Born to Do Great Things with Tejaswini Vaidya

0:05 No matter what talent you bring in, but if you're not working hard enough, you're not going to get what you want.

0:16 Everybody is different, but then at the end of it, all of us are the same. You tend to quantify success a lot when you're younger. Now the success feels like slow mornings. Now the success feels like not doing work Oregon sometimes and being able to take a day off on Mondays. Hi everybody, welcome back to another episode of Portraits of Strength, a podcast where everyday people share their extraordinary stories that shape them. I'm your host, Harry the Anecdotist, and I'm so glad you're here with me today.

1:33 Today's guest is a woman who embodies discipline, depth, and quiet strength. Tejaswini Vaidya is a seasoned technology and operations leader with over 2 decades of experience driving transformation in financial services and fintech. She currently serves as Vice President of Financial Services at Incom Payments, where she leads with clarity, strategy and a commitment to operational excellence. Beyond the corporate world, Tejaswini is also an entrepreneur and a restaurateur. Alongside her husband, she Co owns Zest Kitchen and Porch 2 restaurants rooted in community and passion.

2:15 But titles only tell part of the story. At her core, Teju is driven by empathy, curiosity, spirituality and growth. She's a wife, a mother, and someone who believes deeply in family values, calculated risks, and the power of consistency over motivation. Today, we're diving into the roots of her resilience. All right, thank you so much, Teju, for being on this podcast. It's a real pleasure and I'm looking forward to our conversation. I love it. Thank you. It's my pleasure. So let's dive in. Tell me what you were like as a kid, You know, Were you always driven or how was your childhood?

3:00 Yeah, interesting. So my childhood growing up in India, obviously being the oldest child and of a typical middle class Indian family. So I think I was a silent ambitious girl, if I were to say so, because I had my fun with playing outdoors and you know, just summer vacations in all of it. But at the same time, I, I always wanted who I am today and always wanted to do so. I, I think from early on I was very focused on setting little goals and trying to achieve and getting the kick out of those. I think that was my motivation factor.

3:47 I don't think it was more about a pressure from home. It was. Innately within you. Within me, sometimes it overpowered the fun side of it and I can see it now. That time I think I was very focused on I want to do this and then that and that. So very. Goal oriented. Goal oriented and then turned out that while you're so focused on goals, you are less focused on fun side. So it's a hard balance, you know, true. So I, I think over the period of last 5-6 years, I'm trying to learn and work on that. But I think first few years of my career and early college life, I was like, I want to do that and I get that.

4:33 And then let's not celebrate because we have next goal to a child. Oh my God. So that is the biggest lesson I have learnt growing up is you have to have fun. Hmm. OK, so you said you are the eldest daughter, so how many siblings were you? No, I, we are a joint family. So we, I had like tons of cousins and everything, but I have a younger sibling. OK. So yeah, so in India I had a really big family, but here it's more nuclear. OK. Yeah, for sure. And. Quiet. Yeah, compared to joint families for sure.

5:04 So tell me a little bit about your education and where in India were you kind of like your childhood was. So all over the place actually. So my dad worked in the bank. I can 3. Years. I can relate. My dad's a banker too, so there. You go, that's exactly so every three years, new school, new friends, new house, new city. So that's my life in school. So from Mumbai to Pune to small two towns in Maharashtra to South India to New Delhi. Everywhere, so you are all across. The country and so and learnt many languages, made friends everywhere.

5:46 But then I think over the period I'd never learned the trick of keeping them once I moved them, once I moved out of the city. So I think that was the lesson or that was the thing I regret now that I wish I kept in touch after moving out of Delhi when I was in 8th grade. I wonder what they are doing today, you know, so those things come up sometimes, but well, that's, that's life. But but yeah, all over India travelled a lot. That gave me a perspective. I love meeting new people. I I enjoy just sitting.

6:22 I'm, I'm more of an introvert, but my favorite thing is just like watching people, observing them, learning about their lifestyle and everything. And I think that has something to do with how I was like mood around the city. And you know, it takes time to make friends when you're in a new city where they don't even speak your language. I grew up speaking Marathi, which is a regional Maharashtrian language in one of the states in India. But when I moved to Delhi, I couldn't speak Hindi as well as other people do or they were speaking Punjabi too, which another.

