When Success Loses its Thrill

Hey Beyonder! 👋

Last week taught me something I wasn't expecting. It started with a conversation that shook me, and ended with me completely rethinking what I'm chasing.

The Man Who Had Everything (And Nothing)

Picture this: Leela Palace, expensive coffee, and me sitting across from an entrepreneur who's built a 750 Cr empire. The kind of success most of us dream about.

But then he said something that stopped me cold:

"I achieved everything too fast. Now I don't have any thrill left in life. So I don't want to achieve anything sooner."

He dropped ₹1.5 lakh on his stay without blinking. Called it "just a business activity".

I left that conversation disturbed. Is this where I'm heading? Racing toward success so fast that I forget to actually live?

A Different Kind of Independence

Days later, Independence Day arrived. Nothing special planned - haven't been home in ages. I was planning to just stay in, maybe work.

But then my apartment complex came alive. Food stalls appeared. Singing competitions started. Someone organized tug of war.

I found myself watching from my balcony, then slowly walking down. Suddenly I was cheering for strangers, laughing at bad jokes, feeling... connected.

It reminded me of being young, when joy was simple and community was real. Not digital. Not curated. Just people being people.

And I realized: we think we're more connected than ever, but we're actually starving for this. Real moments. Real laughter. Especially young people - they need this more than they know.

The Art of Slowing Down

That conversation with the entrepreneur haunted me all week. So I decided to try something radical: slowing down.

My usual supermarket run for vegetables? Instead of rushing through my mental checklist, I actually... enjoyed it. Picked tomatoes like it mattered. Compared prices without checking my phone.

Started reading properly again - not those two-page attempts I usually make before getting distracted. Almost finished an entire book! Forgot how reading makes you feel like you're evolving, growing, never stuck.

Even went to a café (I'm definitely not a café person - only go when someone drags me). Still don't understand why people pay so much for coffee, but I sat there anyway, watched people, let my mind wander.

When Work Becomes Life

Then came the beautiful paradox: had a shoot with Shashank, who's both my friend and our client. We filmed at our flat, and the whole time I kept thinking - I'm getting paid to hang out with my friend.

This weird, wonderful combination made me realize something. Maybe the goal isn't to separate work from life. Maybe it's to blur the lines so beautifully that you can't tell where one ends and the other begins.

Full Circle Moments

Speaking of blurred lines - remember that Zoho video I've been talking about? The one you guys came along with me through all the shoots? Well, it's finally live and performing extremely well!

For those who've been following this journey - from the initial nerves to the actual filming - seeing it out there feels surreal. You've been part of this story, and now here we are watching it unfold together.

The Real Lesson

Here's what hit me after this whole week: success without joy is just expensive emptiness.

Community laughter. Picking vegetables. Finishing books. Friends who become clients. Work that feels like play.

These aren't distractions from success. They're what make success worth having.

I'm not racing anymore. I'm walking, and actually enjoying the view.

Hit reply and tell me - I read every single one.

Keep going beyond,
Epaphra

P.S. Plans are shaping up pretty well on this end. Funny how clarity comes when you stop rushing toward it! 😉