@dm1n, Author at AIESEC - Page 16 of 21

Just Do It

Lost at a party, don’t know anyone there? Don’t stand alone and think about saying hi, go out there and just do it. See an old lady unable to cross the road? Don’t think that someone should help her, just do it. See an area getting dirty because of people throwing trash? Don’t coax the society for not keeping it clean, take the initiative to clean it- just do it. Is there an opportunity headed your way? Don’t sit and think, “I should do this someday”, no, just do it. NOW. How many opportunities have you given up, thinking you’ll do them later? If you look back and retrace your path, you will find that there were numerous things you could have done, had you taken the initiative. The problem wasn’t that you weren’t interested, just that you weren’t interested enough to follow through.

How do we deal with this problem? You begin by addressing yourself with two questions- Is there something you can do, or should be doing right now? Will some harm befall you if you go ahead and do it? If the first answer is yes, and the second is no, don’t think again, just do it! The youth today needs to be imbibed with the “now or never” attitude. There are millions of people in the world striving for opportunities, the ones that are in front of you. Are you making the best use of them? Can you proudly say that you have exploited all resources and made the best out of them? If not, you need to start now. In a competitive world, the one who takes each task by its leash and makes use of everything available to him is the one who rises to the top. An ordinary man will sit around waiting for someone else to solve a problem, come up with an idea or start something new. A leader will be the one solving all current and potential problems, innovating, and taking the first step for everything. A leader will Just Do It.

A satisfactory life is one where you follow this principle- Is there something that needs to be done? Can you do it? If yes, go ahead. Can anyone do it? If yes, you still go ahead. Can no one do it? You still try. You still do it. And that is what will set you apart. Be it saying hello to an old friend you’ve lost touch with, or volunteering for an event at college/ work, or signing up for a workshop that’ll help you, or even volunteering for social service- YOU take the first step. YOU start, and see how it works wonders. YOU take the initiative and never regret anything in life. JUST DO IT.

– As written by Aashna Gupta of AIESEC Delhi University

Help, Mummy, I’m terrified

Recently, I was offered to opportunity to travel to Egypt as a cultural ambassador to promote student exchange between Indian and Egyptian students. As much as travel excites me, the spirit of this adventure was dampened by a host of people asking me why I can’t choose another country besides Egypt, whether it was the right time to go, whether I would face too much trouble getting there.

Egypt has always held a great fascination for me and like all children growing up I pictured a land filled with men in their regal headgear, speaking a strange beautiful tongue with mummies lying around every nook and corner. The country also has such a unique geo-political situation- part of the African continent with primarily Arabic roots and culture while going through phases of democratic and military rule.

Recent events have seen the media portray Egypt as a land of youth revolutionaries and extremist leaders. So it comes as no surprise that young people are apprehensive about making a journey to the country and that’s fair. I too, had to tackle protective parents and sceptical friends as well and I just want to give you a first-hand account of what it’s like here.

The capital, Cairo is a great place to live and experience for any young person! As an Indian, there are many similarities here that will remind you of home. The people here are warm and hospitable, eager to guess which country you are from and always grinning when they guess right (It seems the Indian accent is a cult favourite here ;)). You can always catch a glimpse of the glorious Nile, no matter which part of the city you are at. The tourist favourites- the pyramids, mummies and the sphinx live up to all the hype they are given. The architecture is exciting, the culture vibrant and the atmosphere lively! Alexandria is yet another beautiful city located by the Mediterranean Sea that will captivate you. From kind, hospitable people to the city’s Greco-Roman remains, it is breathtakingly beautiful.

There are many misconceptions about Egypt. It is a land shrouded in mystery and the news out there spells doom, violent protests and unstable political conditions. All that is far from the truth and if you can trust the testimony of a 22 year old girl travelling there alone, then be assured, it is perfectly safe.

Things you should know:

Girls will not be stared at lecherously all the time. Honestly, it’s so much lesser than what is on our own streets.
Egypt has misconceptions about India. Maybe so, but they LOVE India and adore Amitabh Bachchan. I guarantee you; you will have a conversation about Indian cinema at least twice in your time there.
Everybody there is not a protestor or a revolutionary or an extremist. That ended a year ago and there is no clear and present danger.
The country is affordable and reasonable. The value of the Egyptian pound although more than the rupee, can buy you commodities for the same value as in India.