7:01 Regional language, yeah. So, so all of those factors I think somewhere had a role to play in what I am today in terms of I'm very open to different cultures and everything. And that eventually when I did my College in Pune and then moved here to Utah 17 years ago now helped me get acquainted sooner, sooner I can, I can get mixed in, but still be an outsider very comfortably. And and I like that. That's my comfort zone. If you a different perspective right like rather than being in it, you get the outsider perspective which is which should be unique.

7:46 Right. And without any judgments because, because growing up, all I have learned is everybody's lifestyle is different. Everybody speaks different languages, everybody does different things, cooks different food at home, right? It's cooking and food is such a innate part of our lifestyle and every home does it differently. In India, especially you, you know it so. So I think that was like imbibed in me subconsciously that I always knew that everybody is different, but then at the end of it, all of us are the same.

8:24 Yeah, right. All of us want the same things. All of us are striving for that one little thing we want or just the happiness around us. No, Yeah, that's that's a very good observation, I should say. Who are? No, I mean, you said you're you're innately driven and that's something that's been your personality since you were a kid. But was there something or somebody who inspire you to be who you are or who you, who kind of like you know, who shaped your values as you were growing up? I I think there were many people like when you are in school, that is your teachers and everybody else, but I think that is one person in my life throughout has been somebody inside my house always my father.

9:16 It's it was very, very big lesson was you, no matter what talent you bring in, but if you're not working hard enough, you're not going to get what you want. And I have and I don't think he has said that even once out loud, but his actions taught us that. And if you would have asked me when I was a little kid, what did you learn from him? I, I would have had the same emotions as I'm telling you this right now, but I would not have been as articulate as I am, because it took me so many years to understand the lesson that he taught us without even trying to teach us, right.

10:06 So I, I, I think that was this, that I, I grew up watching him. I, I grew up watching him give like his 200% to his job because I saw him that OK, I want to get to this level when I am that when I, I want to work hard. I, I saw him study till 2:00 AM when he was in his 40s because he wanted to get promoted to certain level. I, I saw him play his favorite sports in the evening. So I also learned the art of self-care. I also learned what how he was able to spend time with us, but also was able to take it out for what he wanted to do.

10:48 And he was able to cleanly prioritize it in such a way that he he, he wasn't very abrupt or intentional about it. It became part of. Part of his life. And our life. Too. And your life too. Yeah, and and of course, he could do all of it with my mom's support, So no discounting that. But at the same time, I think that somewhere gave me the that you have to work hard no matter what. You cannot sit on a table full of people telling, thinking that I'm the smartest of all, I should get everything I want.

11:31 That's not how the world works. OK, Yeah. It you have to put in your hours, you cannot think this is my job that is my job and I still to date do this so so and and then we'll dive into that the whole restaurant journey and everything will teach you even more. I think there hasn't been a bigger teacher than that I'm. Sure, I'm sure, but but your dad is a big influence. Big. Influence in what I am today and in terms of specially choosing the career that I wanted to and then then taking risks. Risks, yeah.

12:08 I think and and then the biggest piece of it was learning about finances early on. I know it is a little tangential, but that that was the biggest influence in my life is I knew how much I make it, how much I'm going to spend, where I'm investing, what I'm going to do with my money. When all my friends were thinking about how they're going to spend all the money, they're earning that. Actually is an amazing thing to learn because again, with, with experience, right? Like even when I see people around me, women especially, you know, growing up, we haven't, we have never been included in those conversations.

12:57 So when you're never included in those conversations, it's really difficult to even gain that knowledge, right? And personally, I've actually started on my own personal journey of learning my own personal finances. And I am. I'm probably a little ashamed to say that I'm so old and I don't know it, but I'm also proud to say that at least I'm taking the step to learn it now. Whereas I know so many of my friends who still don't do it, who still don't pay attention, and even if they want to, they're not actually included in many of the conversations.

13:30 Sometimes that is. That is a very sad part, but well, congratulations. Thank you late. That never that is true. So, and there are so many things we are starting in our 40s. I'm learning something else, but no, this is great. And I think that that was that is one thing that helped me where that's amazing. Where? I was investing and learning about bonds and stocks and everything. Mutual funds that time. Oh wow, when I was 18. Years. Old. So I think that was the biggest lesson and I think somewhere he was a banker, so.

