It may seem clichéd, but from day one the stage was set for us to stretch beyond our comfort zones and in so doing, experience more, learn more and hence, grow faster. I’m an upbeat, optimistic person, who has lived life predominantly in the present, facing challenges as they arise, and always finding happiness in the situations I found myself in. I’m not afraid of challenges and do accept opportunities as they arise, so I didn’t think I was constrained in any tangible way by my own comfort zone … until one of my MBA colleagues challenged this belief.

His view was simply that contentment is dangerous as it leads to complacency, while discomfort is desirable, as it compels us to push harder, try alternative approaches, and ultimately, achieve more. While I saw some merit in this perspective, it nonetheless conjured memories of the sadness I have felt in seeing friends forever failing to acknowledge and enjoy their own successes, due to their perpetual, singular focus on their next goal. As with most things in life, a balance is undoubtedly ideal. I felt compelled to experiment, so for the remainder of term, I attempted to suspend my fears and engage in activities I’d never been game to try before (eg touch rugby).

While I’m still unclear as to where to draw the line between contentment and challenge, I must confess that my term one experience was all the richer for this shift in attitude, not least with respect to the rich friendships I’ve built through reaching out, opening up and interacting on a deeper level with others.  In a more general sense, I’ve found that keeping my eyes on the horizon has extended my awareness of the possibilities surrounding me, yet this hasn’t dampened my appreciation for the innumerable blessings already active in my life. As term two commences I’m actually looking forward to pushing myself and seeing how much more I can achieve.

First things first … who am I and what am I doing here? Well, I’m a fun-loving, active Melbournian who has been working in IT for an investment bank for the past 7 years. I love to learn (I’m interested in almost everything), particularly when it involves exchanging stories and bouncing ideas around. In future, I’d love to play some small role in slowing Australia’s “brain drain”, perhaps by helping new, innovative businesses to survive and thrive in the Australian market.

I’m here at Cranfield to learn about business and management (of course) but also to broaden my perspective through meeting amazing people from all around the world and sharing stories with them. This year, I’m subscribing to Jackson Brown Jnr’s philosophy: “Let the refining and improving of your own life keep you so busy that you have little time to criticize others.”

One final note: please pardon the beginner’s mistakes I’ll undoubtedly make, this being my first blogging experience. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.

Cheers,

Damini