This Month’s Philosopher: Smita Jain, WG'05
To learn more about Smita, click here.
LIFE LESSONS
If I knew then what I know now, I would have...
spent more time in the present and nurtured my intuition. This year, I took a life sabbatical to reconnect with that intuition. I had lost most of my hobbies and struggled to answer even the simplest question: What do I think? It’s especially common for women to lose touch with their inner voice under the weight of messages from family, culture, social media, work, and patriarchy. I wish I’d developed a practice earlier to anchor myself and tune out the noise.
I can’t say I’ve fully figured it out, but I know part of the answer lies in paying attention to the little things — the sun on my face, a furry caterpillar crossing my path, a beautifully intricate flower, or getting curious about what makes my colleagues and clients tick. These small moments keep me present — and they’re often delightful.
If I knew then what I know now, I would NOT have...
taken the safer path through my career. Looking back, I realize most of my decisions — from high school to college, the right major, the right first job, and even the “right” MBA — were based on what I thought I should do. I always made the most of wherever I was and thrived, but as I moved up the ladder, my sense of purpose became harder to find.
I’m making sure I don’t have the same regrets 20 years from now. I’ve taken the leap and co-founded a boutique consulting firm with three incredible women. We’re trying to build a company and the world we want to live in. As George Lucas said, “We are all living in cages with the door wide open.” I’m finally walking through mine — and excited to see what’s on the other side.
FAVORITE QUOTES
- Whether you think you can, or you think you can't - you're right.” ~ Henry Ford
- “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
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“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
~ Anaïs Nin
RECOMMENDED READING
- 4000 weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
- The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Contact Smita at her LinkedIn Profile.