Starting my career, I used to believe success was about finding the right secret: some hidden formula that others knew but I didn’t.

But over the past few weeks, as I’ve been delving into the architecture of long-term success; reading Sam Altman’s How to Be Successful, analysing Charlie Munger’s investment philosophy, and studying how entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and India operate, something shifted.

What struck me wasn’t the content itself; it was how these seemingly disparate ideas, when viewed through the lens of India’s dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem, revealed a universal truth:

Success isn’t about secret formulas; it’s about disciplined practice.

Tweet

An ongoing effort of thinking and acting that compounds over years into extraordinary results.

And when I reflected on my own journey I realised, every meaningful turning point in my career came not from a hack but from a habit I had unconsciously built.

Layer 1: Foundation – The Deep Roots of a Success Mindset

Success begins inward: within your attitude and conviction.

The most effective entrepreneurs I studied don’t just possess a fixed skill set; they embody what Carol Dweck calls a growth mindset – an openness to learning and a belief that capabilities evolve through deliberate effort.

In India, that belief often manifests as grit, he quiet conviction that your vision is worth fighting for, even when the journey feels uncertain.

Take Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Falguni Nayar. Their paths – from humble beginnings to leading major industry giants – are powered by an internal compass that refuses to yield to scepticism.

That same conviction fuels India’s most resilient founders – a belief that mastery is earned, not gifted.

From Conviction to First Principles Thinking

This belief naturally leads to independent thinking.

In a market that rewards replication, the true disruptors are those who challenge assumptions and rebuild ideas from the ground up – the essence of First Principles Thinking.

Look at Ather Energy. The founders didn’t merely enter the electric-scooter market; they reimagined urban mobility by questioning the very premise of the combustion engine era.

They built from fundamentals – local needs, global quality, and clear logic – a mindset that remains rare but critical for differentiated success.

Layer 2: Practice – Turning Mindset into Disciplined Action

Having clarity of vision isn’t enough. Translating that vision into outcomes requires disciplined execution.

From my studies and conversations with successful founders, I found two habits that consistently separate the exceptional from the average: Relentless Focus and Strategic Risk-Taking.

Action 1: Mastering Focus and Deep Work

Focus is about ruthlessly choosing where to invest effort.

Rapido exemplifies this. By focusing exclusively on urban two-wheeler mobility, they avoided the lure of diversification – applying the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) to amplify what matters most.

That sharp focus, paired with deep work, a concept popularized by Cal Newport, turns momentum into mastery.

Action 2: Making “Two-Way Door” Decisions

Risk often looks intimidating, but the great builders redefine it.

In his 2015 Letter to Shareholders, Jeff Bezos distinguished between “One-Way” (irreversible) and “Two-Way” (reversible) decisions – urging leaders to move fast on the latter.

Meesho used this philosophy brilliantly; starting small with low-cost reseller networks, learning fast, iterating, and scaling only once the model proved itself.

When the small bets worked, boldness followed; much like OYO, which expanded fearlessly once its experiments began paying off.

The underlying idea: make reversible decisions quickly, and learn your way forward.

Layer 3: Leverage – Building Scale, Ownership, and Purpose

The final layer of sustainable success is ownership; building assets that compound over time.

Charlie Munger’s investing style often reminds us, “The biggest results come from compounding.” Tren Griffin’s book, The Complete Investor, has lot of wisdom from Charlie’s investing style that can be applied to life and not just investing.

Zomato’s evolution, from a simple restaurant listing to a diversified food ecosystem, reflects this principle. Continuous reinvestment, ecosystem partnerships, and network effects have created exponential growth and a defensible moat.

But scale is hollow without purpose.

The entrepreneurs I admire most don’t just build companies; they build meaning. Ownership extends beyond equity or IP – it’s about emotional ownership of a mission.

And in India, this mindset is shifting visibly: founders are embracing long-term thinking, tying personal purpose to societal impact, and viewing their companies as enduring legacies rather than short-term ventures.

Final Reflection: Success as a Daily Practice

These principles aren’t abstract theories. They’re living habits – practiced daily by those shaping the next wave of leadership.

They start with belief, sharpen through focus, evolve through smart risk, and mature into ownership.

Every act of consistency compounds.

• Start small.
• Prioritize deeply.
• Own your effort.
• Keep refining – and success will follow.

Further Reading & References

• Sam Altman’s Blog: How To Be Successful
• Jeff Bezos: 2015 Letter to Shareholders (Two-Way Doors)
• Carol Dweck: Growth Mindset
• Carol Dweck: Mindset – The New Psychology of Success
• Lisa Evans on Cal Newport’s Deep Work: Finding Your Focus Through ‘Deep Work’ (Entrepreneur, 2016)
• Tren Griffin’s book: The Complete Investor