Somebody moved my cheese!
Yes, somebody moved my cheese, and I can either sit here and wait for the cheese to come, or make a decision and search for cheese before it's too late.
I'm actually referring to an unhappy state of affairs with my present job. I'm not happy about it. It's not what I want. It isn't giving me my cheese; not giving me any challenge, any creativity, nor any connection with the most important thing - science and nature.
Some of you may be surprised, some may be saying "yeah, well I saw it coming ", and well some would say "Yeah? Are you kidding me or something?" Well whatever! Point is I'm not amused!
Let's put things in prespective in here.
I have a job which is perhaps in one of the better firms in here. As of now, it's okay. Not something that will buy me the château Versailles or something, but definitely one that would allow a decent life. A few years down the line perhaps, and I would be definitely doing well. Um, lets add a dash of extravagant success (yeah, yeah..... I'll attach hypothetical to the extravagant, but let's not argue over that right now ;-) ), and it's definitely a good life I guess!
A lot of people seem to want to tell me, "So what's to lose? All you've to do is stick to it for some more time. That's all! The good times will flow! "
The problem is that I don't see my cheese, and I don't believe that it would come here. So before it's too late I need to make a decision, and seek my cheese.
On one hand is the fact that I don't see my cheese, but my position is definitely comfortable. I don't have to risk too much, and the money will come. And on the other hand is the fact that before it's too late, I need to seek out my cheese - and face the inherent risks that will come with it.
So the million dollar question essentially is: Should I be taking a RISK???? ( hey it really is a million dollar question, Dhirubhai might help you answer it ;-) ).
I think yes.
A small anecdote before we go on. I had the opportunity to meet a certain Dr. Shreenivas Kulkarni when I was in my junior college. He was (and perhaps is) the Head Of Dept. Astrophysics at Caltech. One of my friend's father had arranged our meeting, and we essentially spoke about what we'd like to be doing in our lives. We had the usual stuff: "We'd like to do this and this, but we don't know if it's a good idea. Perhaps it might not work out. So it's better we do what most others do. It's safer that way!"
What he told us next has stuck in my mind since that day. He said "Guys, I've seen a lot of smart, really smart people out there in Caltech. All of them are good, intelligent and hardworking students. Yet I see, year after year, that only some of them do well later on in their life. Do you know why?". It was plain we didn't know why. "It's because those guys seek to do something that's not been done before. Sometimes they go bust, but sometimes it works out great. If it goes bust, some try again and some accept defeat. Well essentially they take a risk. But there are those who don't, but then they don't stand out either! The essential point is, if you take a risk, you are giving yourself the extra opportunity to stand out and succeed!".
Again, I guess Dhirubhai would attest that.
I decided to pursue engineering because I liked physics and maths, and thought it would be fun to be creaative and use the two. But currently I've lost that connection. So before it's too late, I'm going change this state of affairs, and make a big, risky decision. I'm going to do what makes me happy. I'm going to go to whoever allows me to be happy, going to go wherever I can be happy. I'm going to go search for my cheese!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
Risk - that's all it comes down to. Now, I could advise you to continue on your present job while you look for newer avenues, but then I'd be a hypocrite. Look at me. Didn't like the job - so I quit.
You spoke about money. Honestly Kunal, I don't see why you (or me or most of us blessed with wonderful parents) need to worry about money right now. When I was bugged with my job, my dad told me I can quit. I'll support you as long as you are doing something better, something that teaches you. As long as you keep learning and have a definite plan for next year or the year after that.
And that's what I'm doing. I'm learning about millions of things. I read. My whole day is devoted to reading. Mornings and evenings are devoted to going out and having fun.
So now I ask you.
What will you do if you quit your job? Valid answers include Sit at home and read stuff whilst simultaneously applying to universities / colleges. There's no harm in doing that.
Just make sure you have something in mind and don't plan on sitting home the rest of your life.
As far as that Dhirubhai reference goes, let's not idolise that black marketeer and briber.
99 % of all entrepreneurial efforts which succeed are essentially providing an improvement of an existing service, not some revolutionary new service.
Make up your mind. Is it bursting into the unknown (and perhaps not having too much money - not everyone can be an Alfred Nobel, inventing something and earning loads off it) or going entrepreneurial (and having too much). Both, in my opinion, are perfectly honourable. Just decide.
Wooooops.
Forgot that your dad works in Reliance and will probably kick me out for that Dhirubhai reference when I next come to your house. :)
hey dude, it's ok. It doesn't really matter :). About Dhirubhai: I guess he was a smart man, and that's all. To succeed in the joke that was India (in the 80s and 90s), no person who wanted to do what he wanted could do so by honest means. The policies were built by those influenced by the commie jerks, and the bureaucracy was well entrenched. Jawharlal Nehru made stupid mistakes for which we are still paying (mistakes of believing in the utopian ideas of socialism and communism,MRTP ad nauseum), and his daughter only amplified them. They did not believe in allowing business to expand.
Shaunak, today things are easier because we can think of entrepreneurship. In those days, only the ones who could pull the strings could dream of entrepreneurship. NRN could expand his business only 'cos the policies post 91 allowed him to. That was not the case for Birlas, Tatas and worse Ambanis. Ambani had to do what he did, 'cos he didn't have the money which pre-independence magnates like Tata and Birlas did. The British policies were sensible then (at least more sensible than the Indian commie influenced ones!)
Anyway, that's not even the point :). I take him as an example, 'cos even today, in spite of his empire, he didn't stop at that. He took one huge risk, and built a huge refinery at Jamnagar. We've got to learn from that. Especially Marathi folks.
What will you do if you quit your job? Valid answers include Sit at home and read stuff whilst simultaneously applying to universities / colleges. There's no harm in doing that.
Yes definitely something I have thought about, and decided that it would be the better thing to do than to let those guys siphon my grey cells off!
In fact that is more or less what I meant when I wrote the post. Fact is I've got a lot of catching up to do. I've got a lot to catch up on Mathematics & Physics, both of which I can't imagine living a life without. So I'm gonna do just that. And improve my skills, make myself more marketable, if you know what I mean!
Kunal, wen i had to take the same decision..ppl said perhaps it was taken in haste..but i kno wht ur sayin..abt not finding the cheese..the risk is wrth takin me says..atleast after a while u wont hv ne 'if i hads' to live with..go for wht makes u happy..n best of luck :)
yup. I know what you mean. And the 'if I had's are the worst to deal with. It's easier to live with risk methinks.
yeah MS is on the cards, but I'm talking of leaving this job, regardless of whether I find a new one.
That way I can concentrate more on pursuing my dreams - or at least doing whatever is relevant, and in that direction (which I'm not able to do as of now)
Hi Kunal ,
Great to read your post.Will leave you with 2 relevant quotes :
1)There is no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavour.
2)your reach must exceed your grasp.
From my experience, after frustration comes hope, followed by inspiration ,then most importantly perseverence , and finally success(assuming u persevere long enough and stay continuosly inspired)
Go on, seek out your cheese !
Hey Karthik....is this the Karthik from VIT (senior guy)?? If so, then man it's great to meet you....Howz IISc going?
That apart, I think what you said makes a lot of sense. Couldn't agree with you more about the man's reach being more than his grasp.
And perseverence is the Key to success... without doubt the most important thing - more important than anything else!
Ya,the same karthik.iisc is great.I'll hunt for your id and mail instead of spamming your blog space :)
Post a Comment