October 12, 2011
Read this.. and keep in mind while reading that this talk has been given by a professor of IIMC and that the students were some of the best ones and would easily go ahead and bag the highest paying jobs out there (IIM grads, duh!) http://www.jokatimes.com/2010/11/08/i-have-a-dream-2/
(Just in case it says 'page unavailable', scroll down. Seems to be some issue with the site)
Read this AFTER reading the article:
After you're done reading this, I implore you to take some time out and think. With all due respect to your knowledge and intelligence, its an obvious fact that the CAT is no piece of cake, and being able to score a seat in an IIM is one of the biggest proofs of a person's capabilities. And the two years of studies after that are another feat to achieve. All in all, I'd say that you are more than two years of sleepless nights away from being where these people were when that talk was delivered (remember, they're about to pass out) That being said, I don't mean to demotivate or scare you. If this is what you TRULY want because you LOVE doing it, just go for it. The point I'm trying to focus on here is, after going through ALL of the hard parts which most of us intend to just for that astronomical paying job, they are NOT looking forward to that job (not most of them anyway) They want to go ahead and fulfill their dreams. Now, there can be one addition, which is, having an IIM degree with them, they would have much more credibility wherever they go. But is MBA the ONLY way ahead then?
All I'm trying to say is- doing something because it pays more, or because everyone* covets it are the worst possible reasons to make a career choice.
I read somewhere that in a study they found that as long as you are in a stable and well-paying job (which I think all of us are and will be, given we continue to deliver) the ONLY thing that matters post-35 is the satisfaction. (I know, I know.. now you'd say you've got 10 years till you reach there. But how do you know this feeling wouldn't start settling sooner? And to be happily doing something you love at 35, you'd need to put atleast a couple of years into it)
And I'll quote my iCon Steve here (I do that often)- "You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."
* and here's the funny realization that I had. When most of us want (here 'want' refers to truly wanting from the bottom of your heart) to follow our dreams, who is this 'everyone' that has such lame beliefs?