“WHY BOTHER AT THIS AGE?”

“WHY BOTHER AT THIS AGE?”





Two days ago, I took an exam for the first time in almost 25 years. I kept putting off taking this assessment as the ‘crocodile’ of fear of failure kept grabbing me – “What if you fail, Sanjay?” “Is it really worth studying and preparing at THIS age?”……

Well, damn it. I recognized the croc, acknowledged it and then plunged in. Scored 86% (whew….the pass mark was 70%!!!). The payoff was well worth it.

Mentioned this to my friend Shazina Masud yesterday and she shared a wonderful experience. After putting it off for many years, she took the plunge earlier this year and signed up for a Master’s program in a reputed US university. Similar questions dogged her – “Will I be able to recall what I have learnt?” , “Can I cope with my academic workload while still delivering on a highly demanding job?”……Much to her very pleasant surprise, she found that only was she more than able to adequately handle the challenges, but found herself overall in a happier place (anecdote shared with her permission).


Yup, ever so often, the “why bother” croc comes up and catches hold of us! I am glad that in this case we dealt with it adequately. Awareness, positive intent, focus on the goal (and potential payoff) and finally, support seem key!

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