In Conversation with Apurva Purohit

The Shenomics Mentoring Circles are monthly gatherings of our Community members, where we talk about all things that impact the lives of women and men at work. Follow the #MentoringCircleInsights series to learn more about the discussion from the day!

The February 2020 edition of the Shenomics Mentoring Circle was packed with powerful perspectives about what can help women create more fulfilling personal and professional lives. We had the pleasure of hosting Apurva Purohit, the President of the Jagran Group and a best-selling author, loved by women all over the country. Apurva has also been ranked as one of the top 30 women in business by Business Today in 2016, 2018 as well as Fortune India’s most powerful women in business, 2018.

Apurva’s rich experience, her journey as a woman committed to pursuing her potential and her desire to see women fearlessly enjoy the road to success and fulfillment made the session invaluable. The session had unique learnings from Apurva’s success story. These learnings can serve as key inputs for women looking for direction on crafting their actions plans to achieve what matters the most to them. Bhavna Toor’s carefully curated questions and Apurva’s honest answers created space for us to reflect on possibilities that lie ahead each one of us. We had some wonderful questions come up from the audience as well.

The habit of “Minimizing”

As a leader, Apurva recounted the countless times she has seen women downplaying their achievements. The phenomenon doesn’t subside as we grow professionally. We learn to put on a veneer that conveys we have got it all going for us. But then the classic signs don’t remain hidden for long – attributing our success to others, changing subjects when we are praised or visible discomfort while taking a compliment.

Apurva traces the roots of our tendency to minimize ourselves and our susceptibility to the imposter syndrome to deep-rooted social conditioning. As women, we have been feeling “unwanted” and “bonsai-ed” for so long that we are no longer comfortable owning our glory.

The call to action here is to be aware of the existence of this tendency and the reasons for it, so that we can stop ourselves in the tracks the next time we are about to say something like “I didn’t really do all that much” or we are about to shy away from a compliment. Let’s get used to saying that “Thank You” as a sign of acknowledging and accepting ourselves wholeheartedly. By watching ourselves, we are not only keeping our own “minimizer” in check, we are also sending a powerful message to our daughters so that they get comfortable with celebrating themselves!

The power of making your own choices

Responding to observations around how when women look up the growth ladder, they think of the price they may have to pay to get to the top roles, Apurva made an interesting point about choices. She says “Let no one tell you that you have to reach the top. Women must feel free to make their own choices”. In her own journey, Apurva shares that one of the most empowering habits that she has inculcated is the habit to make her own choices, and take her own decisions. She says, “No one decides, whether I am good or bad” and “No one can make me happy or sad”. Over the years, she has built her own moral compass – her internal guidance system that she trusts more than any opinion around her. What has helped her develop this system is deep reflection. She encourages women to take pauses to reflect because it is this reflection that creates space for self-discovery and empowering choices. Apurva strongly encourages women to sharpen their “choice muscle”.

The courage to be disliked

Another interesting theme that emerged through Apurva’s answers was the freedom that is born out of developing the courage to be disliked. The courage to make unpopular but “right” choices, is tough but essential for the fearless pursuit of what we truly believe in. It also plays a vital role in creating leadership presence that creates true impact. Apurva’s belief in her moral compass and her determination to not let her definition of happiness rely on external influences has helped her build the courage to make tough choices, in her professional life as well as her personal life.

Simplify to Amplify

When asked about daily practices that have helped Apurva become the effective and inspiring person that she is, she shared her mantra around “simplifying life”. When it comes to daily life, Apurva has simplified her choices – fewer friends, simpler clothing choices and consistent routes. She reserves her mindspace and will power for things that matter the most. Much like an artist who starts an artwork with the main theme in mind, Apurva reserves her energy and bandwidth for her priority.

What’s your F1 Priority

Apurva called out her ability to focus when asked about what that helps her create an impactful life. She shared that one question that she asks herself as well as those who seek her advice is “What is your F1 priority”? She narrated the example of Moms who want to spend quality time with their kids however if time to commute back from work is eating into the time with the child, holding on to the familiar, old home keeps them away from taking action towards what they want. And clarity around what one “truly” wants emerges only when one is willing to strip away everything other than that “one thing” which is most important. Narrowing down choices to that “one thing” requires us to be willing to let go, sacrifice and make tough choices but it creates a level of focus that helps one concentrate energy and ability to “give” ourselves to what matters the most.

Thank you Apurva, for sharing your journey with so much love and openness. You’ve left us inspired to go chase our big and bold dreams.