What is the path to success? I am often asked.

There's no secret, I want to say. First, we have to define what success means to us. Think of someone with significant achievements. Like the supremely gifted singer, Sinéad O'Connor, who struggled with life. Success means many things to many people. 

I have one guiding principle: don't be afraid to explore possibilities and take chances. Find out what your real goals are and what your inner potential can do. While this can be fixed and tangible, it is also shifting. Let life show you the way. A vast ocean can be navigated with simple navigation tools and discipline. The Polaris or the North Star could lead you home no matter how far you wander. 

So, while exploring life and taking risks, make sure you haven't lost sight of the North Star. Success is empty if we do not know what home is to us, the anchor that gives meaning to success.

Looking back on my life, I started as a hardcore engineer with little exposure to other things. Somewhere along the way, I became an entrepreneur and CEO and settled into the VC role. I didn't actively plan this path, but I have been curious to explore new things. This desire to explore and learn has led me to places I had never thought of. 

Is there a secret? No.

But there is a script. 

My script has remained the same over all these years: Find out the limits to which you can stretch yourself. Pause, savor, rest, and then stretch again. 

Some common frameworks I apply:

Analyze options: I have always been analytical. I quickly assess the best and worst outcomes. I suspend emotion for a bit and apply logic to fear and desire. Why am I afraid to take this option, or what is compelling me to make this choice? This is a valuable skill.

Hard work ethic: I have a tough work ethic. I've always pushed myself. It requires physical stamina and emotional guardrails. One can be intentional about building these traits. The intangible is the sense of a larger purpose.

Willingness to seek help: A journey of one step taken with humility is a step that will go a long way. I accept that I don't know the whole path or what is ahead. I might need guidance. It makes sense to ask others to help you along the way. I'm willing to ask for help. I'm still unafraid to reach out to people and ask for help. I remember asking this Senior VP In Oracle, "Hey, I'm thinking about starting a business. What do you think I should do? How should I go about it?" Just like that. 

Curiosity: I'm curious. I ask a lot of questions. Entrepreneurs have told me when they pitch, they get worried because I ask so many questions. But questions are not criticisms. They are a way to explore and understand something better. You need a sense of adventure in life. You need a little bit of swag also, and some arrogance, a little bit, to say I'm going to try it. You should enjoy the process of the unknown. The biggest high is the thrill when you figure it out and prove to yourself more than to the world that you can solve something. 

Fearlessness: I don't have that much fear of failure. I don't think about failure that much. Instead, I consider: What can I learn if I succeed? What holds us back is our fear of failure, and even worse than fear of failure is fear of what others think, emotions that I think should really have no place in our lives. 

That's it. I have played this script many times, which has always led me to new discoveries.

Life becomes beautiful when we ask, "What if?"

#motivation #personaldevelopment #entrepreneurship #growth #mindset