living. It’s about something much deeper. Our aim is to excel in what we do, motivate you, help clear your doubts, provide the best solutions, and, most importantly, address the challenges we ourselves faced during our own preparation.

In the process, we also learn a lot from you—your resilience, your dedication, and your struggles. We feel your pain, we share your joys, and in many ways, we grow with you. Our journey as mentors is as much about empathy and compassion as it is about teaching.

At the end of the day, despite the tiredness and emotional highs and lows, we know it’s all worth it. Every interaction, every student we help, adds meaning to our lives. Your success is our true happiness.

Thank you for being a part of this beautiful journey.

With all our best wishes,
Your friend,
Chandrasekhar.

Afsaane likhne jab baithoge,
Ya mere pehle shuruat karoge, ya mere baad karoge.
Yeh karwan bhale badhe, par tum humein na bhool paoge.
- Aditya

“Stars are born in the darkest skies, where the pressure of the universe shapes them into brilliance.”

An unforgettable image from the last session held in the old Parliament building is that of an elderly Sikh gentleman in a wheelchair at the very back of an aisle, intently following proceedings. Manmohan Singh turned 91 this week, and even in relatively frail health did not miss this historic session as one of the oldest members of the Rajya Sabha.

His seven decades in public life, culminating in his decade-long service at the very top of India’s democracy, is nothing short of inspirational.

His early life was marred by misery of partition but nothing could stop this extra ordinary Human. He won a scholarship to go to Cambridge University in England to do his Master's in Economics. Another scholarship helped him complete his PhD. He won the coveted Adam Smith Prize in Economics for his outstanding academic record.

And his contribution in Changing the entire economic and social landscape of India through 1991 LPG Refroms you all know.

RIP THE GREAT MAN 🙏

Jo din, zindagi,Jo ghadi, khushi jo bhi zindagi mai mile use bator lo ❤️❤️

Once a legend said -
Museebat Taan Marda Te Paindi Rehndi Ae
Dabi Na Tu Duniya Sawaad Laindi Ae.

Troubles may come and strike, but they keep lingering on. Don’t suppress yourself, the world will taste your strength.
And there will be many who will just wait for you to give up, but remember — in the end, what mattered is your happiness, and this is within you.

The efforts we make in life are to achieve that happiness.
The world will always remind you of your weaknesses or incompleteness, but it is you who has to believe in your strength.

He constantly refined his batting, mastered new variations in his bowling, and became more lethal in overseas conditions, always challenging himself to improve. Getting battered and bruised in the Sydney Test, and still carrying on, sums up his warrior-like spirit. His 750+ wickets and 4000+ runs reflect not just talent but relentless effort. His tactical brilliance and ever-evolving game made him truly special. Miss you, “Anna.” 🙏

Slow growth is strong growth

There are moments when you feel, I’m trying my best, but success is slipping away. You see others with lesser effort racing ahead, and it stings. You wonder, Am I falling behind? But remember, slow growth is strong growth—it shapes resilience and grace.

I’ve seen friends who cracked civil services in their very first attempt, basking in glory. Yet, one is now battling a heavy departmental inquiry, and another is struggling with depression after the spotlight vanished. On the contrary, those who succeeded in their 5th or final attempt took success with humility. They didn’t shout about their triumphs, and even when life threw challenges like frequent transfers or failures, they stood tall, handling it all with a quiet strength.

Think of Hrishikesh Mukherjee, a filmmaker whose early work was dismissed as “too ordinary.” But he grew steadily, becoming the master of middle cinema. His movies, like Gol Maal, addressing unemployment, or Anand, portraying the delicate emotions of terminal illness, weren’t just stories—they were reflections of real life. Today, they are etched in the hearts of millions, far outlasting fleeting trends.

Slow growth teaches you to endure, adapt, and shine when the time is right. As the saying goes:
“Don’t fear growing slowly; fear standing still.”

Your journey is unique and purposeful—trust the process. Keep moving.

