If I Were 22: Don't Force the Pace of Life (You Just Won't Make Your First Million by 22)

This post is part of a series in which Influencers share lessons from their youth. Read all the stories here.

The Mark Zuckerbergs, David Karps and Pete Cashmores of the entrepreneurial world would have you believe that making your first million – and in no time touching the billion mark – is just about zoning in on the next big idea and thrashing it out till it gleams gold! They cracked their winning formulas in their early 20s, while in college or soon after graduation. However, does that mean the key to a successful life is figuring it all out by 22? Not really!

I remember being at similar crossroads during my late teens – unsure about what academic path to choose or whether to begin my quest for financial independence with a job. However, there was some modicum of certainty in my vision for the future – I wanted to be in control of my own destiny, steer my own ship. That dose of clarity helped me plan my life choices in the years to come. Clarity seems a simple word, but achieving it can require thinking outside the box.

Does it help to talk to fifteen different people, aggregate their views, plot the pros and cons to arrive at what you should do? On paper, it sounds fantastic. In real life, it adds more confusion than clarity. I trust my Three Os approach more (sounds like a formula but it’s just good old wisdom!) – Be Optimistic, Opportunistic and Open to experimentation.

At 22, think of life as an open canvas with infinite possibilities. Go with what your passion dictates and not with what appears safe and logical. Use these years to explore the world and your life a bit more. I was in my early 20s, travelling through the UK when I decided to meet my father, who had just reached London. A coincidental trip with him to a toothbrush factory he was visiting led to my first business venture – manufacturing toothbrushes. It was a string of coincidences that turned into a winning business opportunity: I was in London around the time my father was, I was visiting a toothbrush-making factory that had a few machines (that looked brand new) to dispose off as junk. I had never worked in a factory before nor did I know much about the oral hygiene industry. But my instincts told me, "here lies a business opportunity." So there I was, in my 20s, with neither the money nor the industry knowledge, keen to bring back technology that India was yet to see! What I was willing to take was a risk because there was clarity in my head that I had to seize this opportunity. Unilazer toothbrushes that soon became one of the main suppliers to major brands came into existence because of a risk I took, purely on gut instinct! It was not a bed of roses. There were unexpected knocks and stumbles along the way. But these along with the small successes made for valuable life experiences. They helped me make key choices in life.

However, decisions taken at 22 cannot be the barometer for success or failure for life. Before you begin chasing careers and professional acclaim, seek out true work-life balance. Hunt for passions outside studies and work too. Zone in on them – they not only define your personality, but also give you a unique prism to view the world through. I found my balance through my hobby – acting in plays. My studies and entrepreneurial quest apart, I put my heart and soul into theatre. It was a lot of fun that consumed my evenings and the best part of my weekends. I later realised that this pursuit of fun and passion instilled in me the confidence to face people, interact with them, and communicate my thoughts clearly and loudly to others. It also led me to the world of media and entertainment. At that stage in life, I didn’t have an inkling that I’d be founding and leading a multi-million dollar media conglomerate. But my journey as a media entrepreneur, a film producer and now a social venture capitalist and entrepreneur are the result of pursuing my passions and relying on life experiences to help make strategic choices.

Build your life in gradual blocks. If you force the pace of life, before you can expertly navigate its twists and turns, you could be setting yourself up for a pivot or total rollback of your career direction. Or worse, get intimidated by ‘change’, mistake it for failure or lack of clarity and continue to persist unhappily with the choices made early in life. The secret to longevity and success – personal and professional – is learning the art of balance. Zuckerberg, Karp, Cashmore and many more are inspirations that success knows no age, but remember, most successful men and women across the world took their time to win the world over!

Photo: Mark Zuckerberg at 23, Scott Beale / Laughing Squid via Flickr