'When you set ₹5 crore goal, you...': Zerodha's Nithin Kamath recalls when he wanted to retire in Goa
The Zerodha co-founder says his early retirement dream changed after building a business, and a simple perspective now helps him handle pressure.
- Jul 16, 2026,
- Updated Jul 16, 2026 12:01 PM IST
There was a time when Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath had a very clear financial goal: earn ₹5 crore and retire by the age of 30.
Recalling his younger years in a recent conversation, Kamath said he believed ₹5 crore would be enough to stop working and live comfortably. But life had other plans.
"I kind of have reached whatever goal posts I had in mind. But otherwise, I don't know if money should really be the goal at all," Kamath said. He further said that "putting money as a qualifier" eventually lost its meaning as he became deeply involved in building Zerodha.
Instead of chasing an early exit, he found purpose in creating and growing the business. Kamath explained that as his priorities evolved, so did his definition of success. Building something meaningful turned out to be far more fulfilling than simply accumulating wealth and walking away from work.
"Because you set some rupee goal as a magic number. I mean, like you said, lifestyle creep, etc. So, your rupee goals always keep growing higher and higher. The ₹5 crore number, even though I had set it, but I mean it is of no use actually. Because as soon as you're near the ₹5 crore, you become ₹50 crore, then it becomes ₹500 crore for that."
The conversation also touched on how he copes with the pressures of running one of India's largest stockbroking platforms.
Asked how he deals with stress, Kamath said he relies on a simple mental reset. "None of us are getting out of here alive," he said, explaining that reminding himself of life's impermanence helps him keep problems in perspective.
According to Kamath, this mindset prevents him from overreacting to setbacks or allowing day-to-day challenges to consume him. Instead, he focuses on what he can control and accepts that not everything will go according to plan.
His comments come after he has openly spoken about the importance of physical and mental well-being. Earlier, Kamath revealed that he suffered a mild stroke in 2024, attributing it to a combination of stress, exhaustion, dehydration and lack of sleep.
For Kamath, the lesson has been that financial milestones alone don't define a fulfilling life. What began as a plan to retire young eventually transformed into a journey of building a business with lasting impact—and learning to keep life's inevitable stresses in perspective.
There was a time when Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath had a very clear financial goal: earn ₹5 crore and retire by the age of 30.
Recalling his younger years in a recent conversation, Kamath said he believed ₹5 crore would be enough to stop working and live comfortably. But life had other plans.
"I kind of have reached whatever goal posts I had in mind. But otherwise, I don't know if money should really be the goal at all," Kamath said. He further said that "putting money as a qualifier" eventually lost its meaning as he became deeply involved in building Zerodha.
Instead of chasing an early exit, he found purpose in creating and growing the business. Kamath explained that as his priorities evolved, so did his definition of success. Building something meaningful turned out to be far more fulfilling than simply accumulating wealth and walking away from work.
"Because you set some rupee goal as a magic number. I mean, like you said, lifestyle creep, etc. So, your rupee goals always keep growing higher and higher. The ₹5 crore number, even though I had set it, but I mean it is of no use actually. Because as soon as you're near the ₹5 crore, you become ₹50 crore, then it becomes ₹500 crore for that."
The conversation also touched on how he copes with the pressures of running one of India's largest stockbroking platforms.
Asked how he deals with stress, Kamath said he relies on a simple mental reset. "None of us are getting out of here alive," he said, explaining that reminding himself of life's impermanence helps him keep problems in perspective.
According to Kamath, this mindset prevents him from overreacting to setbacks or allowing day-to-day challenges to consume him. Instead, he focuses on what he can control and accepts that not everything will go according to plan.
His comments come after he has openly spoken about the importance of physical and mental well-being. Earlier, Kamath revealed that he suffered a mild stroke in 2024, attributing it to a combination of stress, exhaustion, dehydration and lack of sleep.
For Kamath, the lesson has been that financial milestones alone don't define a fulfilling life. What began as a plan to retire young eventually transformed into a journey of building a business with lasting impact—and learning to keep life's inevitable stresses in perspective.