Q. Write something about post-graduation mid-life crises feeling. I have so many friends who have graduated (which is always guided by parents) and then when you enter in real-world – job hunting, masters, business, follow the passion, make passion your profession, further education abroad, internship, etc. You are lost as to what step to take next, confused, as this is a crucial step to decide what you want from your life, for stability, growth, to build a family, to support current family and responsibilities. etc

A. I am somewhat at the same stage of my life. Or being 26, I think I am crossing this stage. I can totally understand what is going in your mind. When I posted this question on my Instagram story, many people replied with – “Help me as well”. I am not a successful or established person to guide you about things, but I follow certain tips which keep my mental sanity in check. I can only suggest you few tips to understand and love this process.

• Have Patience: That’s what I do. I keep patience and see things unfolding in front of me after giving my 100% to that thing. It is a process of life. We have no idea what is going to happen the next day. Are we even going to live further? What we have is the present moment in our hands. Rest, nothing is in your hand.
• Love the Process: Always think of your life as a famous biography to be published 50 years down the line. Present struggles will add one more chapter to your autobiography. People are going to admire each and every struggle you are going through right now.

This was about the mental switch. Now some practical advice. (Ankit Mishra – @editedidea helped me in drafting these)

• As soon as you graduate – try to figure out what really your passion is. What you really love and do not feel tired of doing it. It could be music, art, fitness, public speaking, or it could be a daily 9-5 job as well. If you love that job, you are going to do well in life. Now for example – You did graduation in BBA (because your parents asked you to do) but you realized (somewhere in your second year) that you like painting more than BBA books. What should be your process in this case? – Learn stuff from the internet – paint stuff – post on Instagram – make a profile – get an internship in a related field – it will convert into a permanent job within six months – save money – run ads – make your products and start selling.
• But whatever you do – do with real passion and hard work. Keep trying new things every now and then. The problem with people of our age is that they think life is going to end after 28 or 30. No, we have lots of time. If you trust medical science and new inventions, we are going to live for 110 years easily. And I personally going to try new things till my last year.
• Also understand, life has to be full of struggle and sufferings. Start enjoying that suffering instead of feeling down because of them. Things unfold with the time if we put 100% of our hard work into them.
• Please stop listening to what your parents want or your relatives want from you. They are just trying to ‘fulfil’ their wishes and dreams through you. Just like I already planned a workout routine for my future kid. If they ask you for money – Take a job, work for 10 hours and then rest 6 hours work on your passion.

My present example – At the age of 16 – two things bit me – Film Direction and Fitness. Being from a small town, all forces around me were forcing me to go for engineering or CA or CS. I had no interest. They eventually gave in and paid for my college in Pune where I did mass communication and film making. (but I quit gym completely)

Now at the age of 21-22-23, I had the same kind of dillema. What to do next? Should I go to some film making institute in USA or should I join some production house and work my ass off for 2 years without looking here and there. I did. I worked my ass off for six months, but I was not happy because I was missing my workout daily. I quit the job and came back to Pune, approached a few people for shoots and started earning some money through which I got back into my fitness regime and side by side polished my cinematography and editing skills as well (because whatever happens tomorrow, only skills will remain with you). At present, I am still figuring out ways to compile my fitness love and film making skills together to create content for my audience. I am constantly learning more and more about both of them.

My point is, do whatever you like and see your future in. Do not do if your mom asked you to do something, or your Dad’s friend told something about you to him. Do not think about being rich or something at this age. Save (by avoiding parties, new clothes and vacations) and invest your money back in social media ads and marketing.

Only you can help yourself. How? by giving your 100%.

Got a question? DM me or post in my group – Reverse Engineering 

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