Universe: Life as a game of Snakes and Ladders

Alone in my room, I found myself reflecting on how my social media journey had been nothing less than a game of Snakes and Ladders. When I first started posting on social media, it felt like I was rolling the dice without knowing the rules. Some posts barely moved a few steps forward. Others, unexpectedly, caught people’s attention and it felt like a ladder was propelling me upwards. One video would suddenly be shared everywhere and I’d think, “This is it, I’ve made it to 99!” But then… silence. A snake. Viewer engagement would drop, criticism would creep in, and I’d find myself back on square 10, wondering if I should keep playing at all.

Of course, my intention was always to share wisdom and spread the message. Yet, like in the game itself, the snakes and ladders do affect you — they remind you that while the dice may not always be in your control, your purpose can be.

The truth is, both snakes and ladders are part of the game. You can’t enjoy the thrill of the ladders without letting the snakes humble you. And the biggest lesson is that neither define you — the dice keeps rolling as long as you keep showing up.

For me, the ladders came when I spoke authentically, when I shared stories straight from my heart. The snakes appeared whenever I tried too hard to please the algorithms, trends or expectations. Each snake taught me humility while each ladder taught me gratitude. And both together taught me perseverance.

The greatest anchor for me was a principle explained by Shri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita — Nishkama Karma Yoga. It involves working with attachment but disconnecting with detachment.

Nishkama Karma means giving our best without being attached to the result. It’s not about being lazy or careless — it’s about doing our duty with sincerity and then letting go. If there’s no passion, we stop trying. But if we’re too attached, we suffer when things don’t go our way. The dice won’t always roll in our favour, and that’s when detachment helps us stay calm, accept what comes with grace and dignity, and try again. And then there is the danger of getting carried away by two extremes — ladders that feed our ego and snakes that fuel our hopelessness. We swing endlessly between pride and despair. Even Arjun, the great warrior of the Mahabharata, felt that pull on the battlefield — torn between duty and emotion, clarity and confusion.

Nishkama Karma teaches us equanimity — to stay balanced. Yes, as humans, we will get affected. But the practice helps us bounce back quicker, and with grace. My years of ashram training, before I ever touched social media, were invaluable in helping me navigate this game.

And here’s the key: Nishkama Karma becomes Yoga when we tie our work to something higher. When our actions are not just for personal gain but are offered in service — to others, to society or to the Divine — they carry a deeper purpose. Then every effort, whether big or small, becomes sacred. Writing a post, preparing a meal, helping a colleague, raising a child —any of it can become Yoga if done in the spirit of contribution. When we work this way, ladders don’t inflate our ego because we see them as grace, and snakes don’t crush our spirit because we see them as growth. Both become part of a larger journey of service.

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So, if you’re chasing a dream — whether it’s social media growth, a career milestone or a personal goal — remember this: It’s not about reaching the hundredth square in one perfect roll. It’s about staying in the game, learning from every climb and every fall, and remembering that every square you land on is shaping you.

Because in the end, life isn’t about avoiding snakes. It’s about learning to rise again, roll again and keep moving — until your story finds its way to others.

Often, we only see the tip of the iceberg — the visible success, the achievements, the life people have built. What we fail to notice is the vast part beneath the surface, hidden from the eyes — failures, disappointments, struggles, commitment, discipline and resilience — that truly holds everything up.

— Excerpted from ‘You Can Have It All’, with permission from HarperCollins