Money is very important but not an end in itself, says Prasoon Joshi

From achievers to leaders to the glamorous, in this web series, Outlook Money brings you the views on money matters from some of India’s most influential. Several of the New Year’s resolutions made this year may have been already broken. But who says you need to wait for planetary revolution to make new decisions that can make tomorrow slightly better than today? Inspiration can come from anyone at anytime. These individuals, each a leader in their respective field, talks about their life, both financial and personal, and lets us know what it takes to make it big in this beautifully scary world. We hope their wisdom empowers you to know how to better secure your financial future.

Self-reliance is key 

Prasoon Joshi is a man of many calibres. He is a lyricist, screenwriter, poet, and marketer. He is currently the CEO of McCann Worldgroup India and is the recipient of multiple awards. He has won the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award thrice and has also received National Film Award for best lyrics twice. In 2015, the nation honoured him with Padma Shri for his contributions to the field of Arts, Literature and Advertising.

Talking about how he developed an interest in the field of advertising and songwriting, he says,“I think it is important that you get sufficient time to actually realize what is it that satisfies you as a professional. It is important to stay confused by choice for some time. I could figure out my interests with time and exposure. Having been brought up in small towns in a non-internet era, I had limited exposure, to begin with, but since my parents were not in a hurry for me to settle down, I could experiment and explore to finally stumble upon films, advertising and songwriting.”

Nothing has created an impression on him as much as his grandmother’s resolve. She was widowed two years into her married life and just as a young 20-year-old high school pass out in a small hill town, she went on to pursue higher studies and secure a humble livelihood to educate his mother.” She went on to retire as a much-loved and respected principal of her school. She didn’t let the toughness of life dilute her naiveté or warm nature,” he says, recalling memories of his grandmother. He goes on to say: “She took pride in her government salary and later her modest pension; (this) was a reflection of her effort, honesty and self-reliance. I learnt from her that money and income that carries with itself the essence of one’s toil is what makes it of real value.”

Giving financial advice to youngsters, he says, “Deal with money instinctively. I know money is very important but not an end in itself; it is a great tool to experience life.” He goes on to say that he has learnt to value money and never be frivolous with it. He feels strongly about standing on one’s own feet. “Build on legacy if you are lucky enough to have it, but self-reliance is the key,” he says.

He goes on to admit that no matter how much ever he tries, it is impossible for him to put a monetary value to things he actually cares for.”Pure emotions many a times outdoes pure economics in my personal world,” he confesses.

olmdesk@outlookindia.com