If you have 6 weeks to go for an international internship and are apprehensive about picking Egypt, don’t be. I have had an amazing experience there and it is worth the journey- to witness ancient civilizations and modern day marvels in one bustling metropolis. I am back with fond memories, great friends and a second home to go back to someday soon.

Our Generation needs Ethical Leadership

The world is transforming at a pace that is faster than our capability to realize & our actions and intentions now will soon become a consequence in the future, for good and unfortunately bad too. I am not a pessimist by nature, but sometimes it’s quite astonishing to see the direction the world is moving ahead. In the midst of rising personal needs, competition in every walk of life, recognition of achievements and also how some of the achievements are defined, it’s leading us to compromise on some of the most basic and sustainable elements and making us live a somewhat delusional lifestyle. Just to ground the above assumptions and thoughts, events in the past like the Global Financial crisis, Rising Corruption across governments, Lack of initiatives taken up by youth and as a matter of fact ignorance towards taking a stand for the right or wrong – for instance the number of responsible citizens who vote is quite a scary fact. And little did I say that all of these are immense possibilities and opportunities towards a better world, a better ecosystem to live, work and have a purpose while doing that.

The problem starts with lack of awareness and transcends to not knowing what’s the right action. Most of the time the environment around us also just guides us in our actions, and they become reactive over being proactive. Have you ever thought how does it feel when you actually stand up for what you believe in? Yes, it’s quite a rare feeling, but perhaps it’s a good time to learn this as the youth since this will most definitely define how the world will look like in the coming 3-4 decades. What we all stand up for now, will become a consequence in the future for our future generations to deal with. What are the principles you are guided by in your life? Well, that seems like a solid and tough question for an average to think about, leave aside finding out the answer.

Fortunately, after spending a considerable time in an organization like AIESEC which believes in discovering and developing leadership potential for anyone who wants to engage with it, I feel satisfactory about my learning’s, for AIESEC, through my various experiences working with 4-5 different teams of completely diverse individuals, being lead by 4 different leaders and having to learn what is right and what is wrong myself, has been quite empowering. Today, after knowing people from more than 45 different nationalities and having met young people from more than a 100 countries, talking and sharing with them about leadership, world issues & management, not only have I become more aware about the world and myself but also have defined my own value system and principles which guide my thoughts and actions in life now. So from my perspective, something as simple as Ethical Leadership is now the most powerful belief and hope for the world, which earlier, about 4-5 years back would be like rocket science for me to figure out!

“Be aware, have a hunger for learning and contributing more, purposefully” A common motto for all the youth today!

You LEAD!

A usual lecture, a college event, a choice of clubs & societies to pick from & be a part of, an apprehension to sit for placements; all become a part of our Journey whilst in College. The one guiding feeling while all of this is happening is the willingness to do what you want to or what you eventually do either inspired by peers around you or oneself. All in all, it’s a discovery of your own or someone else’s Leadership, which gives you the calling to stand up for something you believe in.

Youth Leadership, prefer to chose the important guiding metaphor in these words – ‘YOU LEAD’ is subtly becoming the most buzzing set of words used these days by politicians, college principals, some youth Leaders themselves. Youth Leadership is becoming synonymous to the future of the country these days, if it’s good, you’re secure, else it’s a rising concern. Something youth fairly realize in their youth, before it becomes too late. We see it seeding in young people through all the activities in College these days, when the choices they make completely depend on their beliefs, their ideologies, whether it be standing up for being a Class Representative or leading a College club, all of these contribute to their leadership journeys. Ambition is one thing that gets today’s youth closer to leadership, when coupled with a passion to get what they desire; makes them stand stronger in their intent.

