23 hrs ago
Startup Founder Says Seven Hungry Days Reshaped His Courage
When Abhishek Agarwal was 18, he had almost no money.
He could not afford education or enough food.
For seven days, he mostly ate bread and drank water.
The experience was painful, but it taught him that he could survive very difficult situations.
Later, this helped him feel less afraid when business plans failed or money disappeared.
Agarwal says poverty itself is not good or noble.
He also says surviving hardship can sometimes give people a new perspective on failure.
People on LinkedIn agreed that surviving a low point can make future problems feel less frightening, although others noted that people at rock bottom may simply have no choice but to keep going.
At 18, Abhishek Agarwal lacked money for education and basic food.
He survived mainly on bread and water for seven days.
Agarwal says the experience taught him he could survive extreme hardship.
That realization later influenced how he handled business risks, rejection and failure.
LinkedIn users debated whether rock bottom creates courage or simply leaves people no choice but to endure.
- Who
- Abhishek Agarwal, founder of The Deliberate Pause, and LinkedIn users reacting to his post.
- What
- Agarwal described surviving seven days with mainly bread and water and explained how the experience shaped his approach to risk and failure.
- Where
- When
- Agarwal experienced the hardship at age 18 and later discussed it on LinkedIn.
- Why
- He said the experience showed him he could survive having almost nothing, reducing some fear around later setbacks.
Hardship Can Build Resilience
Hardship Is Not Automatically Valuable
Meaning of reaching rock bottom
Hardship Can Build Resilience
Agarwal and some commenters said surviving extreme hardship can create confidence and courage by proving a person can recover.
Hardship Is Not Automatically Valuable
Agarwal also emphasized that poverty is not noble, and one commenter said people at rock bottom may endure simply because they have no alternative.
Lessons from poverty
Hardship Can Build Resilience
The experience gave Agarwal a reference point that made later business failures and uncertainty feel less overwhelming.
Hardship Is Not Automatically Valuable
Hardship does not guarantee courage, wisdom or future success, and food insecurity can harm health, education, confidence and opportunity.
Key facts
- Person
- Abhishek Agarwal
- Age during hardship
- 18
- Duration
- Seven days
- Food mentioned
- Mainly bread and water
- Financial difficulties
- He lacked money for education and basic food
- Business impact
- The experience influenced how he viewed risk, rejection, lost money and failed ideas
- Platform
Quotes
Abhishek Agarwal
Founder of The Deliberate Pause
“I was broke as Fu*k when I was 18. And, I think everyone should be completely broke at least once in their life. I know that sounds like a horrible thing to wish on someone,”
livemint.com
“I found out what having almost nothing felt like. And I also found out something I couldn’t have known otherwise: I could survive it!!!”
livemint.com