सितारों को शायद खबर ही नहीं
मुसाफिर ने जाने कहाँ रात की
न जी भर के देखा ना कुछ बात की
बड़ी आरज़ू थी मुलाक़ात की

Hi Mains 2024 Students,

I understand exactly what you’re feeling right now—I’ve been where you are. This is that phase where focus seems impossible, and no matter how hard you try, distractions creep in. On top of that, there are those so-called “calendar eagles” predicting dates, sharing fake messages, and posting updates as if they’re the Prime Minister.

Here’s the truth: we all know results will come in December, but when? Nobody knows. This has been the reality since my own journey in CSE 2018. Back then, most of these Telegram channels didn’t even exist.

Life, however, doesn’t stop. Whether the result is good or bad, it stays with you only for a while. After that, you’ll have to focus on the next step. That’s just how life works.

Those who keep moving forward, despite the ups and downs, are the ones who truly enjoy and understand the essence of life. Your tension, anxiety, and pressure won’t change the result by even an ounce. And let me tell you, that one day—the result day—won’t define your life unless you let it.

I want all of you to succeed. My prayers and best wishes are with you. Remember, I’m here to guide you through. If you’ve given Mains and need further support, message me to be added to the group: @Aditya_Karmayogi_IAS.

Your well-wisher,
Aditya (Iron Man)

The journey of preparing for government exams has transformed me as a person. I can frankly say that I was inward looking, a self centric personality, more of individualistic and result bound before starting the preparation. This preparation has made me realise the true nature of life. I have learnt to be a more outward looking, being more society oriented, and a process bound person. I also realised that life is very small, simple, temporary and volatile. We cannot predict the future events. Sometimes what appears to be unwanted things may become very important things in life. Similarly those things we are very important may become unwanted in future. Now nothing makes me too much happiness or too sad. Life became very much neutral as I realised everything is temporary including things, people or relationships. A simple message from this experience is that we should not bother about results,  materialistic things or taking life as an objective one. Be process bound, never harm anyone, be humble and have a broad minded personality. Never attach yourself to anything too much. Do your duty effectively every day. The rest of the things will be taken care of by time. You will become what you are bound to be.
Your friend,
Chandrasekhar

For those of you who do not know him, he is the man behind all daily current affairs Quiz on App, Important current affairs articles and one of the most important pillars of Karmayogi IAS

Chandrasekhar sir 🙏

These all are my exam memories. The question papers include 6 CSP, 4 CSM, APPSC, intelligence bureau , CAPF and many more exams. When I look back, even my failures are looking sweet and pleasant.

A mother's happiness blooms in the smiles of her children

From struggles to success : A journey of making a difference with Karmayogi

This journey began with my own struggles, the heartache of not making it into the services despite giving my all in three back-to-back interviews, and facing personal challenges that left me questioning everything. But through introspection, I found clarity. I realized that the true purpose of entering the services wasn’t just about a position or title—it was about making a difference and contributing to others’ development.

That realization birthed Karmayogi, and with it, our incredible family of thousands. Together, we embarked on a mission to help, to guide, and to uplift others, no matter the medium. Your support and love have made all the difference. We’ve launched multiple affordable courses, always striving to serve you better.

Of course, there were times when we didn’t meet everyone’s expectations, and a few of you were disappointed. But every challenge taught us a lesson, and we grew, improving our approach and learning from our mistakes.

The fruits of our labor speak for themselves—more than two dozen civil servants guided by our team, and thousands of motivated, hardworking youth who have found their way.

Today, we stand strong with over 30k members in our family. I am deeply grateful for each of you.

From your IRON Man,
Aditya.

Bich raah mein dilabar,
Bichhad jaaye kabhi hum agar,
Aur suni si lage tumhein,
Jeevan ki ye dagar,
Hum laut aayenge, tum
Yun hi bulaate rehna,
Kabhi alvida na kehna,
Rote hansate, bas yun hi,
Tum gun gunate rehna.

