From A Struggling Student to An MBA

Introduction: The Struggle

“I have an MBA from one of the top 100 programs in the world—Strathclyde Business School. But I wasn’t always someone with impressive credentials. Back in 8th grade, I was a failure. I failed my final exams and even the re-exam, which was my last chance to save a year of my life and my father’s hard-earned tuition money. That year, I had to repeat the grade. I felt humiliated and lost. What made it worse was that my friends didn’t hang out with me anymore. Since the break times for 8th and 9th graders were different, no one even looked back to check if I was okay. I started to wonder what was wrong with me—why didn’t anyone care?”

Hidden Strengths

“It felt confusing because I wasn’t always ‘failing.’ Just two years before, I had won a UN award for being the best writer in the Arab world, competing across 22 countries. I was so busy building that muscle—my writing—that I hadn’t realized that school wasn’t built for people like me. School rewards those who are good at everything, but in the real world, you only need to master one thing to succeed.”

“Jack of all trades, master of none”

Isolation and Reflection

“During that tough year, I started to reflect. I even asked a friend what was wrong with me. He said something simple but true: ‘You’re always daydreaming.’ He wasn’t wrong—my mind was often lost in another world. But then came a turning point. A speech competition was announced, and I decided to participate. To my surprise, I aced it. My writing skills shined, and for the first time in a long while, I felt alive again.”

Turning Point

“That competition taught me a powerful lesson:
• When I shine, people care.
• When I shine, strangers become friends.
• When I don’t, even friends become strangers.

That realization hit hard. At the age of 14, I started dreaming big, imagining myself at places like Harvard. But I also learned that shining isn’t easy.
As Avneesh Mishra would say: “You have to remain relevant.”
Continuously polishing yourself and posting takes immense strength and effort.

Conclusion: Lessons Learned

“Today, I shine through my iPad, my writing, and my iPhone with my videos. I’ve learned to keep showing up, no matter how hard it gets. As Avneesh Mishra says, ‘The challenge is staying relevant.’ And that’s what I focus on every single day—showing up, polishing myself, and shining brighter. My journey from failure to MBA taught me that no matter how tough things get, as long as you keep showing up and working on your strengths, you can become the center of your world.”

I’ve decided to shine brighter than ever— Shine Like A Supernova.