I have had three pretty different careers, but every single time I realised one thing — there is no free lunch.
In my first job with the civil services, everything was secure and predictable.
The government gave me all the resources, legal authority, firepower, and manpower I needed. Never did I have to worry about where the next month’s salaries would come from — it was the headache of the government treasury.
But it all came at a cost — on my own, shorn of my position, I was practically a zero. I was merely reflecting the authority vested in the government.
In my second career (as a consultant and later as an investor), that total security and predictability was gone. But still, my brand was my employer’s brand. And I survived on their financial resources.
The upside went up, but so did the downside.
Now, in my third career as an entrepreneur, I can do anything I want, but nothing is given on a platter.
If I need to pay salaries, I need to go find the money. If I need a brand, I need to go build it. The freedom is unlimited, but so is the burden.
You can seek whatever you want. But you have to pay the price.
In the end, it is all fair. No?
– Rajan