Starting your career in 'fourth gear'? Ankur Warikoo explains why it won't work

Entrepreneur and bestselling author Ankur Warikoo compares life and career growth to driving a car, saying every stage requires a different pace, mindset, and level of energy to move forward smoothly.Ankur Warikoo’s ‘gear’ analogy explains how to navigate your career (Image courtesy: @warikoo/X)Entrepreneur and bestselling author Ankur Warikoo has shared a simple analogy about driving a car to explain how people should approach different stages of their careers and lives.Warikoo said that starting a car in fourth gear will not make it move. Similarly, he suggested that people cannot expect to begin their journey at the highest level or move at maximum speed from the outset.His analogy also works in reverse. Trying to drive fast in first gear can strain the engine. For Warikoo, this reflects the pressure people can put on themselves when they try to move faster than their current stage allows. Ankur Warikoo's LinkedIn post. EVERY STAGE REQUIRES A DIFFERENT APPROACHAccording to Warikoo, every stage of life has its own pace and requirements. What works during one phase may not necessarily work during another. He specifically distinguished between learning, building, scaling, and leading. The energy required while learning, he said, is different from the energy needed when leading.Similarly, building something requires patience, while scaling requires a greater sense of urgency.KNOWING WHEN TO SHIFT MATTERS Warikoo’s central message is that progress is not simply about moving faster. It is about recognising which “gear” is appropriate at a particular stage.For professionals, that could mean understanding when to focus on learning rather than rushing towards leadership, or when patience is more useful than urgency.The analogy suggests that trying to force progress at the wrong pace can be counterproductive. Just as a car needs the appropriate gear for its speed, different stages of a career may demand different approaches.For Warikoo, knowing when to change gears is what allows people to move through their journey more smoothly.(Disclaimer: This story is based on a social media post. The details, including figures, background, and outcomes, have not been independently verified by India Today. The article is intended for informational purposes only, and readers are advised to exercise their own discretion before drawing conclusions or making decisions based on the content.)- EndsPublished By: Karan YadavPublished On: Aug 16, 2026 15:07 IST