The Seminar That Changed My Mind

The Seminar That Changed My Mind

From a Typical Monday to an Unplanned Lesson for Life

This Monday began just like any other.

I woke up, showered, dressed up and packed my bag and headed to college. In our routine class, there was a surprise announcement — there would be a seminar in the college auditorium by a guest speaker named Rahul.

We did not know what to anticipate. What happened next, however, was not only a moving speech — it was a lecture that introduced clarity, purpose, and a challenge to every student in that auditorium.

He Said Don't Call Me Sir — Think I'm Just Your Senior"

He arrived with a grin and immediately uttered:

"I am not your teacher. I am your senior. Call me a friend."

That single sentence turned everything around.

Suddenly, this wasn't a classroom lecture — it was a talk, an open one. He wasn't there to teach. He was there to share his viewpoint and challenge us to think otherwise.

Why did you choose your Bachelor's degree? He asked

His first question caught us off guard:

"Why did you take the course you are currently pursuing? What was your real motive?"

The rest of us couldn't respond with certainty — and that was the idea.

He explained that in today's rapidly changing world, choosing a degree on the basis of informal advice or popularity is unwise. Instead, we must:

Study our industry's future (10–15 years from now)

Respect the evolving labour market

Align our strengths and interests with our selected course

"Your work ought to match your interests and abilities — not fads."

Do You Know Your Own Potential?

Then there was another strong question:

"Did you ever use 100% of your ability?"

That hit a raw nerve.

He explained how we each only use 30–40% of one's potential — usually held back by fear, comfort, or self-doubt. He urged us to:

Find our true strengths

Enhance our creativity, learning and self-worth

Accept rejection as redirection, not defeat

"One interviewer can reject you — but they only get to hear half of your story. Rejection does not define you."

Thinker or Doer – Who Are You?

He provided an idea that none of us had ever previously considered:

There are two types of people:

Thinkers – the ones who plan, analyse, and wait.

Doers – those who try, fail, adjust, and learn.

He charged us to examine ourselves truthfully: Are you stuck in your thinking, or are you doing something about it?

"Success is not always the property of the best planners — it belongs to those who are willing to do, adapt, and persist."

Will AI Steal Our Jobs?

Then came the burning question on everyone's mind: Artificial Intelligence (AI).

He inquired:

What artificial intelligence technologies are you presently using? (Google Assistant, ChatGPT, etc.)

Are you ready to collaborate with AI — or are you scared of it?

He provided us with this truth:

"AI's not going to take your job. But someone who can use AI — will."

His advice was frank and persuasive:

Learn the tools of tomorrow

Embrace technology, not fight it

Master skills that can't be automated: creativity, leadership, strategy

The Tables Will Turn

One of my biggest inspirations was when he said:

"Today you're sitting over there and I'm standing over here. But one day things will be turned around. You'll be standing over here making this speech."

It was a reminder of the fact that growth is real, possible, and only a matter of direction, effort, and time.

Own Your Decisions — No Regrets Later

Before he quit, He imparted his last life lesson:

"Make decisions slowly. But make them fast. When you make a decision, stick to it. Don't blame others."

He said us to:

Take full responsibility for our trip

Never regret your choices

Continue learning and growing

Focus more on self-enrichment than self-pity

Last Thoughts: A Seminar That Changed My Outlook

What could otherwise have been another ordinary Monday turned out to be a memory to last a lifetime.

He is not only addressed us — he addressed us. He reminded us that:

No one actually knows our true potential — not even us

The only way to know is to try ourselves Greatness is within reach for anyone possessing the correct attitude, ability, and drive ? My Takeaway Challenge This week, I've made myself a promise: I will pick a single skill, and commit to it 100%. Not for the grades. Not for the applause. But for myself.

What about you?