Is It Really Worth It?

Changes are never easy, they demand preparedness and courage. In this article, I'll talk about one such change that many of you would have already experienced or will hope to go through soon. The transition from college to corporate which is easily one of the most eventful part of your life. As the college corridors turn into the aisles of the corporate buildings, you enter the corporate world sporting the tag of 'budding managers'. This transition for you might be the reminiscent of the recent past, or a first shot at the life you continuously hoped and worked towards all these years. Now that you have arrived at your 'dream' destination, the corporate story will start to unravel itself.

The experience in the corporate world will be humbling and overwhelming, interwoven with a fair share of irks and perks. A new routine, a totally different environment and complex business challenges will test your mettle. You'll come across a varied bunch of people ranging from brilliant to apparently dumb on one hand, and dedicated work enthusiasts to absolutely carefree souls on the other. In the midst of apprehension and excitement, there will be a huge temptation to be like one of them so that you can instantly blend in and get comfortable quickly. Wait a moment before you go ahead and lose your identity in a quest to become a homogenous entity. Do remind yourself that the organization hired you for who you are and not because you could be someone else. You are not there to adjust in the space, rather, you need to carve a niche for yourself and create your own space! This is a lesson which is most often learnt too late.

As you progress, be observant and enhance your influence by using your strengths and convictions as the support system. Slowly but surely, you'll be able to create your comfort zone in the new surroundings. The learnings that accompany this journey from being a novice to a competent professional will mold you in different ways. Many a times, subconsciously and without a signal. Be cautious; after the initial burst of energy in the early phase, the learning curve will begin to become a little flat and somewhere along the way, the pressure of expectations will start to get to you. The competitive aspirations embedded in the corporate culture will constantly make you strive harder than before and to aim for more than what you achieved earlier. You will achieve a lot too, albeit, many a times, more for the organization, than for yourself. They say, the true virtue is in doing your work selflessly and for the greater good. But, you shouldn't be achieving the greater good at the cost of the most valuable asset you own, i.e. "yourself". Remember that every single minute you live, you own yourself.

Your health, your peace, your relationships and your life is to be governed by you, and you hold the responsibility to realize, nurture and enjoy these non-intrusive and seemingly trivial elements of your life. Yes, most of better things in life are non-intrusive, subtle and underrated. Sadly, sometimes it takes a jolt for us to realize the value of small moments we missed in quest for something elusive. There are numerous examples of the physical, mental and emotional breakdowns in today's corporate scenario and how stress has become an undeniable part of an adult's life.  All of this, for what? You might cajole and convince yourself by saying that everything comes at a price, and one has to trade off certain things for the sake of others.  The point to remember is that the trade-off is not a mandate, but a choice that you can exercise wisely. So, the next time when you trade off these subtle, non-demanding and valuable things of life, take a pause and ask yourself this question: Is It Really Worth It?

Just be honest in that moment of response, and you'll realize that many of the worries surrounding you are mere shackles that needed to be broken long ago for the sake of better things, the things that finally and really matter. Life's good, live it, feel it and experience it! Cheers!