The 'Walk When You Talk' Campaign.
The Aditya Birla Group impacted my life in a strange way no company ever managed to do.
Let me take you back to my schooldays - the summer of 2009 to be specific. I was this plump and shy little boy, suffering from very low self-esteem and struggling to find my place among a group of confident young adults. Since I was introverted by nature, I hardly had the opportunity to make friends. Naturally, I used to spend my days holed up inside my room with my books and musical instruments. My physique was a cause of great concern to me and my family - my daily lifestyle was anything but healthy and my parents tried to make me aware of the same in no uncertain terms. I kept aspiring to lose weight but oscillating between school and coaching classes, there was little time to even feel motivated to do so.
Things changed when The Aditya Birla Group owned Idea launched their ad campaign - 'Walk When You Talk'. The ads were omnipresent, with Abhishek Bachhan being the face of the campaign. In the commercial that I still vividly remember, Abhishek Bachhan played the role of a doctor who exhorts people to 'walk when you talk (on the mobile phone)'. The ad showed people being inspired by this idea and starting to lose weight. I was drawn in.
However, being a school student, I did not have a mobile phone yet. I decided to modify this 'Idea' to suit my lifestyle.
Whenever I was studying back home, I used to walk around while reading my textbooks. My siblings almost grew tired of my constant pacing around the room, but lo and behold, after a month of following this ritual, my weight had begun to decrease. I joined a gym which I used to frequent pretty regularly. I also started to cut down on 'junk food' and stuck to a healthier diet. By the end of that year, which included a month of exam-time cramming, I had lost around 10 kilograms. My friends and family were astounded, and I felt great on having lost weight while not having to compromise on my studying hours. In addition to that, I saw a spike in my self-confidence levels. I started going out more and socializing with peers - something that helped me develop into the person I am today. Unlike most commercials that promise you the world but fail to deliver, the “Walk When You Talk” campaign changed my life, just as it promised it would.
My journey to IIM Ranchi.
I have always tried to adhere to the above adage in my life - to remain sanguine and courageous even in times of adversity. If I have to talk about one such phase in my life which stretched my patience and perseverance to its limits, it would be my journey to IIM Ranchi.
My grandfather had always been a beacon of inspiration and hope in my life. He encouraged my dreams, especially when I decided to pursue my interest in marketing instead of opting for a cushy software job post my B.Tech course. He supported my decision to retake the CAT when I had failed to get the B school of my choice back in 2018. I dropped a year and started preparing for CAT 2018 in full swing. He inspired me to never settle for less.
He left us tragically this spring, right before the IIM interviews were scheduled. My entire family was deeply affected and the onus of taking care of them fell on me. I was expected to remain composed and guide them through their grief, even though I myself was having a tough time dealing with everything. Other negative developments in my personal sphere made life worse for me and I started to lose my sense of desire. One setback after the other sent me spiraling into acute depression. I was in therapy for a few months where I grappled with the thought of failing yet again, to the extent that I was unwilling to appear for the IIM interviews.
However as they say, life goes on. I distanced myself from every negative development, gathered my composure and started to involve myself in positive activities. I took a course in digital marketing, voraciously read several marketing and financial articles, joined the gym and even treated myself to a solo trip to Uttarakhand. Life never pans out the way you expect it to and the sooner we imbibe the spirit to deal with setbacks in a composed manner, the better off we will be. I realized I was being too hard on myself and these activities helped me to restore my confidence. I gave the remaining interviews with renewed zeal and eventually found my way into the hallowed grounds of Indian Institute of Management, Ranchi. I'd like to end this article by extending my vote of support to everyone who's facing a tough time in their lives - the reversal starts by first learning to accept that whatever happened is something you can't change. You only control your own future and I'd urge everyone to invest more time and effort in positive activities - treat yourself to what life has to offer. Grieve but never ever lose hope. One day, you'll make it where you deserve to be. My grandfather would have said the same.