In the early days of India’s e-commerce boom, in 2011, I was among 30-odd investors gathered around a renowned entrepreneur in Mumbai’s Oberoi Hotel.
With casual bravado, he said, “In the current market, if you are not growing 30% month-on-month, you are doing something wrong.”
Everybody was awestruck — what a guy!
If you were among the audience, you would have felt intense FOMO — “The world is moving so fast! If I miss this bus, this chance will never come again!”
A decade later, we have the report card — that high-growth startup tanked. And one reason they tanked is that the 30% month-on-month growth blinded them to the real problem — building a differentiated business.
When we are in too much hurry, we lose touch with reality.
There is no rush. There is no last bus that you will miss. And most importantly, non-hurrying does NOT mean being slow or lethargic.
Hurrying implies a state of panic and anxiety. And when you panic, you miss your aim.
There is no clock ticking, except in your mind. So take your time. Keep your cool. Take your best shot. And leave it at that.
There is nothing more to be done.
– Rajan