INSEAD Essay

"Give a candid description of yourself, stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your
strengths and weaknesses and the main factors, which have influenced your personal development,
giving examples when necessary."

Blessed is a person who comes across wise people to teach the right things in life’s journey. Blessed am I to have come across such people who have influenced and moulded my personality. My father often quotes a John Webster's saying which goes "Glories, like glow-worms, afar off shine bright, But look'd too near have neither heat nor light." My father taught me never to bask in previous glories or achievements but to move on and live in the present. He used to tell me “What you are now is what matters most. What you were before matters the least. ” I learnt from my father never to dwell on my past achievements but to keep analysing my present. This trait of mine according to me is one of my strengths. My kindergarten teacher once gave each student an empty glass and asked us to fill it with pebbles until we thought it was full. Then she gave us some small granules and asked us to fill it into the seemingly full glass. To our surprise the granules got into the gaps between the pebbles making us realize that the glass had not been full. The pebbles were followed by sand and then water. As little toddlers we learnt that our capacity to learn is like that glass she gave us in class. I learnt that day I should never be satisfied by adding just pebbles to my glass but continue adding small granules, sand and water.

Fear of failure is one of my weaknesses. Whenever I take up new endeavour fear of failure in that endeavour grips me. Another wise person that came into my life recently is my husband. He helps me overcome my weakness by showing me how to convert fear into motivation for success. Whenever fears come over me I take it as an initiative to do something which contributes towards the success of my endeavour. My husband has taught me that to convert one’s weakness to strength is the key to achievement .