English Translation:
On the path of life, my love,
If we ever part ways,
And the journey seems lonely for you,
Remember, I’ll return,
Keep calling me as you always do,
Never say goodbye,
Through tears and laughter, just like this,
Keep humming and singing.

As I’ve said before, I’m not just a civil services mentor—I’m here to help you understand life. Sadly, many of us in India have so much potential, but we forget how to truly enjoy life. We exhaust ourselves dancing to the tune of others, seeking validation, and losing sight of what really matters.

Today, I want to share 5 movies that can change the way you look at life. Watch them, and let their stories inspire you to live for yourself:

1️⃣ The Bucket List – A moving reminder to chase your dreams and live fully before it’s too late.
2️⃣ The Pursuit of Happyness – A beautiful lesson in resilience and finding light through life’s darkest times.
3️⃣ The Shawshank Redemption – A masterpiece about hope, patience, and the power of believing in better days.
4️⃣ A Beautiful Mind – A story that celebrates inner strength while teaching us to accept our imperfections.
5️⃣ Good Will Hunting – A film about discovering your purpose and breaking free from societal expectations.

Life isn’t about pleasing everyone; it’s about finding what makes you truly happy. Take a break, watch these movies, and let them guide you to rediscover joy. Life is meant to be lived, not just survived. ❤️

Accept that Some days, we will fail. Even the greatest—Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, and Sachin Tendulkar—failed more than they succeeded. But here’s the truth: life always gives you a second chance.

When everything feels impossible, and the world tells you to stop, that’s when you need to push harder. It’s those extra steps, when the majority quits, that lead to greatness. Life isn’t a T20 match it’s a test match where there is always a second inning.

The most important lesson I’ve learned in my 28 years of struggle is that real success comes from having the courage to fail, to rise again. So, when you feel like you’ve hit a wall—keep going. Your glory is on the other side.

When a senator mocked Abraham Lincoln about his father making shoes, Lincoln calmly responded, “I can make shoes too. No one ever complained about my father’s shoes. He was a genius, and I am proud of him.” This powerful moment teaches us how to respond to critics with grace, turning them into admirers.

It reminds us that no matter our origin or the humble background of our families, our parents always strive to give us the best. They are the richest people in the world, for they offer their hearts and souls for our well-being. Don’t be ashamed of them; cherish them. People’s opinions of you will always be shaped by your success and failures, but true friends reveal themselves in the moments when you need them most—when you are down.

A Tribute to the Best Men in Our Lives

To my grandfather, dad, brother, friends, and most importantly, to my teachers—you shaped me into who I am today, a debt I can never truly repay.

The strength of a man is especially profound when he shows genuine feelings.
It’s in his humble soul, continuously loving even when he is emotionally hurt, fighting to rise above.

The strength of a man is in his loyalty and sheer love for one woman.
It’s in his integrity, staying true to his mate, and the stability of love he creates each day.

The strength of a man isn’t in the world’s load he can lift,
but in the heavy burdens he carries, standing strong, enduring, never quitting.

Happy Mens day ❤️

The Secret to True Success: Beyond Business Schools to Inner Peace

When Mark Zuckerberg asked Steve Jobs for advice on success, Jobs’ response was surprising: go to an ashram in India. What can an ashram offer that a business school cannot?

The Bhagavad Gita teaches that serenity of mind is the key to success. A calm mind sharpens intellect and leads to brilliant action. No matter how intelligent or talented you are, an agitated mind clouds judgment and hinders effective action. This crucial aspect is not addressed in business schools.

The Gita, written 5,000 years ago, still speaks to today’s ambitious, success-driven youth. It offers a timeless formula for achieving true success.

Do you feel deprived or blessed? If you’re driven by deficiency motivation, you may find yourself bored, frustrated, and unsuccessful. True success arises from gratitude for what you have. When you feel abundant, even if you have little material wealth, you become motivated, creative, and eager to contribute to others. Abundance is a mindset, not a measure of assets. Sudama, a poor man, felt abundant, while the richest can feel deprived.

