Reminiscence- IIM Kashipur

Part B- How you overcame challenges to achieve your ambitions in life so far?

 Challenges come in various forms. The biggest challenge I see in my life is myself. I have come a long way from what I was to what I am. Though my present may be an average one for some it is gratifying for me. The biggest challenge I have faced is of accepting failures and learning to go with the flow. In high school, I had this idealistic vision of life. I had a habit of taking things in a linear fashion, not realizing that it is not just about coaching and academics. I did not fare well in my ‘JEE’ mains exam. I was considering a drop but after a lot of mulling, I realized there is a very fine line between ambition and delusion. Life is not picture perfect and you need to be more practical. I went ahead with engineering and tried to do things that were outside my comfort zone. I do not have an extraordinary story where I do something life-changing. But in my four years of engineering, I did grow as a person who knew how to face failures. I was an introvert (and still am) but I have learned to be in a group of extroverts. I overcame my fear of public speaking. I always wanted to write and did start writing. I tried looks that I had only imagined. I changed my career line from that of engineering to MBA. For MBA preparation my approach was totally different from what I had for engineering. This time the results were also different. I did pretty well, I got admission in IIM Kashipur. Also, it is not only about achievement but also about the process. During my preparation time, I was not slogging but enjoyed the studies. Also, I did not neglect my other areas of life.

Challenges are not only the problems you face from the outside world but the problems you face from within. I have learned to take a stand for myself. And more importantly, owning my decisions even if they turn out to be a failure.