Reflecting on a week of madness at MITx Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp.

Our challenge was to create a startup in one week. We left with so much more.

We were 47 people from 22 countries around the world. 47 people who, despite different cultural and professional backgrounds, all share the same mindset: an unstoppable desire to make a dent in the universe. But for most of us, we just didn’t know “how” yet.

In Bill Aulet and the rest of the faculty, we found mentors, role models, and a sense of direction. They gave us the roadmap to achieve the improbable, to pursue dreams that have been silenced, and to start creating value everywhere we go. They equipped us with the necessary toolkit to scratch our itch — that inner calling that makes us black sheep and entrepreneurs.

No more excuses

After nearly 100 hours of hard work and ups and downs, we left the Bootcamp with an exhausting yet enriching journey – one that we have yet to measure the consequences. Most importantly, we left with “no more excuses”: we have now inherited of a shared responsibility to apply our passion, ideas, and discipline to altering the world positively.

In 47 different ways, the Bootcamp was a life-changing experience. For me, it was an opportunity to validate my potential both as a person and an entrepreneur. The Bootcamp gave me the confidence to keep pushing and accepting my difference. It created a sense of urgency to craft my game plan to go about my dreams.

Most of all: it reminded me that the only way I’ll ever find true happiness is in creating real value for real people.

Comfort can no longer be an option. Passion shall now direct my every move.

Building a legacy

Like many of my fellow Bootcampers, I was blown away by Bill Aulet’s rigor, charisma, passion, and relentless pursuit of excellence. He’s 30 years my senior and — perhaps unconsciously — he gave me an inspiring blueprint for the rest of my life. He set the benchmark for me. If one day I can get to his level of excellence, I’ll know I’ll have lived a fulfilling life.

On Demo Day, Bill spoke about “legacy”. I think a lot of people in the room felt the same way as I did (and we can only partially blame sleep deprivation for our teary eyes!). This notion of “legacy” truly moved us. We are young. And we live in challenging times. We have plenty of things left to accomplish. We can no longer wait. At that very moment, Bill was passing the torch to each and every of us. It’s now our responsibility to take the ball and run with it.

We need to start building our own legacy today. We can no longer be passengers. We must be in the driver’s seat.

See you soon

Bootcampers, it’s been hell of a ride. I am happy to have shared these intense moments with you. And I hope to see you all soon.

Now, as Anant Agarwal would say:

JFDI — Just Fuckin’ Do It!

PS. Don’t forget to frame your misspelled certificates.