When I Stopped Chasing and Started Living

Two Monks on a Motorcycle: Corporate Zen Stories

Day 110

It was a rainy Monday morning when Akshay, a mid-level executive at a fast-growing tech company, felt the weight of his ambitions bearing down on him. The corporate world had conditioned him to strive for more—more money, more status, more recognition. His daily routine revolved around the constant chase of 'I want'—a never-ending cycle of desire that seemed insatiable.

Akshay’s life was a series of checkboxes: a bigger salary, a nicer car, a more impressive job title. Every promotion brought temporary satisfaction but never quite filled the emptiness inside. He was on a treadmill of greed, always running faster, always striving for more, yet never truly content. It wasn’t until a significant life event that Akshay’s perspective began to shift.

One evening, Akshay received a call from his childhood Santosh who was a high school teacher in a small, rural town, living a life vastly different from ?Akshay’s corporate existence. Over dinner, Santosh shared stories of his daily routine: the simple joy of watching his students’ eyes light up when they understood a difficult concept, the sense of fulfillment from making a difference in their lives. It was a stark contrast to Akshay’s world, where value was measured by quarterly targets and financial gains.

“Santosh,” Akshay said, “I used to think having more meant being more successful. But now, I realize it’s about what you give, not what you get. I’ve found a different kind of richness here, one that doesn’t depend on material things but on the quality of relationships and the joy of giving back.”

“Akshay,” Santosh said between bites of pie, “I used to think success meant climbing the ladder. Now I know it’s about lifting others up.”

Santosh’s words struck a chord with Akshay. He realized that his pursuit of ‘I want’ had blinded him to the things he already had—his health, his family, and the opportunities to make a difference. Santosh’s perspective on ‘I have’ and ‘I give’ was a revelation. It wasn’t just about accumulating more; it was about appreciating what he already possessed and using it to enrich the lives of others.

Inspired by this conversation, Akshay decided to make a change. He started focusing less on his job title and salary and more on his contribution to the team and community. He began volunteering at a local charity, spending his weekends helping the underprivileged, and he started coaching his son’s little league team. Akshay found that these activities brought him a sense of purpose and joy he had never experienced in his high-pressure job.

The shift from greed to gratitude changed Akshay’s outlook on life and work. He moved from a mindset of ‘I want’ to one of ‘I have’. He learned to appreciate his job not just for the paycheck but for the opportunity to use his skills and experiences to make a difference. His relationships with colleagues and friends deepened, and his personal life blossomed. He discovered that true success wasn’t about what he took but what he gave.

To Akshay’s shock, these activities made him… happy. He found himself genuinely enjoying conversations with colleagues. Suddenly, quarterly targets didn’t feel like life-or-death battles but opportunities to collaborate and grow.

Akshay’s transformation didn’t go unnoticed. His coworkers started referring to him as Zen Akshay. Even his boss, a notorious micromanager, seemed oddly impressed by Akshay’s new approach. “Have you joined a cult?” she asked during a performance review.

“Nope,” Akshay replied. “Just figured out that life’s about more than stock options and espresso machines.”

Akshay’s story is a powerful reminder of how small changes in perspective can lead to profound personal growth. It’s about realizing that happiness doesn’t come from accumulating more but from appreciating and giving what we already have. From greed to gratitude, Akshay’s journey illustrates the transformative power of shifting our focus from ‘I want’ to ‘I have’ and from ‘I take’ to ‘I give’.

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