Don't Be Sorry!

Over the last 6 weeks, I have had an electrifying, inspiring and demanding opportunity to participate in a leading accelerator program by Antler, meet with more than 100+ founders, investors, and professionals across different industries, and do a 3,000+ mile road trip from San Francisco to Boulder!

Here is what I realized about what typically holds us back and how you can start accelerating towards converting your boldest dreams into reality too!

Lesson 1: Ask Yourself Why Not You!

You might come from a particular background, country, region, college, or culture - and a lot of the information in the media tells us that we can only pursue a given career or do something only if we are born in a particular place, only if we went to a brand name college, or only if we have a specific background! Take all those beliefs you typically hear and put them on the side! Now, ask yourself - WHY NOT YOU? Why can't you get that job at XYZ company? Why can't you switch careers from non-technical to technical roles? Or why can't you get to whatever career or personal goals are meaningful to you? Doing this will help you identify what is holding you back and what skill gaps you have - make a list of them, and start building them week over week!

Lesson 2: Put Your Ego Aside And Ask For Help!

Nobody knows everything! The sooner you let go of that idea, the faster you can move towards what you want. Many professionals I have spoken with over the last 2 months typically stay stuck in their current role for a while or have yet to progress towards their goals because they are afraid to ask for help or think they can do everything!

If you are afraid to ask for help, ask yourself one crucial question: Are you afraid of not expressing your true self in the long run? Or are you more fearful of not knowing something in front of someone in the short term? You will quickly realize what you will regret more!

If you are in the other camp - because Western culture encourages self-sufficiency- we typically don't ask for help. I have realized that it is typically our ego coming in the way. If you want to pursue bold goals, make an impact, and do something you are passionate about - ask for help, get uncomfortable, and learn quickly! Not asking will ensure that your goals will take longer to realize because someone else might have typically found the right approach or process. If you want to move slowly, keep the status quo!

Once you start asking for support, the right people will come forth: people who energize you, people who want you to succeed, and those who can't wait to see you succeed!

Lesson 3: Don't Be Sorry!

This was another big realization for me! And an area I saw that hinders the growth of many other founders and professionals I have had the chance to meet with recently! When someone asks us what our next big professional move or goal is, I often see we hold ourselves back, shy away from all the effort we have put into skill building over the years, and downsize our ambitions. A significant reason for this is that those in the workplace or community around us might have encouraged us to speak less openly about our goals or look the other way when things are not done right! If you know what you are doing is right, makes you happy, and is aligned with your value based on the effort you have put in over the years - "Don't Be Sorry"!

Lastly, at some point, you just have to put your foot down and say - "I am going to move in this new direction & no existing belief, person, or situation is going to stop me! Because, what if you fly?"

Wishing you the best of success,

Arjun

Bio: Arjun Arora is an Immigrant and LGBTQ+ Entrepreneur & AI Founder based in San Francisco, CA, who, after a decade of experience in AI, enterprise software, & career development, decided to embark on a journey to help 1 million higher education students realize their boldest career goals!