The Question That Changed My Direction

There are days when you wake up with the intention to be productive. You plan to read books, study academic materials, maybe go through research papers that could help you grow intellectually. I had exactly that plan today.

But the day didn’t go as planned.

Instead of doing the things I had intended, I found myself spending most of the day with my phone. By the time night arrived and everything became quiet, a heavy realization came to me: I had done almost nothing meaningful throughout the day.

That realization was uncomfortable. It felt painful. It forced me to sit with my thoughts and reflect on something deeper. And that reflection led me to an important question.

'What do I actually want from my life?'

Growing Up With Other People's Expectations

Like many students, my early career direction was not entirely my own choice. Until college, many people around me believed that I should become a doctor. Hearing the same suggestion repeatedly, I also started focusing on that path. At that time, it seemed like the logical thing to do. But dedication is not something that appears simply because someone tells you what to do. Real commitment comes from internal motivation.

Eventually, I realized that I was not fully prepared for that journey. I didn’t fail an exam in the traditional sense, but I did not succeed in becoming a doctor either. That chapter of my life slowly closed.

Soon after, something unexpected happened. By luck, opportunity, and the grace of Allah, I got admitted to Dhaka University, often called the Oxford of the East, to study Economics, one of the most respected subjects in the university. Today, almost three to four years later, I am in my final year.

University: Learning Beyond the Classroom

When I first started university, I was confused. My academic results were decent, but they were not at the top level I had always achieved earlier in life. Over time, I began to observe something interesting about the students around me.

The students who had chosen Economics with a clear goal from the beginning were doing exceptionally well. They were focused and confident in their direction. On the other hand, students who entered the subject without strong interest struggled more.

Looking back, I realized that I belonged somewhere in the middle. I did not initially have a deep passion for Economics. I chose it after discussions with my parents. My father suggested that instead of entering a private medical college, studying Economics at Dhaka University would be a better option because of its reputation and career opportunities.

It was a reasonable decision. But it was not entirely my decision.

The Hidden Trade-Offs

During my university years, I tried to become financially independent as early as possible. I did private tutoring. I experimented with small businesses. I tried to earn money and manage my own expenses. For a student, the income was enough to support my pocket money, savings, and personal purchases. Those experiences were valuable. They taught me responsibility and independence.

However, they also came with a trade-off.

Managing studies, work, and business simultaneously meant that my academic focus was sometimes divided. Looking back now, I feel that if I had concentrated entirely on my studies, I might have achieved stronger academic results and opened more opportunities for myself.

This realization is not an excuse. It is simply an attempt to understand my journey more honestly.

The Weight of Social Expectations

In many middle-class families, parents guide their children toward careers that feel safe, stable, and respectable. In Bangladesh, this often means encouraging government jobs such as BCS. Government jobs offer prestige, stability, and authority, even if the financial rewards are sometimes lower than those in the private sector. Because of these factors, my family also suggested that I should pursue a respectable government or semi-government position. On the surface, it sounds like a sensible path. But recently, I started asking myself an uncomfortable question:

Am I choosing this path because I want it, or because others expect it?

Discovering My Real Motivation

Over the past few days, I again had been watching the reality show Shark Tank. The show features entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to investors and seeking mentorship and funding. I just love these types of shows from my college days. Watching those entrepreneurs sparked something inside me.

I realized that what truly inspires me are people who build things, solve problems, and create value for society.

Entrepreneurs do exactly that. They identify problems and create solutions that improve people's lives. They build organizations that generate employment, innovation, and progress. And slowly, a realization became clearer. Entrepreneurship is the direction that attracts me the most.

A Decision I Cannot Ignore

During my university years, even without fully realizing it, I had already experimented with business. The scale was small, but the experience felt meaningful. Creating something from nothing, solving practical problems, and generating value — those experiences gave me a sense of excitement that traditional paths never quite did.

I want to build something meaningful. I want to solve real problems in society. I want to inspire people — especially women and young individuals — to believe that they can create change as well. I want to become someone who spreads positive ideas, inspires action, and contributes solutions to the challenges around us.

Of course, financial success matters. Respect matters. Stability matters. But more than anything, impact matters.

My Realization

So today, after reflecting deeply, I arrived at a personal decision.

Maybe it will happen now. Maybe it will happen later. But at some point in my life, I will become an entrepreneur. I do not know whether entrepreneurship is something that runs in my blood. But I know the desire exists within me. And if I ignore that desire, I believe I will carry a sense of regret for the rest of my life. I don’t want to live with that regret.

So this realization marks the beginning of a new chapter.

Not a perfect plan.

But a direction.