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| 18 July 2012 — a difficult day in my life. But also, unknowingly, the day I started writing a different future. |
The Note I Wrote to My Future Self
Sometimes, a dream begins with nothing more than a pen, a piece of paper, and the courage to believe. 18 July 2012 — a difficult day in my life. But also, unknowingly, the day I started writing a different future.
On 18 July 2012—just one day before my birthday—I wrote a note to myself. It was a difficult phase of my life. In many ways, I was experiencing rock bottom—personally as well as professionally. I wasn't sure where life was heading, and the future didn't look particularly clear.
But somewhere in that uncertainty, I decided to make a commitment to myself. I wrote down a dream: I wanted to become an international trainer.
And then I gave myself 10 years. I even calculated it: 10 years = 3,650 days.
And beneath it, I wrote: “Time starts now…”
Looking at that note today gives me goosebumps. Because the person who wrote those words had no idea how the dream would happen. In 2012, I had no clear pathway to study or work abroad. There was no international network, no detailed roadmap and certainly no guarantee that the dream would become reality.
But I had something else: A belief that I could grow into the person capable of achieving it.
Three years later, in 2015, I got my first opportunity to travel to the US to study and teach. That one opportunity became the beginning of a much bigger journey. Since then, I have had the privilege of teaching and training students and professionals from 15+ countries, including the UK, Japan, Mauritius, UAE, Germany and Canada.
But somewhere in that uncertainty, I decided to make a commitment to myself. I wrote down a dream.
What changed?
Not everything changed overnight. I changed. I learned. I experimented. I failed. I adapted. I kept going.
And that, to me, is the essence of a Growth Mindset. Growth mindset isn't about knowing exactly how you will reach your destination. It is about believing that you can learn your way forward. You may be at rock bottom today. You may feel lost. You may not have the resources, connections or confidence you think you need. But you don't need to have the entire journey figured out. You just need the courage to take the next step.
Write the dream. Sign it.
There is something powerful about writing a dream by hand. When you write it, you see it. When you sign it, you own it. And when you give it a timeline, you turn a wish into a commitment. So, if you're reading this as a student, here's my challenge to you:
Write something today that your future self will thank you for.
Don't worry about the HOW. Start with the WHAT. Give yourself permission to dream bigger than your current circumstances. Because your present situation is not necessarily a prediction of your future.
Sometimes, the person standing at rock bottom is much closer to a breakthrough than they realise. And perhaps, years from now, you'll look at something you wrote today and smile. You'll realise that the dream you once thought was impossible...was simply waiting for you to grow into it.
Dream. Commit. Grow. Repeat.
18 July 2012 — a difficult day in my life. But also, unknowingly, the day I started writing a different future.
And there’s a reason writing it down matters…What I did that day was more than simply writing a dream on paper. I made the goal visible, specific and tangible—and I gave myself a deadline. Today, neuroscience and psychology are giving us interesting insights into why this simple practice can be powerful.
If you want to explore the science behind it, I highly recommend this article by Forbes:
🧠“Neuroscience Explains Why You Need To Write Down Your Goals If You Actually Want To Achieve Them”
Perhaps the most powerful takeaway is this: A goal written on paper may look like a simple sentence today—but it can become the beginning of a completely different future.
Best,
Gaurav
