How An MBA Destroyed My Life And Made Me Rethink It

What they don't tell you before joining a B-school is, that everyone is unique, with varied talents, and one should pick subjects in class and companies during placements very objectively, not depending on which day they choose to interview candidates on campus. A Day 0 company is not everyone's cup of tea, and a Day 5 firm may very well be your dream company. Having gotten placed in laterals, I was stuck in a rut, not knowing whether I should continue with the offer in hand or start looking for lesser-paying but my dream jobs in publishing and writing.

Of course, I took the job. And of course, it sucked.

I was at my lowest point professionally, and I didn't know how to escape. With friends doing well in their chosen streams, I felt like a misfit - at my job and in life. I regretted the past seven years of my life, especially the day I gave up on media. I wasn't made to be working in the corporate world, but there I was. What hurts most is when you feel your dream slipping away, slowly but surely, out of your grasp, and you know that it's probably impossible to get it back.

For anyone reading this, I just want you to understand that an MBA is not the be all and end all of your career. In most cases, it is just a education-gap filler. I know everyone wants a hefty pay package, but if it comes at the expense of your dreams, then it's not worth it. Nothing in life is. People discount the value of satisfaction and the sheer joy of working towards one's dreams, and realise it much later, but eventually they do. Perspective comes at a cost. Don't let that cost be your happiness.  

The author is an alumna of IIM Indore.

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