Dive into Luck

“Sometimes, to catch the wave of luck, you need to be in the water.”

(I think Sahil Bloom said this.)

At age 17, when I walked into my first computer engineering class in Houghton Michigan, I realized I was the only woman and person of color.?

In that moment, I had a choice to make.

I could just find a way to survive the next four years or dive right in and thrive. I chose the latter ofcourse.?

So my ‘in the water’ ‘lucky’ moments started to build.?

???? I took on a few jobs on campus.

Not to be busy, but to find and foster community across different spaces, essential for thriving.

And each of these places unlocked an opportunity, I could consider ‘lucky’, now!?

Job 1: Orientation team leader

????The unlock: A fraternity brother, who was also a team leader, put my name forward as his fraternity’s homecoming queen nominee, and I became the university’s first international homecoming queen, and first to ever wear an Indian ghaghra on a football field :)?

Job 2: C.A.E.L Fishbowl Computer support?

?? The unlock: I had just applied for my first internship at this company ‘Stryker’, that all the mechanical engineers and bio medical engineers wanted to get into. Being a support specialist in their lab, they shared so many tips with me, to land the internship which was labelled,? ‘the hardest interview to pass’, on campus at that time. I got the internship and then went on to thrive at that workplace for 17 years!?

Job 3: Math Learning Centre Coach?

?? The unlock: I had a student who I was working with who found out I had failed my drivers test again! So he made a deal with me, if I help him get an A in Calculus III he would teach me how to drive. He got the A, and I finally passed the dreaded drivers test!! 10 years later that license would ensure I didn’t need to take another drivers test and pay €5K to drive in Germany!?

Job 4: Counselling Services P.O.W.E.R leader?

???The unlock: I was helping a student register for an event and he mentioned he was a radio DJ for the university radio station. I pitched the idea of the upper peninsula’s first global music hour. And 1 week later ‘Chai with Archita’ was born! The UP’s first radio station playing world music!!?

Job 5: Matlab Teaching Assistant?

??The unlock: I was a teaching assistant alongside this ‘other guy’, and we got the best evaluations every semester. Four years later, we would be Mr. And Mrs. Fritz!?

Job 6: Michigan Tech Alumni Fund Caller

?? The unlock: I had to listen to racial and verbal abuse from some of the individuals on the phone every evening. I left soon thereafter. This helped me set a boundary early on, I will not tolerate spaces that tolerate toxic behaviours. So 19 years later the decision to leave such a situation was an easier one to make.?

???? Here is my learning from all this,?

Luck isn't something you wait for; it's something you meet halfway. It's about being 'in the water,' immersing yourself in opportunities, engaging with challenges, and actively participating in your own journey.?

So, dive in, be 'in the water,' and watch as the waves of luck come your way.

What have been some of your ‘in the water’ lucky moments?

I would love to hear them ???? below.?

PS: If you are contemplating or 'need to plan' a transition out of the corporate world and need help getting started, I would love to help.?

Hi ???? I am Archita, an award winning marketing executive and keynote speaker. I advise VC’s, F500 and scaleups as a Fractional CMO. I speak on stages on topics ranging from storytelling to creating a ‘speak up’ culture at work. Seeking collaboration with scale up's, VC's and leaders of organizations.???? Follow the hashtag #readysetbold for more of my posts.