As I relive the memories of my time at McMaster University, which unequivocally were the four best years of my life, there were many lessons learned. These lessons helped shape me to be the individual and professional I am today. As I fulfill my role as a Senior Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and as the President of the Canada Pakistan Professional Association (CPPA), I am filled with endless gratitude for those who continue to support me each step of my career. Although I am firm believer in fate, to get to the position I am blessed to be in today, I have worked tirelessly over the past several years; most importantly, during the four years I spent at McMaster University. Let me share with you the five key lessons that I learned during my undergraduate years which set me up for “success” soon after I graduated. As a student, if you align yourself with the five lessons learned below, I am hopeful that you too can fulfill your dreams and desires post-graduation.

Ramadan has unfortunately come to an end. What an amazing month it has been. It is the one month (and perhaps the only month) in the year that I look forward to the most. As I look back at the last 30 days, aside from not being able to drink coffee every morning, afternoon and evening, I have come to realize that Ramadan has taught me a lot about myself. Hopefully, as you read this blog post, some of my personal “Ramadan take-aways” may hit home with you. If you have more to add to the list below, do leave a comment and share what you have learnt over the past month.

As I look back at my life, every failure/success achieved, emotion felt and decisions made, I have no regrets. I am who I am today because of past experiences. This blog post is a reminder that in order to set yourself up for eternal success in the future, you must not only fight through obstacles in the present but also learn from the hard fought battles in the past.

Welcome to 2013! For some, this year will be a continuation of accolades and achievements from 2012. For others, 1/1/13 marked the first page in a new chapter of personal triumph and success. What is to be written in this new chapter will be driven by three essential traits: passion, dedication and commitment. Although the two stories above are very unique, one of which is a continuation of success achieved in 2012 whilst the other is a clean slate to a new story to be written in 2013, both carry the same message: 2013 is the year for you to stand out amongst your peers and colleagues.Read on to find out how you can turn this “New Year resolution” into an everyday reality by following three personal tips which have made me stand out from my peers.

How does one remain motivated to sustain a forward-looking mentality? In fact, what is motivation to begin with and what triggers motivation? Personally, I believe motivation is a factor of three variables, which I like to refer to as the “3 P’s:” people, persistence and the end product. Motivation, simply put, is the aspiration of an individual to do and/or achieve something. It is the craving that you feel in your mind and body when you lust for something you really want to accomplish. It is what makes you feel restless at night as you think about that one thing you want to achieve. I want this blog post to serve as a reminder to both you and I to never give up hope or  lose confidence in our abilities and aspirations to achieve certain goals. Remember, where there’s a will, there’s a way.