Last year, my EMC peers and I delivered two sessions for our INSEAD alumni community where we explored the concept of negative capability.  This idea was introduced by John Keats in 1817. He described it as a state in which a person is ‘capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason’. It is a relevant and powerful skill - especially in a current context.

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When I'm going through difficult situations in my life, there are three coping strategies that I find useful. They are my personal strategies and might not work for everyone, but I’d still like to share them with you in case you’d like to try them. 

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The decision to pursue an MBA is difficult at the best of times. As an MBA'21D at INSEAD, I am surrounded by a diverse range of extraordinary people who took a leap of faith amidst a global pandemic, in times of unprecedented uncertainty. Whether they are a young entrepreneur, rising star or experienced and skilled professional, most of my cohort will assure you they made the best decision and advise you to apply, so the real question you should be asking is “when?”. 

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We see the light at the end of the tunnel ... and it is not a train moving in our direction. Quite the opposite, it is a feeling that you get when you are very close to the finish line but you actually don't want to cross it because it is all about the journey itself not so much about the destination. My GEMBA'22 journey started 10 months ago and there are four months to go. The last module was the Electives in July and, without exaggeration, a mind-blowing experience.

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The title of this article is quoted from one GEMBA alumnus in a conversation we had over zoom prior to the start of the GEMBA programme in a networking session during the daunting lockdown periods in 2020. I vividly remember his exact words: As much as I will tell you, it’s difficult to do justice to the experience you’d undergo in the electives during your GEMBA journey; it’s the gemstone of the programme.

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From the early stage of my career I always leaned toward nurturing a strong expertise. I believe dedication will always pay off in one way or another. The idea of applying for an MBA was in my long term agenda with no rush. Across the years, my trading role naturally evolved into a mid-ranked managing position.

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At INSEAD, we learn how business can be used as a “Force for Good”. With a strong interest in entrepreneurship and a dream to have a start-up ourselves someday, my classmate, Gijs Wilbers, and I, Manasvi Srivastava, wanted to discover how entrepreneurs are using technology, particularly in the financial world, to disrupt the industry and positively impact society.

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It has been one year since the opening ceremony of the TIEMBA Class of 2022. Since then, six modules out of 10 have been completed. Currently, my cohort is planning how we will use our thesis projects to individually demonstrate all that we have taken away from the programme thus far.  The sixth module this past July gave us the opportunity to learn non-technical skills that are not related to a specific business field.

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I am now 10 months into the GEMBA journey, with only two more modules left to finish it off; and I can’t help but feel that it has gone so fast. Don’t get me wrong, these 10 months have really been a transformational experience; this programme makes you challenge yourself in every possible aspect, which not only made me grow as a better professional, but also as a better person.

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"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." - Mark Twain At the Executive MBA level, the end of the Core Modules is like the midpoint in a full marathon. Although we are closer to the finishing line, we are still living with some uncertainties ahead of us.

• Read more about The Pioneers, the Believers and Those Who Make Miracles Out of Thin Air