Many people believe in destiny. When something bad happens, you will hear the saying,  “It was written, there is nothing that could be done.” This type of thinking is especially prevalent in India.

Owing to this attitude, too many people believe that they cannot rise above their current situation – especially when it comes to their profession. People want to succeed and there is nothing wrong with that. But at what cost does success come?

We work long hours in an environment that is less than ideal and with people, we may not like very much. This makes our job and, by extension, our life, less than ideal. People may be earning money but are they truly happy and satisfied?

That is why at Jaipur Rugs we are building a system in which employees are able to redefine their job descriptions in order to find their passions and thrive. If you love your work, are passionate about it and do it with complete honesty and dedication, then no one can stop you from reaching greater heights.

I did not choose the path that was laid out for me. Instead, I opted to do what I wanted to do. I knew that nothing else would make me happy. I also hoped that by delving into the carpet business I could someday impart a bit of happiness to the talented weavers who make these beautiful rugs.

I am proud to say that we have many employees at Jaipur Rugs who have been able to change their career path and follow their passion. Tarachand has been with the organization since the beginning. In fact, he is from the same village as me and initially began the work to earn extra income while he was in college.

However, Tarachand soon discovered his passion for weaving and artisans. Thirty-eight years later, he has successfully trained approximately 15,000 weavers and looks after 50 villages.

Harphool has been a part of the Jaipur Rugs Foundation,  the service arm of the company, for 14 years. His work with our organization began as a weaver. However, his hard work and dedication led to a role as a quality supervisor and then branch manager. Currently, he looks after 42 villages, and he continues to train others to become managers.

Personally, I would not feel right about following my dreams while denying other people the freedom to pursue their passions. One of my favorite examples of someone at our company who followed their own path is that of a female artisan.

Bimla Devi, after losing her husband, gathered all of her strength and devoted her time to weaving. Not only has Bimla endured but she attributes weaving to pulling her through difficult times. She found her talent and even designed her own rug under Jaipur Rugs’ Artisan Originals program in which weavers use their surroundings as inspiration for one-of-a-kind carpets.

Bimla like all of the other participants in the Artisan Originals program have no formal design training yet their work is some of the most stunning and original pieces created.

Bimla Devi’s rug was so impressive that she won the prestigious German Design Award and went from her village all the way to Germany to accept an award for the work she is so passionate about. This can only happen when you follow your dreams.

Love, loyalty and passion are the keys to success. We all need to have an owner’s mindset when we work because it is the ownership and responsibility of the work that makes it our passion. We must always remember that the true measure of success is not the size of your bank account. If you are passionate about what you do, then it does not work – it is your life.