It’s been a month since I’ve been home, and I haven’t earned a single rupee.
I’m Prashant Nighojkar. Until May, I was working in digital marketing Firm I knew WordPress inside out, could run Meta ads in my sleep, and had built automation systems that actually worked. I was good at what I did. But every day felt like I was living someone else’s life.
Let me be honest with you about how I got here, because the real story isn’t as clean as “I left my job to follow my passion.” It’s messier than that. More painful too.
The Real Beginning
Back in February, I saw this opportunity at a MNC company for 3D Artist position. Finally, a chance to break into the industry I actually cared about. They wanted me to create House model with CAD Drawing in Blender for their test project. Problem was, I barely knew Blender at the time.
So I did what I always do I threw myself into learning it. Two months of late nights, YouTube tutorials, and countless failed renders. I built everything from scratch, used a friend’s file as reference to understand Scaling and Layout, and submitted what I thought was solid work.
I passed the first round. For a moment, I felt like maybe I was finally getting somewhere.
Then came the interview that changed everything.
When they asked if I’d used references, I was honest. “Yes, I used a friend’s file as reference for the layout structure, but I modeled everything myself from scratch.” I thought honesty was the right approach.
They didn’t see it that way. Suddenly, the entire tone shifted. They thought I’d copied the whole thing. Despite my previous work experience, they offered me an internship. An internship. Like I was starting from zero.
I walked away from that call feeling broken. This was supposed to be my shot, and I’d blown it by being too honest, or not explaining myself clearly enough, or… I don’t even know what I did wrong.
That’s when something clicked. I was tired of waiting to be chosen. Tired of letting other people decide what I was worth.
So I made a decision that probably looked crazy from the outside: I’d build my own thing.
What This Month Actually Looked Like
Since then, I’ve been all over the place trying to figure out who I am now.
I built Prashant Creates from the ground up. Designed and launched my own website using all those WordPress skills I picked up over the years. Applied to 12+ 3D roles and completed their tests, most ending in silence. Started uploading assets to Blender Market and Unreal Fab. Set up my first Fiverr gig. Practiced Blender every day, even when I didn’t feel like it.
I’ve rejected multiple digital marketing opportunities because they felt like going backwards. I know I could probably get hired as a digital marketer tomorrow, but that’s not where my heart is anymore.
But here’s the thing nobody talks about — some days I wake up excited to create. Other days, I lie on my bed staring at the ceiling Fan, wondering if I’ve made the biggest mistake of my life.
My friends are buying cars, planning weddings, building their careers. And here I am, creating renders that don’t pay yet, writing blog posts that three people read, building a brand that hasn’t brought in a rupee.
The doubt is real. The fear is real. The empty bank account is definitely real. And watching my family worry about me? That hits different.
What I’m Learning About Myself
I was trying to do everything and finishing nothing. 3D work, blogging, Fiverr, YouTube planning, website updates, portfolio pieces, even considering going back to digital marketing — I was starting ten things and completing two. Now I’m learning to focus on finishing one thing well before moving to the next.
Clarity doesn’t come from thinking. It comes from doing. I didn’t figure out my direction by sitting and planning. I found it by building my website, hitting publish, facing rejection, and realizing I still wanted to try again. Every completed project, every “no” I received, every small win taught me something I couldn’t have learned by just thinking about it.
The pressure to look successful kills creativity. When I was trying to impress everyone, I second-guessed every decision. When I create just because I want to create something good — that’s when the real work happens.
Identity transitions are messy. I’m not the digital marketer I was, but I’m not yet the 3D artist I want to become. I’m somewhere in between, and that’s uncomfortable. But maybe that’s where growth actually happens.
If You’re Reading This and You’re Stuck Too
Maybe you left a job too. Maybe you’re trying to build something alone. Maybe you’re in that weird space between who you were and who you want to become.
Here’s what I wish someone had told me: You’re not late. You’re not broken. This is just the messy middle where most good stories get interesting.
The hard part isn’t having the idea or even doing the work. The hard part is sitting with the uncertainty, the silence, the days when nothing seems to be moving forward.
But here’s what I’ve realized — I haven’t quit. Even on the worst days, I haven’t quit. And that means something.
What’s Next
I’m going to keep improving my 3D and Unreal skills. Keep applying to roles that actually match what I want to do, not what’s easy to get. Keep building my portfolio, not just my resume. Keep showing up on Fiverr and my website, even when it feels like nobody’s watching.
I’m also learning to use my digital marketing background as a strength, not something to run from. Maybe the combination of 3D skills and marketing knowledge is exactly what makes me different.
And I’m going to stop trying so hard to look like I have it all figured out. Because I don’t. And that’s okay.
The Real Point
This first month wasn’t what I expected. It was harder. But it was also necessary.
It showed me what I’m actually made of. Not the version of myself that had a steady paycheck and a clear path, but the version that shows up when everything is uncertain.
And that version? That version doesn’t quit.
If you’re on a similar path, let’s connect. This journey is tough, but we don’t have to walk it alone.
What’s your story? Are you building something too? I’d love to hear about it.
I wrote this post a month ago during one of the most uncertain periods of my life, but I was too afraid to hit publish. Now that I’m in a better place, I realize this story might help someone else going through something similar. Sometimes the posts we’re scared to share are exactly the ones worth sharing.