For Students - In the Face of Pandemic - THIS TOO SHALL PASS

I was once an international student at a US University graduating in the middle of Great Recession caused by 2008 Financial Crisis. Companies were freezing hiring & in some extreme cases even letting go off their employees. It was tough to get any interview calls in early/mid 2008. I did not think I had any particular skills that would stand out in a crowd. I had to make some really hard choices to graduate & take the only job I got. Luck played a huge role in shaping my future since then.

Many students now may face similar or perhaps tougher odds. Lot of you would probably have to stay in school for few more terms or switch majors to find job opportunities. While that might be bad in the short-run, it might not be so bad in the long run. Let me explain why I feel that way. But, before that let me share a short story that I came across recently.

"Mughal Emperor Akbar who was fond of playing mind games with his favorite advisor, Birbal. Once Akbar asked Birbal, "Please write down something for me that would make me sad when I am really happy and happy when I am really sad". Birbal thought for a while and came back with the following words - THIS TOO SHALL PASS".

Sharing few of my thoughts in the face of this pandemic.

• Think Positive - Psychologists have used a term called "Negativity Dominance" to describe that about 70% of everyone subconscious thought is in fact negative. That is during good times, but what happens during times of distress? We can't stop negative thoughts, but we can always control it. Instead of going wild with negative thoughts, better approach would be to note down things that need to be done. Focus on things that you can control.

"I haven't failed. I just found 10,000 ways it won't work" - Thomas Edison

• Opportunity Calls - The list of companies that started their journey during a recession is huge - GE, IBM, Microsoft, Apple, Disney & many more. For some people that have an entrepreneurs' mindset, this might be perfect opportunity to start a business that alleviates pain points of it's customers. Remember, all businesses exists to serve and alleviate pain felt by its customer. The ones that do it better than others succeed in the long run, especially if the customer feels grateful for your existence.
• Never Give Up - Keep trying & keeping knocking on doors. Try different strategies & ask around what works for others who are finding success in landing interviews. Remember that each door that is closed for you today is one door closer to finding the one that opens for you. Thomas Edison summed it up nicely after repeated efforts to invent the Light Bulb, "I haven't failed. I just found 10,000 ways it won't work".
• It is not a Competition - A common mistake that people make is to start comparing their situation with that of their friends, relatives, etc. This is finite mindset thinking. The right way would be to compare yourself with what you were months or years ago and reflect if you are growing. Job market is not a place where person with highest GPA gets job first & then it follows down from there. Hence it would be inevitable that some of your friends who are probably not as smart as you academically can land coveted jobs. Remember, life is a marathon, not a sprint and each situation is different.
• Become a "Learn It All", Not "Know It All" person - There is no magic formula for learning. People learn by watching, doing, listening, thinking, reading and repeating. Do what works best for you. You don't have to be the best in a crowded field. Be honest & be yourself. Instead of being a "know it all", become a "learn it all" person. Truth be told, nobody knows everything. Some people know little more than others & some a lot more. Understanding the limits of your knowledge & the vastness of your own ignorance is more important.
• Feed your Passion - I strongly believe in this, "anything that you do with passion for long time without worrying about the outcome, you will succeed". Spent enough time of the day honing your skills in the domain that you want to become the expert in. Make no compromise in this. If what you learn is not felt as useful to you, then instead of repeating those same lessons, take time to master the skills you feel make you stand out.
• "Learn from mistakes of others" - Take a resolution to start saving early once you get a job. Buy assets, not liabilities. Get educated financially, learn to save and invest for tough times. Debt is a problem in good times. It is absolutely devastating in tough times. This is true for both individuals and companies. It is very tough to go bankrupt when you do not have debt. Mistakes are great learning experiences, if one chooses to reflect and learn from them. Wise learn from others mistakes, intelligent from their own & fools never learn.

All these points lead to important questions like, how should one achieve success in work and life? Who are the right role models to follow? What is measure of success? What is the purpose of ones existence? How should one turn their life into finding meaning, satisfaction and happiness?

Understanding the limits of your knowledge & the vastness of your own ignorance is more important.

Investor Arnold Van Den Berg's story is extremely inspirational. With traumatic childhood experiences and no formal college education, he built a successful investing career by being a continuous learner. He said this about young people staring their careers & being successful in it, "You can't help but do good & not get paid. There is no such thing in the universe. If you serve people and you do a good job and you love them and you take care of them like your family, there is no way you are not going to make it. I don't care who it is. Now you need a certain level of intelligence, but you don't need to be very bright".

It is going to be tough? Yes, of course it would be. Every generation has had to endure its share of challenge. The current generation of students who a graduating in 2020-21 is no different. You will rise above these challenges & do good for the rest of humanity to follow you. "No success lasts for long unless there is pain & sweat behind it" - Let your experiences shape you in a positive way. Let these times create everlasting stories of your success that you can pass to your children and grandchildren. The greatest business is yet to be created. March forward with confidence that you will all be part of that.

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Thank you!

Yedu Jathavedan