Aditi Javeri Gokhale arrived in the U.S. with $150 in her bank account and now manages $175 billion in assets as Chief Commercial Officer and President of Investment Products and Services at Northwestern Mutual. In this episode of Mojo Mondays Bootcamp, she shares her incredible journey. Here are my top three takeaways from our conversation:
Take it one month at a time. When Aditi left India and moved to the U.S. to attend MIT, she found the experience overwhelming. She called her Dad asking to go home, and he told her she could return to India on one condition: Give it one month. Knowing she had the option to go home in just 30 days rather than looking ahead to her entire college career made it easier for her to handle the challenge of staying at school. Remember Aditi when you are overwhelmed, and know that feeling or situation will not last forever. Think about getting through the day, week, or month.
Know the opportunity cost. Aditi values her time and invests it wisely. Every time she says yes to something that takes her away from spending time with family, it must be impactful and fulfilling. What criteria do you use when considering your options?
Lead with humanity. As Aditi said, “How helpful would it be if you had someone who empathized with you, understood you, and helped you overcome obstacles?” What would be different in your interactions if you led with empathy and assumed positive intent?
Mojo Mondays Bootcamp is here to show you what’s possible. I hope these notes help you find your mojo each week.