A man who once believed his life was over after failing the IIT-JEE has gone on to earn a 7-figure monthly salary and recently gifted his father a BMW worth ₹55 lakh for his retirement. The story was shared by entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo in a LinkedIn post that has resonated with many.Ankur Warikoo recalled the journey of 26-year-old Shaurya Shikhar, who joined his team 5 years ago. (LinkedIn/Ankur Warikoo)In the post, Warikoo recalled the journey of 26-year-old Shaurya Shikhar, who joined his team 5 years ago and was struggling with self-doubt after not securing admission to an IIT. “Five years ago, Shaurya Shikhar thought his life was over. This year, he bought his dad a 55L BMW as a retirement gift,” Warikoo wrote.“This post isn't about money. It's about a thought that arrives late, but always arrives,” he added.The entrepreneur shared that Shaurya took the IIT-JEE examination but failed to clear it. The setback made him feel like an absolute failure, especially because his father was an IIT graduate. Warikoo said that Shaurya then chose to pursue a BBA degree instead of engineering, a decision that further fuelled his insecurities at the time.“He weighed 110+ kgs. Felt like he let down his parents. Hated his college. Was convinced his life won't work out!” Warikoo said.The content creator shared that after 5 years, Shaurya’s circumstances have changed dramatically. He revealed that the 26-year-old now earns a 7-figure monthly income and recently bought a BMW worth ₹55 lakh as a retirement gift for his father.“Cut to this year, Shaurya bought a 55L BMW for his dad as a retirement gift. He earns 7 figures every month. The down payment of the car would be less than 5% of his net worth. The EMI would be less than 7% of his monthly salary. Plus, he is his fittest self now!” Warikoo shared.He said that Shaurya’s story is a reminder that setbacks do not define a person's future. “Life eventually works out. But it doesn't help to know that, when you have failed,” he wrote.Instead, he stressed the importance of persistence. “Here is what helped me: KEEP MOVING! If we all believe that life will eventually work out, the only thing we can do is to keep moving,” he added.(Also Read: Indian man who failed IIT in 2012 surprises mother with Times Square billboard after Google success)Social media reactionsThe post prompted many users to share their thoughts on resilience and overcoming failures.One user said, “The line 'Knowing that life will eventually work out would NOT have helped on those dark days' hits hard. When you're at your lowest, optimism feels fake, but action feels real. Proud of Shaurya for choosing to keep moving. Truly inspiring.""One of the biggest traps in life is believing today's circumstances are permanent. Most success stories look inevitable in hindsight but uncertain in real time. The people who win aren't those who never feel lost—they're the ones who keep moving despite it. Progress often arrives long after confidence disappears,” commented another."Every successful person has a chapter where things looked uncertain. The difference is that they didn't mistake that chapter for the whole story," while a fourth added, "We often overestimate the importance of one exam, one rejection, or one bad phase. But life is usually shaped by what happens after that moment. Keep moving. That's where the real story begins,” wrote a third user.