Approaching Life through my Lens

 Approaching Life through My Lens

Having lived nearly half my life, with white hair, a beard, and over a decade in the CA profession behind me — the real question now is: how should one truly approach life?"

I am sharing my thoughts on this crucial aspect of our life through my bared lens which many of you will resonate with and may help you to navigate your ship of life which is a bumpy and beautiful ride.

1. Purpose of Life ?

How you perceive your life is a very subjective choice. Everyone has a different ambition to follow. Many want to achieve more in a limited time and consider life as a 100 metre sprint and you will find many examples of early success in their careers like many Startup’s/Content Creators/ Cricketers etc. But this approach might not work for everyone. 

These early success stories,  if compared across the broad spectrum of people,  you will find that it is an exception. If you get it, it will be nothing like it. But for many of us (including me), life takes its own course and it might take years or decades to fulfill your ambitions or dreams. 

When I started my career, I also wanted to look for the next 5 years only and thought that what could you achieve will define your entire life. But now, I realise that Life is a long term marathon and a longevity approach will give you balance and let you enjoy the moments of life in your journey. Be it spending a day out on Weekend with your family or friends or following your hobbies (Sports, Music, Writing, Travel etc.)

Secondly, some might get attracted to an adrenaline rush of big cities but after having worked in Metro cities as well in Countries like Dubai/Bahrain) I finally found peace and  settled in Jaipur. Today, I will prefer the quality of life any day over some extra load of money or promotions. 

Thirdly, we tend to believe that once we have started our careers and spent 5 years in a field, there is no looking back. I believe for the first 8-10 years of your professional life, you have that flexibility to change gears, switch to different roles, shift to a new place or country and still achieve your goals. This will be difficult (even then not impossible) after 10 years as you will have a family setting and additional responsibilities.

Purpose of life should be driven by inner choices and not external validation

2. Never Ever ending Dilemma

At whatever stage you reach in your life, you will have a dilemma after comparing people in other fields or areas whether I should have chosen this path, this company, this course, this field. It is actually a tough nut to crack and keep poking your mind. 

You know most of the time this is not because of your own wish thinking but it’s because of the success of someone’s else in their field which attracts you the most. There is a thin lining which needs careful understanding with Seniors/Mentors. 

Be open to discussion with anyone who is senior to you and knows you well who can help blurring the thin line and give you clarity. Because continuous dilemma halts our progress.

“Dilemma halts the natural progress”

3. Decisions

This is the core of anyone's life. Our decisions & choices shape us in life. We all have heard this. It can make you or break you. But any wrong decision cannot be reversed ? It’s not the case. 

Rather taking decisions (whether proved right or wrong) will give you progress (in terms of either success or experience). Not taking any decision is a sure shot guarantee of falling down. 

Therefore, having courage to make a decision is the ultimate game which is always situational and contextual. Decisions taken today might be right for current situations but the same decision might feel like a poor choice after sometime. But that's a natural part of our growth.

In my life, taking courageous decisions have progressed me more than anything else. 

I still remember during my CA Final days, as per some criteria, I was eligible to appear for One Group in Nov 2010 and both groups for May 2011. I had that option to  appear for One Group in Nov 2010 and another May 2011. Rather my father also bought an Exam Form. But I was clear that I wanted to appear and clear both groups together. Luckily, it paid off for me but this decision gave me so much confidence to face any challenges. Decisions are a reflection of your self- belief.

Fast track your decisions before it is too late

4. Life of 20s-30s

A span of 10 -15 years starting from your college to your professional life  is most important. Leaving exceptions aside, not everyone is a college drop out or can handle the startup journey. Majority of people fit in a calculative decision making, family oriented approach. Then, this span is a formative one. A good qualification gives you a passport to enter a reasonably good firm or company which will pave the way for your growth.

This span should be used to know yourself what is your liking, what is your strength, what is your long term vision, what is something you can work for 25-30 years without getting bored. The answers to these questions are not easy and you need to test yourself by actually trying and not by merely wishful thinking that I want to build a billion dollar business. This thought itself will not lead you anywhere but taking steps, testing the market will. 

So this span is all about trying and exploring and understanding what works for you. Because even if it doesn’t work you are not too late to pivot. But in 30s-40s, your capacity will replenish, there will be a myriad of responsibilities and your decisions will not be about you but your family too.

So take charge of your first 10 years to remain fulfilled for next 50 years

5. Hobby 

No matter how passionate you are about your work, there will be moments — at the end of the day or week — when you feel drained. That’s when a hobby becomes essential. It allows you to reconnect with yourself and recharge for the days ahead. For me, it could be writing, watching a good movie or web series, spending time with family, or meeting new people — anything that brings joy and balance."

If you were a great Singer during your school time or a musician, pick up Mic and record a video and just share with loved ones. Let me tell you, they will be your loudest cheerleaders.

“Don’t let your hobbies die in never-ending pursuit of life”

6. Life Partner and Family

This is a common issue especially in younger generations who have a fear of commitment and for them Marriage is a burden as it tends to restrict their freedom and most common way is they feel bound by certain boundaries.

I agree it’s not easy to find a like minded companion to navigate the ship. But once you find it, trust me, Marriage do not limit but liberate you with moments of joy, unforgettable experience, sharing success and failures. 

Don’t rush into getting married and take your own time and look for a friend in your prospective partner. If you are friends with each other then all situations will seem an easy ride. Thankfully, this is sorted for me with my supportive partner and we both gel up together really well and carried this relationship beautifully for 8 years. 

But the relationship is incomplete without family values and support. Be it , A Parent and Child relationship of mutual understanding and respect, relationship between two siblings of trust, relationship between friends of self-lessness.

Last but not the least, children add a joy to this ride of life and relationships.

Before parting……

There are lot of things which takes backseat in any progressive journey but to make your journey long and blissful, working on your mental and physical health is paramount (this is work in progress for me as well)

Happy Reading! Waiting to hear your story of life in comments/DM.