Discovery before Invention

I love teaching and as a visiting faculty at a couple of business schools, I get immense joy from interacting with students whether in the classroom, during admission interviews or events like the new student orientation events. A few weeks ago, at a Masters' Union orientation event for the PGP Rise program, a thought-provoking question was posed to me by an incoming student: "What has been your biggest mistake in your career?"?

What was my BIGGEST mistake? In a career spanning 2 decades pinpointing a single mistake is challenging simply because I have made and continue to make more than my fair share :-). I have made multiple mistakes and pinpointing one is pretty difficult. But as I thought deeper, a common thread emerged.?

So my answer was, the biggest mistake I have made is that I went on a journey of invention rather than discovery. I saw others doing well and having a career that I perceived as desirable, at that time, and decided that I wanted to be like that person and started to mold my life toward becoming like someone else. Now this required me to develop skills that were required to get there. It took a LOT of time, effort, and proverbial blood, sweat, and tears to get there, and still left me unfulfilled and limited my potential by focusing on my weaknesses rather than building up on my natural strengths.

In the recent conversations with my excellent coach Krishnan Raman and my brother, I realized that there is a different, perhaps more fulfilling way possible. The path of discovery. This involves understanding your strengths, what energizes you, and the unique value you bring and matching that with what the world needs. I am not sure if the path of discovery would have taken me to a different career path because I love being in Product. But maybe that path would been a lot less stressful and perhaps a lot more fulfilling and rewarding.

I see many people making this mistake, trying to emulate someone else's career path. My advice, whether you're just starting out or are considering your next career move, is to take a step back, and embark on your own journey of discovery before continuing on the current trajectory. You will be a lot more fulfilled and may be successful as well.?

So, my advice for anyone whether just starting out or in a transition mode, is to take a step back and go on this journey of discovery before you embark on a mission to reinvent yourself in someone else’s image.?

The next question is how to go about this journey of discovery. Here is a very brief outline. Will write more on this in detail in the coming days.?

1. Identify Your Energizers and Drainers: Reflect on activities that invigorate you versus those that deplete your energy.
2. Recognize Your Strengths: Determine what you excel at and what activities you can immerse yourself in and get into a Flow state.
3. Define Your Aspirations: Write down your life goals and project them into the future, acknowledging that they may evolve as you move ahead.
4. Align with Your Vocation: Identify potential jobs and activities that align with your aspirations.
5. Seek Candid Feedback: Gather insights from people around you and how do they see you. It is extremely difficult to see yourself as clearly as others can.
6. Validate with the Market: Talk to recruiters and professionals already in positions you want to be in.
7. Experiment and Adapt: Be willing to test different paths and find what works best for you.?

Remember, this journey is ongoing. As we grow and develop, our perspectives and priorities change. Stay curious, remain open to new opportunities, and occasionally make time to explore other paths that may unlock unexpected potentials.