FROM ELIMINATION TO SELECTION
“Sometimes, when you lose your way,
you find yourself.”
Mandy Hale
A young girl, who is planning to join my eleventh-standard classes (CBSE), tells me, that she wants to pursue Economics. Both her parents say, that their daughter is clear in her choice…
You see, it is a rare sight, these days. The young kids, irrespective of the schools/Boards they belong to, are rarely clear about what they want to pursue.
This girl’s father said to me, today: “Sir, our daughter could zero in on Economics more through the process of elimination than through the process of selection. Sometimes, if you can get in touch with what you don’t want, it can help you get in touch with what you want. I did MBA in Finance after many years of my Engineering studies. My Economics Professor ignited love for Economics in me. Today, I look after finance in my organization… My daughter has seen this and says, “One must apply what one learns.”
This passion for Economics reminded me of another young girl, who had come to me, some years ago, with a similar passion. I had blogged about her before; and so I shared this story…
THE GIRL WHO WANTED TO BE
THE RBI GOVERNOR
Some years ago, a lady had come to see me with her young daughter. The daughter was in tenth standard (ICSE), and the year had just begun. “Sir, everyone in our family is from the Science field; but, my daughter is very clear about her choice… She wants to take up Commerce.”
“That’s really nice, ma’am,” I complimented, “It helps immensely if one is very clear.”
The mother continued, “Sir, she aims high… She is a bright, hardworking, and intelligent student… She goes all the way to achieve what she wants. So, in tenth, she expects to get over 95%; but, she wants to take up Commerce.”
I was even more impressed. They wanted to get a few sessions on the fundamentals of Commerce and Accountancy… even though there was one year still left. The mother was keen to sit through the sessions, which went on for a month...
I forgot about it completely!
A year later, I received a call from the mother. “Sir, my daughter got 96% in tenth and, as I told you a year ago, she wants to go into the Commerce stream. Can we start her eleventh-standard classes, and, will you please let me attend the classes, too?”
My heart smiled!
The very next day, I took off with the eleventh-standard studies – for both the daughter and her mother!
One day, during our discussion, I asked the girl, as to what had fascinated her about the Commerce field… “Do you have a specific place in mind where you want to reach?” I asked.
“An RBI Governor, sir,” the girl looked into my eyes and said.
I got chills in my bones!
For a while, I was asking in my mind, “Can this girl – from our neighborhood – become an RBI Governor, one day?”
But, the next moment, I found myself telling the young girl this: “If Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai from remote villages in South India could become heads of the mightiest companies in the world, Microsoft and Google respectively, and if each and every past RBI Governor had come from a humble household like yours and mine, beta, you can certainly become what you aspire to be.” Then, I added: “As the saying goes, shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you will land among the stars.”
The girl excelled in her Board exams – both tenth and twelfth – on her own, without joining any coaching classes… I admired her even more!
Then, a year later, the mother and her daughter came to see me, once again… This time to inform me, that the young one was moving to Delhi to pursue Economics at the prestigious Shri Ram College of Commerce. They had come with some sweets, fruits and a coconut and seek my blessings…
The gut within me said, “Thou shall become our RBI Governor, one day!”
It is interesting to watch the process of choosing one’s vocation in life. It truly fascinates me, intrigues me… “Why and how people choose what they do?” this question has cast a long spell on me!
My friend, Dr. Deepak, would, often, tease our young ones in his Workshops: “You only need to find yourself… Everything else can be googled.”
Sundar Pichai, who comes across as a co-commuter in our
Mumbai locals, and who was reportedly paid (in 2019) a 240-million-dollar stock-package
and a 2-million-dollar salary as the head of Google… yes, this young man can tell
us if he found himself on his own or by googling!
Comments