My 13 Attempts Long CA Journey

It is not about how many times you fall but how many times you get back up

CA Journey - Meri Choti Si Badi Kahaani

After I cleared my CPT I expected success to flood in, but 'Things did not really fall into place,' and I 'waited... and waited... and waited... and waited... and waited!' But around that time, I met myself and my undoubting belief in my potential… 'I told myself if I had faith in myself, then I should wait for it.'

And one day this Happened. 'I CLEARED MY CA FINALS'. And I had no idea whether to start jumping around or just break down there crying or keep myself composed. Quite honestly, I don't think it has completely sunk in yet,

'I am so glad that my faith in myself and my family's back in me got me my dream. And for all of you who sometimes think of giving up or giving in to what others have to say, just hold on to your dream, and watch it come alive just like mine did. Because all you need is love, support and prayers, so you can work hard and fulfill the dream,' This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for my family, my friends. It's for the woman, MY PARENTS that stand beside me.

'If you have a dream, fight for it'. 'There's a discipline for passion. And it's not about how many times you get rejected, or you fall down, or you're beaten up. It's about how many times you stand up, and are brave, and you keep on going.'

I am very lucky that I have my family as my support system. Never ever in my life did my parents ever say, 'What you're doing is a waste of time.' Never. And I grew up, I had family, I had friends, I had people that I worked with all through my Student Life, who always told me what you're doing is not a waste of time. I know there are kids out there that don't have that support system, so if you're out there and you're listening, listen to me: If you want to be creative, get out there and do it; it's not a waste of time. Do it.

Also, you just can't hold grudges. I know it's hard but you can't hold grudges. And it doesn't matter how you get knocked down in life because that's going to happen. All that matters is you gotta get up. You have to allow for the impossible to be possible.' You just need to 'Stay weird. Stay different'. And then when it's your turn and you are standing on this stage, please pass the same message to the next person who comes along.

I was lucky enough to get into one of Big Fours with all those interviews, along with a little stint in another company in Mergers & Amalgamation, both after my articleship during CaFinal. You just need to keep learning, updating yourself, irrespective of results. You just can't sit and expect things to happen to you. But all that's because my family and friends believed in me. Always remember, We all are warriors, Nothing is too strong to break us. Just fight whatever comes your way, you'll overcome it. YOU ARE STRONGER THAT THE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE THAT MAKES YOU WEAK.

The pursuit of Happiness: Ek Nayi Disha (Mera Nazariya)

I consider myself a reasonably happy person. On most days, there is a general baseline that I don't deviate too far away from for too long. I'm quite fortunate in many ways, and I'm more than grateful for that. I have just started. I just want to have enough. I don't need to be filthy rich. I don't care for fame but Admiration and respect. I've come to terms with the fact that comparing myself to others is a waste of time, and I don't want to get stuck chasing meaningless temptations for the rest of my life. There is nothing more that I realistically need.

Yet, I write. And when I write, I want it to be good, and I want people to read it. I have my general ambitions, and there are things I want to accomplish. I work quite hard, and it's not always fun. But if I'm already content, why? Because I know that if I didn't have any sort of desire for something more, then I would cease to feel content.

The reason is simple. The cause of my happiness isn't that I want enough, but it's that I have worked to get to a point to have enough. It's not that I woke one morning not caring what someone thinks or deciding that pleasures weren't important, it's that I spent a lot of time thinking those things were important, suffered for it, and then worked to make them unimportant. The difference is subtle, but critical. Without struggling against something, enough would cease to be enough.

The reason is simple. The cause of my happiness isn't that I want enough, but it's that I have worked to get to a point to have enough. It's not that I woke one morning not caring what someone thinks or deciding that pleasures weren't important, it's that I spent a lot of time thinking those things were important, suffered for it, and then worked to make them unimportant. The difference is subtle, but critical. Without struggling against something, enough would cease to be enough.

It's just that over these multiple attempts, I observed that happiness isn't obtained. It's earned. It's not the product. It's the byproduct. Over the long-term, it takes more than that. It takes a sense of striving. Gratitude is important, to be sure, and so is being well-adjusted enough to not seek out extrinsic motivators to provide a solution, but these things alone will only take you so far. The real secret is to live a story. If you take care of the story, happiness doesn't need to be enough. You get something better. You get sustained fulfillment.

But what would you say if I told you happiness is a myth? It's called disillusionment. Our quest for 'happiness' is flawed. We're running after the next new phone, the next love interest, the next promotion, the next fat paycheck, the next best trip… you see, it's always the next. We're not in the moment at all. We've come to believe that happiness is a train and we're always waiting for the station that comes next.

Happiness, my friend, in my personal opinion, has nothing to do with any of the things we are running after. It never did. Not when it will be ever about buying your kid the best toys in the land, or about having the largest social media following, the fattest salary, or the biggest promotion. Why? Because all of these things are momentary. Remember, how we as kids used to grow out of the toys that we eventually gave away. Your followers will be your biggest illusion of what people think of you (hint: it's none of your business). Your salary package will never equal the amount of contentment you wish you had in your life for having slogged too hard for the money and what was it all worth, anyway. And that promotion you've just landed, will be passed on to someone newer and brighter the very minute you fail to deliver and it's not even your fault. It's just the way of the world and everything in it.

