'No need to follow hustle influencers': How an IIT Bombay grad became a multi-millionaire in his 20s

Aman Goel, the co-founder and CEO of Mumbai-based GreyLabs AI, has stirred debate on success and productivity with his recent post on X. Sharing his personal journey, Goel challenged the widely accepted notion that "ideal habits" are essential to becoming successful.

“I don't wake up at 5 AM. I don't take cold showers. I don't read books. I don't follow the ‘ideal habits’ that people claim are essential to becoming a millionaire,” wrote Goel. “Yet, here I am—a multi-millionaire in my 20s.”



Goel’s unconventional take directly opposes the narratives often promoted by self-help influencers, who recommend rigid routines as a path to financial and personal success.

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A Unique Journey to Success

Goel’s academic and professional achievements offer additional context to his post. According to his LinkedIn profile, he graduated from IIT Bombay in 2017 with a degree in Computer Science and Engineering. He went on to co-found Cogno AI, which was later acquired by Exotel. Currently, he heads GreyLabs AI, a Mumbai-based AI solutions company.

In his X post, Goel elaborated that his routine defies the norms advocated by hustle culture. "Most days, I wake up at 8:30 AM or even 9 AM. I cannot remember the last time I picked up a book. I prefer learning through quicker methods like social media and podcasts," he said.

The Formula for Success

Rather than adhering to rigid routines, Goel believes in focusing on the fundamentals of business success. He outlined a simple three-step approach for aspiring entrepreneurs:

• Build something valuable.
• Sell it to customers.
• Repeat the process until you make your millions.

“It doesn’t matter if you wake up at 12 noon. It doesn’t matter if you never pick up a book. Success doesn’t come from ‘ideal’ routines—it comes from taking action and delivering value,” Goel added.

A Personalised Approach

Goel encouraged his followers to follow routines that align with their unique needs rather than mimicking internet influencers. However, he was careful to clarify that he does not dismiss the importance of good habits altogether.

“This post is not to undermine the impact of good habits, like waking up early, which have been known to be beneficial. This post is to say that you don't have to do something only because of the FOMO created by hustle influencers,” he explained.

Divisive Reactions Online

The post, which has amassed over 50,000 views, received mixed reactions on X. While many users resonated with Goel’s practical advice, others attributed his success to his academic excellence rather than his routine.

“Good habits just increase your probability to win. Like not all college dropouts go on to build successful startups. The probability of someone succeeding with A and A+ grades is more than college dropouts,” wrote one user, Sambhav Daga.

Another user remarked, “Comparing random mids to yourself who is a JEE rank 33, laughed,” referring to Goel’s impressive rank in the highly competitive Joint Entrance Examination.

Challenging Conventional Narratives

Goel’s post highlights a growing shift away from hustle culture’s rigid prescriptions and towards a more individualised approach to success. While the debate continues online, his message remains clear: success is about creating value and taking actionable steps, not merely adhering to pre-defined routines.