Dr. Chintha Dissanayake joins Avonteur
In September 2021, Rotaractors of SLIIT was introduced to Avonteur, a unique career guidance workshop organized by the Rotaract Club of SLIIT to infuse greater career clarity to our undergraduates. Designed and facilitated by the UK and Europe-based Dr Chintha Dissanayake, Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, who guided the participants towards hitherto uncharted territory with a wholly novel approach to the concept of ‘career guidance’.
The 20s tend to be a volatile period for many. Where some individuals have already established themselves in their respective fields, some are barely making it out of university with little to no work experience and a head full of indecision. In essence, this workshop catalyzed precipitating this indecision to bring about a sense of clarity.
At the foremost waypoint of this journey, the participants found themselves discussing the relatively unfamiliar concept of ‘Locus of Control.’ Unfamiliar as it may be to the layman, Locus of Control is a heavily studied topic in psychology, which provides insight regarding the inner workings of an individual. Dr Chintha guided the participants to find their Loci of Control, which forced them to perceptively look within themselves to identify their particular tendencies and beliefs. Unsurprisingly, this personal belief in how much control one has over the occurrences around them has a profound effect on their futures.
The step that followed delved deeper in this journey of self-actualization, addressing the topic of what one might want to leave behind someday: a legacy. Divided into groups, the participants started a discussion. A discussion on the state of things once they have long faded from existence and their lasting effects on the world. Kind, strong, ambitious, happy, and many more adjectives came out of this surprisingly vulnerable conversation. However, the activity brought everyone a little closer to the answers they were all seeking.
Self-discovery aside, the workshop did not fail to discuss deterrents of success and personal growth familiar to everyone. Dr Chintha elaborated on the intriguing psychological phenomenon of the comfort zone: the ultimate bane of personal development.
An individual needs to break through this restrictive layer, surpass the boundaries of fear, and ultimately learn to reach the growth zone.