We tell ourselves we're happy. In fact, we judge others, too, by their level of happiness. 'Oh, she's got a well-paying job, a great career, her own flat, and a boyfriend who adores her. What more could she possibly need?' Or, 'Her husband owns the company. Her in-laws don't want her to work. They have a bungalow all to themselves and their first child is already on the way. Of course, she's happily married.'

Simple, you look within. Happiness is about being present in a moment; about being aware of your blessings and counting them. It's about being grateful for what you have instead of chasing what you don't. It's about realizing that, all said and done, you do have it a lot better; easier, even, than so many others. Seems like too far-fetched an idea? Maybe it isn't. Maybe we've just led ourselves to believe that life has to be complicated and happiness isn't as easy as a moment that stems from within. We didn't expect more than we gave and we didn't have ulterior motives. We may have become wiser, richer and fitter. But, we're less happy today than we were, even a day ago.

I consider myself deeply influenced by Bollywood. That is the reason many of my idols are from the Movie Industry. I have always admired the journey of Priyanka Chopra. The way she made such an excellent shift from Hindi Movie Industry to Hollywood is well known. She had every possible success in India, yet she tried her luck out there in a new world and became a champion, and is already an A Lister and a regular at Major Red Carpets, Award Shows & Magazines Covers. She became the face of so many iconic brands, became first South Asian to headline TV shows and got casted in various movies& TV Series. We need to learn how taking risks can pay off if we really work towards it whole heartedly. New avenues are waiting for us, just to explore them. Another case being of very legendary Amitabh Bacchchan. He almost went bankrupt in early 2000s, and then he bounced back and how. Even at this age he is getting National Awards and is the Main Leads in major Bollywood productions. The way he worked hard showed us the way to never give up and never stop learning is so much to inspirational. Never Forget Shahrukh Khan, Kangana Ranaut, Taapsee Pannu, Ayushman Khurana, Rajnikanth & how they survived Nepotism and made their own mark without having any background in the movie Industry, entirely on their hard work. You need to have your idols to look upto, they are one among those, who reminds you to be on the success path.

Life Hacking for Happiness First of all, let's look at the state of things as they are. We tend to pursue happiness as if it's something attainable, something we should be aiming to achieve. Here's the crux of this whole issue: happiness and its meaning are different, and happiness without meaning really doesn't lead to a great life. Being happy is about feeling good. Meaning is derived from contributing to others or to society in a bigger way.

While happiness is an emotion felt in the here and now, it ultimately fades away, just as all emotions do; positive affect and feelings of pleasure are fleeting. People who focus on the present are generally happier, but those who spend more time contemplating the future or their past are more likely to feel meaning in their lives. Without enough meaning in our lives, we can being ill, not to mention lacking in purpose and direction. Without enough happiness, however, we'll become, well, unhappy. And who wants that? Just never allow the exam failure get too much into your head. If not now, then surely the next attempt.  

Also, stop giving Damn on what society thinks, or what your relatives thinks. No one will come for you when you fail. But they only will be the first one to pinch you about your failure. Those 'Chaar Log' wont be there if you fall down but surely will be making fun of you, behind your back. I remember one of my relatives used to call up my mother during my result day, even though aware I failed, but will intentionally ask it again. They don't even matter. It's your own life. Make yourself Proud. Make your Family Proud. Make your Friends Proud. As Salman Khan Says, Do whatever you want to do, But Never Hurt your Mother.

And Trust me, the feeling of clearing CA is beyond beautiful. That sheer joy, That Satisfaction, That Smile, Wohh jo Khushi Milti hein na, just cannot be expressed. That Happiness on Your parents face will wash away all the pain and load you have survived through all these years. And also THAT FACE of your RELATIVES will just give a sign of relief, you will hardly get anywhere.

And Start Having Opinions, no matter how stupid, have your own opinion & speak up. Start being politically aware. India needs us. Though India is killing it and making all the right noises globally, India is somehow having little trouble on a few fronts. Stop being biased. React and Stop Hatred in the name of religion. Use your education fruitfully. SAVE WATER. REDUCE POLLUTION. AND PLEASE, RESPECT EVERYONE'S STRUGGLE. BE THE KINDER ONE.

For the record, (Not bragging), but I now share the same profession as those of

·       Deepak Parekh (HDFC Chairman),

·       Piyush Goyal, Suresh Prabhu, Kirit Somaiya, Raghav Chaddha (Politics)

·       Motilal Oswal & Ramdeo Agarwal (Founders of Motilal Oswal)

·       K.M.Birla (Chairman of Aditya Birla Group)

·       Prannoy Roy (Founder of NDTV)

·       Shekhar Kapur (Director of Mr. India)

·       Rakesh Jhunjhunwala (Trader and Investor)

·       Naina Kidwai (HSBC, India Head)

·       TN Manoharan (Our Go To Taxpert)

·       S Gurumurthy (One who gave Discomfort to Reliance)

JUST DO IT. SHURU KIA H TOH KHATAM KARO. EK HI LIFE H. MAKE IT LARGE.