It has not been easy to write my first column for TellyChakkar. I am a blogger and I also generally enjoy writing and often force my regular victims, my wife, Shweta and my close friends to read my articles at odd hours of the day (or night). This time again there was the pressure of performance. Actually, I consider myself to be the Jack of all trades master of none, and this probably was the reason behind the anxiety. However, I finally managed to write this. I will sincerely strive to make this as entertaining as possible and at the same time I hope it creates some value in your life. One might have a lot of plans and strategies in life, but life itself also has a plan for you and it may not always be on the same page as yours. What I am today is the result of learning from a series of failures and accidents that life had put me in. Back then, post my MBA, I had just one dream - to become a model, feature in a couple of ads and rush back home to resume the business I had started. But 'life had its plans', and I decided to go with the flow. I must have been self motivated to have thrived on a series of failures, the chronological sequence of which I don’t even remember, and still stay put and face the struggles life threw at me. I hope this comes as a reassurance to many who are reading this. What a youth goes through in his early 20s and 30s should not be taken as either the success or failure in absolute form. It’s only a training period. I did not know this then, a decade ago, but I still kept moving with the bag full of uncertain dreams. When the heart is right and the efforts earnest, success is inevitable. It will manifest, sooner or later. Having seen the worst of my struggling days and the best of sunny ones, one thing I would like to share with aspiring actors is that please keep your 'WHY' clear… the 'HOW' will follow. Know why you want to act. If it’s only to be seen on the tube, then better have Plan B handy. The success, if it comes your way, might be short-lived. On the other hand, if you are really passionate about the form of art and love acting… please be patient and persevere. This holds true for not just a career in acting but any field you choose. What stands between you and a beautiful life is the lack of courage. Be real, but have the courage to chase your dream. Trust your life has a plan for you and go along with it. You would seldom reach a wrong destination. Until next time! Love Manav Disclaimer: the views expressed in this column are those of the author and TellyChakkar does not necessarily subscribe to the same.