I think my 12th-grade results were recently announced. I studied at MES PU College, known for its ocean of talented students who often earn state ranks. In that competitive environment, I scored 70%. I didn’t know how to process that. It felt like a failure. I was overwhelmed by negative thoughts so much so that, at one point, I even believed suicide was the only solution.

Then my CET results came in, and they too were disappointing. But somehow, thanks to the sacrifices made by my mother, I joined engineering. I chose my college carefully BMS Institute of Technology. That decision became a turning point. The kind of friends I met, the life I lived there, shaped me. I started doing well academically and felt genuinely happy.

But then, placements came.

I made a bold decision: I didn’t sit for campus placements. Instead, I enrolled in an embedded systems course. Eventually, I landed a job. Today, my life feels smoother. There’s peace of mind.

But that brings me to a deeper question: what is peace of mind, and is it the most important thing in life?

Of course, things like money, health, and a balanced life matter. But are they enough? Even peace of mind alone isn’t always a sign of the right path. Take Duryodhana from the Mahabharata he had a kind of peace, a sense of conviction in his own decisions, and great power. Yet the outcome of his choices was disastrous.

On the other hand, Arjuna at a crucial moment in battle lost his peace of mind. He was confused, emotionally shattered, and reluctant to fight. But with guidance (from Krishna), he made the right choice and created a legacy of dharma. His initial loss of clarity led to something greater because he was willing to listen, reflect, and act with wisdom.

Then there’s Karna a man with immense talent, but neither peace of mind nor material stability. His loyalty and sense of duty were admirable, but his end was tragic, largely because of a few deeply unfortunate choices.

All of this makes me ask: What is truly important in life, especially when I sometimes feel so small in this vast universe?

Going back to that darkest moment if I had made the foolish mistake of taking my life, I wouldn’t be here today. I wouldn’t have discovered the peace I now feel. That realization made one truth crystal clear to me:

The most important thing in life is not being stupid.

It sounds simple even harsh but it’s true. Not making foolish mistakes, being cautious, and thinking clearly matter much more than we give them credit for. These are the real keys to unlocking peace of mind.

Peace doesn’t come from having everything. It comes from avoiding self-inflicted disasters. Suicide would have been a permanent mistake, and I would’ve missed out on everything I have now friends, purpose, career, and this clarity.

So if you ask me today what’s most important in life, I’ll say this:

Not being stupid, not making foolish mistakes, not being cautious this is way more important than it actually looks like. These are the keys to the door called peace of mind.

Just think suicide was a foolish mistake in my case. Today, I have peace of mind just because I avoided that foolish mistake with great caution. So, with this, I really want to conclude: for me, the most important thing in life is

Not being stupid, not making foolish mistakes, not being cautious… and these are the same keys that will help us realize the purpose of our life.