It's always good to have Plan B. I know tonnes of folks out there may disagree with this ideology. But, this is it! This is the ultimate truth! Some plans are doomed to get fail, while others would do wonders for us. Make our Plan-A too aspirational that even if it doesn't work out, we may land at Plan-B & still be happy. Let me stress that aspirations should be realistic, but they can be far-fetched. Hello everyone, this side Yash Choudhary, a marathon runner, a people’s person, a traveller, a dreamer, an optimist, and an egalitarian who believes no one is left behind!
Overall, I am a product of more failures rather than success. Let me explain. I was disappointed when I couldn't get into the dream college for my undergraduate programme. Like many, I aspired to study at marvellous IITs. I couldn't bag a seat there but was fortunate enough to get the admit from state-affiliated universities, i.e. NITs. I was disheartened when I didn't make it to the final list of the coveted Indian Engineering Services after burning midnight oil | after putting 1000s of hours of my prefinal or final year | after slacking off my social life; however, I was happy to get offers from multiple Fortune 500 companies. I was demoralized when I wasn't selected to Ivey League colleges for their prestigious MBA programmes, but I was glad to receive admission from India's leading business schools.
Life is like a roller coaster & we shouldn't let failure go to our hearts and success go to our heads. After achieving, an All India Rank of 54 out of 1.2 Lakh students across India who sat for the GATE engineering examination, I thought management entrance tests such as GMAT/GRE would be a cakewalk for me. But, I was wrong. I was so wrong that I struggled with these tests enormously & have to give multiple retakes; however, during this preparation phase, I realized the importance of patience, determination and endurance.
Talking about my professional experience, I worked in the PSU: Indian Oil (IOCL) across the supply chain from the backend i.e. operations role to the forefront i.e. customer-facing role. I handled different portfolios across varied geographies in India. Handling a crew of 60 manpower in an industrial plant to managing streamlined operations of 60 retail outlets/ petrol stations across a district, or coordinating with vendors/channel partners for smooth supplies to redressing customers' grievances, I developed some leadership traits, which I have never imagined before. I developed the resilience to handle the pressure! I imbibed the ability to think on my feet!
Aren’t we all in the transformation process? I believe I came a long way from being an intimidated kid who used to cry at the hostel due to homesickness at midnight hours during undergrad to a matured individual who is accountable, responsible & trustworthy enough to excel in adversities!
At work; however, I understood that life is not always about numbers & targets; it is also about memories & experiences. There is much more to accomplish apart from KPIs & KRAs. I realized that there are other metrics corresponding to the personal life too to accomplish. I started self-explorations. I started going on solo trips. I explored the southern & eastern parts of India. I was amazed by the mountains filled with tranquillity or mesmerized by the beaches along the western ghats. I got to know about my inner self, my true identity. I travelled to 8 countries in Europe & two states in the USA. I believe travelling is an investment on oneself that should be made more often.
Parallelly, I developed a passion for running too. Getting in better shape was the driving force behind it. I was around 99Kgs & decided to shed off my weight. I ran 5kms daily and followed a strict diet. I practised intermittent fasting. I followed this diligently for 4months. Finally, I was able to reduce my weight by 20kgs. I started enjoying the dopamine release after every run. I ran on different terrains. Running makes me feel both enervating & exhilarating at the same time. Isn't it ironic? Yes, it may be.
My curiosity & relentlessness have also taken me to Harvard University. I was one of the 300 delegates selected from Asia for the HPAIR conference at Harvard. I was immersed amongst a global pool of students from diverse domains. It was a great learning experience. It made me curious about the business ecosystem and the multi-stakeholder approach to creating impact. The diversity of thoughts and ideas at this conference amazed me. I also understood the power of networking.
One quote that struck my heart for years is from the book: Alchemist:- “When you truly want something, the whole universe conspires to help you achieve it”. I truly believe in this adage & there are many anecdotes which happened in my life based on this principle. We should always be optimistic, no matter how adverse the situation is! There will always be a silver lining behind stormy clouds!
In the end, I believe many people currently watching this video are products of privilege. Around 37% of people still don't have access to the internet. It's our moral responsibility to help the people at the grassroots level in whatever best way possible. I volunteered for non-profit organizations such as Make A Difference and Lions International Club. I proactively contributed to social community drives under my organization's CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). I developed satisfaction in doing my bit toward the greater good of society.
I helped prospective students also. One should know the right person at the right time! I counselled as many folks as possible, whether my juniors at my alma mater or someone who reached out to me over Social Media. I guided them in the journey of cracking competitive engineering exams or hacking PSUs Interviews. At IIMA too, I continued the stint & through PIF (Pay-It-Forward) mentorship programme, I was able to guide a bunch of folks & two of them already got admit to IIMA & IIMB.
I understood that consistency & persistence is the key to success. The destination is important, but so is the path. The endpoint is important, but so is the journey. There are many alternate paths possible out there to accomplish our goal! And obviously one shouldn’t discount Plan-B!