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Actionable Dreams 
Gaurav Munjal
That one dream.
First step is the most difficult… 
• Thought of the dream being too big 
• Failure to act 
• Criticism from the loved ones 
• What if…Maybe…it’s too early/late
My teenage dreams 
• Meet SRK and JKR in person 
• Start a blog that makes money 
• Work as a Programmer with Google 
• Change the way education is being imparted 
• Write a novel 
• Start a company
Yes, I have failed… 
• Resonance. Failed. 
• Flat.to in college. Failed. 
• Unacademy for the first two years. Failed. 
• Dozens of blogs since 10th standard. Failed. 
• Couple of YouTube Channels currently. Mostly Failed. 
• My first novella in school. Failed.
Failure is the only way you will succeed.
Given it’s coupled with Persistence.
My teenage dreams 
• Meet SRK and JKR in person! 
• Start a blog that makes money 
• Work as a Programmer with Google 
• Change the way education is being imparted 
• Write a novel 
• Start a company
It wasn't easy.
7th October ‘11
My teenage dreams 
• Meet SRK and JKR in person 
• Start a blog that makes money! 
• Work as a Programmer with Google 
• Change the way education is being imparted 
• Write a novel 
• Start a company
Fashionama 
Subscriber base of more than 1.1 Million people
My teenage dreams 
• Meet SRK and JKR in person 
• Start a blog that makes money 
• Work as a Programmer with Google! 
• Change the way education is being imparted 
• Write a novel 
• Start a company
My teenage dreams 
• Meet SRK and JKR in person 
• Start a blog that makes money 
• Work as a Programmer with Google Directi 
• Change the way education is being imparted 
• Write a novel 
• Start a company
What it takes? 
• Letting go of Turbo C++ to begin with ;) 
• More than ~350 days of programming, 2-3 hours 
everyday 
• Giving up on a lot of distractions 
• Programming contests: ACM ICPC, TopCoder, 
CodeChef 
• Lots of “rounds” of interviews
My teenage dreams 
• Meet SRK and JKR in person 
• Start a blog that makes money 
• Work as a Programmer with Google Directi 
• Change the way education is being imparted! 
• Write a novel 
• Start a company
Unacademy 
• Started as a college project 
• Recently crossed 17k+ subscribers,1.2 million+ 
views and 10k+ daily views 
• More than 276 videos on the channel 
• Lots of small failures 
• One of India’s fastest growing educational 
channel, long way to go
My teenage dreams 
• Meet SRK and JKR in person 
• Start a blog that makes money 
• Work as a Programmer with Google Directi 
• Change the way education is being imparted 
• Write a novel! 
• Start a company
My teenage dreams 
• Meet SRK and JKR in person 
• Start a blog that makes money 
• Work as a Programmer with Google Directi 
• Change the way education is being imparted 
• Write a novel novella! 
• Start a company
My teenage dreams 
• Meet SRK and JKR in person 
• Start a blog that makes money 
• Work as a Programmer with Google Directi 
• Change the way education is being imparted 
• Write a novel novella 
• Start a company
My teenage dreams 
• Meet SRK and JKR in person 
• Start a blog that makes money 
• Work as a Programmer with Google Directi 
• Change the way education is being imparted 
• Write a novel novella 
• Start a company: Flat.to
Flat.to
Flat.to 
• Failed first time in college
Flat.to 
• Failed first time in college 
• Took another year to rebuild and launch again
Flat.to 
• Failed first time in college 
• Took another year to rebuild and launch again 
• Everyday you encounter plethora of issues
Flat.to 
• Failed first time in college 
• Took another year to rebuild and launch again 
• Everyday you encounter plethora of issues 
• But it’s worth it…
April ‘14 
Flat.to gets acquired by India’s largest real estate portal
First step is the most difficult… 
• Thought of the dream being too big 
• Failure to act 
• Criticism from the loved ones 
• What if…Maybe…it’s too early/late 
• But taking the first step or not, makes all the 
difference
Out of Comfort Zone 
• Starting something new 
• Asking that girl for coffee 
• Standing your ground not going with the crowd 
• Give your brain two minutes :-)
Excuses
More than anything else we become so 
confident about our excuses.
Excuses?
If you don’t ask, the answer is 
always no.
What’s the worst thing that can happen?
That one dream.
That one dream. 
What’s the smallest thing you can do today to 
become a step closer towards your dream?
That one dream. 
What’s the smallest actionable item that will 
help you achieve your dream?
That one dream. 
How can I convert my dreams into actions?
That one dream. 
How can I make my dream into an actionable 
dream?
“Because the ones who are crazy enough to 
think they can change the world, are the ones 
who do.” 
