My discussions with friends/ mentors generally turn out to be therapy sessions. Since I am blunt, people are also more open and don't share the virtue signalling gyaan you see on Twitter.

Here are a few interesting observations from various people (not taking names).

Person A: Manas, think about it. If these people who give gyaan all day on Twitter and this gyaan actually worked, they would be CPO at some hot startup themselves. Why are they selling courses and marketing themselves 24*7 here.

Me:
(okay, I will give less gyaan)

Me: You are smart. You have built GTM models for so many startups. I have not met a better sales/business guy. Who don't you blog?

Person B: Blog likhke kya hoga yaar. Itna hi valuable hain gyaan then monetise it. I invest/advice startups. I will startup soon. Far better.

Person C (who moved to Europe): At one point in our career we have to ask what is enough. I was out of the rat race when I realised I don't want my boss' life. I am okay being an SPM forever. Don't want more. I just want a good work life balance.

Being able to come home twice a year to meet my parents.

My relatives in India who run small businesses are available for birthday parties of their kids. All family functions. They have delegated most of the work. They earn far more than what we ever will.

You won't see them on Twitter. As I grow older I have realised that we worship the wrong things. It is all hustle culture. I already earn more than my parents ever did. I don't need more. What I want is time.

Fun fact: I met person C on Twitter when he DM'ed me

Person D: I wish I had applied for Canada PR earlier. I would have got my citizenship by now. And with that worked in the US far more easily instead of getting into this H1B situation (highly uncertain). Whatever I would have lost in terms of career growth and money,

I would have earned back in my late 30s by working in the US.

Person E: Live in a country that encourages innovation. All the uncertainties around crypto in India means that the Government is scared of competition.

If crypto/metaverse is the future, even if the probability is less, I don't want to stay in a place that won't let me be part of it.

Person F (a senior leader in my company): Someone who is afraid of losing their job will never be able to do great work. Instead of speaking their mind and standing for what is best for their customers, they will always go with their boss' opinion or majority consensus.

It can be a good strategy for short term career growth but over long term they will be exposed as people without a backbone.

Me: You are saying that but my experience in the corporate world has been more like this. (see image)

Person F: Manas, your career length is not a decade. You will work multiple decades. Jisko jo bhi strategy use karna hain, everyone will reach the same destination at the end.

What you have to ask is: what path you will choose.