Starting Early = Finishing Early = Faster Success! Can Nature Accept this Formula?

Dear Friends,

I was unable to speak until I turned five! My parents were a bit worried due to social pressure but couldn't do much to help. It was a time and place where there were no educational counselors or therapists. Then, a speech miracle happened—I finally started speaking. Maybe I was an outlier in those days, but back then, most of us accepted natural growth as it was. We grew as nature intended.

However, today, we live in an inorganic world. Consider a green banana: at room temperature (20-25°C), it ripens in 5-7 days. Placing it in a paper bag, rice, or a warm spot speeds up the process by 2-4 days. Using an oven or microwave makes it ripen almost instantly—but it alters the texture and taste. The banana softens but doesn’t become sweeter. Similarly, tomatoes ripen naturally on the vine in 1-2 weeks. Yet, farmers often use ethylene gas or calcium carbide to turn them red in just a few days.

What’s the lesson here? Rushing ripening makes things appear ready, but the real quality is lost.

Now, what about children? Can we accelerate maturity in them? This is a critical question.

We can build AI models, improving accuracy and reducing costs with each iteration. But can the same approach be applied to human development?

Why are children so exhausted today? Consider their educational journey:

• At age 2, they start preschool.

• At age 6, they enter Class 1.

• At age 15, they take their Class 10 exams.

• At age 21, they complete their graduation.

• At age 24, they finish their master’s degree.

• A few pursue PhDs or postdoctoral studies, finally reaching 30 before starting full-time employment.

Even after that, the struggle continues. Employees must clear business certifications every six months just to stay relevant. Every 2-3 years, they switch companies, each requiring new certifications with increasing levels of difficulty. It’s a relentless cycle.

In highly competitive countries like India, the pressure is immense. A recent article in India Today highlighted this reality: "1,200 apply for 2 internships, CEO calls out India’s 'employability crisis'." The author shared that his company’s Indian office had just two internship openings—but received a staggering 1,200 applications. Only about 20 candidates were shortlisted for further evaluation.

Amid this chaos, additional social pressures—salary packages, marriage, and career growth—add to the stress. These become three unavoidable stress pills.

Eventually, many feel exhausted. Some express their frustrations openly, but most suppress them, hiding behind a forced smile.

So, I ask you: Is your smile genuine?

— Ravi Saripalle