Ever since my childhood, I wanted to do something that increases my self-worth but in the journey of life, we often find ourselves at a crossroads, facing questions about our aspirations, capabilities, and the steps we need to achieve our dreams. As I embarked on the journey of my career, my goals changed a lot from becoming a teacher to becoming a news reader and then getting into a government job but every time I dreamt of these things, I always questioned myself “Kya ye tujhe life satisfaction aur bahut sari learning opportunities dega?” then I always got a reply that no this is not something I dream of and over time, I realized that having a corporate career where I can learn every day will give me life satisfaction. Once, I was talking to my brother, he advised me “If you want to get into corporates then, in my opinion, you should go for a PGDM/MBA degree now as this will get you all the things that you often dream of.” This ignited in me, a fire that needed to be extinguished. So, I set for the next journey of my life which was pursuing PGDM, armed with dreams of a rewarding career as either a Marketing Manager or HR professional in a prestigious Multinational Corporation. As Mahatma Gandhi has said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” So, I again started questioning myself looking in front of a mirror “Do I possess any kind of skills required to chase my dream? Do I look like the one I want to become? Not, this is where I identified some major learning gaps that needed to be overcome to take me where I wanted to go. For me, the gaps were clear: Time Management, Public Speaking, Analytical Skills, and Decision Making. These skills are not only essential in the world of business but also for personal growth. My major challenges include a lack of initiative, particularly in public speaking, and a tendency to remain in my comfort zone, which was exacerbated by the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. I would also like to narrate an example here where I lacked time management. Recently, I had many assignments to do, there were various deadlines and I was also suffering from a fever, I also had some committee work to do but I ended up in chaos, and could not manage how to prioritize things because everything seemed important to me and I ended up doing last moment submissions for some assignments. One fine day when I was surfing on ChatGPT which has become a blessing for our generation, my professor told me ChatGPT is not just an AI chatbot but also a mentor and guide for us all. So, I went on to find some solutions for my problems and I was surprised to see the kind of solutions it offered as I had not used it much earlier. ChatGPT recommended valuable resources and insights, including the book “Getting Things Done” by David Allen for time management and learning from experts like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Elon Musk. Additionally, I learned about Steve Jobs’ prowess as a public speaker, and the book “The Art of Public Speaking.” suggested by ChatGPT, promised to provide valuable insights into improving this crucial skill. Furthermore, ChatGPT recommended exploring the world of public speaking by listening to TED talks. It advised observing storytelling techniques, learning effective speaking styles, and understanding audience engagement from experts like Steve Jobs resonated with me. To become a diamond, you must go through fire to get polished and if it does not burn at a high temperature, it has no value. I understood that not addressing these learning gaps could hinder my ability to achieve my short-term and long-term goals, impacting my PGDM experience and future career. So now I knew what to do next to move up the ladder of success. Therefore, I devised a comprehensive action plan that included prioritizing tasks, creating to-do lists, practicing public speaking, recording, reviewing myself, consuming informative podcasts, and engaging in debates and discussions. With this newfound knowledge and motivation, I devised a plan to bridge my learning gaps: • Prioritize tasks and create a daily to-do list. • Practice Public speaking in front of a mirror. • Focus on one task at a time to improve time management. • Structuring my thoughts on a piece of paper to make my speech organized and effective. • Record and review speaking efforts to identify areas for improvement. • Diving into TED talks and podcasts to broaden knowledge. • Sharpening analytical skills through problem-solving activities, playing games like Sudoku, and solving aptitude-based questions. • Developing decision-making processes by analyzing real-life scenarios. • Participate in debates and discussions to enhance public speaking. • Continuously learning and adapting to evolve as a well-rounded professional. As we navigate the path ahead, let us remember that growth comes to those who are willing to step out of their comfort zones, learn from experts, and take deliberate actions to bridge their learning gaps in my case I have found out the way out to achieve success in life by committing to a systematic plan to a followed in the upcoming weeks. Therefore, we can all realize our dreams and succeed in our chosen fields.
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