Somewhere in Mumbai’s Rain and Traffic, I Realised What I Truly Want

It was raining heavily in Mumbai, and I was stuck in traffic after yet another marathon day at work. The car windows were fogged up, the radio played a random retro song, and my inbox had just crossed 100 unread emails.

Somewhere between Lower Parel and Dadar, I remember glancing out of the window, watching people walk past with wet shoes and tired eyes, and I caught myself thinking, what am I rushing toward?

That question stayed.

Is This What I Want Forever?

I had everything I thought I wanted. A fast-paced consulting job, challenging work, and a brand name that made people nod in approval.

But in that one moment, sitting in traffic, completely drained, I realised something unsettling. I couldn’t ignore the question anymore. Is this what I want forever?

The answer wasn’t a simple yes or no. It felt like a quiet pull toward something more. More meaning. More balance.

And so I applied to ISB.

Curiosity, Ambition & Vulnerability

Standing at the gates of ISB on day one, I felt a mix of curiosity, ambition, and vulnerability.

I wasn’t just there to get a degree. I wanted to reflect. To evolve.

I wanted to learn not just how to solve problems, but how to choose which problems are worth solving. To think in frameworks, but also feel with empathy. To not just absorb knowledge, but question it.

And beyond all of this, I wanted meaningful connections. Friendships that go beyond group projects and cold calls. People I could laugh with, be vulnerable with, or sit in silence with, knowing we are all figuring things out in our own ways.

What “Becoming” Feels Like

A few months in, I realised something important.

Becoming does not happen in one grand moment. It happens in fragments.

In classrooms where the case has no clear answer. In discussions where disagreement teaches you more than agreement ever could. In feedback that stings before it settles into clarity.

I came to ISB expecting transformation to feel dramatic. Instead, it feels subtle. Quiet. Almost ordinary on most days.

And yet, when I pause and look back, I can see how much has shifted.

I have learned that balance is not something you achieve once. It is something you negotiate every day. Imperfectly. That clarity often comes not from thinking harder, but from letting go sooner.

The People Who Made It Real

The people, just as I had hoped, have become the real curriculum.

Strangers turned teammates. Teammates turned anchors.

I have laughed more than I expected. Failed more publicly than I was comfortable with. And somewhere in that process, I have softened in ways I did not know I needed.

I still don’t have all the answers. But I trust my questions more now.

I still care about impact and outcomes. But I care just as much about how I feel while pursuing them.

The Quiet Confidence

If the beginning of this year was about asking, what am I rushing toward, this phase feels different.

Now the question is, what am I willing to build slowly?

As the year comes to a close, I hope to keep choosing curiosity over certainty, connection over comparison, and meaning over momentum.

Because if I walk away from ISB with anything, I hope it is this quiet confidence.

That I learned not just how to move forward, but how to move with intention.

And that, in itself, feels like becoming.

Synopsis:

Aamina Shiekh of PGP reflects on a defining year at ISB that began with a moment of doubt in Mumbai traffic. Moving from a fast-paced consulting role to a more reflective journey, she shares how growth came through small, everyday moments, meaningful relationships, and learning to choose intention, balance, and curiosity over constant momentum.