A questioner expresses his feeling of leading a mediocre life, unlike Acharya Prashant who has excelled in many fields. He feels regret and a sense of being a loser, lacking the inner fire to excel, and seeks guidance. Acharya Prashant responds that this is a matter of ego or, more accurately, self-respect. He emphasizes that it is important to feel bad about mediocrity, as this is a sign of self-respect. One should live with dignity and pride. If one is not living up to their potential, they should question their very existence. He asks, if the Self (Atma) is unique and unparalleled, why should the individual be a laggard in every field? This feeling of inadequacy is necessary. Acharya Prashant clarifies that he is talking about self-respect, not the respect one gets from others. One knows their own reality. It is important to feel bad about one's shortcomings. He shares that he is not a naturally gifted person and takes time to learn things. However, once he starts something, he does it with complete honesty and dedication. He gives a personal example of missing a gym session due to illness and compensating by working out for an hour and a half the next day. He stresses the importance of punishing oneself for not meeting one's own standards and the necessity of feeling shame. He explains that a person who does not feel shame finds it very difficult to progress. However, this shame should not be one that buries you but one that propels you to work twice as hard. There should be a love for excellence and a longing to live up to one's ideals. He further illustrates this with his experience in cricket, where despite not having the natural attributes of a fast bowler, he used discipline and hard work to trouble good batsmen. He contrasts this with naturally talented individuals he knew who ended up in ordinary jobs because natural gifts alone do not guarantee success in the long run. It is the quality of one's consciousness that ultimately matters. He concludes by reiterating the importance of self-respect and feeling bad when one falls short. This feeling should lead to a drive for excellence, not to a state of shrinking or self-pity. He also distinguishes between self-respect and seeking respect from others, noting that those who crave external validation often lack self-respect.