Jugaad

I was having dinner with my manager and my ex-manager last night; both charming gentlemen with more than a little entrepreneurial zeal. In between salads and soups, we discussed business models and visionary goals. My manager brought up Harsha Bhogle, a former batchmate, saying noone resented him because his current position was hard earned... if he can make five lakhs in four hours now, it's only because he once had to put in 18 hour days with very little knowledge if it was even going somewhere.

I don't resent Bhogle his money or fame either, but I do resent his clarity. I wish I knew what I cared about enough to willingly put aside the safety net of a conventional job... the kind of thing where you not only put in more time and effort than you would in a normal job, but also love every minute of it, and make it big eventually as part of a natural progression of passion + skill + experience. 

I know, in theory, what I'm that enthu about. In fact, I know two or three things I'm that passionate about, and good at, which makes me luckier than most people. I'm also fortunate in that my passions are ROI-friendly as well as idealistic, given enough time. The question is whether I can get myself to take that leap towards one of them and let it play out, instead of going back to something that I know and trust just because it's easier than taking that risk.

For someone who's generally not materialistic, I sure am superficial when it comes to conventional definitions of success. But if that's the only thing holding me back, surely the answer's self-evident?