Acharya Prashant addresses a second-year engineering student's query about preparing for the civil services by questioning the premature fixation on career goals. He argues that at such a young age, students often lack the wider awareness necessary to make life-altering decisions and should instead remain open to the vast possibilities life offers. He compares a student who freezes their career path too early to 'dead wood'—fixed and devoid of vitality—whereas a living being, like a flower, is beautiful because it remains open to change and receiving from its environment. He emphasizes that while external tasks like setting up a circuit or organizing an event require systematic planning, one's internal life and personal growth should be allowed to flow naturally without the obstruction of rigid objectives. He further explains that being goal-oriented often prevents an individual from responding authentically to the present reality. Using the example of top rankers in competitive exams, he notes that the most successful individuals are often those who enjoy the process and the subject matter in the moment, rather than those who are stressed and driven by competitive planning. He clarifies that preparation for the future, such as for an interview, happens naturally through one's current engagements and learning, rather than through forced, long-term fixation. Ultimately, he encourages students to focus on what they enjoy and to have faith in the natural flow of life, rather than trying to control every outcome through excessive planning and security-seeking.