This mail I had written to the learners in my class. Yes, these are the challenges I face for myself. I struggle myself, yes but enjoy what I am doing and whatever I am supposed to do. I included it in my blog as a reminder to myself !!

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Dear Friends,

I can get the feel of it, by the way things are happening in the class…I am sure most of you (certainly not all) are discussing quite a few things… some, I can hear and some I may not…

A. Too many assignments, case studies. For doing it I have to finish so many chapters. How can I really read and finish?
B. A few of these faculty (sreeni certainly), only talk about learning and ask us to write every week !! Over and above these, ‘My learning Diary’
C. Where is the time to study and finish the work.. forget about learning and internalizing?
D. I am not getting any time for myself

The questions each one of you need to ask yourself is –

Q1. Am I doing this program for myself or someone else?

If it is for yourself, every thing you are expected to do is for yourself. The time you need to invest for some given assignment is also for your own growth, and certainly is not for some faculty’s. As long as you feel that someone else is thrusting things upon you, you will continue to feel that you are not in control of things and the life is like a roller coaster, one bump after another. It is just a question of each one of you telling to yourself that I am in control and I will make it happen.

Q2. Am I here to learn or just to get a degree?

If it is for learning, I am sure you will be the master of your time than the slave. You will plan and manage time so that you can gain maximum. A few of you are doing it. I can see that these few finish the chapters, participate in the class meaninfully and even complete the assignments the very same day and send it across, though they too have a week at their disposal. How are they managing to do so? Each one has to ponder..

If getting the degree some how is the thought you have, I am really sorry to say you may not even survive the whole program to get the degree, forget about getting a well-paid job !!

Q3. How do I get time for myself? I want to go for this, do this…?

Dear friend, Kindly list your priorities at this point of time. The things you want to do. It is all about managing time and plugging into your schedule and sticking by it.

Each one of you has a detailed schedule for every course given by each faculty. Don’t you? Have you created a weekly window that has the plotting of all the predictable work you need to do in a week and when you would do it. If you have the plan for the whole week well in advance in front of you, and execute it by the schedule, I am sure you can find more time to accommodate the unexpected ones – both study and play!!

You can easily incorporate everything you want to do..music, dance, movies, sports….The key is to stick to the schedule at any cost !

I had sent a week ago, Paulo Coelho’s write up on his blog of KILLING Our DREAMS – “The first symptom of the process of our killing our dreams is the lack of time. The busiest people I have known in my life always have time enough to do everything. Those who do nothing are always tired and pay no attention to the little amount of work they are required to do. They complain constantly that the day is too short. The truth is, they are afraid to fight the Good Fight” for more read http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2010/07/31/3-min-reading-killing-your-dreams/

Some one told me in my early days of working, when I used to go to him with issues, “Have you got a problem, or solutions to choose one from? If you have only problem, then you are part of the problem. I am sure you want to be a solutions man and not a problem man!!”

STUDY HARD and PARTY HARDER !! Wishing you all a wonderful Journey !!

Love and wishes,

Sreeni

P.S. If I am not able to do something well, it is not because I am not capable of; It is only because I really do not want to !! So, one of the principles I try to follow is “Do what I am passionate about, and also will be passionate about whatever I do”