Bruh.. Can't believe people are taking you seriously just because you said it's not a troll post..

Software Engineer

please borrow a printer from jeremy powell...

There is never enough,  if you keep comparing to others. It's only contentment that should come from within. Shed your ego, don't think all are dimwits. Try to mingle with them.

Software Test- QA

you should feel unfulfilled because this is barely enough to survive

Software Developer

Very funny. I can understand the pain of not being able to afford Diamond studded pillows. May God bless you with more power!😄

Fulfilment happens depending on what when you spend the 8 crores post tax  every month on, not on earning it.  Spend it on drugs, s3x alcohol, you waste it. Spend it on arts, culture, health, well-being, community, you feel fulfilled.

Investor

To make 8cr per month at 16.. what are you creating in return? If in fact you are creating something of value for such amount of money you wouldn’t be in this situation judging people around you  unless you are fleecing someone/some company. If you are in fact creative then be in a position to offer someone else 8cr per month..highly doubt it though!

Founder

Look at small country. That's countries children's life. Family position. And. you and your family. Nothing .anything permanent your life just think a few seconds

Public Relations

For obvious reasons, it's too good to be true

This is the wittiest post here. Instead of going to MIT, fly to Hollywood and write dialogue for movies and series, bhai! 🙌

Analyst

Not a troll post promise. I am 16 years old, about to enter my dream college MIT (US wala). I'm already making over 8 crore per month pre tax, and deciding on going to college. I'm bored of life al...

Welcome to Personal Finance's Private Community

Not a troll post promise. I am 16 years old, about to enter my dream college MIT (US wala). I'm already making over 8 crore per month pre tax, and deciding on going to college. I'm bored of life already. I feel I'm surrounded by dimwits and thoroughly mediocre plebians which has made me an introvert. I don't relate to anyone my age due to the obvious income gap.

Feeling unfulfilled. Is it all that's there to life? Help me. I don't think what I'm making is enough, but I have to suffer the bane of existence. I have to make do with only silk pillows instead of pure gold. What's next? 100 cr? Will that ever be enough?

Serious replies only please.

Woe is me

Woe is me- Grapevine

Welcome to Software Engineers's Private Community

Can't move out of India at all. 

Moderately smart SWE, from a no name college but Leetcode God & good at interviewing. Not a 10X engineer by any means but definitely above average. 

TC - 75L
Yoe - 4.5

I want to make more. Please don't troll. I'm ready to work for it & provide value.

I want to make money. Not happy with what I'm getting now. What can I do if I can't move out of India? Serious answers only

Welcome to Confessions's Private Community

29F, IIT & IIM grad. Thought I had it all figured out. Boy, was I wrong.

Post-grad, I went full-on hustle mode. Guru worship 24/7. Gary Vee, desi "entrepreneurs" on Insta - you name it, I followed. Their mantra? Work 20hrs, sleep 4, crush life. Sounded legit to my overachiever brain.

My life became a freakin' checklist:
- 5AM wake-up: Check
- Cold shower: Check
- Meditation: Check
- 12hr workday on my "revolutionary" startup: Check
- Networking events instead of family time: Check
- Endless online courses: Check

Rinse and repeat. Every. Single. Day.

Guilt was my constant companion. Watching a movie? Slacker. Attending a cousin's wedding? Waste of time. Celebrating Diwali? Think of all the work you could be doing!

The kicker? Being a woman in tech. Felt like I had to hustle 10x harder just to be taken seriously. 

Result after 3 years of this madness? 
- Forbes 30U30 Asia: Check
- Failed startup: Check
- Nonexistent social life: Check
- Chronic anxiety: Check

Guess what: All that hustling led to jack shit.

Now, at 29, I'm unlearning this toxic BS. Realizing success isn't about IIT tags, funding rounds, or how little you sleep. It's about actually living.

To all the desi kids killing themselves over JEE ranks and CAT scores: STOP. Your life is worth more than a percentile.

Success without happiness is worthless. Don't waste your 20s like I did, chasing someone else's definition of success.

Anyone else been through this hustle culture hellscape? How'd you break free?

From IIT to IIM to Forbes 30U30 to Burnout: My Hustle Culture Nightmare

27 Male ,got an offer of 20.5 lpa.

Most of the people I know here at grapevine are making way more and friends in my circle are making around 35-50 lpa.

Now I am confused,I have a lot of questions in my head.

Did I slack off?

Or did I do okay?Cause I was avg in college(7.6 cgpa) tier -3 and started my job at non-dev role.

