Change is the only constant

In 9th grade, I was diagnosed with dyslexia and dyscalculia, which led to me failing and needing to repeat the year. Despite this setback, I remained determined to pursue my dream of becoming an engineer. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and dedicated 14 hours a day to studying for the next four years. As a result, I successfully cleared both the JEE Mains and JEE Advanced exams. Last year, I proudly completed my B.Tech in Mechatronics from Symbiosis Skills & Professional University. At that moment, I saw the pride and happiness in my parents’ eyes as I received my degree. I felt the real taste of success and witnessed significant changes in my academic career over the past eight years.

Reflecting on the past, I realize that I have achieved a lot and recognize the potential within me. Now, I feel that I have more potential than just in engineering. Despite having dyslexia and dyscalculia, I believe I can excel further in my academic career. This realization led me to decide to pursue a master’s degree. So this year, I have been preparing for my master’s degree in a different country. This decision required me to leave many things behind and step out of my comfort zone at various stages. It was not an easy choice, especially since I had been settled in my comfort zone for the past few years.

While preparing for my entrance exams and the IELTS, I have stopped going to the office. This has been a difficult adjustment for me, as I am used to staying busy at work all day. It feels boring to me. It’s quite difficult to change habits and daily routines since work always makes me feel excited and happy. As I’m preparing for exams, I usually stay at home, so when clients call me, I need to ask them to call the office. In these situations, I feel like I’m doing something wrong. Many times, relatives have also questioned why I need to go abroad and pursue a master’s when I already have a degree and a set business. They ask, “Will a master’s give you more than you are earning right now?” These questions make me feel like I’m making the wrong decision, but I know change is necessary.

I joined my family business back in 2019 during the pandemic while our colleges were going online. Since then, I have made many changes to the business and started managing a major part of it, which went smoothly alongside my engineering degree as both were in the same city. But now, as I prepare to move to another country for my master’s, it has become a big task to hand over all the responsibilities I managed. One of our major customers asked me during a price revision last month, and when I told him about my master’s plans, he immediately concluded that our company wouldn’t be able to provide the same service without me. While handing over many processes, I worry about who will do this work if I don’t, fearing it will create a mess and lead to losses. As a result, I struggle to trust others, but I need to trust my team to proceed smoothly with my further studies. However, this whole process over the last three months has taught me more about management, system integration, and team responsibility than an MBA could.

I once came across a quote by Charles Darwin that struck a chord with me: “It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is adaptable to change.” This insight inspired me to embrace change and step out of my comfort zone. Pursuing a master’s degree will not only help me grow academically and professionally, making me more capable of achieving my future goals, but it will also allow me to expand our business into the international marketplace. On a personal level, moving away from my family for the first time will teach me discipline, self-reliance, and independence. This journey will be challenging, but I am confident it will shape me into a more resilient and capable individual.

Now, as I prepare to board my next flight, I am ready to break out of my comfort zone and embrace this new adventure.

Author
Ayush Agrawal