Interview with a Successful Person - By Aadi, for school

Name of Interviewee: Ankur Ganguli

Why do you feel this person is successful?  
She has a family, a house, a great career, good friends, and good relationships with people.  

1: What is success? 

Success is when you can achieve your goals and dreams, when you can do what you're passionate about in life.

2: When did you consider yourself a success?

I had a dream of getting into a good college so I could support my family and have a good life. When I got into a top engineering college in India, I considered that a success.

3: What successes have you experienced that were most meaningful to you? 

It is meaningful to find a balance across all the things that are important to me - my health, my family, and my work.

4: What struggles and/or failures did you experience on the road to success? 

For higher education, I came to America, and that was very hard because I had no support over here and I struggled in the beginning trying to learn a new place, a new culture, and new people while also trying to study.

5: Which struggles and/or failures were within your control? 

It was in my control to be open minded and learn about a new place and make new friends to find support. 

6: Which struggles and/or failures were beyond your control? 

Just being in a new country.

7: How do you push through the worst times? 

I tried to remember why I'm doing this and what my dreams are. These give me the energy to push through.

8: What did you learn from these difficult times? 

I learned that if you really know what you want and then focus on what's in your control and get the right help, then you can achieve any goal.

9: What price did you have to pay (not money)?   And, was it worth it? 

I had to do a lot of hard work and be very disciplined. I also had to be away from my family. The price I had to pay was I did not have as much fun as my friends around me. I didn't have enough money to do or have nice things. But in the end it was worth it.

10: What positive habits have you developed to maintain your success? Reminding myself what is important to me and building a discipline to do what I need to do instead of getting distracted by what everyone else is doing.

11: What advice would you give me about choosing my path? 

Figure out what you are passionate about and work hard towards it.