14:06 He wanted to teach. So he, I, those were the talks at home. So my father and I, we bond on two things, OK and second, sports. So I think my best memories with him are about waking up at 4:00 AM and watching Australian Open tennis match or a cricket Test match and everything. So I think that that helped us. So you have we had that in common, I guess. But, but going back to your question, I think that in many facets of life he is the biggest influence that is. Awesome.

14:43 When you were younger, what did success mean to you and how has the definition evolved over time? Oh, I love this question because I mean, you tend to quantify success a lot when you're younger. Like so, oh, I, I, if I have all A's, I'm successful. If I'm shopping something in school, like I'm, I'm the best in class, I got that award. I, I think I was big on that where I was quantifying everything is am I the first one to get a job right out of college? Am I the first one to get this award in the first month of my job?

15:34 So these were kind of quantifiable pressures that are disguised as goals you put on yourself. And I did that and, and, and I think somewhere I enjoyed it to an extent. But then every time you add up the number on top of each other, one thing that happens for sure is what happens with the numbers. You never can reach to the end of it. It's. It doesn't. Stop Infinite. Yeah. Right, so you burn out. It's like the goal posts are kept moving, right? Right. Right, right. It's, it's like sometimes I, I was looking at, I went for my eye test the other day and then you look at those, look at, look through those lenses.

16:24 And then there is that thing that keeps on moving. Yeah, it's like that. It's a moving target always, because you do not take a break, you celebrate. You do not take a pause and think, wow, this just happened, I am a graduate, I got my job, this just happened, let's celebrate. But all of this wisdom is 20 years later, right? So I mean, as they say, right, hindsight is always 2020. There you go. One more vision thing. But yes, that's, that's exactly what it was. But so I quantified those a lot and I went through that even as a professional when I moved to Utah from directly from India.

17:13 And it's here. I, I got my job here. And then when do I get promoted? When do I do this next level? Then let me switch this job. This is not giving me the what you want. The. Joy, let me switch that. But the joy was also quantified in terms of salary, in terms of promotions, in terms of the title, right? I never took a pause until maybe few years ago when I realized that this is never going to end and I need to find out how exactly goals work and and that's when the pause help to understand that.

18:00 Let's find the quality in your goal. Change the. Ways you define success. Yeah, exactly. Now the success feels like slow mornings. Now the success feels like not doing work or sometimes and being able to take a day off on Mondays or going on walks on Tuesday evenings. That's what success feels like right now. It's, I don't think it's about the bank balance and everything, although don't get me wrong, extremely important. Yeah, there is nothing without that. Sure. So I think you can have the slow life Once you have the, you know, back of the mind, you're not worried about paying bills.

18:45 True, That's very true. The reality of that's the. Reality of life, yeah, but. But I think it's like I said in the beginning, it's all about finding the balance. So it's all about. The balance now that's how you define success. Now that's, that's, that's how I feel it that OK, I have these things going on, but I'm not going to stress over it because I value the other things more and I'm very grateful for it. So the gratitude that comes with age I feel, of course. Age. And the successes and failures that, OK, I failed at that interview.

19:19 I failed at that deal. World didn't end. Yeah, right. So I'm still alive, I'm still healthy. I'm still capable of doing something more tomorrow. I think that's enough to be grateful about. And, and I think once you feel that, and it's harder said than done, for sure. So once you get to that point, success feels like, OK, the wisdom of knowing the difference is the real success. That's so beautiful. That's that's how I feel it. Yeah. That's so beautiful. OK, now that makes, yeah, I love how you kind of like talked about your thought process and how it changed overtime, which is I think many people can relate to it essentially.

20:04 I feel like everybody, So I in my 40s, I'm learning and finding the difference. Yeah. And I'm sure everybody who has gone through this journey, for sure has gone through this, yeah. In someone way or the other, they find this relatable for sure. So looking back, can you or do you see early signs of the leader that you became today?

20:30 Because. You are AVP in your current professional life and in addition to that, you're also a restauranteur of, you know, 2 great restaurants here in Utah along with your husband. So those kinds of things don't happen, right? Without intention and without effort. Yeah. But did you see signs of being a leader early on? I I. Think yes, I want to say yes about the leadership part for two things #1 being I, I always enjoyed the feeling of, you know, sharing my thoughts and letting people, you know, taking the people along with me and then and letting in in school or colleges or even early on in my career.

