Because Sometimes, X doesn't equal Y

Oh my god, the not again sir, I though we were done with this in the last semester!

Before, we address that though, let is consider a story.

There happens to be a party for which you are not invited. You need to figure a way to get yourselves invited or you would like to get yourself added to the list, just like maths!

So, you figure out what the party is all about, who have been invited and how have they been invited.? So, you add more problems to solve a problem, just like maths!

You realise you could talk to a friend’s acquaintance and help them out with something they need and they could hook you up. You do that and voila, it works. Hence you get an answer, just like….?

You are enjoying yourselves in the party suddenly you see an altercation and it is heating up. You rather not be a part of it. You move away or you subtract yourself from the situation. Again, this is just like what?

Post party, you suffer a massive headache, and in hindsight you realize that it wants as much fun as you thought it would be. So, you got a wrong answer, just as you get with ……?

This is life. You add, subtract, define variables, make mistakes and learn. Math's is a microsome of life. if you come to think of it, in life, everybody has the same numbers, the same set of equations and in some cases the same variables and constraints. Yet some people are happy, some sad, some are poor and yet some are rich. Why?

Sir, all this is good. But I don’t like math's. I can’t understand it and what is the point of it all? Why is this so confusing?

These are just some of the thoughts that some (not all!) of you had during the beginning of this program.

It's easy to get caught up in the end goal, but what's more important is the journey.

When you focus solely on the outcome or the goal, you're more likely to become discouraged if things don't go as planned. You'll become more inclined to give up when the going gets tough, because you're not seeing the progress you want. But when you focus on the actions, you're able to see the progress you've made, no matter how small. And when you focus on the actions, you're better able to control what you can control. You're able to take ownership of your own success, rather than leaving it up to chance.

It's important to remember that progress isn't always a straight line, it's not always predictable and it doesn't always come from people we expect. But, it's the willingness to take risks and the focus on the journey that leads to positive changes in the world.

Success comes from focusing on actions and not on outcomes. It's easy to get caught up in the end goal, but what's more important is the journey. This is not to say that you should ignore the end goal completely. But rather, it's about finding a balance between the two. You should always have an end goal in mind, but it should not be the only thing you focus on, small victories are just as important and sometime losing a war may mean winning the final battle.

You see, many of you came into this class thinking that mathematics was just a bunch of numbers and formulas. But what you've learned, is that math is about problem-solving, critical thinking, and perseverance. It's about learning how to approach a problem from different angles and not giving up until you find the solution.

And I know that many of you struggle with that last part, the perseverance. But trust me when I say, that it is one of the most valuable lessons you will take away from this class. You see, in life, you're not always going to have things handed to you on a silver platter. You're going to have to work for what you want. And sometimes, it's going to be hard. But the key is to never give up.

So, in conclusion, my advice to you is, keep pushing through the tough times. Keep working hard, and most importantly, never stop learning.

Because, as Albert Einstein once said, "Once you stop learning, you start dying."

PS: I wrote this to share with students of BBA at SP Jain School of Global Management - Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore & Sydney Jain School of Global Management, where I taught a full course on Mathematics and Digital Literacy (MDL) in 2023.

I ended up forgetting to share ! But better late than never.

Archana Yadav Subedi and Varuna Saksena please share