A happy farewell

Farewells are a part of corporate life. People come and go. Some make a difference, some make a living. Don't know if I am quoting somebody, but that is the truth. This time around, I had a chance to attend one of those rare farewells, where a person moved out to pursue their passion in life. An early retirement from corporate life to settle down away from the fast pace of Mumbai, starting a new small venture, which could give him quality time with his family. How we all wish we could too, don’t we? Maybe not.
 
But for a minute if one could suppose that we had just won a lottery or an unexpected inheritance – basically had a lot of idle money in our hands. Would we then, continue to work the way we do now or would we be then doing something else? Just the kind of question a career counsellor would ask to know about what kind of work is it that you deeply desire. We all might have our own answers. But the truth is that most of us do not have such idle money; what we do have are loans-EMIs and increasing monthly expenses. So the steady source of income that our work provides, is crucial for our well-being and we are loyal to it.
 
However, they say that the universe is full of charged particles which react to the way you think. If you think positive, positive things happen to you and vice-versa. What I mean to actually arrive at is - that today there is a huge wide world out there which can be a market for whatever kind of work it is, that is your calling. We just need to take the initiative. It is not easy, but it is much easier today than before. 

These days I read so much about normal, simple people becoming entrepreneurs and creating livelihoods. Not your one app, one idea and ka-boom!!  Although such startups are also quite common. I have read about rural self help groups, artisans from small towns, small farmers, fishermen - all coming together, pooling their native skills, to help themselves by creating their own special business. And they all have found their markets. 

When I joined the corporate world, there were others in my class, just like me, who started their own businesses. While I was at my desk, they explored markets. While I attended meetings, they interacted with vendors and customers. While I wondered about my performance review, they were strategising about how many to hire. Today my plate feels so empty of these experiences. 

This farewell reminds me that it is never too late to start.