In Bangalore traffic, there are two types of drivers.

There is the Lane-Hopper. He honks, cuts lanes, and sweats to gain one car length. He is constantly moving, constantly stressed, and convinced that if he stops, he loses.

Then there is the Settler. He sees the jam, accepts the jam, turns off the engine and waits it out.

For 12 years, I thought I had to be the Lane-Hopper. In my career, I felt the itch to "upskill," to jump jobs, to chase the 30% hike. In my investments, I obsessively tracked the FIRE number, treating my net worth like a high-score in a video game I wasn't enjoying. I felt guilty if I wasn't "optimizing" every hour of my day.

But lately, I’ve decided to park.

The "Parked" Life

To the outside world, being parked looks like stagnation. My resume hasn’t changed much in 3 years. My job title is the same. My daily routine involves more stillness than networking.

The old me would have called this "lazy" or "risky." The old me would have panicked about "falling behind."

But here is what the old me didn't understand: Maintenance is a valid ambition.

Building a house requires frantic energy. But living in the house requires presence. You don't keep adding new floors to your house every year just to prove you are productive.

You open the windows. You water the plants. You sit in the balcony and enjoy the sunrise.

The Shift from "Zeal" to "Reliability"

In the corporate world, "Zeal" is the currency. We are told we must be passionate, we must be hungry, we must be "crushing it."

But Zeal burns you out. Zeal makes you check your email at 9 PM. Zeal makes you feel guilty for watching a sunset instead of sitting in front of the laptop.

I have decided to trade Zeal for Reliability.

I show up. I do my work well. But when the work is done, I close the laptop. I am not trying to be the CEO. I am not trying to be the "Top Performer."

I am trying to be the guy who is still sane in 2030.

The New Definition of Safety

We are told that safety comes from speed. "If you stop moving, you die."

But I’ve found that true safety comes from a fortress. A home that is finally ours. A simple portfolio that doesn't need constant tinkering. A routine that prioritizes health over hustle.

That is my fortress. And inside the fortress, I don't need to run.

So, if you see me on the side of the road, watching calmly while the world honks past... don't worry. I'm not stuck.

I'm just enjoying the pause.

🧘‍♂️ If you enjoyed this…

This blog is my quiet corner to reflect on money, FIRE, and the life beyond numbers.

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