If Money Isn't the Problem, What Life Would You Be Living?
A trek to Bandaje Falls and intriguing set of questions
At the dinner table, my Gen Z friend, also known as Jumper (from his stage and gaming profile), and colleague asked what I would be doing in the next five years. I smiled and said I would be living the same life. Our boss, aka Malik, Sandy, who was sitting next to me, changed the question for all of us:
"If money isn't the problem, what life would you be living?"
My Gen Z friend wanted to change his life entirely, and another Gen Z friend and colleague, Rockstar, who was busy finishing his chicken with roti, added that he would open a resort and live a chilled life. My answer remained the same - “I would still be living the same boring life I'm living now: running, working, reading, eating, and sleeping. I wouldn't change anything.”
We were having this conversation at Indushree homestay in Chikkamagaluru. We wrapped up dinner with lovely fruit custard, and my disciplined approach to training allows me to indulge wholeheartedly in desserts. After a bit more chit-chat, we headed off to sleep on a rainy night.
The Journey Begins
We had been discussing doing a trek for a long time, until one day our boss came over to Jumper's laptop and gave him a couple of trek ideas. This was the beginning of the discussion finally taking shape. Sandy brought his car, and we brought endless chatter and food. There were times when the trek was about to be called off, but finally we left Bangalore on Friday evening. After a few stops, we reached our homestay at about 9 PM.
A homestay with zero network and endless chatter from the crickets and frogs. It was raining as we sat at the dinner table in an open hall while being served delicious home-cooked food. Interestingly, I slept well and did snore for a while.
The next morning, after finishing a hearty breakfast, we took our car to the nearest starting point of the trek. The four of us were heading to Bandaje Falls via Rani Jhari.
The Trek and the Question
Mist welcomed us as we started the trek, followed by heavy rain. Initially, I shared an umbrella with Jumper, talking about everything under the sun, but once you're wet, you have nothing left to cover - and you become free. For the next 2 kilometres, I trekked in the rain until it took a break. During this time, our discussions focused on another interesting question:
"What is something you thought you would never do 10 years ago, but you're doing today?"
The question intrigued me so much that I kept thinking about it and slipped on one of the rocks. Thankfully, it wasn't a big deal. After giving it considerable thought, here are three things I never imagined I would be doing or following:
1. I Create My Destiny
Ten years ago, I had strong confidence that I could create my destiny. I'm not saying one shouldn't believe in themselves, but the fact is, you don't control everything. You can plan, but ultimately,y there's someone controlling everything. The only thing you control is how you react to situations - be it loss, failure, heartbreaks, etc. Some things were in my control, but mostly they weren't. So a decade later, I don't live in the future. I plan, but I'm more focused on living one day at a time.
2. My Interest Towards Spirituality
I come from a religious family, and my dad, until his last breath, did his pooja every day without fail. I was never interested in religious practice, but I believed in God. However, things took a U-turn after I visited Tiruvannamalai and encountered Bhagwan Ramana Maharshi's teachings. In understanding spirituality, I have discovered myself. Today, I am closer to my real self, which is what I consider self-realization. A decade earlier, I would have never thought about knowing myself, and this process continues as long as I'm alive.
3. Running as a Lifestyle
A decade ago, if you had told me that I would finish 75 kilometres at an easy pace without any injuries, I would have labelled you as a mad person. This year I did it, and I think if you train properly, you can do it too. All my life, I have craved discipline and routine. Thanks to running, it has made me disciplined, and there are endless things that running has given me. For me, more than races, it's important how many times I run in a week and what my mileage is. A decade ago, I found peace in smoking and drinking; today, I find it in running.
Honestly, it's an interesting question that you should ask yourself.
The Trek Experience
As for the trek, it was smooth - about 10.5 kilometres total with moderate difficulty. The weather was brilliant, and so was the homestay. Even better was the company of the elite gentlemen from my workplace. I made sure to enjoy the trek at a comfortable pace and fully experience nature while trekking.
The first few kilometres had some challenging routes covered by stones washed by streams of water, with tall trees making you feel like you're truly in a forest. As you finish this section, vast open green meadows take your breath away. We were lucky to witness them under clear skies while heading back.
The breathtaking moment comes when you reach the falls, which were at their peak due to the monsoons. I sat near the falls, watching their might while also fearing the strong flow. It's the pinnacle of the trek.
Going back is a bit challenging with uphill’s, but we managed it smoothly - or as Jumper would say, "Let me drink Monster energy drink and let me take out my inner monster."
We finished the trek by noon, enjoyed puliyogare rice for lunch provided by the homestay, and drove back home. By 10 PM, I was in bed thinking: would I like to change anything in my life?
Nothing – whatever I have, I am happy with, and as long as it lasts, let me enjoy it. And hence I will still be living the same life without any changes. Why would I want to change anything? I wouldn't be who I am today if I had changed things. More than anything, I feel I have finally found the superpower of knowing myself, and I wouldn't want to let it go.
The dinner question that started it all – "If money isn't the problem, what life would you be living?" – now makes perfect sense. When you've found contentment in who you are and what you do, money becomes irrelevant. Money is important, and it will always be. But the life I'm living is the life I'd choose regardless of my bank balance.