Stoa Digest #108: 💪🏼 Don't Settle 💪🏼
Know who you are, know what you want.
Hey there, Stoans!
I had an important realization recently: making excuses only leads to laziness.
For the past seven months, I've been trying to wake up at 6 AM, but I keep failing. When my alarm goes off at 5:55, I hit snooze, telling myself just five more minutes. Then at 6, I make excuses like "It's too cold outside" and snooze for 10 more minutes. Sometimes, that 10 minutes becomes 30 minutes as I keep finding reasons to sleep longer. 🥱
By 7:15, I'm running late, but I justify it by blaming my late-night sleep and cutting myself some slack. Finally, at 8 AM, I reluctantly get out of bed because I have no choice – I need to get to the office on time. 🚴🏻
This habit of making excuses keeps me from exercising, having breakfast, or spending some quality "me-time," all of which I promised myself I'd do seven months ago. I've realized that it's not that I'm really tired; I just let myself be lazy by giving in to excuses too easily.
But I'm actively trying to change this habit because I don't want to be someone who always finds excuses to avoid new experiences. One thing that has helped me so far is having an “I-don’t-take-any-BS“ accountability buddy. definitely not a friend but someone who wants me to push myself, do better, and is not hesitant to whack me on my knuckles and get me to work! ✨
It's hard, I know! But it's worth it in the long run. 💯
~ Jahnavy, Team Stoa
This week’s spotlight falls on Raj Paratwar from C12 brought to you by Raj Baru from C11. A Raj-ception indeed! 🔥
Raj, can you tell us about your journey from being a mechanical engineering graduate to a business analyst?
My journey has been interesting and transformative. After completing my degree in 2020, I actively looked for opportunities in the mechanical industry. However, due to the challenges brought by COVID and the industry downturn, finding a job proved to be difficult for me.
During that time, I got involved in helping my family run our long-standing business, which has been operating for over 4 decades. It was during this experience that I discovered my natural interest in the business world, and I interacted with a lot of customers where I developed my observation skills and understanding of customers, their needs, demands, and market understanding. Motivated by this realisation and my inclination towards business thinking, I decided to switch my career to this field. I learned about business analysis through online resources like YouTube and secured an internship that later became a full-time position.
This career shift not only allowed me to use my technical background but also pushed me out of my comfort zone. Regularly collaborating with cross-functional teams, stakeholders, project managers, and development teams has greatly improved my communication skills, which is crucial for my professional growth.
What advice would you give to individuals looking to switch to a business analyst role?
I would recommend utilising the free resources which are available online, such as YouTube, and free basics certification to start learning and then try out a few recognised certifications.
Familiarise yourself with the basics of business analytics
Gain understanding of software development process
Enhance your communication skills to effectively engage with stakeholders, gather relevant information from a business perspective, and comprehend their requirements
Good documentation skills are a huge plus point
Acquire knowledge of frameworks and methodologies like Agile and Scrum, as they are commonly used in the industry.
Developing proficiency in these areas will not only aid in your professional growth but also enhance your chances of excelling during the interview process.
What are you enjoying the most about Stoa?
One thing I really enjoy about Stoa is how it pushes you to do the hustle. Now, my day starts with a prompt, and I go work on my office tasks throughout the day, ending with reading another prompt or some article or even solving interesting case studies with my team. It's a lot of work, and I never thought I could fit so much into a day, but Stoa showed me that it’s possible.
It also taught me the importance of taking accountability for my own learning and progress. It encouraged me to be responsible for my growth and pushed me to strive for continuous improvement.
Here are some interesting Business Analyst books for beginners suggested by Raj. Start exploring! 🚀
⏯ For Stoans by Stoans ⏯
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A summary of the book Tactical by Gino Wickman.
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see you later, alligator!