A woman from Rajasthan has triggered a conversation online after opening up about walking away from a high-achieving career path to “start over” at 31.
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Kanak Agrawal, in a now-viral Instagram video, reflected on her journey—from studying at IIT to working at a global consulting firm and co-founding a startup—only to eventually step away from all of it.
Her story is striking not because of failure, but because of what many would call success.
“Main IIT gayi, McKinsey mein job ki, startup shuru kiya… aur phir sab chhod diya and started over again at 31,” she said.
“It never felt like my choice”
What sets her account apart is the reasoning behind her decisions. Agrawal argues that many of her milestones were shaped more by circumstance and expectation than personal choice.
Growing up near Kota—India’s coaching hub—she said the path to IIT felt almost predetermined. With her brother already in an IIT, following the same route seemed natural.
Her entry into McKinsey & Company, too, felt less like a conscious decision and more like momentum.
“I gave four interviews in a day and McKinsey selected me. It didn’t feel like a choice.”
Even her entrepreneurial journey, she said, began by joining friends who had already started working on an idea.
Choosing fulfilment over conventional success
Despite ticking all the “right” boxes—elite education, top-tier job, startup experience—Agrawal said she felt a persistent lack of fulfilment.
“No matter how well things went, I didn’t feel satisfied.”
This dissatisfaction eventually pushed her to step away and explore a different path—writing and creating content online.
Four years later, she admits life is still uncertain. But there is one key difference.
“Now every decision I make—where I live, what I do, how I spend my time—is my choice.”
Internet reacts
Her post has drawn mixed reactions online, with users divided over whether her decision reflects privilege, courage, or a mix of both.
While some praised her honesty and self-awareness, others questioned whether such choices are realistic for most people.
A user wrote, “This is a good reel. I may be wrong but girls hardly get any freedom of choice in career, property, and this all begins at their own home . They carry this all throughout their lives and it’s a big loss as they realise this after many years. Society needs to change.”
Another user commented, “Unpopular and slightly contrarian view : the fact that you can exercise this choice of leaving everything behind is BECAUSE of your experience and academic pedigree and not DESPITE it. I don’t mean to sound critical or pessimistic though. All the very best to you.”
“Hey, I’m happy for you. But please acknowledge that it was easier to “start writing” because you did the hard yards first—going to IIT and then working at McKinsey, and starting your company. In the absence of those accolades, it’s harder to drop everything and “start writing”, because you won’t have an audience because you didn’t go to IIT, didn’t work at McKinsey and didn’t start your company. All the best,” the third user commented.
“Life is far from sorted—but it feels mine”
Agrawal summed up her journey with a line that resonated widely:
“Life is far from sorted, but it feels mine.”
About the Author
Anjali Thakur
Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.
Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.
Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.


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