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How I defeated my enemy…

By Tejas Vishnu Nimbargi on 18 Comments / 3793 views

Yes…There were celebrating failure stories where we learnt from experiences. Then there are success stories that make us euphoric.

And then there is this story that I want to share it with you all.
Good things must be shared, and this story is dedicated to my fight and my subsequent win.
My first win over my greatest enemy.
As you read you would know who that enemy was..

Sorry if this gets verbose, I will try to keep it short..

It was 4th of January 2011…
Place(venue) – XYZ
Occasion– My first ever interview. (being from a middle class family and dad on a verge of retirement, this job was a must!)
Mummy had already told everyone in the building that after 6 months her son would be proud employee of XYZ!

Atmosphere, you guessed right, was dense. Sweat drops reached the eyes through the temple area and legs shivered. It was my first interview. First corporate interview. My future depended on this interview.
My mom’s dreams, dad’s aspirations were among the few of them who were waiting desperately to hear this good news.

I was nervous and excited too. I knew I had a good chance because I had topped the aptitude test, knew more about the company than anyone else.
But one more emotion was getting all over me. I knew I had to battle it out in the interview. I knew this was gonna be a tough fight.

My name was called. I went inside with my enemy..

Interviewer: Hi Good morning. Please sit.(with a pleasant smile)
Me: Good Morning sir.

Interviewer: So, Tejas Tell me something about yourself:
Me: …………………..

I wanted to start desperately, but just coudnt. All my thoughts, ideas were clustered. They were ready to come out and impress the interviewer. But they just could not. They wanted to get free.
But you guessed right my enemy was stopping them. He had such a strong blockade that I just could not say anything.

The interviewer waited patiently. He waited and waited.
I eventually closed my fist with all the energy possible, hit my fist on my thigh and uttered my first line.

Me.. I…am….T..T..T…Tejas N…N..Nimbargi…

This continued for the next 20 minutes. The battle was over. I lost…
I was defeated badly by my enemy..

Yes that enemy was stammering.
I couldnt get the job….

stammering

 

Photo Credit: www.stammeringnodisease.blogspot.com
January 4th evening
Place:My Home
I now knew what support was. How valuable parents are. I knew they were sad. But their face didnt show sympathy. All they gave me was hope.
Hope is one of the good things in the world, perhaps the best! (Shawshank Redemption)

I was surfing internet the whole night just to know how stammering could end. I read testimonials. Listed out some things that I had to do in the 15 days!(My next battle was after 15 days!)
This time it was Infosys, Accenture and L&T…. 3 companies.

What I did in those 15 days:

1) Spoke aloud in front of mirror.
2) Did breathing exercises
3) Started my Pranayam again..
4) Started talking slowly

Most important, didn;t lose hope!
I kept telling myself that this time, I am not gonna let my enemy win…
This practice and the self motivation went on for 15 days.
I knew this was not a permanent and quick fix solution. This would require months,..years..

I just wanted to see a different Tejas..a stronger one…in the subsequent interviews…

and this continued…..

Date 18th January 2011
Place: TSEC(My engg college)
Everything was same except the place..
I went inside…with my enemy……

and the interview went on for half an hour for Infosys, 2 days later for Accenture and then for L&T..

ONLY ONE THING WAS DIFFERENT THIS TIME. 
I WON!!!!
Won all three battles!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S- 2013 I am a confident speaker. Have won competitions for Toastmasters, given client presentations.
Stammering is not an enemy now.
He is a guest. Who comes very rarely, shows up, but I know how to tame him..
Life is good. 🙂

Pardon my bad English and thank you for your patient reading…

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18 Comments

  1. Great Tejas …..

  2. Always good to kick your personal demons in the teeth. :))

  3. Thank you Vijaykumar…

  4. Definitely…That’s what I am doing daily.. 🙂

  5. Wow! just wow! Wishing you all the best Tejas!

    Perseverance really does pay!

  6. Excellent!! Keep Rocking! 🙂

  7. Highly Motivating! You should share this experience with communities / associations that help people with this challenge. I haven’t met you in person, but if at all you have any stammering anymore, you more than make it up with your writing. Great post.

  8. Thank you Pawan..

    Perseverance is an apt word which I missed. 🙂

  9. Thank you Omkar…. 🙂

  10. Thank you Aneja..
    In fact my speech at Toastmasters was based on this very topic. 

    I do stammer sometimes, but now it is not demotivating.
    Interviews are a cakewalk, I have discovered an orator in myself(not boasting, I have to improve a lot)

    The problem with People is they don’t share this problem and become reclusive. 
    They have to accept this as one of their traits but at the same time try to bring the problem down using the steps that I mentioned in my post. But again problems may vary, they can be emotional or psychological.

    then you need to see a speech therapist.

    Anyways, m glad to you liked my post.

    Have a happy Sunday! 🙂

  11. Very good job Tejas.Keep it up.

  12. Very inspiring, Tejas..Always, ALWAYS, mind over matter…

  13. Thank you Uddipta… 🙂

  14. Absolutely…
    Glad you found it inspiring Neerja.. 🙂
     

  15. It is something which happen to all of us.. time to time.. keep it up my friend.. you have articulated it very well ..

  16. many weekends i re-share this post tejas.

    “My name was called. I went inside with my enemy..” is my fav line 🙂

    kudos to u! u’ve come so far!

  17. Hey Asha,

    Sorry i missed your comment. Thank you so much 🙂

  18. Thank you Ranjit 🙂

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