Things I learnt

How things change over the years! I finished my undergrad a few years back, and my opinions and perspectives have changed drastically over the years. Here, I have noted down some of the things that were not obvious to me when I was doing my undergrad, but I have learnt them along the way.

Hard work.
When I was younger and more naive than I am now, I used to think success is a direct result of one's abilities. During my undergrad years, in my mind, hard work had a stigma attached to it. It was "uncool" to work hard, so to speak. Things changed when I went to grad school, I think. Working hard towards something you are passionate about, is one of the best feelings one can experience! It gives one a sense of fulfillment. A friend had this as his email signature - "Attitude, not aptitude, determines altitude". I have seen examples of this adage first-hand. Plain abilities, without sweat, wont get you anywhere. There are many examples of super-talented people who did not live up to their potential, and there are many who were not greatly gifted, but by dint of their sheer determination and focus, made it big.

Persistence.
Persistence is a highly under-rated quality. Dogged determination to achieve a goal, in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, is a priceless asset. I used to give up quickly, and turn to others for help. Now I try to exhaust all my options before pestering somebody else.

Re-use.
A phrase that is extensively used is "let's not re-invent the wheel". There is nothing wrong with re-using something that somebody else has already developed, even though it may not be the best solution possible. Pragmatism rules.

Mediocrity in corporate life.
When in school, we learn many new and interesting things every day. Once we begin working in the corporate world, after the initial ramp-up period, things start to get monotonous. One way around it is to try to learn new things every once in a while, learn what other teams work on, try to take up something new. Don't let drudgery set in. Complacence is the nemesis of growth.

Time management.
Needless to say, you need time-management skills to be able to lead a healthy and balanced life, along-with having a successful career. The earlier you realize the importance of this, the better you will be able to juggle all of your responsibilities.

Humility.
Always look for opportunities to learn from people who are better than you at certain things. At all points in your life, you will meet people who are so efficient at some things that it makes your jaw drop. Try to learn from them. Never under-estimate anyone. As Prof. Pausch said in the Last lecture - "Give people the chance to prove themselves." By the way, if you haven't watched the last lecture about achieving your childhood dreams, its a must watch- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

Being a mensch.
This is probably the most important of all. As long as you have the willingness to acknowledge your weaknesses and take steps to make yourself better, professionally & personally, you will succeed.