Break the Stick

There’s a Zen Koan where the teacher holds a stick.

The teacher says to the student, “If you tell me this stick is real, I will hit you with it. If you tell me it is not real, I will hit you with it. If you say nothing, I will hit you with it.”

And so, the student reaches out, grabs the stick, and breaks it.

I’ve been on a journey to do my best work. Even after building startups that reached over 20 million users and generated more than $100 million in revenue, I know my best is still ahead of me. Every day, I’ve been sharpening my skills, deepening my knowledge, and pushing myself to grow. It doesn’t get easier with time — but success belongs to those who DO NOT GIVE UP.

who am I?

nischal shetty

I began my journey as a software developer, tinkering and building solutions I believed could solve real problems. Along the way, I’ve built a few startups. It’s been a roller coaster ride — and I’m still on it.