I was sure I’d fail all my B-School interviews.
I was living in a small town when I got my interview calls with no access to coaching classes or the Internet.
On the day before the first interview, I went to a coaching expert in Calcutta. He told me I spoke too fast and my answers didn’t have any management substance at all. I’d have to work with him for at-least a month to develop the “X-Factor”.
I had one day. So I skipped coaching altogether.
In the first interview, the IIM guys asked me who my role model was.
The coach had told me to say JRD Tata or Andrew Carnegie or something like that.
I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
If you have to fail, fail with honesty. I said Ruskin Bond. He lives in society yet he’s out of it. That’s what I want to do. Give it my all but hold on to nothing at all.
The interviewers looked puzzled. They asked a few more questions. It went in the same vein.
I bombed it.
Only I didn’t.
I cleared the interviews and later I got to know I’d managed to scrape into the Top 10 Aditya Birla list or something.
Be your own unapologetically weird self.
I kept forgetting it despite the B-School interview experience. For years after, I’d apologetically explain the gaps in my resume for time spent backpacking, writing, and learning yoga and meditation.
“Umm…my family wanted me in India.”
“Actually…my publisher wanted me on a book tour.”
Sometimes I’d want to start a presentation at work with a thought from a novel I’d read. Instead, I’d open with the usual strategy update slide.
Then, I went on to more senior roles at work.
I began to realise I’d be a fraction of a professional without the creative energy of writing or the curiosity from years of drifting. I stopped hiding large parts of me and talked openly about my experiences in interviews and work. The right kind of people and jobs began to come my way.
All of you is you. Like that old Floyd song, “There’s no dark side of the moon. As a matter-of-fact, it’s all dark.”
Only lighter.
The world works hard to conform and blend in. Don’t. Stand out. Kayak to work, compose a presentation to music, talk about lessons from hiking the Himalayas in a business meeting. Or don’t. Just be your own unapologetically weird self with your quirks, your wounds, your passions and your idiosyncrasies.
The one way to become weird tomorrow.
Haven’t you run into people who are so passionate about something that they fill the whole room when they talk about it? The best way to be interesting is to become interested. Deeply. In something. The quest for mastery in any field—art, sport, technology, business, anything—is an epic battle of a man against himself. It simplifies, transforms, liberates.
I wasted years of my life dabbling in a little business, a little writing, a little this and that, until I chose depth. Don’t make my mistake. Choose mastery, choose excellence early, and you’ll become obsessed and a little weird. And that’s a wonderful thing.

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39 Responses to “The Life-Changing Lesson No Life Coach Teaches You”
Thanks Karan for your mail . I have been doing meditation since last 3 years and can realize it’s benefits and potential now . I share the same thoughts as that of yours that we should strive for excellence , I have only ventured in to that path now
Great going Manoj, really happy for you!
“Be your own unapologetically weird self.”
What a great thought Karan. You’ve never failed to inspire me and pull me back to life. Your’s ‘The Seeker’ was the first book I’d read and since then I’ve been following you and your wise words. You create magic with words. 😀
You’re very kind Shivangi, thank you. I’m glad you’re among the few who were able to understand/relate to The Seeker
Thanks!
Karan,
Love this post and all your others, keep it up! Congrats on Discovery 😉
When I woke up to being and embracing my true weird self, I found my purpose and felt electrified by being aligned with my self and that which is greater than myself. It never occurred to me in the past, but now I’m convinced it’s the only way. 😉
Amen man, long time. You seem to have found “it” many years ago when I was still struggling. Good for you!!
As always loved your blog. Thank you so much for being the motivator that you are. I hope you are enjoying your job at Discovery. Since now you are in India, my dream is to have a pleasant encounter with you somewhere in the country. You are an inspiration. You are a self creator master and many times you brought sanity in my life when I drifted from the path of mastery.
Thank You.
Sheetal Pawar
Will be lovely to say hello as well, Sheetal!
Hi Karan,
Thank you for this email blog-post. Quite timely as I am wondering what to d with myself and my life. I set out to Oz to be all that I can be and inspire the world to be a happier and kinder place. Ruskin Bond’s philosophical and rather curious penchant for supposing what society is and should be is a source of inspiration for me. I have read so many teachers and spiritual teachings. It feels like every step on earth is a conscientious and meditated one and yet, when I look at the grander scheme of things, I find myself not influencing or inspiring anyone or anything. I would love to be bold and write a book or conversational piece even, if that were something that’d be welcome (or not). Sometimes it feels as though my open skies are a leap away but that leap could be one in a million different directions and the signposts seem missing. Have you ever had any such dilemmas or apprehensions in life? How do you overcome this?
