Everybody talks about their achievements, their strengths and their medals. People talk about their inspirations but not about their disappointments. They don’t want to show their vulnerable side in a fear of losing that job, in a dread of being seen as weak, in a constant feeling of being judged and in a fear of being perceived as a failure.
However, I want to talk about my weaknesses rather than my strengths. Because I am not scared of being judged and I have the courage to expose my vulnerable side. It was July 1995 when I was born weighing with an atrial septal defect (ASD). That time there was no hope of me surviving but I survived. When I was in class 6
th, I realized that I can’t retain anything I study. I often failed in subjects like history and Sanskrit because that required us to memorize things. I realized I don’t understand very difficult problems when I was preparing for IIT. I realized I am bad at maths and I am bad at history. Yes, I had a weak memory. And that’s when a survivor was born. That’s how I realized that yes, I don’t have a bright mind like many others and I have to work doubly hard to achieve things which other students felt a cakewalk to achieve. I was not best at anything but that’s how I knew I have to be great at many things.
I cracked CAT in 2018. Yes, not a percentile to boost about but definitely got into one of the colleges many dream to get in. Here, life in 1
st year also was not easy. I was one among the bottom performers in my class in spite of working so damn hard. But yes, I survived. I interned in an aerospace company and got a Spot award for my work too. Yes, I am a survivor.
I am not a genius. I take more time to understand concepts compared to other people, but I know that my hard work is bigger than any genius’s smart work. People often say don’t work hard, work smart. But I would say- it’s your choice- work hard or work smart, just get the work done in the best way possible. So, what’s my inspiration? My hard work and my attitude of never giving up. And what’s my disappointment? Well, I had many but I can proudly say- I have overcome them all.