10 years — ∞ learnings

i finished a decade of kickstarting a ‘professional career’ on the 18th of june 2022. one would assume the last 2+ years have shaped a big chunk of my career/ life. and while they have, it’s really the first 8 that set me up for the rollercoaster i’ve been on last couple of years.

the growth paradox via sahil bloom: growth happens slow, then suddenly.

i started this blog going into different directions. should i talk about everything that went down? should i talk about the failures? should i talk about what worked for me? but some very sharp 20 year-olds asked me what i’d tell my 20 y-o self now that i’ve moved to the other side (apparently).

well, here’s my attempt to uncover a little bit of everything that went down and what i’d like to tell the 20 y-o insanely ambitious and (sometimes) borderline obnoxious ragini:

• failure is important. it teaches you some of your best/ hardest lessons. i’ve seen this first hand with poor people decisions, fundraises, and life in general. but it’s also important to note that failure may not always lead to growth. sometimes you just fail, and you have got to pick yourself and move on.
• i used to worry about every little thing i did, thinking that people would judge me. it’s pretty liberating to realize that, for the most part, no one cares. everyone has their own thing going on in life, and the sooner you realize this, the sooner you start your path to happiness / being yourself.
• starting your career with sales can be one of the best career decisions you can take. ngl, it does take a lot to survive/ excel in it. but you usually come out with insane resilience, the ability to think on your feet, persuasion, a strong work ethic, people skills and a lot more. not a lot of career starters can boast about this. stay the course.
• we always create timelines in our minds growing up: x title by y age; a salary by b age. i did too. for designations, where i wanted to live, the kind of house i wanted++ life doesn’t work that way — life just happens. work hard and spend time with great people. the rest will take care of itself. if i have to go back 10 years and ask myself if the life i have today is one i want, i’d take it in a heartbeat (even though on somedays i question everything i do today).
• being a learner is a state of mind. so is being a leader. when i was 22, everyone in my batch would joke around saying i run zomato like it’s my ‘own company’. truth is, i did. i would like to think everything that happened to me after happened ’cause of this mindset.
• people are the best and worst thing that will happen to you. some will help you go further and faster. others will pull you down to their level. most are in the average category. don’t go after the easy/ mediocre. always aim for the excellent.
• generalise first, specialise later. i remember wanting to learn analytics, performance marketing, strategy and everything that was cool when i was 25. thankfully i found my circle of competence and decided to stick to it. today i hire people better than me at things i am rubbish at. there’s no shame in accepting this.
• this one’s golden so i’m repeating it on this blog too, there’s nothing called a ‘perfect job’: it’s always what you make of it. raise that hand, go the extra mile, put in your goddamn best. to win, you always have to swim upstream early on — and that requires hard work and long hours. let no twitter thread on ‘work life balance’ tell you otherwise.
• rules limit your risk, but also reward. you need to know when to bend and break.
• tough criticism from the right people is the best thing that can happen to you in your early (and late) career. take it with open arms. it means that someone is willing to invest their valuable time in your growth. early in my career i would get very defensive when someone would give me feedback. don’t do that. it stops the other person from sharing feedback the next time. make notes, see what you want to pick, and what you want to skip.
• unpopular and potentially controversial opinion — understand what to attribute to your ‘mental health’. i see people use the word very carelessly on the internet. i’m not saying it’s not important. build resilience and know your non negotiable.
• ask for it. even if the odds are 1% of it being a yes, it’s worth asking for. true for appraisals, opportunities, special projects ++ always shoot for the moon. people admire and remember relentless, ambitious people.
• if you hate following up with people, make no one follow up with you. working with people who stick to timelines and own their tasks is a dream. always be that person.
• there’s no perfect moment. sometimes you’ve gotta just jump. avoid overthinking and take the leap. but also, don’t be stupid.
• value time. some people will tell you that it’s okay to be late. it’s not. be the person who always shows up on time, it makes it easy for people to rely on you. remember you’ll always be what you do. not what you say/ believe/ write.
• what you work on > how hard you work. speed, quality of execution >>

lastly, but most importantly, remember that we are all work in progress, and nobody really knows what they’re doing 100% of the time. there are no hacks to your journey. you will fall, you will win, you will learn and that’s the journey you will remember. the only hack in life is painful, relentless consistency. it’s not sexy on most days, but it’s what matters the most :)

enjoy the ride! 🎢