Interesting Conversations

I had a very interesting conversation with my mother last evening. I was telling her about my plans to relocate back to India by January next year and start my own business. I quickly outlined the potential investors I was talking to, the capital i planned on raising and also the possibility of having a 'shop front'. She listened patiently to all that I had to say and finally asked me one question - "Why? Why can't you get a job like everyone else? Why all this risk??'

I burst out laughing, partially because I thought she was joking, but mostly because I was so surprised by the question. I did not know what to say. 

How was I going to convince my mom that sometimes there is more to life than running the treadmill of uni-job-marriage and kids. How was I going to convince her that the world has dramatically changed since she was a little kid? That following your heart and starting a new venture, though risky ...seemed much better than being a mindless drone that sat in front of a computer all day. That failing is ok? 

I took a deep breath and tried to convince her with my passion, my enthusiasm and the careful planning. What ensued was a conversation that lasted 3 hours. My poor mother, hadn't changed her mind at the end of it, but she was opening up to the possibility of embracing risk and starting something new. 

I quickly realised if I was going to succeed at doing this...I would be asked this question many many times. If instead of looking at it as an opportunity to crystallise my idea better, I looked upon it as a personal attack, with the world against me - I was going nowhere..