In his talk, Om Chachad challenges our understanding of creativity and success in structured systems of today’s world. Drawing from his personal journey as a young software developer who dared to pursue his passion alongside traditional academics, Om explores the tension between societal expectations and personal aspirations as a high school student. He questions whether our current educational and professional environments truly foster creativity, and offers a refreshing perspective on what it means to focus on what truly matters. Through his story of founding Starlight Apps and creating technology with purpose, Om invites us to reconsider the boundaries we accept and the possibilities that await when we have the courage to imagine beyond them. Om is a passionate young technology enthusiast focused on building impactful human-centric software. He founded Starlight Apps and iTech Everything, creating apps like snApp, Linkeeper, and Pencilera, and sharing Siri Shortcuts used by over 400,000 people to simplify their lives. Starting with a passion for tinkering, Om taught himself to build impactful software while balancing school and challenges. His work extends to the Apple Vision Pro, for which he built two apps recognized and featured by Apple, showcasing his creative reach. He shares his learnings at developer conferences through his talks and his commitment to open-sourced software. His journey reflects a relentless drive to create, undeterred by conventional limits. In his TEDx talk, Om will weave a narrative of breaking free from expectations, inspiring others to defy boundaries and carve their own paths in pursuit of what they love most. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx