Beyond the Comfort Zone
Beyond The Comfort Zone
For the last couple of months I have been visiting the David Tvildiani Medical University, Georgia campus a number of times. I got to know so many Indian students (aspiring doctors) quite closely; the ones who had just arrived in Georgia for studies. Most of them had come to a foreign country for the first time.
It was wonderful spending time with them and getting to know them, however, at the back of my mind there was a thought which was developing with each passing day. I used to carefully listen to each question they had; to everything that they would speak. I was actually looking at a much bigger picture. These children were out of their comfort zones; they were in a different country, a different environment; away from the comfort of their homes and yet they were trying every minute to adapt to their new lives as quickly as possible. This was telling me something but I wasn’t yet sure of where my thoughts were leading me to.
A lot of clarity came with one sentence which my wife said over a discussion while having dinner, “It is in the DNA of Indians to adapt to different situations and environment.” That got me thinking that there are Indians all over the world in different countries. Indians do have this ability to go out of their comfort zones and perform really very well. I was noticing the same qualities in our DTMU students – grit, determination and focus even when they were in an alien environment and out of their comfort zones. I have been giving it a serious thought since then. This is the quality of Indians which sets them apart from a lot of others – And I had never thought about it before. These Indian students of DTMU had also stepped out of their comfort zones beautifully.
However, having said that, I must add that the journey of these Indians who live abroad is not always very easy. At times, along their journey of knowledge others can make fun of their dressing, their looks, their food and perhaps mannerisms. These people who indulge in such criticism are the same ones who don’t have the courage to actually step out and do something worthwhile – and Indians know this very well. They usually stay focussed on the path of growth and knowledge; and my advice to the DTMU students is to do the same – to stay focussed, to work hard and to always contribute as much as you can towards the very society you live in.
And come to think of it, most CEOs of most big global corporations are Indians, like Adobe Systems, Mastercard, Microsoft, Global foundries, Google, Pepsico, and Berkshire Hathaway Insurance etc. Name a global company and you will find that a part of the top management comprises of Indians. The best surgeons and doctors all over the world are also Indians. This is the power of hard work and determination.
With this new realisation, I am very optimistic that the future of our country is very bright and beautiful. I am sure DTMU students will also follow this path and make their country, their parents and the whole world very proud of them in times to come.