Another interesting behavior you get to see in College is how these youth leaders equip themselves to handle the ever so varying relationships with different categories of people. It is one of the most challenging yet exciting roles one has to play as a Leader, involving juggling between different audiences. They do it neatly, if you ask why, the answer is simple, if you can’t manage to, then it becomes harder for you to survive and stand up for things you believe in, for you do need people supporting and believing in you for the same. We are living in an age where being ordinary as a Leader is not an option, especially in light of the over-competitiveness we are living in, anything less does not count. One has to be the Generation which is Fast, Strong, Smart & Aware. People look upto and get inspired for something you have and they don’t, it’s essential to carry these with you. For instance, representing your college (students) to a potential Employer requires you to not just lead your college, but also to why you are the best among the rest. If the ‘Why’ is missing, then it just becomes harder to reach your goal. Perseverance & Hard Work always count in this age, one thing which most miss is that Youth is that segment of life where the curve (graphical representation) of Hard Work vs Success is Linear, the more you put in the better you get. Hence, one of the most important essentials is to be committed to what you do, for that pure passion will be the independent stronghold on your journey towards your goal. So if life becomes challenging while being a Leader in College, at home, everywhere, do not complain, when you start complaining, you potentially stop your efforts right there!

As for AIESEC, a global youth organization with a focus on youth being empowered to develop their leadership potential, it’s always easy to float these ideas as we believe, in Leadership, age does play a role. Today’s youth is dynamic, aware, intellectual, competitive, and passionate and it’s important to capitalize on Leadership in this state, than to leave it for experience, maturity & knowledge which happens/comes with change in hair color. Even though these are quite important, but Leadership is pure and does not depend as much on what you have or possess, more so, it will depend on what your intent is and we in AIESEC focus on Experiential Leadership development and yes we are college going students too!

Mahatma Gandhi had to Go Global to Know Swadeshi

In April 1893, a 23 year old Indian sailed to the shores of South Africa, for the sole purpose of making money as the legal representative for the Muslim Indian Traders based in the city of Pretoria for the period of a year. Little did he know that he would spend 21 years in this alien land, fighting for the rights of a whole community in another country and developing his own political views, ethics and political leadership skills. Indeed it can be argued, as done by the Gandhi biographer ES Reddy, that Gandhi’s philosophy and outlook is South Africa’s “Gift to India”. Interestingly, Mahatma Gandhi’s first biography, by the Rev JJ Doke, was entitled An Indian Patriot in South Africa.

This can be attested by the fact that when in a 1939 interview a missionary named Dr. John R. Mott asked him about the most creative experience of his life, Gandhi spoke of his South African experience. He said, “I recall particularly one experience that changed the course of my life…On the train I had a first-class ticket, but not a bed ticket. At Maritzburg, when the beds were issued, the guard came and turned me out. The train steamed away leaving me shivering in cold. Now the creative experience comes there. I was afraid for my very life. I entered the dark waiting room. There was a white man in the room. I was afraid of him. What was my duty; I asked myself. Should I go back to India, or should I go forward, with God as my helper and face whatever was in store for me? I decided to stay and suffer. My active non-violence began from that day.”

Gandhi thus extended his stay in South Africa to assist Indians in opposing a bill which had denied them the right to vote. As he writes in his autobiography, this exercise exposed personal handicaps to Gandhi that he had not known about. He realised he was out of contact with the enormous complexities of religious and cultural life in India, and believed he understood India by getting to know and leading Indians in South Africa. In fact Gandhi adopted the methodology of Satyagraha for the first time at a mass protest meeting held in Johannesburg, as pointed out by the author Eric Itzkin.

He also became the humanitarian and egalitarian leader in the course of this journey. In fact, many scholars claim that Gandhi too shared racial notions prevalent of the times, in his early days. It was his experience in the jails of South Africa which sensitized him to the plight of blacks. The Gandhi who returned from South Africa was an inspiring leader fearless, selfless and with a vision — who had led a small community in a long and difficult, yet victorious, struggle against a stubborn racist government.

One can indeed argue that Gandhi did not only become a better leader and a person because of his experience, but also a more successful one. He told the Kanpur Congress in 1925 “I never had a brilliant career. I was all my life a plodder. When I went to England… I couldn’t put together two sentences correctly. On the steamer I was a drone… I finished my three years in England as a drone.” It is also interesting to note that it wasn’t merely international exposure which transformed him thus, English education did not make him a global leader. It is only active contribution to a society in an alien environment which challenged him, which gave him enough for him to bring back to his nation.

“It is perfectly true that whatever service I have been able to render… to India, comes from South Africa”, he is known to have said. This illustrates the power in experiential learning which comes from international exchange. Indeed, sometimes one needs to become a go global, in order to serve one’s own nation. There is patriotism in being a global leader.