Most people think life is about playing by the rules, climbing ladders, and hoping hard work alone gets them ahead. But some people seem to move faster, avoid stress, and enjoy better results not because they’re lucky, but because they’ve figured out certain “cheat codes” that most people ignore.
These aren’t shortcuts in the wrong sense. They’re smarter approaches, mindsets, and systems that most people in India overlook, but once you start using them, life gets smoother, lighter, and more fulfilling.
Let’s unlock these 11 cheat codes:
1. Document Everything, Even When It Feels Silly
In India, where verbal agreements and “bhai-bhatijawaad” (nepotism/informal favors) still run strong, people hesitate to document things especially in personal or informal setups. That’s a mistake.
Cheat Code: Treat WhatsApp, emails, and PDFs like your backup plan.
Example: If a landlord promises “fridge and AC will be fixed,” get that in writing via text. If a boss agrees to a raise “next quarter,” send a polite recap email.
2. Learn the Basics of Law and Money More Than Your Job
Many smart Indians stay broke or stuck not because they’re lazy, but because they never learned personal finance or legal basics. These skills are life’s secret language.
Cheat Code: Spend just 30 minutes a week learning how taxes, contracts, loans, and investments work.
Example: Knowing that ULIPs are not good long-term investments or that loan EMIs can be reduced mid-way can save you lakhs. It’s not hard. You just have to start.
3. Build a Parallel Income Stream Before You Need It
Waiting for job security before exploring side income? That’s backward thinking. Life is more stable when you build income redundancy.
Cheat Code: Start a low-risk income stream while you still have a job like digital freelancing, weekend tuition, or content creation.
Example: A software engineer in Pune earns ₹70k/month. On weekends, he takes Python classes on Zoom and makes another ₹15k. He’s not waiting for a crisis to begin.
4. Create a Digital Portfolio Even If You’re Not in a Creative Field
Most Indian resumes are dry, and LinkedIn profiles are empty. But recruiters Google your name.
Cheat Code: Use Notion, Canva, or LinkedIn to build a simple portfolio or personal site with your work, learnings, and projects even if you’re in finance, HR, or teaching.
Example: A commerce graduate with an updated LinkedIn, writing career insights and showcasing Excel projects, will outshine 90% of others in campus placements.
5. Outsource Things You Hate (Even Cheaply)
We’ve grown up in a culture of “do it all yourself.” But sometimes, time is worth more than money.
Cheat Code: Use Swiggy Genie, UrbanClap, Fiverr, or even your building’s security guard (with a small tip) to free yourself from tasks that drain your focus.
Example: Instead of taking two hours to fix your kitchen tap, pay ₹300 to a plumber and use that time to apply for better-paying jobs or upskill online.
6. Use Voice Notes Instead of Long Texts
You’re not just saving time. You’re saving misunderstandings.
Cheat Code: Use voice notes on WhatsApp or even small videos to communicate better especially in work-from-home, freelance, or team environments.
Example: A freelance designer avoids endless chats with clients by sending 30-second voice updates. It’s more human, and faster.
7. Buy Time, Not Things
Most people upgrade phones. Few people upgrade how they spend their day.
Cheat Code: Instead of buying a new phone every year, invest in services or tools that save you time like grocery subscriptions, a better chair, or keyboard shortcuts.
Example: A CA student saves 3 hours every week by using PDF editing tools and auto-filing apps instead of doing it all manually. That’s 150+ hours a year.
8. Google Smarter, Not Harder
Many Indians don’t know how to search properly. They use full sentences and get lost in irrelevant results.
Cheat Code: Learn search tricks like:
- site:gov.in income tax rebate 2025
- filetype:pdf UPSC ethics notes
- “free business model template”
Example: A student in Jaipur cracked government housing benefits not by going to a sarkari office, but by Googling using site:rajasthan.gov.in.
9. Take Control of Your Personal Data
We click “Allow All” too easily. But your name, number, PAN, Aadhar once leaked, can’t be un-leaked.
Cheat Code: Use alternate emails, fake birth dates, and junk numbers for non-critical accounts. Use a password manager. Opt-out of spam SMS (1909).
Example: A 22-year-old MBA student used her real number for a “lucky draw” in a mall and got 300+ spam calls for the next two years.
10. Speak Up Before You Explode
In many Indian homes and offices, people don’t raise concerns early and things boil over. This kills relationships, jobs, and even mental health.
Cheat Code: If something bothers you, bring it up early, politely, and directly not six months later after passive aggression.
Example: If your flatmate leaves the kitchen dirty, don’t sulk for weeks. Say, “Hey, can we divide chores better? It’s getting tough for me.” Short and clear.
11. Use Your City Like a Resource, Not Just a Place
Most people live in cities like consumers not explorers. But your city is full of free tools.
Cheat Code: Visit local government libraries, cultural centers, free workshops, museum events, or startup incubators.
Example: A DU student attended free career counseling at the Delhi Skill Centre and discovered a path into digital marketing without spending a rupee.
12. Life Rules That Smart Indians Follow
These life cheat codes don’t make you dishonest or lazy they make you intentional. In a country like India, where systems are complex, and competition is intense, your edge will come from how cleverly you move, not just how fast.
Most people aren’t using these 11. That’s exactly why you should.
