Complain Less. Learn More.

I’ve been thinking about this for the last two days. It started with a conversation with someone, then I went down one of my mental dark burrows and… well, here we are.

When I was younger, around 2011, fresh out of college, I joined a small advertising agency as an intern (it’s no longer small!). I was desperate to get out of the house, away from my parents, and do something with my life. Academically, I was average at best. I was 19 then. But I knew one thing: I could learn fast.

At the agency, everyone around me was always doing something. There was so much happening, so much to absorb. I did everything I was told to do:

Take printouts.

Go to vendors.

Sit in on meetings.

Arrange tea and snacks.

Make presentations.

Listen to client calls and summarize them.

Proof read artworks before print.

I worked till 2–3 AM on many days. I watched. I listened. I understood. And I wasn’t paid for the first three months.

Did I feel bad? Maybe.

Did I feel exploited (in Gen Z terms)? No.

Did I learn? Yesss.

Did I know anything before I joined? No shit.

I’m sharing this backstory because today, interns do get paid. In fact, they often get paid more than what I was making after four years of work. And that’s great. It should be better.

But what’s changed is the attitude.

I run a business now. I get applications every month. People want to work with me. Learn from me. Be part of what I’ve built. But what I struggle with is the expectation. Somewhere along the way, work has become a complaint box.

“I will only do what my job description says.”

“Anything beyond that is not my problem.”

“Everyone wants appreciation but no accountability.”

A little scolding suddenly means we’re not empathetic. Being held responsible feels like a personal attack. But empathy goes both ways. You want empathy when you mess up and cost the business thousands of rupees. You want empathy when a client is lost because of negligence. But are you placing yourself in the business owner’s shoes?

Mistakes are how you learn. Being held accountable is how you remember not to repeat them. That doesn’t make us monsters. That’s how growth works.

Another big one:“I do so much but I don’t get paid enough.”

Define “enough”.

When is it ever enough?

Skill = money. Period.

First, be honest with yourself and define what you want:

1. Do you want to learn from the artist or business?

2. Do you want a job?

Because these are two very different things.

If you want to learn, then don’t walk in with salary expectations. Your focus should be on absorbing knowledge, building skill, and understanding how the real world works. Most of the time, you’ll be offered a stipend to cover basic expenses. And that’s fair.

You are being taught. You are being given hands-on experience. You will make mistakes. You will mess up. Learning from someone who is willing to teach you is a privilege.

Ask yourself honestly: Would you do the same for someone else at your expense?

If you want a job, then come prepared. You need to know your work. You need to deliver. You cannot say, “I’ll only do calligraphy. I won’t do operations or production. That’s not my job.”

Sorry, honey. It is.

That’s how studios and small businesses work. Standards are high and they should be. You need to understand the business, the market, the clients, and the level of excellence required. Somedays you work late. Do whatever it takes. There is so much you can learn just by observing someone. That curiosity feels missing today. There’s no harm in asking for what you’re worth. But first, you need to know what that is.

Even today, I am willing to work for free with artists I admire. I’d happily be their shadow. Their assistant. Their “Ramu”. If I can just observe how their mind works.

What’s missing in this generation is ownership. Being one with the brand. Thinking like it’s your business. Acting like it’s your name on the door. Do everything you would do if it were your own business and you will be valued.

That hunger to learn will take you further than any entitlement ever will.