Once, while sitting in class with an Indian School of Business classmate who was in the merchant navy, I asked him, "How is it to be in the sea for so long?"
He explained beautifully, "The initial few days and months can be very beautiful and serene. You get to watch the beautiful sunsets while being surrounded by water everywhere. But after a while, the landscape and the routine get extremely monotonous".
Curious about why did he then continue to work for the same profession for almost a decade, he replied, "Which things in life aren't monotonous? Excellence is all about doing different things repeatedly really well."
I think this is a great example of how to excel in your life and career. May be few days will be monotonous for us and we may not find internal motivation to continue.
But I agree excellence takes place when we do different things but repeatedly over a longer period of time !
For example, if you want to get your dream job but struggle to find a way out, you may start learning the key skill that will help you fetch that job a few years down the line.
No doubt this will take time. I got exposed to the world of case interviews in 2013 and I got my BCG offer in 2018. Excellence takes time.
Hence, take your time, watch innumerable sunsets, keep learning as that will ensure you keep moving forward. That's the only way to achieve excellence!
If you are interested in learning about GGI's MBA Scholar program, you can learn here.
Author- Shatakshi Sharma, Cofounder Global Governance Initiative, Ex- BCG, Advisor, Tony Blair Institute
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