Cracking MBA Selection Process with Happiness!

March 20 is celebrated as International Day of Happiness.

It is generally said that happiness is a good thing to have. This is not the right way to look at happiness. Research shows happiness is a big help in mental health, physical health, relationships, creativity, innovation, productivity, and many other areas of life. We need to look at happiness from the benefits that it provides: a better, more fulfilling life.

These days, various business schools are conducting their selection process for the next batch of AMBA students. This process is very competitive and can create a lot of pressure and stress for the students who are trying to get into a good Business School. The concept of happiness can also help in dealing with the situation in a less stressful and more successful way. Here are some important reasons why facing this selection process with happiness can help.

First , happiness helps in productivity. With a happy mindset, the student can focus her resources on solving the assignment in the selection process. Stress or anxiety will only lead to more mistakes, a lack of focus, and a lack of presence of mind.

Second, happiness helps in creativity and innovation. These are important aspects for a darling with a difficult assignment in a GD for a personal interview. With the happy mindset students are in a better position to solve the difficult assignment more creatively and innovatively as compared to one under stress.

Third, Happiness creates resilience. In any selection process, it's normal that the student might not know an answer or make a mistake, and in those situations, a happy mindset will be a better help than being under stress and anxiety, which will exaggerate the mistake and create more harm than good.

Fourth, happiness creates a more relaxed outlook, confidence, better body language, cordial interactions with others and communication as compared to stress and anxiety. Most of these are the criteria used in the selection process in many institutions.

Fifth, a smile creates a better impression than a stressed and anxious face in such selection processes.

These five are important reasons why students should take happiness more seriously and use it for a better experience and more success in the selection process. If nothing else, it will help in dealing with possible failures in the selection process, if it happens. Happiness is the best preparation for such selection processes. Do not get it wrong, one needs to prepare and put in hard work, also.

So this is one example of various slab situations that we face where happiness helps. We need to make happiness a habit. Happiness is a skill which anyone can learn.

Ask yourself, what are you waiting for ? Today is the best time to start. Start now the beautiful journey of happiness for a happier and more fulfilling life.

(This article is written by Dr. Rajesh K. Pillania, Professor, Management Development Institute, Gurgaon. This is an opinionated article; EPN has nothing to do with this editorial.)