Rat race - it hurts

Ever wondered why are you one of those people who are caught in the race? You must be an engineer who did his/her graduation in Computer Science/ Electrical/ Mechanical / Civil from one of the many good colleges in the country. You completed your graduation by copying the answers from your friends, googling projects or even strong guesses. You always dreamt of big things during graduation but yet appeared for campus interviews. Probably you were the lucky one to get selected early or you were the one who scraped through. You then joined an IT major and became one of 25000 candidates selected that year from different colleges/ universities to do an outsourced job... and then?

You became a rat.. you joined a rat race. The rat race of appraisals, on-site opportunities, promotions, buying a new car, flat etc. etc. Didn't you?

Question: Does it hurt to be in the rat race?

Busy running a rat race, many people forget the real reason they are chasing a dream. Some people get into the habit of running a rat race because they are trying to compete with people or make people in their lives, such as their parents, happy with the decisions they make.

I am a Software Engineer. I've developed desktop and mobile applications, product development using SAP. I also did an executive MBA during my job tenure. But none of my job profiles offered me to "manage" and "grow" something until lately I took the reigns in my hand. Wondering what I did during my last 6 years, was it something I real wanted to do? Sadly, the answer is NO. I always wanted to run my own business.

Life beyond the Rat Race


The life beyond the rat race only begins when we take a small but meaningful journey within us. It is important for us to know what we really want to do, what you are passionate about. For example, if you think that you are trapped in a lousy career, its a good idea to look back and see why you are in a career you hate.

Second good way would be to stop trying to compete with other people. Whether you are competing with someone with better possessions or better job, you will be stuck running a rat race because you probably won't be able to catch up with them. You are only in competition with yourself. 


Every one imagines a life beyond a rat race. But hardly any one dares to try and live it. All we need to do it first know what we want and then take steps to do it. Money is secondary. If Edison invented electric bulb because he wanted to earn, he’d have never invented an electric bulb. Do it if your heart says. Do some thing new, some thing better and do it if it is fun. If you are good at it, the money will follow.

Sit-up & See

Its been almost 3 months now since I have joined the gym now. I feel peppy, energetic and fresh most of the time now. Thinking of the times, when I had no intentions, reasons to join the gym; I wonder what kept me motivated till now. The readers might find my reasons amusing.

Time: 10:00 p.m.

Date: 19th March 2009

Arihant is checking his waist line in the mirror and undergoing a stage of grief. Since so long he has been proud of his non- gym-athletic build. He has his favourite trousers in his hands which talk the language that he speaks; which carry the attitude he personifies; which highlight his personality. Now it feels like a water balloon being tried to put into a wallet...

God!!! Please make these pants fit. I promise I would start going to the gym. But please don't make me check out 36" pants.

He even imagines asking the shop owner, "Er .. excuse me... do you have this is 36" waist?"

Arihant doesn't join the gym after that night. He assumes that this must all be a dream during his nap. He also assumes that his favorite trousers might be a factory defect like may be it is 32" but it got a tag of 34". He needed something more.

Time: 10:00 p.m.

Date: 12th May 2009

Arihant finds most of his jeans, trousers fitting tight to his paunch on a regular basis. He seriously thinks what the *&#$@$, these pants suck, my lifestyle sucks... enough of it. He decides to quit bread, rice and papad which would at least not add up to those unnecessary calories which defer to get burned down by themselves. Before quitting, he has his final round of bread, half plate of rice with papad.

Time: 10:00 p.m.

Date: 17th June 2009

Arihant has been avoiding the three of his favorite food items since a month. He has his own double standards. He doesn't have rice but he has dosa almost on a daily basis. He turns to his Jiyaji finally and gets his advice. Jiyaji himself have been going to the gym regularly.

Time: 8 a.m.

Date: 18th June 2009

He made it, he just did!!!!! First day at the gym. After the initial stretching and cardio exercises for around 45 minutes, the gym instructor asks him to do some sit ups. Being the first day, restricting to around 30 sit ups would have been a good idea.

Arihant spreads the sheet and towel over it, lies down and starts off with the first sit up. He notices something pretty and really cute. There is a female exercising which he sees when he sits up. Fair, hair all tied up, speaking eyes. To Arihant's surprise, she could only be seen when he sits up. He loses her sight when he goes down; laying back to sit up again. The sequence is like Sit up-See her - Smile - Lie down - Smile- Sit up - See her again - Smile again.

Is this the motivation, I was looking for? Will she see my paunch and stay away from me? Could I quickly lose 5-6 kilos to stand up and talk to her right now?

I know, I know.. this all sounds OMG!!!! But probably, apart from following a strict diet regime, she has been one of the pretty reasons I wish to go to the gym regularly and do a few extra sit ups. I am in a better shape now and to my happiness, I find my favorite trousers fitting well :)