During my MBA, a college friend visited us in Philadelphia. And during our conversation, I asked him about his career plans.
But he had no ‘plans’ — he was happy with his life, and I couldn’t understand how that was possible!
After an IIT degree and a master’s from a US university, he was working as a software engineer with a bank, making about $90,000. While the salary itself wasn’t too bad, the work was dull and offered very little growth. How could he accept that?
So I asked him, “Why don’t you do an MBA?” He wasn’t interested.
I goaded him to look for more challenging jobs. Again, he wasn’t keen. He said, “I have a good life. I get time to enjoy, watch football matches, have fun on weekends.”
After he left, I told my wife, “How can he be so unambitious?”
My wife replied, “What’s your problem? He is happy — just leave him alone.”
While much has changed since then, I am still confident that I would be very unhappy with his career choices, as he would be with mine.
That is why it is pointless comparing our career choices with those of others. Right or wrong — only you know what the right answer for you is.
Some questions in life can’t be outsourced. Figuring out your career is one of them.
– Rajan