I don’t really remember when i first thought about it, but since my early days in college, entrepreneurship was always on my mind. Probably it was in my genes. But it wasn’t strong at that point. It was only during the time i pursued my MBA course that i started thinking more about it. As i graduated, my plans firmed up.  Would have started a venture straight out of college but couldn’t because i could not get the right partner.

What i found interesting was that as we graduated, i realized that almost 80% of my batch mates wanted to start their own stuff.

In fact during the initial years into corporate slavery, barring the honeymoon period when everything is so new and nice and you also get your initial salaries, this urge to venture out became even stronger as one went on to experience office politics, , idiosyncrasies of the bosses, colleagues salary level (in comparison to your own)and the system in general. Friday nights were legendary. A Friday night out with friends was incomplete without a discussion on how doing your own stuff had so many advantages. We were young then…and we want to rule the world!

However, as years progressed and one spends more time in his job (Job Cursing Continues) there came this consolidation phase.  One slowly starts getting sucked into the comfort factor of what a job offers. Fancy Designation, Promotions, Increasing  Salaries, hedonistic lifestyle , a brand name on your resume ( Thanks to which you start getting loans faster so that you can buy a house and go into debt which then in turn results you get sucked even more!) and above all a template life.

When i reached this stage the thought of starting something new resulted in a bit of worry and uncertainty. I began to doubt whether i can really take that plunge.

Many Questions came to my mind. Will i be able to maintain my lifestyle?  Won’t my colleague’s race ahead in designation, salary and lifestyle? Is it a risk worth taking after all? I was very comfortable in my job and i thought i could lead a fairly comfortable life with good salary and a brand name to back me.

This was the most crucial stage. Cause the more and more time i spent thinking about this… the more and more i postponed decision-making.

I faced this terrible dilemma. Very sure about what i wanted to do in the beginning but as i spent more time in corporate world i started to question myself whether doing my own stuff was the right decision. More than anything else it was the uncertainty which was bothering me. I had got used to a certain lifestyle and i was not sure if i could sacrifice all that and start again.

So I kept postponing it, giving myself very solid excuses. Let me wait till i get my bonus. Let me get married first. Let me save some money before starting out. For over two years i kept deferring it. But all along my heart knew where my true happiness was. Every Sunday night, we friends used to go for a drive near airport or walk along the beach. Our discussion on what business idea to start work on used to bring back that spark in my eyes and passion which used to go missing during the week. I knew i had to do something about it.

And then one day i told myself, that enough is enough. If i don’t listen to what my soul really wants i could never forgive myself this lifetime. I would have lived a life filled with regret. And would have never been able to do what i was probably meant to be. What was written for me.

So finally after 7.5 years of working in the corporate world for some great brands, on March 3rd 2012 ( the day i resigned) i decided to stop, get out of my comfort zone and change my path. Take the road less traveled – a life of uncertainty but immense possibilities

And i was aware that this may not be the right move after all. But I was happy.

Because there is this one inner voice that keeps thanking me everyday for taking this path which though uncertain but is immensely fulfilling. Because it believes that this is what was written for me. That really makes my day.

Perspectives….