What I've observed in recent times is
that my generation is dealing with a new dilemma. One that I tout
“post-quarter life crises” This kicks in at any time between 26
to 35. Where you realise that you are in a thankless job and suddenly
feeling insignificant. People around you have travelled the world and
have tales to tell. The vagabond wanderers which were maimed as
social pariahs have actually “lived” their life where as you, who
actually took up a job after college in hopes of a better life is
actually shouldering the burden of the worlds populace. The steady
and fix income that you sought after has now suddenly become your
crutch. Its become your heroine, something which you can't do
without. And there is no rehab out there to get you rid of this
dependence.
Most of us “working-class” people,
when we gather at our local watering hole, talk about the same thing,
getting out of this rat-race. We talk about our end-games, our
way-outs. We discuss our entrepreneurial visions and dreams. We've
been doing this for years now, with no end in sight, no light at the
end of the tunnel. Everyone in my professional circle has the same
idea. Earn enough to save and invest in a business, be your own boss.
We envy our friends for following their dreams and curse our
cowardice for taking the safe route. But the bitter irony is, this
illusive “safe” route turned out to be the most deceitful.
In one hand we have the ever so
tempting managerial role, the one that got us into this predicament.
We have put in our blood, sweat and tears into reaching here. Calling
quits with the elusive finish line in sights goes against every
rational fibre of our being. While on the other hand, we have the
holy grail, “job satisfaction”. Knowing that all the effort we
put in will be for us and only us. There will be no Tom, Dick and
Harry barking over the phone about SLAs and KRAs. It will be us, only
us, and our passions and visions. Even just the thought of that
brings about a sense of victory, it erases that feeling of foreboding
that is ubiquitous with our current profession.
We romanticize entrepreneurship so much
that we overlook the pitfalls and perils that are a part and a parcel
of every business. We read about success stories and all those
glamorised riches to rags stories but fail to realise that people
don't write about failures, or if they do, these stories don't become
best sellers. The risks involved in being an entrepreneur are immense
and there is no scape goat. You have to bear the weight of your
decisions. And sub-consciously, we know it. We know exactly what is
at stake. The regular influx of cash flow versus the erratic and
unpredictable profit/loss nature of a business. This is where our
enslavement to our salary holds us back.
We are terrified to get out of our
comfort zone. By we, I mean my brethren of average Joe's who are
unfortunately sailing in this same rotten boat. We laud and resent
our other comrades for their valour. We tell ourselves that such
temerity is not often rewarded and we might not be so lucky. But the
fact of the matter is, we will never know until we take that leap of
faith. And faith is exactly what we lack. Faith in ourselves. Years
of unrequited efforts put in for ungrateful faceless men have jaded
us, made us cynical and bitter. It has slowly but steadily sapped
into our ambitions
Life has been a cruel mistress, and we
have yielded to her every whim.
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