I thought market was down hence I was happy with 20.5 lpa,but now I see folks making more money.

My progression : 
3 lpa to 5 lpa (Accenture for 2 years) service based S.A.P basis job.

Drone tech startup: 
ML Engineer (2.3 yoe)[8-12 LPA]

Now I will be joining an MNC : 
As Sr.MLE offer in hand (20.5 LPA)

Overall I have 4.3 yoe.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I might be insecure,I cannot talk about this problem with my parents or friends (or anyone around me)

Feeling like shit at 27.

Machine Learning Engineer

Is it a number that gives you freedom? Security? Or just peace of mind?

IMHO Once I reach 2Cr/annum I would feel like I have made it.

🧵 [Thread] What's the minimum CTC that would make you feel successful?

Product Manager

Welcome to Get Motivated's Private Community

I am NITian 24 Male working at 11LPA in IT sector. I am worried a lot about the future.
I am very smart and knowledgeable with high IQ and EQ and possess knowledge of about everything and every field. Kinda like "Jack of all trades, master of none". Despite being smart, I feel very under-confident, under-qualified and worthless.
I envy and get jealous of seeing my friends and batchmates succeeding, going into IIMs, bagging 25-30 LPA or more by switching jobs and I just keeps wondering how are they doing it, how are they getting selected an all.
Please help me out here overcoming this imposter syndrome and getting out of the pit.

Also if you have any kind of job openings or career progressions and to all the managers & HRs reading this post, if you require a guy with good general knowledge, IQ, problem solving and technical skillset in front-end development or analytics, do hit me up.

Help! Imposter Syndrome.

Consultant

My overall education started a bit late than normal people due to my fathers transfers and school admission rules. Consequently when I applied for JEE Advanced back in 2017 i was 19.5 years old.  I got it but wasnt satisfied so dropped a year and got a better rank. I was 20.5 years old when I finally joined IIT. 
Somewhere subconciously throughout my college life i felt that I did achieve what I wanted to but really late. I know theres nothing I could do about it but this was something still killing me inside. Most of my batchmates where 18 year olds and even the ones who dropped where at most 19. 

I always wanted to pursue my masters and phd but somewhere at the back of my mind I feel I would have to go theough the same feelings again. It just kills me so much inside. 

Currently I have completed 2 years as a software engineer and I am 26 years old. 
On one part my mind tells me that I am made for much more than just an IT job and should go to academia. On the other hand it feels like I am too old for it. 

I dont know what to do. I am not able to rationalize my thoughts. I am not able to understand how can I bring myself to overcome my fears and achieve what i really want in life.

A subconcious insecurity

Welcome to Office Gossip's Private Community

Hello everyone,
 
Hope it's going well.
 
What this post is: a place to hang around and chat just about anything - without having a specific topic to discuss.  
Think of it like the watercooler at your office.  
 
Look forward to hearing from you all :)

Daily Watercooler (29th June)

Welcome to Indian Startups's Private Community

For me it was always startups and now looking at the landscape I think it’s very hard. For 8 years, I just wasted my time.

Anything I am building is failing. Couldn’t raise any funds, non of my products reached mass market or gain enough profits. Have skills but non to utilise on!

Indian B2C is extremely hard, and even though people think Saas is great, bad news guys, Indian business rather use excel than pay for jira. There is a saying now - “Easier to earn a dollar than a rupee”.

Have meet so many founders and VCs. Most of them lost touch of reality. Either moved to US or on leave from their own startups.

Only think I know is going through a complete mental breakdown and no one to look up to. My gf left last year, can’t even get any jobs in this market neither can build something useful.

What gives your life meaning ?

I am 23M working in a well renowned Fintech startup. Have got what I have dreamed of in college like high ownership, good pay and other similar things. But lately realized that I can't do these things for my majority of life. Although I enjoy my work but still feeling lonely and aimless.

Previous to September it was remote but now they have made it hybrid and I have to reallocate to Gurgaon and now I am feeling more lonely and aimless in life.

Have tried travelling and other stuffs inorder to find interest in life but nothing excites me.

What to do in life? Feeling aimless

I can't seem to relate to much of the non-FAANG junta out there. I mean I have a cushy job with probably 0.1% pay of all SWEs(pretty much like all of us do). But these cookie-cutter roles have been taking a mental toll on me. Like I am getting paid but I feel a little purpose-less. What am I gunning for in this life? 

All my life I wanted to go to a good college to get into a good company. In college I wanted to get a good codeforces rank so that I could get into FAANG. Now that I am in FAANG I have nothing to look forward to. 