21:24 I think one thing that has happened great for me is I had an opportunity to meet with amazing leaders. I had an opportunity to just watch them and get inspired and dream that one day I'll be like them. I, I think that is huge for me because, because for me, I, I am a follower disguised as a leader. It's, it's an, it's a, it could be a controversial thing to say as a leader. No, I think. It's it's, but it's a thing that what they call a servant leader. Servant leader, right? Yeah. To an extent, OK, But in addition to that, because I I like to feel inspired.

22:11 I like to see somebody who is ahead of me and I want to feel one day I'll be like that and and that keeps me going. Gotcha. Deep down inside my heart, that's what is going on. Wow. Harry is amazing at what she's doing. She is killing it in her life. I want to be like Harry and then then I work towards that. In my mind. I'm very analytical in terms of I break that down, how she must be doing it, what are the steps she might be taking, what is her background and how is she doing all of it. And then I might reach out to you.

22:52 I do that. I have done that with all the leaders grow growing up too. So with some teachers, especially in my management programs, I have done that with my professors and then early on in my careers, I have had amazing mentors who I've watched them and learned from them. So that was that. Second facet of it is I, I have heard this in this like resonated with me so well was great leaders make great leaders.

23:27 So good leaders make managers, great leaders make great leaders. So I, I think this was like 20 years ago. That's when I heard and that's when my quest to find a good leader began. I didn't even think of me as AVP someday, but I knew I had the potential. So this was it. But one thing which is like the bottom line of everything, my entire career and professional existence is since I was five years old, I had this, I don't know where, this confidence and courage that I'm born to do great things. I remember as far as I can go back, I remember telling myself I'm born to do great things and I'm going to do great things.

24:22 That's. Awesome SO. And in fact, as older as I got, I tend to forget that. But growing up, that helped me growing up, that helped me that that I'm born to do great things and I will do so. So I think that gave me the confidence that didn't bring me the opportunities that gave me the confidence that took the fear out of me that OK, you can't do it was never an option. So, so every opportunity I got, I kept on going. And that's how that's. Yeah, though. The life was built. So what inspired? So let's kind of like taking a bit of a tangent from yours.

25:07 Like what inspired you to open restaurants while you were building your corporate career? Yeah.

25:17 Has to be this has to take some kind of craziness. So that's there. But keeping that aside, one thing was so when you build a corporate career and my husband and I, we did it together while he was also building his corporate career, he was doing great in his corporate life. I was doing great and and I was excited for the next big thing in my life. But when you work as a leader in corporate life, it gives you the sense of scale, It gives you the sense of achievement in terms of I, I build this team, I implemented this, I launched this big product and everything.

26:10 It does give you that sense of achievement. What it doesn't give you, I feel like, is humility and sense of ownership. And somewhere I was craving for that I. Something of your own? I just. Couldn't articulate that time yet, but I wanted that sense of ownership. I also wanted to have this sense of humility that what happens when this doesn't work, What happens when you have to build everything from scratch and owning a restaurant grounds you like nobody's business. OK. No pun intended here, but yeah, it's it grounds you and so so I wanted that and I think I was craving for that also.

27:00 There was one thing in mind that if not now, when?

27:08 Let's try it out. What's the worst going to happen? We will fail, yeah, but at least we will learn. That's a great way to look at it, right? Like, because from what I see, many people, especially women, they tend to say I'll wait for the perfect time, but that perfect time never happens. It never comes because something or the other is always happening in your life. Yeah. So if you want something. Yeah, now is. The best time if you. Want it right now. Now is the perfect time. Yeah. The opportunity that comes knocking is the perfect time, Yeah.

27:43 Or. Even the thought. Even the thought right. Yeah, I, I, I see so less women like how you think like that. I'm glad. Yeah. Yeah. So in fact, I encourage many, many women to try this out for one very important reason.

28:09 I and I don't think any woman would disagree with me. There is no better multitasker in this world than a woman, than a mom. Than a mom. Than a wife, than a daughter-in-law and a daughter there is nobody. I I mean no disrespect for men or women with no children. Everybody's doing great. But try doing all these roles without getting stressed, like you will have your bad days and good days, but without getting like very grumpy or stressed about it. And then on top of it, you get 0 credit for what you do.

