Beyond Ego and Ambition: A Decision That Changed Everything
Every person reaches a point in life where ambition collides with meaning. It’s that moment when you stop to ask yourself: “Why am I running this race? Is it for me, or just for my ego?”
I faced this crossroads more than a decade ago. At the time, I was doing well in business — thriving, in fact. But what unfolded taught me one of the most important lessons of my life: not every decision should be fueled by ego or ambition. Some decisions should be guided by peace, purpose, and a deeper sense of satisfaction.
The Rise of Business Success
About 10 years ago, my company was handling conventional steel structures. The business was strong. I had a wide customer base, with hundreds of clients who trusted me. Financially, I was stable, and compared to many others in the industry, I was ahead.
Around that time, pre-engineered buildings (P.E.B.) started entering the market. It was a game-changing innovation in construction. Many were hesitant, but I had the resources and the customer base to jump in early and scale it big. If I had pursued P.E.B. aggressively, I could have expanded to a much larger level—big crores, perhaps.
But I didn’t.
Why? Because beneath my success was something subtle yet dangerous: ego. I was happy about my achievements, yes, but also proud of being ahead of others. That sense of “I’m doing better than them” gave me a thrill. At the time, I didn’t realize how unhealthy that thought was.
The Turning Point
Then came a personal jolt. My mother passed away. In the silence that followed, I found myself asking difficult questions.
I thought: “Suppose I had pushed into P.E.B. and made crores — then what? Would it stop there? If I reached 100 crores, wouldn’t I then start chasing 500 crores, then 1,000?”
That’s when a metaphor struck me: chasing money and ego is like catching a tiger’s tail.
Once you hold it, you can neither let it go nor rest peacefully with it.
The chase never ends.
Achievement becomes a burden, not freedom.
At that moment, something shifted. I realized that if I kept running after numbers, my life would only become a cycle of pressure, stress, and insecurity. I already had enough to live comfortably. Why should I keep earning more just to prove something?
This thought made me pause.
Choosing Passion Over Ego
Of course, stepping back had its cost. I knew my competitors — the same people I once felt proud to be ahead of — would overtake me. And they did. My ego was naturally challenged.
But in that loss of ego, I discovered something greater.
From childhood, I had always been curious about one thing: the mind. I wanted to understand how to remain calm, stable, and undisturbed, no matter the situation. Business success had distracted me from this passion. But now, I had a chance to return to it.
So I chose to shift my focus. Instead of chasing larger profits, I began chasing inner peace.
The Birth of a New Journey
Once I made this choice, something beautiful happened.
I started noticing things about myself and others. Whenever challenges arose, instead of just reacting, I observed my thoughts. I tried to find the root cause of problems, both personal and external. Slowly, insights began to form.
At first, these were just scattered notes I wrote down. But over time, they took shape as reflections. Then reflections became chapters. Eventually, those chapters became a book.
When I released my first book, I had no expectation. I didn’t think people would read it. But to my surprise, readers connected with it. They told me it felt different — genuine, relatable, and helpful. Their encouragement motivated me to keep writing.
From there, writing became a daily practice. One book turned into two, then five, then ten. Today, I have written around 15 books. And each one carries the same purpose: to help people understand their minds, handle delicate struggles, and find peace.
Lessons Learned Along the Way
Looking back, I realize something powerful:
If I had continued in business, maybe I would have reached higher financial numbers. But I would have been chasing a moving target forever. By letting go, I gained something far more meaningful: a purpose that outlives numbers.
Here are the lessons this journey taught me:
1. Ego is a Silent Driver
Often, we think we’re chasing success for security or happiness. But deep inside, ego plays a big role: “I want to be ahead of them. I want to be recognized.” Recognizing this is the first step to freeing yourself.
2. The Chase Never Ends
Money and recognition bring temporary satisfaction, but not peace. Once you achieve one milestone, another will always appear. Unless you pause and ask, “What do I really want?” the chase becomes endless.
3. Passion Can Outweigh Profit
When you follow a passion that aligns with your inner values, it might not look profitable at first. But if it helps people, if it creates meaning, it grows in ways money alone cannot.
4. Letting Go Brings Freedom
The hardest part is accepting that others may “overtake” you. But when you stop competing and start focusing inward, the weight of comparison lifts. That freedom is priceless.
Why This Decision Still Matters Today
I often meet people who are at the same crossroads I once faced. They have stable careers, decent earnings, and yet feel restless. They tell me: “I want to do something meaningful, but I’m scared. What if I lose what I already have? What if people overtake me?”
To them, I say: first ensure your financial stability — that’s important. But beyond that, don’t let ego and comparison decide your path. If your heart pulls you toward something more meaningful, listen to it.
At first, it may seem like you’re sacrificing money. But in time, the good work you do creates its own rewards. Money returns in unexpected ways — but more importantly, peace and purpose stay.
Final Reflection
That decision I made 10 years ago — to step away from business growth and pursue my passion — was not easy. My ego resisted it. My ambition questioned it. But today, I see it as one of the greatest decisions of my life.
It taught me this:
👉 Not every decision should be about ego or ambition. Some decisions should be about peace, meaning, and the legacy you leave behind.
Because at the end of the day, numbers fade. What remains is whether you lived true to yourself and whether you used your life to create something meaningful for others.
✨ The chase for more will never end. But the search for peace begins the moment you pause.