optimise for outsized returns :)

after college, i had two offers - one from a top consulting firm with a great salary, prestige, and all the perks. the other was from a startup. and while the startup didn’t pay peanuts, it didn’t come with the polished career path and stability that consulting offered. most people around me thought it was a no-brainer: take the consulting job. secure, predictable, and impressive on a resume.

but something about the startup felt more real. it wasn’t about rejecting corporate life; it was more about thinking, if i’m going to take risks, why not now? so, i took the leap and joined the startup.

was it easy? no. there were days i questioned my decision. consulting was stable and structured, with a clear path ahead. startups? they’re chaotic. one day i was strategizing with the team, the next i was firefighting some random problem. but that’s what made it exciting. i wasn’t just another cog in a big machine—i was helping build something from scratch.

sure, there were moments i missed the comfort my friends had in consulting. they were climbing the ladder, enjoying business-class flights, and working with high-profile clients. but the trade-off? in a startup, i was growing faster than i ever expected. i learned to take ownership, handle chaos, and make decisions with real impact. it wasn’t about doing the job—i was figuring out how to do the job.

looking back, i wouldn’t change a thing. yes, consulting would’ve been the safe option, but here’s the truth: linear bets get you linear results. it’s predictable, comfortable, and you know what you’re signing up for. but if you want outsized returns—not just financially, but in how much you grow, how quickly you learn, and how big your impact can be—you have to bet on the uncertain.

that’s the beauty of taking risks early in your career. you might fail, but the upside is massive. you learn more, you grow faster, and you open doors that would never exist in a linear path. so, if you’re starting out, don’t just optimize for safety. bet on outsized returns. they’re harder to chase, but far more rewarding.