28:51 Well, my friend, that is the business. You don't get credit. You're multitasking in every possible way. OK, so, so I think I would advise every woman to try it out. Your I, I think more than anybody else, women have the highest chance of success in in any industry if you choose to start any business. So and we see around us, right? And yeah. So yeah. And then of course, I, I, I want to say I have my whole Utah life has been while growing my corporate ladder is watching my friend and mentor Lavarna getting successful in what she does and setting example and paving path for people like us, right.

29:41 So I think that was there too, that she gave us the courage to. Follow your passion, follow your. Passion and try it out. That is so true. So, yeah. So somebody who walks that path, first they have to, you know, clean it up for others and then we can have a easier. Way essentially. Easier way, I think that was it too. Yeah, OK. Yeah, no, that's awesome. That's amazing. Was there a was there a defining professional challenge that shaped your leadership style that it is today?

30:18 Challenge I, I wouldn't call it a challenge, but I, I think it, it was more about finding the balance between my health and everything that happened last year. So just so you know, last year I went through a healthcare and everything that gave me this whole perspective to slow down, to pause. And and I think that kind of trickle down in my leadership style before in terms of you want everything done like this and quickly and and you have to have everything done on your timelines and the hustle. Culture and and the hustle.

31:04 Culture and and I took pride in that yeah, I I wanted everybody to stay busy all the time and, you know, take take charge of everything, get into the details of everything. But last year taught me that it's OK to not know everything. It's OK to not have everything in your control. And and then the third is trust. Trust your people. Trust your people that they are amazing at their job and trust your skill as a leader that you are there should they screw up. So I think that was the biggest pivoting point in my career in as a owner of restaurants as well as professional life.

31:54 Yeah. Because it is very important to, you know, take a break and understand where your life is going and introspect. There is there is a one thing which one of my mentor had told me long time ago is he said Teju. It's lonely at the top. I didn't understand what that meant that time, but now I do. It's lonely at the top, means nobody tells you what to. What to be done? Also, right? Yeah, nobody. Tells you the truth, that Teju, slow down. Nobody tells you that. Teju, you don't have to fix this. Nobody tells you that it's you.

32:38 You have to work on yourself constantly. But then, if you're not taking a break, how are you working on yourself? Yeah, yeah, where's the pause to even self reflect, right? So, so I think I think that that was the biggest shift here. That is awesome.

32:59 You. Believe and this like I know we've talked about this. So the only real risk is the one you never take. So what's the biggest calculated risk you've taken? I'm assuming it's your opening the restaurants? Or is there another beyond that I? I I think every decision in my mind is a calculated risk. If you take a step forward in any, any way, like any big decision, even choosing your life partner is a calculated risk. Choosing your jobs, changing your jobs or choosing which industry to get into for your business or everything, right?

33:34 It's a calculated risk. But yeah, you're right, I think business would be a calculated risk financially. Yeah, financially, yeah, OK. So it it and I think there are things that you learn only when you're into it. So, so with the restaurant, we learned that it was a financially calculated risk, but then we didn't account for other factors in terms of time is money and how much time are we spending? And does it all account for the profit implicit cost of the the business running? So, so all of it is the learning.

34:17 But yeah, so everything in my mind, everything is a calculated risk and, and, but every risk is an opportunity. Yeah. And and the success is right behind that opportunity door. So you better open it if you see it. Sure. Yeah, yeah. Well, that's, so that's a great way to look at it for sure. Yeah. So yeah. So that's that's how it has been going so far. Let's see. That's how it goes. Yeah, I'll tell you later that Terry works. Yeah, you said that turning point was giving yourself the permission to pause.

35:03 And in our conversation so far, I actually see a lot of myself in you as well because again, like you, I'm an eldest daughter, I'm self driven to do things. And it's really difficult to actually get your mind off of if it's one goal, the next goal, the next goal kind of a thing. But my question to you is, why do you think it's so difficult for high achievers to give themselves the permission to pause? Because.

35:40 I think somewhere the self validation comes from the achievement, yes. So so you feel great about yourself because you did this and the fear of that feeling going away drives you. It's like the. Adrenaline rush. That's the rush, Yeah. Or or. What if I don't do this? What happens? Will I have the same self respect about myself? I don't think anybody, you or me, people like us, we do it for others, we do it for ourselves in terms of we are driven not to prove to the world, we are driven for to prove ourselves.

