Unfortunately, Bottger failed to achieve this and soon gave up, but in order to please the king he attempted to make high-quality porcelain.

Adding that China made 24 attempts to take hold of the Dalulatbeg air base during the last India-Pakistan conflict in Kargil, Stobdan says India has awakened late to the problem.

"People have to make compromises," says von Wachter, which often means taking a stopgap job with a less glamorous employer, and trying to switch careers or switch employers later on.