Feeling lost? How Ankur Warikoo rebuilt his life after ditching a dream life, free PhD program in US
Ankur Warikoo recently opened up about the time he decided to drop out of his PhD programme and join the Indian School of Business for his MBA. Taking to X, the YouTuber wrote about how, 20 years ago, he received a “life-changing email.”
The ‘Do Epic Shit’ author recalled how, despite being on track to realising his cherished dream: Completing his PhD, joining NASA, and going to Mars.
“I had dropped out of my PhD program a year back (in 2004), come back to India from the US, giving up on what was a dream life—100% scholarship, a generous stipend, top of my class, fast track to complete my PhD. Everyone was devastated. Disappointed in me. I was disappointed in myself,” he wrote.
Warikoo then reflected on how his wellwishers told him to come up with a long-term plan if he wanted to succeed. Warikoo admitted, “I had a plan for my life. A really solid plan.I killed my own plan.”
As he was faced with the prospect of coming up with an alternative plan, Warikoo had to do some soul searching. This eventually led him to a one-year MBA programme at the Indian School of Business. Although it was a huge financial risk for him, he went with it without hesitation.
“It was a huge gamble,” wrote Warikoo. “A loan of 14 lakh rupees, back in 2004. No collateral backing it up, except a degree I hadn't yet earned.
But it worked out. I found my answers. On how to live life without a plan,” he concluded.
The Takeaway
At the end of his post, Warikoo assured his followers that sometimes it was okay to go with the flow and grab
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