The biggest mistake I made in my 20s was-

I focussed too much on what others thought of me. 

I worried, cared, and stressed about what my boss and peers thought of me, and about my work. 

I did not work for myself. 

I worked for external validation. 

At 22 while working for an e-commerce firm, I used to work voluntarily till 11 PM every night to ensure everything was covered before I log off.

I worried about what if someone found errors in my work. 

I spent less time with my family and invested less in my mental well-being. 

At an outcome level, I was diagnosed with migraine. 

And that event completely changed my outlook on life. 

I found out how I was suffering from Ivy league hashtag#syndrome- keen to hide my imperfections from the world in order to be not 'found out'. 

In my late 20s, I worked upon myself, started embracing my imperfect self, and carried my heart proudly on my sleeve. 

Today, it's part of my value system. 

If you are young professional reading this, know that life is beyond your work prestige. 

Invest in your mental well-being. 

Read books. Brene Brown's, Gifts of Imperfection, can be a great addition here. 

Be ambitious. Try, and try again. 

But if you still fail, remind yourself life is too short to be taken that seriously. 

Nothing is worth your mental well-being. 

Conquer your Inner Swaraj❤️