A woman from Rajasthan has sparked an online conversation after opening up about leaving a high-achieving career and “starting over” at 31.
In a now-viral Instagram video, Kanak Agrawal reflected on her journey — from studying at IIT to working at a global consulting firm and co-founding a startup — to finally stepping away from it all.
Her story is notable not for failure, but for what many would call success.
“I went to IIT, got a job at McKinsey, started a startup… and then quit and started again at 31,” she said.
“It never felt like my choice”
What sets her account apart is the rationale behind her decisions. Agrawal says many of her milestones were shaped by circumstance and expectation rather than personal choice.
Growing up near Kota – India’s coaching hub – she said the path to IIT was almost predetermined. Since her brother had already graduated from IIT, it seemed natural to follow the same path.
Also, her joining McKinsey & Company felt less like a conscious decision and more like a driving force.
“I gave four interviews in a day and McKinsey chose me. It didn’t feel like a choice.”
Even her entrepreneurial journey, she says, started by joining friends who had already started working on an idea.
Choosing fulfillment over conventional success
Despite checking all the “right” boxes — an elite education, a world-class job, startup experience — Agrawal said she feels a lingering lack of fulfillment.
“No matter how well it went, I didn’t feel satisfied.
This dissatisfaction eventually led her to leave and explore another avenue – writing and creating content online.
Four years later, he admits that life is still uncertain. But there is one major difference.
“Now every decision I make—where I live, what I do, how I spend my time—is my choice.”
The Internet is responding
Her post drew mixed reactions online, with users divided on whether her decision reflected privilege, courage or a combination of the two.
While some praised her honesty and confidence, others questioned whether such an election was realistic for most people.
One user wrote: “This is a good reel. I may be wrong but girls have almost no freedom of choice in career, property and it all starts at home. They carry all this for life and it’s a big loss when they realize this after many years. Society needs to change.”
Another user commented: “An unpopular and slightly controversial opinion: the fact that you can use this option to leave everything behind is BECAUSE of your experience and academic background, not IN SPITE of it. I don’t mean to sound critical or pessimistic though. All the best to you.”
“Hi, I’m happy for you. But please admit that it was easier to “start writing” because you did the hard work first – you went to IIT and then worked at McKinsey and started your company. Without these awards, it’s harder to leave everything and “start writing” because you won’t have an audience, because you didn’t start working at IIT and the McKins’s didn’t.” a third user commented.
“Life is far from settled – but it feels mine”
Agrawal summed up her journey with a sentence that resonated widely:
“Life is far from settled, but it feels like mine.”
