The Almighty has given each of us talent in some field, which we have to find and put to use during our lifetime.I did the first part of my schooling in Delhi. In my childhood, I was a subpar student and didn’t have good looks; I was the saddest person in my class. Because of my academic performance, I was not in my teachers’ good books. I was a silent person, which didn’t help.
Then I failed my Class 7 exams. So now I was a failure with bad looks. My father and mother tried to cheer me up and were supportive, but I knew they were not happy.Then my father took one of the hardest decision in his life. He decided to send his only child to a boarding school in Thiruvalla, Kerala. When my Class 10 result was out, in 2004, it was a moment of success as I had secured first class. Finally jumping out of the failure train that was my childhood felt very special.
My close friends and relatives started telling me that I had become handsome after reaching Kerala — the southern state’s climate suited me.By now I had become a confident person, but once again I experience another failure. I found it hard to talk to people, especially girls, because my Malayalam was appalling. I tried to communicate with a girl when I was in Class 12, but it didn’t end well. I even convinced myself that I could live without talking to girls.
After school, I studied management up to post-graduation. I learnt a lot in this short span. My first presentation during MBA was one of the best moments of my life. After that, I had this overwhelming feeling that nothing was impossible in life if one spoke clearly.
I realised that I could address a public meeting, provided I had enough confidence. I learnt that being an effective communicator is a skill. Communication is key to impress someone. Even if you are not blessed with good looks, you can win people’s hearts just by speaking well.
Then I started speaking to a girl. I told God: “Are you serious? A girl is talking to me!” Even as my confidence grew, I felt my personality changing profoundly. This doesn’t mean that I was in love with her. She was, and continues to be, a friend.
In conclusion, I’m still a silent and shy person but I have changed a lot. I have confidence in my work. I talk to women confidently too, but my wife watches me like a hawk.
Email: sharadmundakayam@gmail.com