Discipline Works Even When You Don't Feel Like It | AKSHAT SHARMA | TEDxRainbow School Youth

On one of the hardest days of his life, Akshat sat down and opened his books anyway. Not because he felt motivated. Because he had built a system that no longer needed motivation to run. Drawing on research by Angela Duckworth and the work of James Clear, he makes the case that discipline is not a personality trait. It is a practice , and it works even when you don't feel like it. Akshat Sharma spoke at TEDxRainbow School Youth, held on April 25, 2026 in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. This talk is part of a playlist of all talks from TEDxRainbow School Youth 2026. Akshat Sharma is an IT Officer at State Bank of India and former Data Scientist at Tech Mahindra. Ranked among the top 0.1% mentors on Topmate and recognised as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Public Speaking and Data Science, he has mentored over 3,000 students through seminars, webinars, and one-on-one sessions on careers, communication, and technical preparation. A national-level debater, former Head Boy of Rainbow School, and holder of multiple AIR 1 ranks in national coding competitions, he brings both analytical rigour and lived experience to his speaking. His talk draws directly from his own journey of showing up consistently through failure and uncertainty, shaped by a belief that identity drives action more reliably than motivation ever can. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx