19th May, 2004 - Got my IIFT result... Luckily it was positive. What if it would have been negative?

If I go back 20 months, I find myself eagerly waiting for my IIFT result. I was very nervous as it was the only call with me. It was positive. But let’s take a situation if I would have got a “no”, then what would I have been doing. It actually scares me when I think about it. Anyways let’s introspect.

In my 12 months stint in my first corporate experience, I was individually handling a UK Client – website maintenance, development of new modules and did a six sigma project. But I was always interested in the other side of the software world i.e. not the development (coding), but the business development i.e. how you get the project, convince the client to invest a million dollar and trust my organization for a perfect solution. I always had the inner desire to make those jazzy presentations in customer’s room and focus on the core capabilities of my organization.

As I was not very interested in coding, I talked my account manager to put me in pre-sales, and then gradually move me to hard core Business Development. According to him, one needs to work for at least 2 to 3 years to get these responsibilities. I was 100% convinced that I am made for this, but as I didn’t have my MBA qualification, it was difficult to convince the management to trust me and offer the same.

The biggest learning was – “Do what you love, and not love what you do”

As written earlier, it actually scares me to think negative. The options with me would have been the following:

1. I could have continued in the same organization for a year and would have tried again for CAT and other exams. But, actually was really tough as I had put my everything into it. My confidence level would have been fallen down badly.
2. I could have shifted to some other software organization to have a change in the environment
3. I could also have applied for a sales profile in some other sector

Actually the problem with me is that I am very impatient. I cannot wait for things to go-by like that, esp. if I am convinced to do something. Sometimes I get attached so much, that it becomes difficult for me to leave it. I am working on this problem and have got some success.

But my philosophy is that, until and unless one does mistakes, one has weaknesses, how can one improve. It’s always great to do blunders in life, as they are the biggest teachers. Definitely it gives lot of pain for sometime, but finally it helps a lot.

Frankly, I am going through a bad phase these days, but I am sure it is going to get over soon. And will get fresh learning.

That’s life. How did you like this Hiness?

12 days left for the D day ...

If you ask aspirants what why do they want to do MBA .. they will give all type of gas that they want to widen horizons, acquire teamwork and leadership skills, take decesions etc. But the bottom line which every understand is the Final Placements ... and a balance sexy package - a tremendous profile

And we guys here at IIFT are not far off to sense and feel the exuberance inside and outside the faces of capable candidates - with loads of ambitions and the attitute to change this small world

Some guys are still chill about it and others putting their heads inside kotler and learning those ancient models of Aaker and Kevinlane Keller ...

But dont know whether all this help or not .. its only that day which is going throw some light

I am typing this post and waiting for these 12 days to get over and be an absolute free bird with clarity of the organization i will be working .. Then its gona fun and biking and treking and australia tour and what not

Hope everybody gets into their dream organizations --

The biggest Value !!

A pet question in interviews by the panel - What is ur biggest value. Mine is passion - passion for i do. Life is marathon and its tough to keep running without any motivation, any drive.

My life started of with usual stuf of becoming either a doctor, engineer or something respectable, as communicated by parents and community. Thats fine. But what next. But when people reach there they find a mismatch and then keep struggling throught their life. Thats not fine.

But with time as an individual become mature and start understanding the environment and people around .. he should start thinking of what one want - what one like and be passionate about.

I fully consider that sometimes its difficult to get something which one want, but i have a full faith that if u keep ur eye on what you like and keep pursuing it, one will 100% get it one day.

But does it mean that one should keep fighting for what one want - and finsih ones life in that. Here a person should be somewhat flexible and look for some other options, as they are not limited. The options which can compliment the first option and satisfy ur interests.

Sometimes over focus can kill an impatient person. If one get its bingo!! else one keep carrying the baggage. She be smart in picking options around you - keep ur eyes and ears opens. U never know what oppurtunity will knock ur door and invite u to ur dreamworld.

Do what you love .. and not forcefully love what u do!!

What can life teach - Part 1

After travelling a journey of 24 years, around 2.5 months ... right now siting in front of blogger and typing this post, i feel that i have evolved as a better person and a professional and fell good that i have tried to learn from my past mistakes and positive experiences.

Definately one can regret for things one dont get or fulfill. But its only a state of mind. I also feel some decesions that i took in past were inapproriate and should have done something else. But one dont have an opprtunity to revert back which make the best option for human being to accept the past and live the present.

I have tried to live in present but sometimes as I am not that mature and either go back or think a lot about future. I very well believe that essence of Gita of actions with expectation of results, still may be because of peer pressure of some external factor, I goof up things. But the best part is to realize that one has done something wrong. This is the only way one can improve and evolve and liberate from all these entangles.

One important thing which i have learnt from life is Middle Path, i.e. some people strive for perfection .. theres nothing wrong in this .. but they get so engrossed that it is their death or life situation. Its always good to have a goal, but it is even important to have a back up or substitute which may not effect you

But there is one posibility for a perfectionist that - if he is fully engrossed in his/her work and if it doesnt affect his mind and he is not waiting for results .. then even at extremes there is no problem .. its something like u are in a samadhi/ meditation

The other question i wanted to know is What do we get in life?

The answer I got was .. its a combination of actions and destiny (something like, from the universal set of possibilities, some supreme power has taken some of these possibilities and the rest are offered to us. It depends on us which one we want - but makes it possible for us are actions).

But even important thing to understand is that .. how long can u keep running for ur career aspirations/ material things etc. WHat i have understood so far is that a desire will always remain unfulfilled until u grab it .. so either remove it fully from ur mind or fulfill it by grabbing it .. so that u remove the desire from root level.

Think that u want a Mercedes/ a big Bunglow ... so either satisfy urself for Octavia or earn fast by doing what u like to own Merc. Once u get it, this desire is gone ...

Early u do all this .. early you go from Ego to Self Esteem and finally to Self Actualization needs.

People can get self actualized in early age, but its rare in Kalyug. But everybody in this or the nth Birth will achieve self actualization. Achieve is the wrong word.. basically u experience the self

I know whatever i have written so far is a combination of my perosnal experince and theory. I may change my statements in future if i realize that there is a flaw in my thought process.

Enough for the day ...