The void of birthday present was never a concern to me. I am not used to celebrating it. Yet, I consider the mail of not getting selected for the PGPEx programme as a present. Yes, a rejection letter. Not a fancy one. Reflecting the fact that I have to improve and invest in myself both in academic and perspectives.
At this point of addressing the elephant in the room, of career transition/pivoting, seems important. The odds though seem slim with my current standardised examination scores.
A year ago, I was feeling a bit desperate to board the ship of “Transition”. Maybe the question of “why” lacked clarity. Desperation was high and the disposition of efforts were low. I ended up with a pretty low GMAT score. It was the first step and a bad attempt.
The answer for “how” to progress towards my career goals were clear. I had to bridge the evident skill set gap I possess. And the decision of doing a structured learning program was the way out. MBA. Not an escape route. A clean and clear path.
Applied for a couple of schools. Got interviewed. Rejected. A momentary disappointment. An opportunity to realise the room for improvement.
Now, I have decided not to be driven by desperation. The “why” is becoming more clear as time passes.
After my school years, I can never consciously think about me as a person who went for the academic excellence. I was going with the flow. Managed to clear my graduation without backlogs, yet a mediocre performance.
Long story short. I ended up in this career after clearing the IBPS selection process being in the top 5 percentile. I gained experience, exposure and expertise in multiple domains of banking and finance in this a bit over a decade long journey. I am a good manager. I excel in operations.
Time flew quickly.
Facebook profiles became uncool. Tiktok came and went. Data packs got cheaper. Instagram reels succeeded in making the attention span shorter.
My future, from a blurry perspective, was becoming clearer than ever. The epiphany of leading a team for sustainable growth. The dream of leading a team for a better world. The desire of contributing something to the society. These things kept me going.
I have to keep my focus intact and my vigour high. To get a good score and to revive the promising student i was. To gift myself a second chance to be a part of a top class. To open the doors that were shut. Further open those for a more inclusive environment. To be vocal for equality and inclusion. The vision and goals are becoming much clearer and stronger.
This year is going to be great. Happy birthday to me.
There is light at the end of the tunnel. Always.
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