Begging - A Perspective of An Entreprenuer.

What is the spirit of entrepreneurship? Is it just solving problems that society needs (or not) ? Building a multi billion business? Or creating value? It happens to me that I look at things beyond the actual picture. My aim is to learn from every one I happen to meet. 

As I write this piece, I'm traveling. As usual. A strikingly contrast picture was painted a while ago before my eyes. Two individuals - a woman with a baby and a fakir. Both walking in the aisle of the compartment to earn a buck. Both had their highly different approach towards their 'job'. The fakir was first to approach us. He came down to our compartment and asked for offering, to which a friend responded by passing on a buck in his 'jhola' . the mistake. He started to blabber and slipped a ring in my friend's finger, telling him it will bring him good. Also, asking for more money indirectly. When declined a few times, he took of the ring and headed out. 

The woman. She passed us like she had an invisible cloak on her. All I saw was a broom which cleaned the aisle and the compartment. A few minutes later she came back with a child in her hand and asking for money. I immediately started to browse my pockets for change when she pointed out the falling coins from my pocket. One could have easily picked the fallen money and took it. The difference- one swept floors and 'earned' money while the other wanted it the easy way. People, a many, are fooled in the name of religious faith, while a hard worker always gains honor in eyes of people. We can choose how we wish to run a business. To earn either fool people or gain respect for your brand. The example might not be closely related to what I say. But it conveys the emotion. That matters .

Fall. Rise. Grow.

It was year 2010. I was enjoying being involved in a robotics company; working part time for them. Being called the Robotics guy in my circle was the best thing that could happen to me. I was winning several paper presentations, a new kind of high had gripped me. It was beyond ordinary. But life had a completely different story etched for me. It was not so nice.

The summer of 2010 was the worst one for me. It was the time I faced a huge blow academically. I failed. Lost an year in college. The world had come tumbling down for me. I was hit to the core, broken, depressed, all bad stuff. I was at the rock bottom of my self-esteem covered in guilt and negativity.

At one instance I was driving back home and in those very depressed thoughts, I had a head on collision with a car on a red light. That accident shook me; luckily I escaped unhurt, crying, and it helped me get my mind straight. One big bump later I came to realize the fact that the world wasn’t over. There is still hope, and there is a light at the end of this dark tunnel.

That incident gave me a direction in life — UP! I knew I didn’t want to be called a failure; so I didn’t act like one. We all fall in such instances where there is a bleak ray of hope, where it all seems meaningless. It truly depends which way you face that failure. Do you curl yourself in a shell or do you face it with a brave heart?

The worst of all times will come, but the trees which survive storms are the ones which survive. So, next time you hit rock bottom, stand up, face that damn thing, Rise. That is when you will grow in life; truly.

Until next time; I’m Batman.

24 and Schrödinger's Cat

This is a well delayed birthday post if you want to consider it so. Also thinking to move the blog to some other platform. Suggestions? So here it goes. I did turn 24 recently. It was an earthquake in life. I still feel like I was just 18 yesterday. Life’s accelerated too fast. Coming to a junction when some important decisions need to be taken care of.  

  

Being 24 is scary. There are major, life changing decisions to take care of. Being an entrepreneur for the past 3 years has fucked up life real bad. I'm tired of the this shit. I'm tired of being the one people look up to. Its exhausting.

There is a major push from the family to find a settled life. While everyone around is growing, I feel stuck up in one place. Maybe its just my frame of relative thoughts, from a different frame of reference, it might be the life to die for. When I look at myself when I'm around a bunch of people, its a celebrity feeling. My name precedes my presence. Its an amazing feeling. The life on stage is something people crave for. But to tell you the reality, its an emotional, mental, physical roller coaster ride. It has its several negative aspects which I don't want to get started with. 

I believe in myself. That's my strongest suit. I don't possess any special talents or skills, somehow things just worked out for me. That's the part I live about life - Uncertainty. Its impossible to predict the future, as one single tiny event can change the course entirely. Life is awesome - if you let it be so. One of the reasons there is a positive aura around me is I've been through several failures, and I'm not afraid anymore. I know I will rise no matter how deep I fall.

Talking about Schrödinger's Cat - one thing I've witnessed is we hesitate to take a risk, we try to calculate every step. But eventually, unless you step in to a situation, you are a winner and a loser both. The only way to test it is to be there. It will cost time, money, and a few resources too. Let's stay on the hopeful side and take a chance. Take that plunge. 

Being 24 means you gotta be earning at least bronze if not gold. If you carry that entrepreneur tag means you gotta be the next Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs. I'm not saying its not possible, but why imitate let's be %firstname% %lastname% - You! I'm on my path, a lot of thorns in the way but another thing I believe in - This too shall pass. 

Oh and I forgot Love! If you are a woman, would you love to be seen with a person who is 24 and still figuring out life? I've got a deep dark path ahead of me which will unfold as I step into it. The success rate is a mere 10%. I'm a workaholic and hardly have time forfamily. In a world where success is measured by money and fame, its hard to find someone who looks deeper. 

