'I don't believe in luck'

From visiting the ruins of the Titanic to training as a civilian astronaut, multi-faceted Australian entrepreneur and author Nik Halik is determined to experience as much as possible. Metrolife caught up with him recently to find out more about his life.

Ask him about his mantra of success and he replies, “I believe in myself and my capabilities. One has to be specific about his or her strategy. We have to visualise it and get attached to it emotionally. I was not born wealthy, but I believe that we are all born full of potential. Have a vision board and an action board and keep an account of the goals you have set.”

The young entrepreneur is always on the lookout for an adrenaline rush. That explains his urge to have lunch on the Titanic and the desire to become the first Australian explorer to rocket into outer space and live on Earth’s only manned outpost in orbit, the international space station. His ambitions may touch the sky but as an individual, he is quite rooted and gives all the credit of his success to his mother. “My mother has been very instrumental in moulding my character and in encouraging me to fulfill my dreams. My father, on the contrary, was a disciplinarian. He was a communist and strong in his views. Mother was the caring kind and would always assert that force is in oneself. My father had already decided the careers me and my siblings would opt for in the future,” he says.

Though this was his first visit to Bangalore, he was charmed by the energy of the City and also by the affection and warmth that he got from Bangaloreans. “People are very warm here and my hosts have been extremely kind. I appreciate the spirit of this City,” he adds.

Recounting his experience at the depths of the ocean, when he came face to face with the Titanic, he says that it was a surreal experience and moved him to tears. “I could see so many suitcases. These suitcases belonged to the stewards and other workers of the ship as most of the guests were rescued. It was a rather different experience and made me very emotional,” he notes. His advice to turn dreams into reality might sound bizarre but he has a strategy for those who dream big.

“It’s all about empowering yourself and defining your career. There is more to life than just cribbing and idling away time. I like to balance my life and don’t believe in luck. The poorest people in the world hope and wish. I don’t hope and neither do I wish, I’d rather write my destiny and script my screenplay. I’ve had many struggles in life — they are good as they make me stronger. I like to face things head on and embrace hurdles,” he sums up.