36:23 Prove. Ourselves. But I think somewhere that is when the pauses and breaks help because they tell you that it's OK You can be proud of yourself for what you are. You don't need more than this. Yeah. To feel. Good about yourself. Yeah, it's the. It's the self critic in US, I think that drives us and none of it is negative. I, I, I take immense amount of pride in this nature of yours. Yeah, because it it helps us from it up, puts us apart from the crowd. We are the ambitious ones, we are the driven ones.

37:12 So, so it's, it's a great thing to have as long as you know when to read, when to you know, it's too much. This is a freaking long To Do List. Yeah, stop it. We just need to tell this to ourselves or have reminders or on on our phone every week that your To Do List is too long. Cut it down too. Ambitious or too optimistic? Yeah. So. Slow it down, take your time. There's no need to rush then. There's no need to rush or. Use the tools. There are amazing tools right now like you can identify, you know, put your work in 4 quadrants and identify the the ones that bring you the most joy and give you the most out.

38:01 Bang of the buck of the buck. Bang for the buck. So yes, do that, but but I I don't see any of these facets negatively. I think they just, no, they're not supported by, I think you know. It's the balancing act self. Awareness and balancing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, Yeah, Very true, Very true.

38:22 You strongly believe in consistency over motivation, Yes, which I truly love because it's something that I totally believe in and follow in. Where did that mindset come from? I want to say Instagram. OK, something good from the social media. Yeah, it's, I think it's somewhere I I watched some somebody, some influencers say it out loud. And then I think we always knew it. Somebody articulates it and shares it to you. It makes a difference. Or it, you know, locks in. Yeah. So I think that's what happened with me.

39:01 But you know, I started working out and my, you know, weight management and healthy eating and discipline journey like almost nine years ago now. And and that time it was like, I don't want to wake up at six AMII can't do it. I'm too tired today and everything or I don't see the scale moving. Yeah, all of it was part of lack of motivation. The minute you take the motivation out of it, all I could see was this is just like I'm brushing my teeth, I'm going to work out part of your lifestyle like, and you can relate to it.

39:47 I see your workout videos every day. So so that's that is just one part of it. But then that's showing up with the same excitement for your work or for anything you're doing. It's the same thing. I think we have lots to learn about this from our children, right? True. They, they don't look for motivation. They, they are consistent in what they do. Starting from like even video games. They're consistent. Yeah, are going to school and everything do you ever hear your child saying I don't feel motivated to go to school?

40:23 No, nobody says that Yeah. Or I don't feel motivated to go to that swim class. No, it's it's, it is there at that set time. They will do it. It's going to be hard. Some days it will be. You don't want to wake up when you're. Human. You're human. So it's nobody's Brian Johnson perfect, right? But but at the same time, I think it's it's a slow process to get there to where your discipline takes over and then you don't need motivation about anything in life. Sure, harder for people who work based off of goals like you and I, but compartmentalizing some aspects of life day-to-day life separately from the goals has helped me.

41:11 Yeah, I think for me it's more like as you said, right over time, even breaking down those goals to bite sized pieces, I love it. Yeah, that helps. And also achieving the smaller ones takes lesser effort, but at the same time it also gives you that endorphins of yay, finish this step, yes, which keeps you, keeps me motivated. That's the way I even the check. Box gives you the dopamine exactly. So those little things have always kind of like helped me in my consistency journey, you know? So yeah, no this.

41:45 Is amazing, yeah, I like that, yeah. So if someone listening is afraid to take a risk or is running on empty, what would you want them to take away from your story?

42:07 I would to answer specifically about the risk part. I think I would ask myself, if I were that person, why am I afraid? What's driving me? I think it's good to be afraid. I, I, I, I think it is great. Not just good, great to be afraid of failures because that's when you work hard. But knowing why know your why is extremely important. You need to know why am I afraid? Is it because this is a really stupid idea? Or is this because I have never done this? Extremely different things, right? Yeah. And that's when you derive or separate risk and the calculated part from that risk and then you go towards it.

43:00 So OK, I have never done it. So what can I find somebody who has done this before or can I get more details on it? Can I identify out of 10 things that I don't know, can I identify two things that make me feel better or feel good about myself? And once I'm done with it, what is the worst outcome out of it? Think of it. What is it for me to lose? Because there is literally nothing. Failure is also learning, right? I love that. So. So you're getting. Something out of it, whether it's a success or a failure, yeah.

