‘Choose to challenge’ to make life happen!

Every individual, man or a woman could greatly benefit if they had the freedom to lead their life with this approach. That said, women often do not have the opportunities to achieve their fullest potential due to societal, cultural and economic constraints.

Don’t make life happen to you. Make your life happen.” This quote has inspired me all through my personal and professional life. Simply put, it encourages us to take charge of our lives, our dreams and our ambitions. Every individual, man or a woman could greatly benefit if they had the freedom to lead their life with this approach. That said, women often do not have the opportunities to achieve their fullest potential due to societal, cultural and economic constraints. We have made some progress to shake off some of these deeply entrenched issues. However, the challenges of gender bias and inequality persist. We can see them all around us – stereotyping of women’s roles, lack of opportunites and education, inequality of pay and not recognizing their achievements as equal – sometimes cleverly hidden using power and position tactics. Surely, it is upon all of us to stand up to these disparities, speak up when we spot them, challenge them and they will eventually crumble with our collective force. That is the spirit of choosing to challenge, the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day.

Challenging the status quo or perceptions is a way of thinking and it is not necessarily limited to diversity and inclusion issues. If we adopt this mindset as a way of life, it is the most powerful concept. I have challenged myself to take on bigger roles all through my professional life, in parallel readying myself by building capabilities, developing skills and working with a diverse set of people who have taught me many valuable lessons – both my managers and team members. Women need not have to choose between work and family as we rise up in our career. Instead, we have to create a flexible work environment, which helps women play both roles to their full potential.