How Should We Project Ourselves?

The year was 2015. One guy from an upper-middle-class family from Mauritius was packing his bags. He is on the way to India. The family is worried and he himself is worried about the sanitary conditions in India. He doubted that if he found a proper toilet here. But as a student who dropped engineering studies to learn mathematics from India, he was determined.. But the images of people sitting in railway tracks and open places made him a lot uncomfortable. Am I going to live like that for the next 3 years?

But he didn't know he is coming to India, But Kerala was different. His perception completely changed when he reached. It is similar to my country. He uttered to himself.

This was the story of my hostel mate and good friend Navneet Nundlal who came to India for graduation.

Several years ago, I was in the visitor's room in a prestigious school. after a long hour of waiting, the manager allowed me to meet him. The impression was negative, I quickly realized. And the meeting was an unsuccessful attempt. fast forward to 2021, I am in the same waiting room and Got the call to meet in just 5 minutes. Had the meeting, hope I made a good impression and the meeting was satisfactory.

I have analyzed the situation and found out that, I was not dressed professionally in the first instance.

Okay, what could we derive from both situations. The image we create matters.

How we project ourselves is important. as a country, a company, or as a person!.

in the case of Navneet, the images projected out from our country were so bad. His misconception is not just his mistake only. Maybe it's not a mistake altogether. If we take any report of any United Nations agency, the ratings of India are very low. the images of Indian people is so bad. They focus on what we don't have.

certainly, India is not a developed country. But the improvements we have made should not be ignored. India as a brand fails in this action.

I was so reluctant to get rid of my traditional introverted unapologetic mindset. So I was dressed what made me comfortable. but the general perception of someone represents a good firm demands a greater way of dressing. So I started trying to fit myself into that framework. still, I don't love the way I dress professionally but I have to. I love to dress as a very casual person and it is not always possible to be that.

It is all about projecting ourselves. What others think won't matter our desired goal and objectives. But at certain levels, we need to fit into the framework.

Work until the day we don't care for money. One quote Hitler said is relevant ‘If you don't like the system, go on top of the system and change it’. It is like Zuckerberg did, Steve Jobs did. It is so rare to see them dress in heavy professional clothing.

So be you. Never change your inside. Do the things accordingly to be the best to survive. Adapt. Adapt and become the best in your field.