I Failed. Three Times.

I failed my H.S.C. examination three times.

Not because I wasn’t capable.
But because I wasn’t interested.

Commerce never felt like my path. While everyone around me was balancing sheets and calculating profits, I felt stuck. I didn’t hate studying — I hated studying something that didn’t excite me.

Deep down, I knew I wanted to do something creative.
I just didn’t know what it was yet.

My only short-term goal was simple:
Clear H.S.C. and escape numbers.

After multiple attempts, frustration, and a lot of self-doubt, I finally passed. By the grace of God and relentless effort, I secured admission in B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media), specializing in Advertising.

I didn’t realize it then, but that was the first turning point of my life.

The Project That Changed Everything

In my final year, our Ad Design professor, Mr. Vinod Mahabale, gave us an assignment:

Create a complete ad campaign for any product or service.

It wasn’t just another project.
Because of my low attendance, this assignment was crucial for passing the semester.

Failure was not an option.

I chose to build a campaign for a fictional brand: Daily Pizza Restaurant.

And I went all in.

For two months, I lived inside that project. Sleepless nights. Endless revisions. Doubts. Improvements. Repeat.

I created:

• A complete brand identity (Logo + Stationery)

• Outdoor advertisements (Hoardings, Transit, Ambient)

• Print ads (Newspaper & Magazine)

• A website design

• Social media creatives

• A storyboard

• A 30-page campaign synopsis

It wasn’t just a college submission.

It was the first time I treated something like it mattered.

When I presented it, my professor looked at me and said:

“You understand color, whitespace, and composition. But this is not enough. You need to work harder.”

It wasn’t criticism.

It was ignition.

He even asked me to email him the soft copy so he could share it with top colleges in Mumbai.

For the first time in my life, someone saw potential in me.

That moment stayed with me.

A Question at a Railway Crossing

Summer 2018. Mumbai.

My brother and I were stopped at a railway crossing on his bike. The sun was bright, the air was calm.

Out of nowhere, he asked:

“What are you going to do after graduation?”

I paused.

“I don’t know,” I said.
“But whatever I do… it will be in the design field.”

He was a Product Manager at Shaadi.com. Our conversations were always about ideas, innovation, and how technology was reshaping the world.

One day, he told me something simple:

“Most doors are badly designed.”

He was referring to Don Norman’s famous example.

That sentence changed everything.

Until then, I believed design meant something that looked beautiful.

That day I understood:

Design is not decoration.
Design is problem-solving.

And that’s when I discovered Product Design.

The Reality Check

After graduation, I decided I wanted to become a Product Designer.

So I looked for design schools.

The fees? Around ₹1,00,000.

That number hit hard.

I couldn’t afford it.

Many people told me:

“You can’t become a good designer without paid courses.”
“You need proper training.”
“You’re wasting time.”

But I had something stronger than money.

I had obsession.

So I chose a different path.

I decided to teach myself.

What I Had (And What I Didn’t)

I didn’t have:

• Money

• Industry connections

• Fancy certifications

But I had:

• Deep curiosity

• Patience to start from zero

• The hunger to prove myself

And sometimes, that’s enough.

The 6 Steps That Changed My Life

1. I Learned the Basics — For Free

YouTube became my classroom.
Udemy discounts became my textbooks.
Instagram became inspiration.

I learned:

• UX Design

• UI Design

• Design thinking

• The design process

No shortcuts. Just consistency.

2. I Learned the Tools

I focused on Adobe XD and Figma.

Not because tools make you a designer.

But because you must know how to execute your ideas.

3. I Practiced Relentlessly

I redesigned apps I used daily.
I imagined products that didn’t exist.
I studied projects on Behance and Dribbble.

I didn’t wait for permission.

I created.

4. I Built a Portfolio Before I Felt Ready

When I had three solid case studies, I created my Behance profile.

Not perfect projects.

But honest projects that showed my thinking.

Your portfolio is your silent interview.

5. I Applied — Even When I Doubted Myself

I started applying.

Rejections came.

Silence came.

Sometimes I questioned myself.

But I kept improving my portfolio while applying.

I didn’t wait to feel confident.

I moved anyway.

6. I Didn’t Stop

This is the step most people skip.

They stop too early.

I didn’t.

And one day, I got a call from a startup in Mumbai.

I still remember that moment.

“You’re hired.”

Three words.

That changed everything.

Today

Today, I earn from the skill I once started learning for free.

I didn’t buy expensive courses.
I didn’t come from a design background.
I didn’t follow the “standard path.”

I followed curiosity.
I followed instinct.
I followed the calling in my heart.

And I arrived somewhere I never planned to be.

But this is not the end.

It’s just the beginning.

If You’re Reading This…

If you feel stuck…
If you failed…
If people say it’s impossible without money…

Let me tell you something:

Skill doesn’t care about your background.
Consistency beats talent.
And starting imperfectly is better than not starting at all.

If I could do it — you can too.

Start today.