Eagerly looking forward to hearing from you,
Anuradha
Indeed Anuradha, many, many times. This is the strategy I use incase it helps…
http://www.karanbajaj.com/writing-creativity/the-one-thing-writing-teaches-you-about-life/
Thank you Karan, for the suggested article. Not sure what I shall do. But yes, like your hero, I shall quit debating about it and start stumbling…. who knows, maybe I could learn to dance with words too!! Thank you for being so incredibly awesome, Karan. I truly appreciate and admire your talents and attitude to life
Wishing you all the best for your new adventure ahead!! 😉
Anuradha
Beautiful, insightful and touching as always Karan. Your writing has created an impact in my life. Keep up the good work!
Appreciate the thought, Shubhanshu.
Thanks Karan for sharing the post. It’s definitely inspiring and i look forward to reading many more such post from you in the future.
Thanks Pooja!
Hi Karan,
Good to know your weird answers. Good that you cleared interviews with your weird ‘self’. Good that you made it fairly better than all others.
Imagine had it all gone wrong, how long could you persist?
Oh man, it’s gone wrong many, many times too, this was just one example of success.
I was more inspired from Johnny gone down. It’s superb to read the book and it’s less fictitious and more of a real stuff.
Thanks man, Johnny remains very dear to me as well so this means a lot.
“Be your own unapologetically weird self”….This is what I’ve done for years. I got a lot of criticism and gained a lot of good friends because of it.
You’re well ahead of this post then, good for you!
It was really good and worth reading,but one can not always follow what they want or how they want Life isn’t that easy as some or the different responsibilities or factors of ones life hinder them to follow their heart without caring much.
Thanks Samina, agree yet people we admire do manage to make authentic choices despite everything.
I just love your posts. So much to learn and ponder upon later. You magnify those areas of life which we have faced, struggled and then ignored because we found no concrete solution to it, inspite of knowing the fact that running away is no solution. A good read.
Keep writing, keep sharing, keep inspiring 😀
Thanks Vineet, that truly encourages me! Much appreciated.
Hi Karan,
Thanks for sharing your inspirational path to life. It is not easy albeit to look for that ‘wierd’ yourself. I’ve been on hunt for past couple years to find that something that keeps me interested, motivated and lead to drive a passionate life within, beside the monotony at corporate. I am yet to experience that light of hope and I wish to be ‘ unapologetically wierd self’ of my passion someday soon.
I read all your books and again you’re truly an inspiration.
Many thanks
Fagun
Thank you Fagun, you’re on the right path. I think things will happen soon–keep the faith!
Dear Karan,
Thanks once again for your life transforming insights. Your books strike a similar chord. Was mesmerised with “Johnny Gone Down” and “The Seeker” was sensational too. Thanks for making the world a better place.
Looking forward to your next one.
Thanx
Yudhir
Very kind words Yudhir, thank you for writing as well as reading my books. Much appreciated.
Hi Karan as u rightly said u spent years drifting in multiple things…but even now you are doing videos, writing, job, social media engagement.along with ur practc of meditation n yoga..hw different is it then…is it nt multi focussed way still that can affect concntration. Sorry for being rude if I may sound but seek your thoughts. Thanks aakash
True man, though I’d say 80% of my effort is on Discovery right now. Creation keeps me alive and vibrant so I keep doing it on the side as a gift to myself(and hopefully some benefit to others).
Karan!
I resonate totally with being your weird self. I remember reading your blogpost about madurai sivananda ashram and your experience there. I stay in the foothills of himalayas and took a journey down south and did my TTC last november. It was the best experience if my life. thanks!
Excellent Archana, that makes me feel really good. The TTC stays with you for years after so I’m incredibly glad you did it.
Oh I loved this post, these last many months I have been meditating on thoughts of coming to terms of who I am, I continue coming upon many more closed doors than open ones, I’ve spent time analyzing myself and past situations, your post clearly resonates with me in a profoundly deep way, I appreciate you sharing how taking a deep dive in to your authentic self and embracing all aspects of your self has helped you on your life’s journey. I want to thank you for confirming it’s okay to be different. Going forward I shall continue to choose Mastery and Depth in all that is authentically me! Thank you from my heart to yours, wishing you and yours a beautifully blessed year.
Ah lovely Kathy, I’m really looking forward to keeping in touch and seeing how things shape up!
I’m so happy to read your blog – something not so cooked and genuine. Just pure heart and like a normal person. We all have so many stories in our lives to share. Will anyone read them? I dont know. I’m just starting the journey myself and want to blog every day if possible.
Would love to connect with you and maybe you could guide me. I have faith in myself immensely and I know it will work fabulously. So I’m going to do exactly as you said – Just unapologetically be myself and do what I want to. Im sure I can inspire at least a few people and maybe bring a smile to someone’s face. Then its a job well done.
Thank you!
Thank you Karan for sharing very good post, keep up good work.
Hi, thank you for this interesting blog post.
I agree that time sometimes feels like it is flying by so fast.
Here are some Isochronic Tones you can use for meditation that will support you in many ways: https://bit.ly/2KZCQ93
Thanks for checking them out.
Have a lovely day!
Though I got to read about you, your blog jus goes like I get immersed into it while reading and ‘the life changing lesson…’ is the post that made me feel so. Good one.