The most powerful brands – regardless of the sector – are the ones that enrich peoples’ lives and add to their well being. The key is to understand exactly how one’s brand can help people and communities become and feel smarter, healthier, stronger, safer and or more connected. This is evident from Aditya Birla Group’s mission of delivering superior value to their customers, employees, shareholders and society at large.
In India, it is realistically impossible to remove ABG from your environment anywhere you go or live. From being the engineer’s choice to making us fall in love with fashion, from giving us world class quality made in India to an idea that changed our lives, ABG has given us the tools we require to develop into the person we want to be and enter the community.
I myself am, by no means, exempt from being one who buys into ABG. My home, where I grew up, was constructed using Ultratech cement while I have been an Idea consumer for almost a decade. When it comes to apparel shopping, I am quite brand conscious and I think most people are, as silly as it may sound, with all the Allen Solly I wear, and the Louis Phillipe I love. Pantaloons provides a one stop shop for every need.
So, what is BIG after all? Is it massive? Or is it microscopic? Or maybe it is indispensable. I believe it is the way of life which signifies quality and inspires confidence. It makes you dream, generates joy and connections, making distances disappear.
How am I trying to overcome my challenge to achieve my ambitions?
‘The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself, the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us, that’s where it’s at’ - Jesse Owens
Self-doubts creep into you at the weirdest of moments. At times, you don’t expect them at all. And all of a sudden you have an inner war. The battle within is triggered by external stimuli. Why does everyone else seem to be doing so well when I am struggling so much? While you work hard and nothing happens. No results. I suffered from self-doubt and insecurities. I was failing at everything I did be it academics, or my professional career or even my personal life.
Once you have one negative thought like that, the floodgates open.
What am I doing?
Who am I doing this for?
Why?
It is quite similar to binge eating: I’ve had one spoon; I might as well eat the whole jar.”
But then how to fight the enemy that lives between your two ears? How do you believe in yourself?
Affirmations? “I’m the best.”
That stuff seems laughable. It’s not the 90s anymore. Deep down we always know if we do not believe in it.
But then what triggered it? Frankly, I do not know. Will it be back? Well, it would be too presumptuous to assume it won’t but now I have definitely gained some perspective.
We either whine about what comes at us or attack it proactively with authority. If you sit and wait, life will consume you. So maybe we attack. Start small. One day at a time. It just takes one positive moment to regain what is lost. It’s our job to find the wins, to recognize the opportunities for personal growth and to move forward wiser, more self-aware and better prepared for the next battle. I have started to embrace the journey - one that will take me to the highs, lows and everything in between.
Everything I’ve learned so far has taught me that equanimity is the most important unspoken truth of life. After all, what do we all want? Nothing but to be at peace mentally and emotionally. That means we have to accept everything for what it is, recognize things at face value and then do our best to influence and impact how we want to change things so they will align with our truth our vision and purpose. It is this vision and purpose that must guide us to win the battle within.