Any of you all feeling this way? Because I don't see myself offer-shopping and feeling much happy about that either.

Feeling depressed at Amazon(2YOE/41L CTC). Anyone else feeling the same way?

Currently with 3+ yrs of experience and earning around 36 LPA ( 28 fixed and 8 esops ). Getting a feeling like I am not earning enough and also I am getting a FOMO looking at my friends who are doing MS and settled in US. I want to experience it, but not sure if it’s worth it or should I look for switch to get out that fomo? It’s now or never for doing MS as I am will be getting almost 4-5 yrs experience in next few years. Also, Feeling like I am getting old for MS 

Please give suggestions.

Should I do MS ?

10 years of schooling, studying hard during festivals, sacrificing my playtime, my childhood for marks..
2 years of high school - Completely cut-off from the world for a good college.
4 years of hard work for a job for a below average salary!!!

On the other hand:
Some random chai wala earns in lakhs.
Some MLM meme girl, living a luxurious lifestyle.
Insensible people are valued in society.
Even a 12th fail selling beer in his family shop lives a better life.

All the hard work I did is in vain? Whatever I did till this point of time was useless? What's the point of an endless struggle, if my destination has more struggle? Something is really wrong..

I have lost all my motivation 😞

What am I doing wrong?

DevOps Engineer

Saw the new FIRE community here on Grapevine, thought of sharing my story here.

Let's talk about money, startups, and the misleading "get rich quick" mentality that's captivating our generation.

I'm 32, and I've been with TCS for 11 years. Yes, TCS. Not a trendy startup, not a unicorn, just good old Tata Consultancy Services.

And I've just reached a 1Cr net worth.

Before you assume I'm a senior executive or had family wealth, let me clarify. I started as a fresh graduate earning 3.5 LPA. My parents are middle-class government employees. I had no special advantages or lucky breaks.

What I did have was discipline. Pure, unglamorous discipline.

While my college friends hopped between startups, chasing ESOPs and IPO dreams, I stayed put. I lived modestly, invested consistently, and focused on steady growth.

Here's the unvarnished truth:

1. Most startups fail. Your ESOPs are worthless if the company doesn't succeed.
2. Even if your startup thrives, the chances of making life-changing money are slim. You're more likely to end up overworked and burnt out.
3. FIRE is unrealistic for most people, especially through startup gambles.
4. Slow and steady really does win the race.

My journey wasn't exciting. It looked like this:

- Lived with roommates until 28
- Drove a second-hand Alto while peers financed luxury cars
- Invested 50% of my salary monthly, without exception
- Educated myself about index funds, debt funds, and asset allocation
- Declined expensive trips and unnecessary luxuries
- Focused on upskilling and steady promotions at TCS

Was it always enjoyable? No. Did I sometimes feel left behind when friends posted about startup funding or fancy perks? Absolutely.

But you know what's truly satisfying? Reaching 1Cr net worth at 32 through consistent, unexciting progress.

I'm not saying everyone should work at TCS or that startups are bad. If you genuinely love the startup world, pursue it. But do it because you love the work, not because you think it's your ticket to early retirement.

The startup world has sold us a fantasy. They've glorified overwork, made "hustle" a personality trait, and convinced a generation that success only comes through a miraculous exit.

That's simply not true.

Success often looks like showing up daily, living below your means, and making smart, consistent choices with your money.

To the 20-somethings chasing startup dreams and thinking ESOPs will enable early retirement - reconsider. The odds aren't in your favor.

Instead, think about this:
- Find a stable, fulfilling job
- Live well below your means
- Invest aggressively and consistently
- Focus on steady career growth
- Ignore flashy social media lifestyles

It's not exciting. It won't get you media attention. But it works.

Here's the best part: this path has allowed me to have a balanced life. I'm married with a young child, and I get to spend quality time with them every day. I play with my kid after work, I'm present for family dinners, and I even have time for my hobbies on weekends.

I'm not constantly stressed about the next funding round or pulling all-nighters to meet impossible deadlines. I have the mental space to be fully present with my family, and that's priceless.

I'm not planning to retire soon. I actually enjoy my job and the stability it provides. But reaching this milestone has given me options and peace of mind that no startup gamble could offer.

So, is anyone else out there quietly building wealth without the drama? Let's hear your stories.

And to those still pursuing the startup dream - I wish you the best. But consider that the less exciting path might be the one that actually leads to both financial success and a fulfilling personal life.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast :)

How I Hit 1Cr Net Worth at TCS Without the Startup Hype (and no, I don’t want to retire early)

Engineering manager

Hi I am 28 years old software professional earning about 5lakhs a month
On the side I do manage my own and client fund and got a profit of more than 2cr from option selling. I have been doing this for 3 years. 
I want to grow my wealth beyond 20cr But options aren't that salable how to go about it.?

