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PowerPuffNerds

I can only see the eye of the bird!

Garima Sharma
July 23, 2021

“If you’re not first, you’re last !”

These are the words I have lived by throughout my life. How do I define my own shine? How do I be different – irreplaceable?  I want to win that competition. I will do whatever It takes for victory to be mine. I will go the extra mile! That trophy, that accolade is MINE! 

Since childhood, I worked hard to be no.1 in every field. Whether it was winning a debate competition, a 100-meter sprint, a state-level dance contest, or topping the exams, I was a horse with blinders who knew nothing but winning. WIN! WIN! WIN!

I know a lot of you would say that the journey is more important than the destination. But dude, when you reach the destination, the view is so beautiful that you don’t remember the hardships you went through. A one-time struggle is better than the regret you would have to carry for the rest of your life. 

Even today, while I am writing this blog as an employee of Cisco, I feel so proud of the fact that I haven’t changed a bit. A self-motivated and persuasive pre-sales engineer who loves to thrive in a highly competitive environment. “Outwit, Outplay, Outsmart” has always been my motto. 

Hi everyone! My name is Garima. I am a Technical Solutions Specialist at Cisco Systems. I started my career with Cisco in 2017 via the CSAP program. Soon after the program ended, I made a transition to the Technical Solutions Specialist (TSS) role aligned with Collaboration as my major vertical. Today, I am a TSS handling Collaboration business for small & mid-market. During my 4 year journey, I’ve driven various strategic wins at Cisco and have worked aggressively to elevate its digital presence in the world of social media. As a result,  recognitions, testimonials, and accolades kept coming in. One win motivated me to work for another. It was a chain reaction. A reaction that kept me going because all I could imagine was ‘glory’. 2020 was the year of a major breakthrough when I received the award of ‘FY20 Sales Champion’, finishing in the top 10% of Cisco’s Global workforce. Hunger for being no.1 fuels my soul even today.

Let me tell you a short story, my mother once narrated to me, from the epic tale of Mahabharata. When Dronacharya was teaching archery to his students, he asked them to shoot a bird on the tree by aiming its eye. He called them one by one and showing the bird, asked them what they saw. Everyone except Arjuna said that they saw the tree, the branches, the bird, etc and so everyone missed the target; but, when Arjuna’s turn came Drona inquired him, “What do you see?” Arjuna said, “I can only see the eye of the bird.”Saying so Arjuna released the arrow and it hit the target straight. This story of focussed Arjuna inspired me and from that day onwards I made sure that I will absorb myself in whatever I do. Surely, victory would be mine! And that’s the same message I’d like to pass on to each one of you. Remove noise, remove all the distracting and demotivating components from your life. 

Tell yourself, “ I am my biggest competition. I am my greatest motivation. I am my own inspiration. I am not looking to follow others or pull them down. I’m planning to test my own boundaries. “

Be that Arjun who knows nothing but his goal, his lakshay, and then work towards that goal relentlessly. 

Be addicted to the feeling of always being no.1!

Never doubt your capabilities. Never let someone tell you that you can’t do something. Because life is your canvas. You are the artist. Make sure you paint it yourself!