In 1999, Indian pop music gave us one of its most unforgettable lines —

“Kaun hai jo mujhe lift karade?” (Who will lift me up?). Sung by Adnan Sami, the song was playful and upbeat. It made people smile, dance, and sing along. But years later, that one question still feels deeply relevant — not in music, but in life.

Because in one way or another, all of us have asked the same thing: Who will lift me up?

Who will notice my effort, open the next door, or give me the big break I’ve been waiting for?

It’s a question that echoes in workplaces, classrooms, and even in our personal lives.

We wait for that one big lift — a project that proves our worth, a promotion that validates our effort, a mentor who changes our path. But life, it turns out, doesn’t come with an elevator.

It comes with stairs. The Real Meaning of “Lift Karade”

When Adnan Sami sang “Lift Karade,” he wasn’t asking anyone to carry him.

He was asking for a chance to rise. That’s what makes the song timeless. He didn’t say, “Do it for me.” He said, “Give me a push — I’ll fly myself.”

That single shift in meaning is powerful. It reflects a truth about growth and success that is easy to forget: We don’t move forward when someone carries us. We move when we start climbing — step by step, with purpose and patience. The Science Behind Small Steps

Research across the world supports this simple idea — progress comes from motion, not waiting. A Harvard Business Review study (2022) found that professionals who set and track small, weekly goals are 31% more likely to advance in their careers than those who only chase big, long-term goals.

Similarly, a LinkedIn Learning Report (2023) revealed that employees who dedicate just one hour a week to upskilling are 47% more likely to be considered for promotions and new opportunities. And according to Gallup’s Global Workplace Report (2023), only 21% of employees worldwide feel truly engaged at work.

That means nearly four out of five professionals are doing their jobs — but waiting for something or someone else to give them their next lift. The data tells us what the song hinted years ago — if we keep waiting for someone to press the button, we might never rise.

From potential to kinetic — the physics of growth

In physics, potential energy is stored energy — it’s what something could do if it moved.

Kinetic energy is what happens when it actually moves. Careers work the same way. We all have potential — knowledge, skills, and experience stored over years. But that energy means nothing until it turns into action — until it becomes kinetic.

Learning a new skill, volunteering for a project, mentoring someone, sharing an idea — these are small steps that convert potential into motion. And motion, not perfection, is what creates momentum.

The modern workplace rewards adaptability more than stability. According to a McKinsey Global Institute report (2024), organizations that actively promote learning and reskilling see up to 45% higher productivity growth than those that don’t.

In other words, the world moves forward when people do.

Building our own lift

The “lift” we seek is not built by others — it’s built by us.

Every act of curiosity, every hour spent learning, every problem solved adds one more floor to that lift. Leaders and mentors can open doors, yes — but stepping in and rising takes self-drive.

The moment we stop waiting for the perfect timing or the perfect recognition, we start taking control of our journey. And that mindset — of acting before conditions are ideal — is what separates those who stay stagnant from those who keep rising.

Even in the AI era, where technology seems to promise shortcuts, success still depends on the same timeless habits: learning, experimenting, reflecting, and repeating.

AI can assist us, but it cannot lift us. That remains a human act — powered by focus, intent, and motion.

The human lift

Think about every professional you admire.

Most of them weren’t lifted by someone else — they built their lift one small decision at a time. They stayed late to learn something new, helped others when they could, took risks others avoided, and stayed curious when things got routine.

They didn’t wait for a “lift”; they became the force that moved others upward too. And that’s perhaps the most beautiful part of this metaphor.

When we start building our own lift, we automatically create space for others to rise with us.

Our motion becomes contagious.

The message that stays

“Lift Karade” wasn’t just a song. It was a mindset — a reminder that the world rarely carries us, but it always rewards those who move. We rise when we stop waiting and start climbing —

one step, one skill, one effort at a time. So the next time you find yourself waiting for that “lift,”

remember what Adnan Sami really meant: You already have everything you need to rise. The button is in your hand. Lift Karade — but start with yourself.

(The author is a Director in Product Development, Technology Solutions Division of the Audit function for one of the Big 4 firms in Hyderabad. The views and opinions expressed by the author are completely personal in nature and do not represent the views of the employer organization of the author)