The biggest question everyone around me is facing is called - What's next? Well I don't know and I'm pretty sure even you don't have a bloddy idea. I'm a person who tends to enjoy the current and let the next take care of itself. Who is it going to listen to anyway?

The Bible quotes; "I have plans to prosper you not to harm or destroy but give a hope and a future, says The Lord." I'm a believer, and several testimonials to back this. I know I will sail through life - Smiling!

Words Unsaid

As the breeze tangles in your hair,
and moon shines over your face,
the heart skips a beat,
with a melody as this. 

As the eyes that stare lock in mine,
The moon then ceases to shine,
A breeze blows through her hair,
All you wanna do is stare. 

The voice that's a sane therapy,
Spoken like a rehearsed melody,
Giggles that effortlessly lighten up,
The saddest face, that's filled a tear cup.

A slight attempt to tell her a word,
A heart beat to have her heard,
I write this poem for a little stir,
Make believe that I love her.

A face I long to see,
A voice I love to hear,
A moment of being together,
That I'd die for her..

~ Mr. Khan.

The Construkt Journey!

(NGP-SBC : 20/03/14 - Rajdhani Express)

So I’m back with another travelogue. It’s been close to 3 months I’ve had the pleasure of travelling and today has been a day perfect for it. So the reason I’m traveling is to attend Construkt fest in the It hub of India – Bangalore. The last two days were spent in a garage trying to bring to life my creation, Project Lincoln (www.projectlincoln.co). Last night, tired in soul and flesh, we finally did complete the goal of firing up the engine. I got back home, post visiting a friend in the hospital. Early morning plans were to get the huge monster to the railway station for getting it shipped to Bangalore. 

I got up at 7-ish and got ready for the early morning battle. Shrikant was there at my place for the night, and Rohan was getting ready to get his hands dirty. I had packed up my bags in a hurry the night before and we headed to the garage to get the bike lifted from there. My parents were going to drop by at the station with my luggage, and me with the mean machine. We reached the garage and got a vehicle to transport the pod from there. I was on the trailer with the pod, and all the way eyes striking us. After a little fumbling at the station, we somehow got the pod down the station at the luggage counter. The crowd was crazy, awed but not a single hand ready to work. Disappointing. 

The next news was something that broke me a bit. The pod had a few legal issues that needed to be taken care of and I had my train in the next hour. After a lot of talks and buzz, I finally took the decision to leave the matter in the hands of my parents and Rohan. I had to move ahead. 

The traveler’s luck. Here something happened to me for the first time in life. As I reached the platform and head towards my boogie, I saw a friend, Ankita. To my surprise she and her friend, xx were also headed to Bangalore in the same train. Co-incidence yes. Happened a lot of times with me. The height of co-incidence, she was in the same coach, and to add to it, we had seats in succession! A never imagined, highly strange co-incidence. 

And the journey began, chatting and catching up with each other

. To add to the awesomeness of the travel, as usual I had a 2yr old cute kiddo with us, jumping up here and there. What was more exciting was happening outside the train, back in the station. The pod faced a few legal troubles and Rohan and my parents were on the receiving end of it. Coming back in the train, this was my second time in Rajdhani, and this train lived upto its promise of not letting its passengers stay hungry even for a second. As soon we finished the first treat of soup and breadsticks, the lunch was ready to be served to us. 

Long chats and a lot of butt hurting time later, I finally decided to get some air and went out to sit with a group of men who were basking in the warm natural air. The bright and sunny weather was more pleasing than the cool air conditioned space inside. In such long journeys one will always see a group of men near the train doors, which are turned into a smoking gallery. The best courtships will be spotted here, between two strangers. 

Later I got back, and since the atmosphere was brewing with conversations, we heated it up with a few more topics for a mere reason to kill time. As usual, I took out my laptop and started writing this article to share with you guys! It continued for a while and then we were aching to get up and roam around. Finally a station arrived and I got down to get some blood flowing in my limbs.  It was a laid back station and I saw a fairly old, yet rare bullet shaped engine. I was jolly as a kid! 

The night took over, and the tired souls, began to fall asleep. Slowly, so did I. The morning rose, and we reached the destination city, Bangalore. The next step was – Construkt Fest! Let me tell about you in some other post. Adios!

Smile

In the shimmering light of the stars,

and the dance of cloudy sky,

A smile grows bright, eclipsing,

that lonely moon, in all its might.  

As the feet set in motion, the lips;

they talk a story, of life and beyond,

as the waiting eyes still at a moment,

the time begins to lose its pace.

In the chaos that surrounds, a giggle,

A smile, a cheer, it silences it all.

the eyes that add to her enigma,

the fierce self that clouds ‘her’.

A distant dream that the eyes see,

that fire blazing to reach there,

A hidden self, in lotus petals,

unwraps in lilt on a stone bench.

In all her might, she lives, and loves,

and as the nights grow, fleeing sight,

She disappears in the abyss,

leaving her smile behind.  

~ Mr. Khan.