warikoo Wanderings

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MY STORY WHEN I WAS 30

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I distinctly remember that evening.
Nov 2010
Ruchi and I were returning after watching the movie "The Social Network".
And I felt shattered.
Hopeless.
Dejected!

3 months back, I was fired from my first startup.
I was the cofounder there, but hadn't played the role of one.
And the CEO had done the right thing by asking me to leave.

I had decided to take a break to figure out what to do next.
Ruchi had quit her job too, earlier this year. So we were now a jobless couple.
We had savings for a few months. But no plan really.

And the movie had not done me any good either.
The story was of Mark Zuckerberg building Facebook at such a young age, taking it to success despite all odds; and at 27 becoming the youngest billionaire in the world.
And here I was, at 30 - jobless, directionless, confused.
Now feeling embarrassed at who I was!

Ruchi sensed something was wrong.
So she asked if I was okay.
"I have wasted so much time", I replied.
"But it's only been 3 months", she remarked.

I haven't wasted 3 months. I have wasted 30 years...

That is who I was at 30.
Wasted!
Or so I felt.

Within a month, I began applying to companies for a job, knowing that starting up again might not be the right thing for me.

In Dec 2010, I got an offer from Rocket Internet to bring their Fashion eCommerce product to India and join them as a cofounder.
In Feb 2011, that idea was shelved and I had to disband the entire team of 40+ people.
In Mar 2011, Rocket Internet founders asked me to help them with another business they were responsible for - Groupon.
In Apr 2011, I became the founding CEO of Groupon India.

And that, to me, is something that I still can't wrap my head around.

How did I go from that jobless, clueless 30-year old in Nov 2010, to the CEO of Groupon India, in just 5 months?

While I still can't explain it, here is what I did figure, when all of this happened:

I figured I was so focused on my past that I had forgotten there was a much longer and hopefully better future ahead of me.
I figured that I could either look at the 30 years gone by.
Or look at the 50 that were yet to come.

At 30, I was jobless, with no money, recently married, confused, clueless.
Had no idea where I would be in life.

To all those who think they haven't done anything in life, and have wasted so much time...
​It is not about the years gone by.
It is about the years still left!

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MY MORNING ROUTINE

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In this week's podcast episode I went through my morning routine, that sets up the day for me.
Over the past several years, this routine has single handedly helped me take charge of my time and do things that I wish to do.
Most importantly, it makes me ready for all uncertainties that the day will eventually throw at me.

Give it a listen on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcast, JioSaavn or Gaana.

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BOOK I AM READING THIS WEEK

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This week I read two awesome books:

​Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered​

​Becoming, by Michelle Obama​

Show Your Work is a MUST for all freelancers, creators and frankly everyone in their teens and 20s. Because the fundamentals of getting discovered are so critical to today's world.
Please pick this book up - you wouldn't regret it.

I had been meaning to read Becoming for a long time now and finally got around to doing so. I guess I expected more. It is a terrific book, but maybe my sense of what all Michelle would have experienced as the First Lady of the US, was that she would have experienced a lot more.
That said - if you love autobiographies (I love them!) and cherish learning from other people's lives - pick this up. You won't regret it!

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QUOTES TO SHARE

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"I am like this only"
This used to be my favorite statement while growing up. Up until I was 24!
Everything changed, when I realized how limiting this mindset is!
​(Share on Twitter)​

The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.
- Nelson Henderson
​(Share on Twitter)​

Always a student.
​(Share on Twitter)​

Spend time with people who see you for who you are. Not those who see you for who THEY WANT you to be.
​(Share on Twitter)​

We all think we can change our environment. The harsh truth is it changes us.
​(Share on Twitter)​
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RESPONSES FOR LAST WEEK'S QUESTION

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Last week I asked all of you:

When do you think is the right time to marry?

1. Before 25
2. Between 25-30
3. Between 30-35
4. After 35
5. I don't think one should marry

As you might have noticed, I have also started asking about your age, so that there could be some correlations drawn.

Here is the summary of your responses:

The only thing that I see interesting was the increasing share of people who feel that one should not marry, as they get old :))
Maybe the married people know something unmarried ones don't, as yet! Haha

Of course, a lot of you wrote in to suggest that there is no right age to marry. I'd 100% agree.
The question was to figure when do you think could be a good time to marry :))

For me, I think the right time to marry, should you want to, is between 30-35.

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THIS WEEK'S QUESTION

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Rate your parents, on how good a job of parenting did they do or are they doing:

1. Unbelievably good
2. Decent
3. Bad
4. Unbelievably horrible
5. I do not have parents / grew up without them

I know this question will generate a lot of "OH MY GOD - WHAT ARE YOU EVEN ASKING!!?" - but still - play along, please?
Also, very important to note - I am not asking how good or bad your parents are as people. I am asking you to rate their parenting skills.

​Click here to submit your response (it is completely anonymous!)​

You can, of course, always write to me - it is a pleasure to hear from all of you. I might not respond to every email, but I do read all my emails.
I READ ALL MY EMAILS (paneer momos ki kasam!)

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​Read all previous editions of the newsletter here.​