A 300-word essay suggested to an aspirant who has got the call from IIM,
Kolkata.
My world starts with me but goes on include the entire world. Aspirations,
objectives, and plans are like the proverbial wings that have the power to
convert dreams into reality. It all begins with understanding oneself.
My objectives include understanding myself, understanding those who are around
me and understanding the situation that we are all living in. My plans are to
devise, think of, and give birth to ideas to facilitate this and to subsequently
create actions that may make the surrounding situation better. The perspective,
as I prefer it, has a favourable leaning towards marketing.
Through meaningful discussions with mentors I have always admired and a peer-
group that has lofty but serious aspirations, I wish to celebrate the uniqueness of
individuals. There are approximately 72 traits in each person and it is the
proportion of motivational intensity for every trait that makes us do the same task
differently. ‘Unique’ is the word that fits the definition here. I have observed
professional who have passed out from the IIMs and seen them develop
organisations by developing individuals. I dream of being able to lead like them!
It isn’t just wisdom that exists within only books that I am talking of. When I
read ‘The old man and the sea’, I realized that everybody, from a practical-
joker to a management trainee must listen to the old man telling himself -’ I
must hold his pain where it is, he thought. Mine does not matter. I can control
mine. But his pain could drive him mad.’ That’s the way Hemingway has fused
the tangible with the intangible. That is the reason for trying to understand
individuals and the situation they are in is so vital for all management students.
As this Buddhist saying goes: “If you are facing in the right direction, all you
need to do is keep on walking.” Sir, I do need to walk through the knowledge
portals of IIM.