TL;DR,
A few months after joining as a lecturer at my new job, I found myself facing an unexpected challenge—guiding two master’s students, voluntarily for their dissertations. At first, I hesitated. I had no prior experience in mentoring postgraduate students, let alone guiding them through the intricacies of work. Initially, I saw this responsibility as voluntary, something outside my official duties. My knowledge in the area was limited, and honestly, I was unsure if I could meet their expectations.
I reluctantly agreed to guide them, thinking it would be manageable for a short while. My initial approach was avoidance—I provided vague responses to their queries and assumed I could defer the task until someone else took over. But days turned into weeks, and the students kept returning with more questions, their faces reflecting a mix of curiosity and hope. The guilt of my inaction began to weigh on me.
One quiet afternoon, sitting alone in my workplace, I reflected deeply. Could I really let this responsibility and opportunity slip away? Could I abandon these students who trusted me to guide them? I decided I couldn’t. If I had accepted this responsibility, I had to own it.
From that moment, I committed myself to strive for them for their success. I spent two weeks immersing myself in learning—exploring potential research topics, studying areas I was unfamiliar with, and preparing myself to mentor them effectively. Initially, it felt overwhelming, especially since I was also juggling the responsibilities of teaching two subjects to two different classes and my personal work. But slowly, things began to click.
As I mentored them, I discovered that teaching and learning go hand in hand. Every discussion brought new insights, every question pushed me to think deeper. What started as an intimidating task turned into a rewarding journey. I prepared notes, seek suggestions from colleagues and eventually, we finalized topics. Seeing their excitement and progress fueled my motivation further.
This experience taught me a profound lesson: we often fear what we don’t understand. But the key to overcoming that fear is effort—consistent, focused effort. Competence breeds confidence, and confidence transforms tasks into opportunities for growth.
The following things usually go together:
New Assignment —> Lack of Effort —> Incompetence —> Fear & Anxiety —> Task Avoidance —> Stagnation —> Deep Sense of Unhappiness
New Assignment —> Effort —> Competence —> Confidence —> Urge to Improve —> Meaningful Progress —> Sense of Purpose and Accomplishment —> Joy
Looking back, I realize that this journey was not just about students—it was about me, too. It reminded me that growth often comes from stepping into the unknown and embracing challenges head-on.
What I have learnt from this is
"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."
Until next time,
Gaurav 🙏🏽❤️
Nice dude👍
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