Mumbai job or time with newborn? Ankur Warikoo's advice for every young father

A high-paying job offer in Mumbai or staying close to your newborn child, on the surface, seems like the kind of life-defining dilemma many young parents struggle with.

Career growth versus family. Ambition versus responsibility. Opportunity versus being present for the moments that matter most.

For one young father, the dilemma felt deeply personal. One path promised faster growth and a healthier work schedule, while the other kept him close to his wife and three-month-old baby during one of the most important phases of life.

It looked like a choice between two futures. But what if the real problem wasn’t choosing between them at all?

That’s exactly where Ankur Warikoo offered an unexpected perspective that completely changed the conversation: don’t choose either.

IS THIS REALLY A CHOICE, OR A DISTRACTION?

The young father’s situation was deeply relatable. His current role had given him strong exposure, but the night-shift schedule was beginning to affect his health, something he could no longer ignore after becoming a father.

Then came a new opportunity: better growth, no night shifts, and the chance to step into a role that promised meaningful career progress.

But it came with trade-offs. Accepting the offer meant relocating to Mumbai, living away from his wife and newborn while she worked on her thesis, and dealing with higher expenses that would reduce short-term savings.

Caught between two imperfect options, he reached out to Warikoo with a simple question: How do I choose?

WHAT QUESTION CHANGED EVERYTHING?

Warikoo suggests asking, “Did you apply to the Company Y role, or did it come your way?” to understand whether the career move is driven by intention or just opportunity.

The answer was revealing. The young father said he had been looking for a change, “but it came my way.”

For Warikoo, that changed everything. He argued that the real confusion began when an opportunity appeared and disrupted the person’s thinking about whether to accept it.

ARE YOU CHOOSING, OR JUST REACTING?

Warikoo pointed out that many people mistake availability for alignment.

When an unexpected opportunity arrives, we often feel obligated to evaluate it, even when it may not fit the life we actually want.

In this case, the dilemma wasn’t between two ideal choices. It was between a current role that was no longer aligned and a new role that hadn’t been intentionally chosen.

As Warikoo put it: “If you had to craft the ideal role, this may not be it.”

The problem wasn’t the decision itself. It was trying to force a future out of options that were never fully right to begin with.

WHAT IF YOU COULD CREATE THE OPTION YOU REALLY WANT?

Warikoo’s advice was simple, but powerful: Take neither.

He encouraged the young father to look at the offer differently, not as a final choice, but as proof that better opportunities were possible. “If you can find this role, you can find any other role," he explains.

“Go and choose the role you want where this conflict doesn’t exist. Use it as a sign to get the thing that you want," he adds.

Instead of choosing between two compromises, Warikoo suggested creating a third path, one that aligned with both career aspirations and personal priorities.

ARE YOU CHOOSING YOUR LIFE, OR ACCEPTING WHAT COMES?

Warikoo said the lesson extends far beyond careers. “This is true for jobs. Relationships. Cities. Everything," he further adds.

According to him, people often build lives around options that appear in front of them instead of intentionally creating choices that reflect what they truly value.

And that, he believes, is where many difficult decisions begin.

SHOULD YOU SETTLE FOR OPTIONS YOU NEVER CHOSE?

The young father approached Warikoo looking for help to choose between two jobs.

Instead, he walked away with a completely different lesson.

“The right choice to make is between options that YOU have chosen for yourself. Not options that have been given to you, without your permission or preference," says Warikoo.

The message wasn’t about rejecting opportunity. It was about refusing to settle. Because sometimes, the best decision isn’t choosing between A and B. Sometimes, it is having the courage to step away and build option C.