Rahul's calendar was a masterpiece of productivity — color-coded, back-to-back, optimized down to the minute. Work blocks, gym blocks, networking events, side projects. There was no space in it for anything unplanned, including, he realized one Sunday, any actual rest.

He'd built a life that looked impressive from the outside and felt hollow from the inside. His girlfriend had mentioned, more than once, that spending time with him often felt like scheduling a meeting rather than sharing an evening.