UPSC aspirants know when it comes to preparation for one of the most prestigious exams in India, it might seem like walking on thin ice. With a humongous syllabus to cover, daily news to remain abreast with and the myths that float around the UPSC exam, many UPSC aspirants have given up midway due to despair. 

A candidate can check off all the strategies to pass the examination with flying countries but yet fall short. The key ingredient that is required in this scenario is 'positive thinking'. Apart from relentless hard work and skills acquisition, positive thinking will help you mow your way through the tumultuous period of UPSC preparation. 

Stick to the end of the article as we share the importance of positive thinking and a few tips to keep negative thoughts at bay. 

The importance of positive thinking 

It has been scientifically concluded that positive thinking can induce positive results. Negative thoughts act like brain junk taking up space and rendering it useless to incorporate the required information. 

Negative thoughts lead to the incorporation of negative feelings that can lead to fear and stress which is not only detrimental to your UPSC preparation but affects your health gravely as well. Induction of fear and stress can make you anxious over things that do not require any concern in the first place and sabotages your productive period. 

Several psychological experiments explain how thoughts play a key role in our life. Our thoughts lead to behaviours which further cause habits. Habits have the potential to make or break our lives. Positive thoughts lead to good  habits that help to strive towards a successful life  

Ways to incubate positive thinking

While some of you may think it is far easier said than done, we can understand that with strenuous study sessions, negative thoughts can come naturally to any UPSC aspirant. While we don't propagate that you should always feel happy, it is important to understand that we wish that you do not let negative emotions ruin the best of you. 

To make it a little easier for you, we have included a few tips to help you incubate positive thinking

• Instead of saying "I am not intelligent enough" or "I will not be able to crack UPSC", use short positive affirmations to boost your morale. You will be surprised at the effectiveness of this simple strategy.

• Look at the bright side of the picture. If you feel negative thoughts cloud your brain, assess them cautiously. Write them down and find a simple solution that can get them eradicated. You will often notice that the problem already has a quick solution to it.

• Indulge in physical exercises. Exercising regularly even for 20 minutes a day has shown profound benefits. It boosts circulation and releases hormones that help in inducing positive thinking.

• When you feel negative thoughts stepping into your brain, take a moment and assess your situation logically. Talk to your mentor, friends or with your close ones. Connect with them and let them know what you are going through.

• Listen to prep talks or read books about successful people. The road to success is always marked with shadows; reading their insights into the journey will help you gain perspective.

• Set small goals daily and achieve them. The joy of achieving small goals will help you in the long run.

Now there you go, a concise approach to the power of positive thinking. We would like to conclude the article by stating a simple yet powerful adage by a wise man, "Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create."