Life often takes unimaginable turns, leading us on paths we never imagined. As a management professional in a US-based company, juggling between work and family has always been my primary focus. As a child, the possibilities seem endless but as we grow older, we realize the walls of reality are pushing us to a finite number of paths. Everyone harbours within them a glorious dream that may never be fulfilled. Similarly, deep within me lay a dream that seemed almost impossible: summiting Mount Everest. This dream became a reality at the age of 49, proving that it's never too late to chase your aspirations. Here’s my story of perseverance, positivity, patience, and the incredible journey from the corporate world to the highest peak on Earth.
Lost in the Rat Race
The Corporate Conundrum: Balancing Ambition and Family
For most of my life, I dedicated myself to my career and family. Family is the most important thing in life: an unbreakable invisible bond. As a management professional, my days were harassed with meetings, deadlines and finally strategies. Beginning my career in 1996, I was able to accumulate the skills by acquiring knowledge and mastering the information about a given domain as well as being aware of innovations in the technology. The rat race was evident as I pursued professional growth, income, and status. I did so for my family in hopes of providing them more than I ever had but unbeknownst to me, my very ambition pushed me away from the family I loved more than anything.
"Some might call it selfish, but in hindsight, I was navigating the short-term pain for the promise of long-term gain"
Financial Fallout: A Wake-Up Call
In the early years of my career, success often pulled me away from my family. The more I got, the more I wanted. I worked weekends, came home late on weekdays, and my wife worried that our son would never know me as a father. I knew I wasn't there for my wife, son, and daughter when they needed me. I knew this, yet I got up the next morning to do it all over again; the allure of the rat race was too compelling. I was just a rodent in an unrelenting quest for happiness and fulfilment.
As my earnings gradually, my spendings also skyrocketed around the "musts" rather than the "needs". My financial planning was a mess, and by 2010, I was in deep debt. Despite building some assets, my financial stability was crumbling. I had to use my credit card for basic household groceries because my salary was depleted by EMIs and mounting credit card interest. It had become a month-to-month struggle.
"Begin building financial stability from the moment you receive your first paycheck. Delaying this can result in significant financial shortfalls down the road"
Seeking Spiritual Solace: A Search for Inner Peace
Around 2007, spirituality became a buzzword, drawing in many people searching for purpose in life. I found myself caught up in another rat race, jumping from one spiritual master to another, enrolling in programs with the hope that I would finally find answers to the chaos in my life as quickly as possible. The fear of losing everything I had built was overwhelming and all too real. The weight of doing what you have to do to get where you want to go, the crushing defeat of not getting there like you wanted to. I needed to find a way out before I drowned in my own worries.
I’ll dive deeper into this in another blog, but the revelation I had was that we don’t find our Guru—the Guru finds us when we are “ready.” While the word "ready" seems simple, it carries a profound meaning. Let’s explore this more in the future.
"Spirituality is incredibly important, but we often approach it with the expectation of quick results, turning it into just another rat race"
A Dream Takes Flight
Moment of Clarity: The Birth of an Impossible Dream
When I was 38 years old, facing financial hardship and on the edge of giving up everything, I took the decision to go on the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage in Aug, 2011, which changed my life.
We had to spend a few additional days in Kathmandu in because the Chinese authorities were taking their time issuing visas. To make the most of our time, a few of us decided to take a mountain flight to see Mt. Everest. Excited and eager to secure the perfect window seat for a clear view, I was greatly disappointed when the flight was cancelled due to bad weather.
Sitting in the crowded airport with my expectations shattered, a thought struck me: “Why the hell should I see Everest from a flight? I’d rather see the world from its peak.” This thought sent a shock through my spine, I had goosebumps and all too soon forgot about it and returned to my normal life. The pilgrimage was a great success, but I didn’t gain the spiritual enlightenment I had hoped for at that time.
Inner Compass: Turning Poing
Looking back, I can see that this simple thought has started working its magic in the background. 
In the famous book "The Power of the Subconscious Mind," Dr. Joseph Murray writes that if thoughts penetrate our subconscious, things begin to happen, we meet the right people at the right time and there is an inner drive. This concept is also embedded in our Puranas, where Rishis meditated on a single thought for years until God appeared and granted them a boon. For me, this underscores the importance of holding on to our big dreams until they become part of our subconscious.
Even today, there is a practice in Hindu temples where priests encourage us to perform a "Sankalpa," a solemn vow or intention. However, in our fast-paced lives, we often lack the patience to hold on to our dreams long enough, seeking quick results instead. But life doesn’t work that way. True success requires time, dedication, and the unwavering belief that our dreams will eventually come to fruition.
Debt and Despair: A Financial Freefall
After returning from Kailash-Mansarovar in September 2011, I began laying the foundation for our new home on a 2400-square-foot plot. This dream home promised more space for my family compared to the small parental house we were living in. However, in my eagerness, I borrowed more money from the bank, not realizing how dire my financial situation was becoming.
By 2012, the house was completed, but I had no funds left for the interiors. This led to another round of borrowing—this time from friends, through personal loans, and by maxing out my credit cards. We finally moved into our new home in July 2013, but I was constantly waiting for the month-end pay-check just to cover basic family expenses. My financial situation was a complete mess, beyond recognition.
Life begins to find order
Reshaping My World: A Financial Reboot
By the end of 2013, thoughts of Everest began to surface. Despite being shattered financially, emotionally, and physically, the idea of Everest brought a spark of aliveness. Even though I was in no position to pursue any new goals at the time, I didn't question this thought.
When I started researching Everest in depth at the beginning of 2014, I learned that the world's highest mountain, reaching a height of almost 30,000 feet, is located on the border between Tibet and Nepal. I almost fell out of my chair when I realized how much it would cost to climb Everest in the next eight years.
This realization prompted me to scrutinize my finances closely. I created an income-expense worksheet and began tracking all my financial data monthly. It became clear that my current job would never provide the financial stability I needed if I relied solely on my salary. I had to upgrade my skills and secure a better-paying job with stock incentives and a higher position.
Skill Enhancement: Building a Strong Foundation
Taking the first steps towards skill enhancement, I revisited the practices I had diligently followed during the first 15 years of my career. Although this wasn't new to me, it required dedicating most of my free time to studying and applying for the next big job change.
"Everyone dreams, but a few take action and move forward"
By May 2015, I had secured a new job with a higher position and a generous stock incentive. My top priority was to cut unnecessary expenses, clear all my debts, and build funds to support my family for three years in case of job loss or unforeseen circumstances. Once these goals were met, I would begin saving for my Everest expedition, which would require at least 40 lakh rupees.
Over the next three years, I worked tirelessly, traveling across continents. It felt like my childhood dream of seeing the world was coming true. In the meantime, my goal of reaching the top of Everest was becoming closer to reality, and I was willing to go to any lengths to achieve it. I was debt-free by the middle of 2018, had overcome my financial difficulties, and had saved up enough money to cover for my retirement and to handle any unforseen situations.
"The goal of life is to create yourself, not to find oneself"
Embracing Life's Twists and Turns
This change from being financially burdened to gaining financial freedom taught me one important perspective about life: It will always surprise you. History shows that when people work very hard, and never give up hope, the impossible can become a reality of life. One simply needs to get back up on their feet. Success is rarely straightforward. Face up to it – emphasizing adversities, accepting defeats and move on.
Never forget that you can always follow your aspirations even in the most difficult times of your life. The greatest constraints in life are the ones we impose on ourselves. Life is full of possibilities. If you never give up on your goals, you can end up standing on your own personal Everest. The human spirit is a force that never gives up. It has the power to carry us from the pit of despair to the top of our goals.