This post was most recently updated on April 6th, 2018

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The moment finally arrived. I had been waiting so long to attend the startup fest in the city organized by young entrepreneurs inviting eminent speakers.

Not once had I attended such event in my life. I waited for full 1 year to be a part of such event. Even more exciting was that I was going to meet few entrepreneurs who had already accomplished what I dreamed of and I had personally contacted them to meet me.

They were humble enough to respond and I was now more excited than ever to ask them questions which could solve my entrepreneurial doubts.

What a minute! Just few days before, a regulatory agency from another country, even smaller than 5% of our population wanted to visit our site for audit and my boss as always, started panicking on reading the news. Audit usually meant longer hours and no leave.

But what about my startup dream? This audit was only for 2 days and it was not a big deal provided we were already prepared. But as always, my boss denied. After multiple requests, he didn’t gave me a clear answer but warned me to shift to another department.

I have had my full 6 years working for a corporate. I still do it. After all, majorities of people in this world does the same.

One of my friends recently justified himself for the same when I asked him why he spends around 5 hours each day to and fro commuting. And his answer was, “Lots of people are already doing it.” This comes down to the common question we all were asked in life. “If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you jump?” The logic here is, “Think about yourself.”

There are lots of people doing jobs but the question is,” Are they happy?” My guess is they are, but very few. The rest of them just come to work, obey like a robot and leave. This happens for around 40 years. They don’t learn anything outside their job. They don’t know their interests. They just live for others. And then one day, they get old and wonder why they don’t have time for doing things they always wanted to do.

I can see the people ahead of me living a frustrated life and having no social or family life. Outside, they are trying to justify themselves for having a great job and good salary but what good they have when they don’t have a life?

If there’s anything I have learned apart from minding my own business and avoiding office politics, these are the 2 things.

Life is much more than a job.

Life is not a rehearsal. Live it now. Too many people wait for that next promotion to learn something new, they wait for next salary to start something new, and they make another excuse to take that one extra step.

They stay in office to get few more bucks even when they don’t have any work. They also stay in office because they don’t know what to do after their office hours.

Open up your eyes and see how the world is running. Life is much more than job. There are unlimited ways to earn money. There are many new things to see and learn which are beyond our imagination.

Step out of your office or home and see the real world outside your cubicle. Find your interests and live them. Read books. Get inspired. Help people. Attend events. Meet new people. Find the work you are born to do.

You’ll not regret it at least.

Your family needs you more than your company need you.

People also sacrifice life for living. They wait for one full year for traveling just because their boss doesn’t permit them. Your family needs you more than your company needs you.

When you have a serious issue in family and you stay in office for the sake of working, you need to remember that when your home is broken, your job will not help you in fixing that but your true friends will. So be in touch with people you really like to be with. Make your family happy by being with them every single day.

People regret obeying orders which don’t need to be followed at all but I guess they don’t regret spending time with their family.

I have seen people getting ahead in career without spending extra time in office. Find such people and learn from them. Your job is only a part of your life. It’s not your life. And life is meant to be lived my friends, not only to breathe.

Did I visit that entreprenurial event I told you? Of course I did. And I am glad I did. I learned more in few hours than I learned in my my 6 years of job.

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