Dear Aspirant,
In your quest for preparing for UPSC civil services, like many, you would have come across a point when you would have thought “It is just too much” .A little look around in any aspirants life tells us that , he/she is riddled with a sea of information on a daily basis.
Any UPSC preparation site ,coaching site or any other such site has , indeed ,sea of information, but the question is –
Do we need all those information ?
Many a time the websites across internet usually know “where to start” but the don’t know “where to stop“. In their pursuit to publish everything and anything leads you to a state of confusion on what to read, what to take note of, what to remember and what to discard.
Any unsuccessful attempt even drags you to the edge and you keep on delving what to read and what not to read.We have come across sites where all they do is publish without thinking. Many a times, you, yourself have come across information that led to question yourself – Is this relevant ? If so, then how is it relevant ?
Our inboxes are riddled with posts/tests/information and what not. It is akin to buying hundreds of magazines and ending up reading none of them (Sound like a Deja Vu?). Buying gives the temporary happiness that does not last long unless it really benefits an aspirant.
thus, Cut the Clutter and Less is More has been our founding philosophy @TREE.
Cut the Clutter:-
Your preparation is almost half-done if you know what not to read. Almost all aspirants, start with bountiful of energy and enthusiasm and this energy has to be channelized properly. Else, after few unsuccessful attempts, the ability to push one-self withers away.
Thus, From Day 1, everything we have published thus far has been driven by the philosophy of “CUT THE CLUTTER“.
Less is More:-
This philosophy is not about reading less. Instead it is more about :- “What you read, Should aid your preparation”. We have seen, many aspirants reading random books, novels, and whatever magazine they can get their hands on. That essentially will kill your precious time and energy. Hard work is good, but Smart work is necessary to clear this exam and understanding the difference between the two is WISDOM.
Gandhi, gave a Talisman on when someone has doubts about their action, which reads as follows :-
I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]. Will he be able to gain anything by it? Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny?
Then Your doubts will melt away.
The same logic can be extended to your preparation too:-
Whatever you are doing/reading-Ask these questions :-
- Will it aid my Preparation ?
- If so, how exactly ?
- Which part of the exam it will cater to – Prelims or Mains or Interview ?
- If whatever you are doing is not going to help in any of the stages of your preparation- Then don’t do it.
- Let me give you a secret :- “Make your mind a cataloging machine – Whatever you read or do – Try to catalog that in your mental map- Is it for Prelims, Mains or Interview ? If you can’t catalog- then there will be two things :- The action/information is not helpful for your exam or You are not well-averse with your syllabus.
- If you are not well-acquainted with your syllabus, then cataloging action/info can be difficult. So, get your syllabus ingrained in your mind and let your eyes and ears be judge of actions/info.
- And last piece of advise, Never be a passive-receiver of information. All that goes in to your brain-should be vetted by you first.
Prefer Quality or Quantity. UPSC is not about the Quantity, but it is definitely about Quality.
Whatever you do-Neither waste your energy, nor your attempts. Mis-guidance is abundantly found and guidance is in scarcity. So, Chose your guide wisely.
And, as always, you can reach us directly when in doubt or have any questions.