43:42 And and, and then what I have learned over the years, I can share that with you and especially for the younger audience that don't quantify everything. Don't look at numbers. I have done that mistake. I wish you don't. I really hope you don't because once you start quantifying, nothing feels successful. You want more. Always have have your eyesight on that number. Always don't forget it. But that's not, that shouldn't be your driving force. Beautiful force needs to be. I want to get from point A to point B because this is this brings me joy or this is the right thing to do or this is going to be going to help me out in a bigger scheme of things.

44:31 Yeah. That's. Beautiful and then eventually money, quantifiable success, everything is going to be a byproduct of it. Beautiful. You don't want it to be the main, the main thing and and I wish I had somebody telling me that 20 years ago, but focus on the main product by product will come that's. Nice. That's beautiful. So take that calculated risk, work hard and that's when you don't get to feel demotivated. You have to be disciplined. You have to show up. And like I told you two few minutes ago in the break that I worked as a server today because nobody showed up.

45:19 And then here I am doing a podcast. So quite some extremes. But then you can't be like, oh, I wish I didn't do that today because I didn't want my makeup to be ruined, Right. So it's it's it's part of the job. It is what you signed up for. Yeah. So ask yourself, am I ready for what I'm signing up for? That's. Important and very important. Lastly, a very important thing. And somebody asked me this this morning too. I get that you want this. How badly? How badly do you want this? Yeah, that'll ask.

45:59 Yourself that how badly what am I doing going to do to make it make it happen and and that's your answer, yes. So that's beautiful. So take those calculated risks, work towards it. But if there is an opportunity, don't wait on it, go forward. Yeah, I know we're a few minutes over, but last two minutes maybe let's switch over to rapid fire questions. Wow. OK. Let's do it. What's your favorite book? Favorite book? Wow. So the Autobiography of a Yogi that I read last year. The reason quickly being it turned me into a very spiritual person.

46:40 It started that journey for me. OK, so that's why beautiful. Favorite song? Favorite song? I can't pick one, sorry. It's just I am maybe. You like music, so who's your favorite music director? Maybe music? Director would be Madan Mohan. I am a old Hindi movie buff and song, so that's beautiful. That used to play on the radio. Yeah. Yeah, that's me. Yeah. What's that? Yeah, do. You have a favorite quotation.

47:07 Quotation. I think I don't have a favorite one, but one I can think of right now is what I just used is How badly do you want it? OK, so favorite movie? I think Duranda is the last one I've watched, so that's one. But my problem with movies is I don't remember OK, So yeah, that's OK. What's your greatest fear? OK, greatest fear I that's, that's a hard question because I, I used to have this fear and I still do is losing loved ones. So it's a little deep, deeper than I think you were hoping that.

47:49 No, no. No, but. Yeah, losing the loved ones. And I think I'm working on, you know, not to have that fear, but it's hard. It's hard. It's especially. Once you have children for sure. Definitely, definitely. What's the most courageous thing that you've ever done in life so far? Oh, courageous many like starting from choosing to marry and to to birthday two children to I think the biggest thing I think that changed my life is choosing to move. I think everybody, all the people who choose to leave the country, they were good.

48:30 They they were brought up in and like, spent most of their life in. Yeah. Uproot everything and move and start a new life. Yeah. I think in my mind is the most courageous person, and I am one of those. I think that was the hardest thing. OK, We did. Yeah. OK. Finally, what's your philosophy of life? OK, philosophy of life. Oh, I love this. So I I think it is work hard, play hard. Yeah, yeah. OK. So that's yeah, that's it. OK. Now thank you so much. This was amazing conversation. I had learnt a lot and I hope my viewers and our audience also have learnt something from you.

49:14 Thank you so much Teju and thank you so much. Thank. You so much. I I had a great time chatting with you, as always. So my pleasure, yeah. Thank you. Teju's story reminds us that real strength is built quietly through consistency, courage, and the willingness to pause when life asks you to. It's not about the applause, it's about showing up every day, giving your best, and having the discipline to grow through every season. Teju, thank you for sharing your journey with us, your honesty, your wisdom, and your heart.

49:53 And to everyone watching and listening, thank you for being here and for supporting Portraits of Strength. We are so grateful for this community. We'll see you soon in the next episode. A quick shout out to today's sponsor, Sri Krishna Jewellers. With over 50 years of craftsmanship, they are now serving the Dallas community from Frisco, TX. If you have someone special worth celebrating, check out their collection at srikrishna.com or call them at 430-231-1111.