Conquering Fear

@kshitiz | talk at SAM UTH event VIT Vellore, 23rd March 2014

- my thoughts on entrepreneurship

Learn to love what you've been taught to fear. - Felix Baumgartner

… a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life. It is a clever, treacherous adversary, how well I know.��� It has no decency, respects no law or convention, shows no mercy. It goes for your weakest spot, which it finds with unnerving ease. - Yann Martel, Life of Pi

Let me tell you a few stories from my life so far

You can get some tips on entrepreneurship here

2001

Do you trust the people around you? How do you select your team?

A flooded river. Boat stops in middle. You do not know how to swim. My first “real” feel of experiencing fear.

2002 You are a good student all throughout. 90%+ always. Good College. Fail in an exam for the first time in your life. The fear of Social Stigma.

Would you let early failures tie you down? What would it take to get up each time ?

2003 Take the time to explore new things. Find new love that could help you survive. The fear of not finding means to sustain it.

Find a thing you are really passionate about. The world will conspire to make it happen.

2004 Do something new regularly. Decide to work on something that no one has. Conviction to face it all and fear of what people would say.

It’s easy to be a part of the crowd. Doing things differently requires courage.

2005

Sometimes the jump into the unknown is required. That time is now.

Taking key decisions to follow passion is tough. 2 jobs off campus. Walk-ins for 3 months. The fear of not having a safety net below.

What was your experience at first company. Amongst other things, I learnt how to swim. Professional photography. A first taste of conquering fear.

2006

It is never late to learn and start. We are more connected that ever before. No stopping you.

2007 1 year, 11 months, 1 day Getting into the comfort zone kills creativity. Left a cushy job to get back to the unknown.

Know when to come out of your comfort zone. Being from a good college, has its advantages.

2008 14500 ft. One jump. 120 miles/hr freefall Flashback of your life in a few seconds. The thought of death. The ultimate fear.

What is the thing that you are afraid of the most? How would you overcome that fear ?

2009 Return from the US without working there. There goes the handsome dowry. The fear of standing up to people’s expectations.

Courage is standing up for what you believe is right. Taking risks is essential.

2010 A friend’s bike about to be snatched. Struggling Entrepreneur. Language barrier. Test of survival. The fear of losing something your life depends on.

In times of crisis, your intelligence is most important. You will hold onto the dear thing, no matter what.

2011 Leaving something you have built with passion. Leaving someone you are so closely associated with. The fear of starting everything all over again.

Failures are the pillars of success. You will put your learning to good use to create better.

2012 Remembering that you are going to die, is the best way to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to loose. Grandma left us. The fear of not doing enough?

What would you like to be remembered for? Each day work towards that goal.

2013 Teaching design to senior management professionals. Try teaching in primary school in Bihar. Challenging. The fear of being called bluff.

How do you make your product and offering stand out? What would people value you for?

2014 Keeping the energy fresh always. Asking oneself, am I still relevant? The fear of challenge of scaling up to create larger impact.

Make small things work perfectly first. Scaling up will happen with time.

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Only by conquering your fear, you can be happy.

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