When things get tougher, raise your ambitions
Rajan Anandan, Google India MD, on how his initial years shaped him as a person, why you should not give up & more
The environment at home made me accustomed to super-stretched goals and working towards goals that seemed impossible
If you want to do great things, you need to be passionate, have big ideas, take risks and put your neck on the line
Q: Looking back at your early life, could you tell me what shaped you to become the person you are today? Any interesting anecdotes?
A: I grew up in a home that was full of optimism and where my parents really believed that anything was possible. For example, my dad’s choice of pastime during New Year’s Eve was breaking Guinness World records. When my friends were heading off to parties, I would sit and watch him try one feat after another like standing on one foot for 72 hours or walking for ‘x’ number of days. Doing things that one would normally consider was not possible was normal for me and also the environment was very optimistic; you also had to look at the glass half-full. It is this environment that has helped shape who I am today than anything else I have done.
When I was six years old, my father told me he would buy me a bicycle if I did 100 sit-ups in 30 seconds. So obviously I started training, but when you are six, no amount of training can help i...