Option trading 3cr profit

After reading replies in grapevine for dystopian policies, HR policies, work culture, companies to avoid(looks like all companies should be avoided), related questions I'm kind of regretting as I took the decision to stay back in India and not pursue masters abroad to live with my parents.

Given how pathetic the work culture is in almost all the startups(I'll go with 99.99%), politics and poor work life balance and living in a country where I don't get any tax benefits even after paying 30+% direct income tax, is it really worth living in this country anymore ? I'm feeling very sad, looks like I missed the opportunity to go abroad as I'm 25 now. Only my love towards my parents is holding me back since they both are around the age of 60 and I don't want to be the son who will make crores of money abroad and not be with them in case of any emergency. I'm don't want to leave them alone. Looks like there is no hope working in India. 😔

Is living in India worth it?

Backend engineer

Me and my wife are 30 years old software engineer with no kids. Draw 7 lac a month please some yearly bonus. We invest 2 lac a month combined into equity market through mutual funds. 

Expenses: 1.5 lac a month including everything, lives in Bangalore in good society, owns a car, don't thing much before spending. 

Still after everything left with 3 lakhs every month in bank account. Not sure how to use that. We both don't have any fancy "shauk" where we can spend and hence don't have an urge to earn more. 

Any suggestions???

Post tax 7 lac a month. Double income no kids, but not sure what do with all the money.

Being anonymous gives me a safe space. But life is getting tougher than ever each day.  
I wish I had a better paying job. I wish I had time to have slow mornings. 
I wish I could provide for my family and give them the things they much deserve. 

I wish I had a chance to rewire rewind and restart. 

I wish I could do more than I wish to do. 

It's all wishes guys . It's all hopes. .
Nothing seems fulfilling. Nothing seems to make me happy. 

I have forgotten what carefree days were like. 

Adulting is kinda hitting hard. I am not able to cope up. 
Can someone relate?

It's hard to manage work and life

Having almost  6yrs experience with single digit salary 😭 every friend and colleague are making a killing every recruiter I speak to just offer x% over last CTC but not the amount I ask stating budget issue. This is taking a toll on my mental health unable to focus on up skilling / working in current org plz help not sure what to do.

Woe is me

Discover More

Software Engineers on

by Matilda Hyrum

Amazon

I want to make money. Not happy with what I'm getting now. What can I do if I can't move out of India? Serious answers only

Confessions on

by Isaiah Carmden

Stealth

From IIT to IIM to Forbes 30U30 to Burnout: My Hustle Culture Nightmare

Adulting on

by Kendall Carmden

Quantiphi

Feeling like shit at 27.

FAANG on

by Blair Lee

Gojek

🧵 [Thread] What's the minimum CTC that would make you feel successful?

Get Motivated on

by Jordon Everett

Genpact

Help! Imposter Syndrome.

Misc on

by Anise Vernon

Oracle

A subconcious insecurity

Office Gossip on

by Matilda Nadeen

Grapevine

Daily Watercooler (29th June)

Indian Startups on

by Jordon Everett

Stealth

What gives your life meaning ?

Software Engineers on

by Kendall Taye

Stealth

What to do in life? Feeling aimless

FAANG on

by Kendall Lee

Amazon

Feeling depressed at Amazon(2YOE/41L CTC). Anyone else feeling the same way?

Software Engineers on

by Jordon Carmden

Series B Startup

Should I do MS ?

Adulting on

by Jordon Dean

Infosys

What am I doing wrong?

FIRE on

by Jordon Carmden

TCS

How I Hit 1Cr Net Worth at TCS Without the Startup Hype (and no, I don’t want to retire early)

Personal Finance on

by Blair Gabriel

Stealth

Option trading 3cr profit

Office Gossip on

by Coy Nadeen

Stealth

Is living in India worth it?

Personal Finance on

by Kendall Olive

Stealth

Post tax 7 lac a month. Double income no kids, but not sure what do with all the money.

Adulting on

by Karilyn Everett

EY

It's hard to manage work and life

Misc on

by Kendall Denver

Stealth

Stuck at low CTC and low confidence

FAANG on

by Blair Gabriel

Stealth

I wannaknkw from FAANG guy.. does this life so cool jaise kuch engineer apne vlog mei bolte h in instagram.. itni achhi ghar luxury life