–Steve Jobs
Reach out 
• Tweet @gauravmunjal 
• Message facebook.com/gauravmunjal 
• calendar.gauravmunjal.com 
• Don’t come up with excuses, reach out
Thank You

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Actionable Dreams

  • 3. First step is the most difficult… • Thought of the dream being too big • Failure to act • Criticism from the loved ones • What if…Maybe…it’s too early/late
  • 4. My teenage dreams • Meet SRK and JKR in person • Start a blog that makes money • Work as a Programmer with Google • Change the way education is being imparted • Write a novel • Start a company
  • 5. Yes, I have failed… • Resonance. Failed. • Flat.to in college. Failed. • Unacademy for the first two years. Failed. • Dozens of blogs since 10th standard. Failed. • Couple of YouTube Channels currently. Mostly Failed. • My first novella in school. Failed.
  • 6. Failure is the only way you will succeed.
  • 7. Given it’s coupled with Persistence.
  • 8. My teenage dreams • Meet SRK and JKR in person! • Start a blog that makes money • Work as a Programmer with Google • Change the way education is being imparted • Write a novel • Start a company
  • 11. My teenage dreams • Meet SRK and JKR in person • Start a blog that makes money! • Work as a Programmer with Google • Change the way education is being imparted • Write a novel • Start a company
  • 12. Fashionama Subscriber base of more than 1.1 Million people
  • 13. My teenage dreams • Meet SRK and JKR in person • Start a blog that makes money • Work as a Programmer with Google! • Change the way education is being imparted • Write a novel • Start a company
  • 14. My teenage dreams • Meet SRK and JKR in person • Start a blog that makes money • Work as a Programmer with Google Directi • Change the way education is being imparted • Write a novel • Start a company
  • 15. What it takes? • Letting go of Turbo C++ to begin with ;) • More than ~350 days of programming, 2-3 hours everyday • Giving up on a lot of distractions • Programming contests: ACM ICPC, TopCoder, CodeChef • Lots of “rounds” of interviews
  • 16. My teenage dreams • Meet SRK and JKR in person • Start a blog that makes money • Work as a Programmer with Google Directi • Change the way education is being imparted! • Write a novel • Start a company
  • 17. Unacademy • Started as a college project • Recently crossed 17k+ subscribers,1.2 million+ views and 10k+ daily views • More than 276 videos on the channel • Lots of small failures • One of India’s fastest growing educational channel, long way to go
  • 18. My teenage dreams • Meet SRK and JKR in person • Start a blog that makes money • Work as a Programmer with Google Directi • Change the way education is being imparted • Write a novel! • Start a company
  • 19. My teenage dreams • Meet SRK and JKR in person • Start a blog that makes money • Work as a Programmer with Google Directi • Change the way education is being imparted • Write a novel novella! • Start a company
  • 20. My teenage dreams • Meet SRK and JKR in person • Start a blog that makes money • Work as a Programmer with Google Directi • Change the way education is being imparted • Write a novel novella • Start a company
  • 21. My teenage dreams • Meet SRK and JKR in person • Start a blog that makes money • Work as a Programmer with Google Directi • Change the way education is being imparted • Write a novel novella • Start a company: Flat.to
  • 23. Flat.to • Failed first time in college
  • 24. Flat.to • Failed first time in college • Took another year to rebuild and launch again
  • 25. Flat.to • Failed first time in college • Took another year to rebuild and launch again • Everyday you encounter plethora of issues
  • 26. Flat.to • Failed first time in college • Took another year to rebuild and launch again • Everyday you encounter plethora of issues • But it’s worth it…
  • 27.
  • 28.
  • 29.
  • 30.
  • 31. April ‘14 Flat.to gets acquired by India’s largest real estate portal
  • 32.
  • 33. First step is the most difficult… • Thought of the dream being too big • Failure to act • Criticism from the loved ones • What if…Maybe…it’s too early/late • But taking the first step or not, makes all the difference
  • 34. Out of Comfort Zone • Starting something new • Asking that girl for coffee • Standing your ground not going with the crowd • Give your brain two minutes :-)
  • 36. More than anything else we become so confident about our excuses.
  • 38. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.
  • 39. What’s the worst thing that can happen?
  • 41. That one dream. What’s the smallest thing you can do today to become a step closer towards your dream?
  • 42. That one dream. What’s the smallest actionable item that will help you achieve your dream?
  • 43. That one dream. How can I convert my dreams into actions?
  • 44. That one dream. How can I make my dream into an actionable dream?
  • 45. “Because the ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” –Steve Jobs
  • 46. Reach out • Tweet @gauravmunjal • Message facebook.com/gauravmunjal • calendar.gauravmunjal.com • Don’t come up with excuses, reach out