Almost as if, the moment you say it out loud, the plan weakens, the energy leaks, and the thing you were excited about quietly slips away.
I’ve experienced this often enough to stop calling it a coincidence.
For years, I’ve seen this pattern play out in my own life. When I keep something close to my chest — until it’s fully or almost fully baked — it tends to work better. When I speak about it too early, it doesn’t. If you ask me why, I don’t have a scientific answer. Only lived experience. And that has taught me to be careful with unfinished dreams.
This doesn’t come naturally to me.
I enjoy sharing ideas, discussing plans, and bouncing thoughts off people I trust. But over time, I’ve learnt that not everything needs an audience at birth. So now, when something matters deeply, I limit who knows.
Between family and close friends, it’s rarely more than a handful.
Every time I’ve widened that circle too soon, the outcome has been the same: The personal project fizzled, stalled, or quietly disappeared. Superstition? No.
But patterns deserve respect.
Three Secrets That Worked
Looking back, the moments that turned out best were the ones I protected most fiercely.
I didn’t share Gargi’s pregnancy news until Sara was born. No office chatter. Not even my boss knew.
When the news finally came, it was a pleasant surprise.
I still remember sharing it as a simple BlackBerry Messenger status update: “It’s a girl.” That’s when my colleagues found out, and one of them called me to confirm the news.
The joy felt complete, not diluted.
Though this was the biggest, it wasn’t the first time I had kept things to myself while making a big decision.
My announcement to leave my last job — where I had spent 9 long years — also came as a surprise to many. There had been speculation, yes. But few expected it when it finally happened. Since I was moving to a startup in the same space, breaking the news just before checking out made sense.
The discomfort was minimal, the separation short — and somewhat sweet.
The third time was in 2024. I didn’t speak about my book until a fortnight before publication. Just two colleagues knew. No build-up.
And when I finally announced it on LinkedIn, once the release date was clear, the moment felt earned. And sweeter.
When Saying It Out Loud Didn’t Help
On the flip side, there are plans I openly discussed and shared with enthusiasm.
They didn’t happen.
Whether it was timing, dilution of focus, or something as simple as loss of momentum, those plans never materialised.
That’s when I stopped dismissing this as superstition and started treating it as wisdom.
Takeaway (If You Wish)
Here’s what I learnt (and I hope to use it more): Not every dream needs validation while it’s still forming. And if it does, bounce it off a few. The rest need silence and patience.
Some joys are best revealed only when they’re complete. Don't worry, when the time is right, you won’t need to explain anything. The moment will do it for you.
This may or may not work for you. You do you! But if it resonates even a little, maybe try protecting your next big thing just a bit longer.
Sometimes, silence isn’t fear. It’s faith.
About Me
I am a thinker at all times. I see, I think. I hear, I think. I read, I think. Every weekend I write. I would love to know what you think.