Identify your passion and set higher goals in that field. Work selflessly, with service and sacrifice as your guiding principles. Selfish action leads to mediocrity. The greatest achievers had a vision beyond personal gain. Don Bradman played cricket for the love of the game, Ustad Bismillah Khan played the shehnai for passion, and Einstein dedicated his life to physics.

When you focus on something greater than yourself, selfless action follows. Olympic gold medalist Eric Liddell ran not for personal glory, but for the divine. He believed God made him to run, and through divine help, he succeeded.

Action is in your control, but the outcome is not. When you detach from the result and focus on the process, success follows naturally. This mindset defines a true sannyasi—not one who retreats from the world, but one who is independent of the fruit of their actions.

Read it once

The Cockroach Theory

The cockroach theory for self-development

At a restaurant, a cockroach suddenly flew from somewhere and sat on a lady.

She started screaming out of fear.

With a panic-stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach.

Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group also got panicky.

The lady finally managed to push the cockroach away but ...it landed on another lady in the group.

Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama.

The waiter rushed forward to their rescue.

In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter.

The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behaviour of the cockroach on his shirt.

When he was confident enough, he grabbed it with his fingers and threw it out of the restaurant.

Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behaviour?

If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed?

He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos.

It is not the cockroach, but the inability of those people to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach, that disturbed the ladies.

I realized that it is not the shouting of my father or my boss or my wife that disturbs me, but it's my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me.

It's not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me.

More than the problem, it's my reaction to the problem that creates chaos in my life.

Lessons learnt from the story:

I understood I should not react in life.

I should always respond.

The women reacted, whereas the waiter responded.

Reactions are always instinctive whereas responses are always well thought of.

A beautiful way to understand

LIFE.

The HAPPY person is not because Everything is RIGHT in his Life.

He is HAPPY because his Attitude towards Everything in his Life is Right!🙂‍↔

When life was simple
When love was pure
When cinema was Joy
When songs were bliss

That's what our childhood was and yeah this man made it more awesome!

In the second innings on an extremely turning pitch, against arguably the world’s greatest spin bowler, Shane Warne, Sachin Tendulkar scored 155 runs. Considering the pitch conditions and the quality of the spinners, this achievement stands unparalleled. While we may be influenced by current bias, the fact remains that Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar are technically incomparable to any modern greats.
https://x.com/nimrit2012/status/1852572240073633883?t=h3zxnaK-KKF8n5D4T0DIeA&s=35

My Blogs : A journey of Thought

Many a time we feel low despite all our efforts we are unable to come out of the zone of anxiety and depression . You may relate to them and feel motivated, as this is the lived experience of my mammoth journey of 6 Years in UPSC, and 28 Years of life.

I have seen every possible thing in this from death of loved one to prolonged illness of mother to 3 back to back interview failures to multiple surgeries and clinical depression of 4 months.

1. MY JOUNREY

2. All winners lost a few battles

3. A blast of wind

4. Hardest Truths in life

5. Greatest Predictor of success is Grit

6. From Cursed to Blessed

7. My Biggest Inspiration

8. Most beautiful Things in life are for free

9. Some Days Shape who you Truly are

10. Fathers are the Biggest Super heroes

11. My Biggest Achievement

Hi everyone!

I just thought of sharing one of my important experiences in life with you all. We were recently blessed with a baby girl. I realised that the toughest challenge in this world is to give birth. A woman undergoes a lot of physical and mental transformation with a lot of patience adjusting all the difficulties. No pain is greater than this. But what I want to say from this experience is that, we all should give utmost respect to the women around us. Do not abuse, stalk or mistreat a woman. If possible encourage them to be brave, independent and courageous.

