#PushKnowledge
Connecting Dots looking Backwards!
Vishnu Vardhaan .

After my 12th standard, I wanted to join a visual communication course.

My mum refused.

After my first year of college, I wanted to quit and become a film director.

My dad refused.

After my engineering, I wanted to code and work for an IT firm.

My family refused.

Whilst doing my MBA, I wanted to work as a sales team lead.

Destiny refused.

After becoming an Instructional Designer, I wanted to become a Learning and Development team lead.

Life refused.

After I started up, I wanted to be 'self-employed'.

I refused.

Now, I run a company where I lead a team of super awesome designers - I speak their language.

I lead a team of visual artists, filmmakers - I speak their language.

I lead a team of coders - I speak their language.

I lead a team of course developers and content writers and instructional designers - I speak their language.

I finally realized that I had to pass through these phases, not to make me agitated, but to make me prepared for the greater good.

I finally understood what Steve Jobs meant when he said, "You cannot connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards."

Do you have a similar experience? I'd love to know 👇

Originally Posted Here
4 Comments

Madhuri Sen

I don't have a list of barriers that led me down my path. I have a list of circumstances that I wished to change.

- My first job even before I turned 16 was just after my 10th exams only because my father questioned me about how I use my pocket money.I got a project the same day (yes, really) and I've never been financially dependant since for anything. Even started paying a sum to my parents towards rent and food expenses.
- My first choice of profession similar to yours was commercial design/art. But JJ College of Arts had hardly any general category seats. Got admission in LS Raheja and Sophia's - but didn't want to go to the second best college (the arrogance of youth, I guess)😂. Went to Xavier's instead to major in English Literature with an autonomous honors in applied psychology
- I loved writing as much as sketching/painting. So since art as a career was denied to me - the other route into commercial communications was writing. But all I could land were client servicing roles. One for copywriting was scarce.
- To feed my love for writing picked up freelance journalism and even landed a job as lifestyle editor that I finally didn't take up
- Marketing and brand communications needed more of a combination of design sense and writing than the position as editor did
- So for the love of writing and design started my career that soon took me to heading the India ops of 2 marketing/organic influence global agencies - led one for 12 years, one for 6
- Picked up qualifications in design thinking and another in cognitive neuroscience along the way when those areas needed honing
- But big agency life limits what one can achieve by the boundaries they set themselves - so started my own boutique marketing and brand strategy consulting firm that takes a far more measurable business impact approach than one can afford to take at a large agency. Focused attention to a addressing a client's business challenge/goal/problem rather than spreading attention to an infinite number of clients.
- To put my skills to wider use, I now also have 3 other entrepreneurial ventures in partnership

Did I know I'd have my own strategy consulting firm or even about the other entrepreneurial ventures. No. I only saw the circumstances and spotted open doors of opportunity. But I definitely couldn't have joined the dots forward. I can't even now. And that's what makes life so lovely, if you give it the chance to amaze you. Take it as it comes. Give it all you've got.

Piyush Soni

Nice to hear such good experiences here!!
And true, Unexpectedly happened things are those which makes our life interesting..

Swathi Krishnan YesPeopletainment

Yes

I wanted to be a news reader while in 10 th class
I wanted to be a teacher - studying college
I wanted to be a model - while working in a shift job
I wanted to be a public speaker - while started business
I wanted to engage with people and help them - in the middle of climbing up ladder
I wanted to surround with influencer - when I falling down

Stages of life

Today I am all of them : Connecting Dots by looking backwards

Thank youVishnu Vardhaan
In sense Gratitude

Piyush Soni

I am seeing a nirmal baba's third eye here...😄
Jo chaho wo milega!!✌️🙏

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