For all women here, you should not depend on parents or life partner or anyone else. Secure a job, be financially independent and courageous enough to fight adverse situations in life.

Thank you to all the women around us 🙏

Chandrashekhar

Returning to Ayodhya, a hero adored,
Bhagwan Ram's tale, forever stored.
A ruler just, with compassion and care,
His reign, a golden era, beyond compare.


From his life, lessons we glean,
Of honor, loyalty, and values pristine.
Bhagwan Shri Ram, an eternal name,
His story, an inspiration, in the annals of fame.


There is only one Raja, that is Ram, we all mortals are just a trusty in this world.
Wish you all a very Happy Diwali ❤️❤️

The life is a dream, every one has to go one day. Whether Ram or Ravan, no one stayed here forever.

So do what you feel is right because people no matter will always be waiting to judge you. No matter whatever you do for them,so never expect things from anyone..

Do good because you feel good after that, not for any reciprocation.

राम सृष्टा भी हैं और सृष्टि भी !
राम दृष्टा भी हैं और दृष्टि भी !
राम एकांत भी हैं और महफ़िल भी !
राम मार्ग भी हैं और मंज़िल भी !
राम जीवन भी हैं और मुक्ति भी !
राम युद्ध भी हैं और युक्ति भी !
राम मनहर भी हैं और मनस्वी भी !
राम राजा भी हैं और तपस्वी भी !

Translation :

Lord Ram is both the creator and the creation.
He is both the seer and the vision.
Ram is both solitude and the gathering.
He is both the path and the destination.
Ram is both life and liberation.
He is both the battle and the strategy.
Ram is both enchanting and wise.
He is both a king and an ascetic.

The generation of a few ultra hungry people, it creates a ray of hope for the Nation despite the numerous bottlenecks .

Time table of Upsc aspirant 😂

Out of my all the achievements and awards, this will forever be at the top . Letter written by my idol my maternal grandfather just a month before his demise.

Human relations are the most valuable treasure , more than anything. Some realise it soon, many never realise untill they die.

Credits : Mental Health Enhancer

“Yu to har aankh bahut roti hai,
Har boond magar ashk nahi hoti hai,
Dekh kar ro de jo zamane ka gam,
Us aankh se nikle aansu wo moti hain.”

Philosophy of life! The good the bad, both are transient.

Nothing stays forever.

Ji bhar ke jee lo aaj ko!

Even the greatest things will have an end someday.

Man with a Golden heart 🙏 A true Ratan of bharat mata is no more.

A man may die but not his ideas 🙏

आप को देख कर देखता रह गया,
क्या कहुँ और कहने को क्या रह गया,
आते आते मेरा नाम सा रह गया,
उसके होठों पे कुछ कांपता रह गया,

वो मेरे सामने ही गया और मैं,
रास्ते की त्तरह देखता रह गया,
झूठ वाले कहीं से कहीं बढ गये,
और मैं था के सच बोलता रह गया,
आंधियों के इरादे तो अच्छे ना थे,
ये दिया कैसे जलता रह गया,

Read this if you havent yet!

After reading 200+ Books in last 5 years ( other than UPSC). Let me tell you 5 books that can change your entire life and is a must read -

1. Atomic habits ( will transform your daily routine)

2. The power of subconscious mind ( Fantastic book which makes us belive in our inner power)

3. Flow ( will help you do anything in life with passion)

4. The Alchemist ( With stories it will teach you, motivate you, a gem)

5. Man's search for Meaning ( Ever feeling down read this, an experience of Person leaving in Nazi concentration camp)

Most Intelligent Human to ever walk on Earth. If you haven't read his biography or Movie do watch today itself. You will realise how society treats when you are exceptional. How much he suffered in life, but still walked firmly to make way for all the amazing inventions of 21st century.

Learn from the greatest!

Lab thartharake chup hi rahe
Khaamoshiyan bhi hasti rahi
Dil ke tarane dil mein rahe
Betaabiyaan bas machalti rahi