Team

Running a startup is no less than running a family. I read themorningcontext.com on the same.

In the early days, startups are all about the team. It is extremely important to have like-minded folks with the same vision and end goal.

As an individual contributor, you are part of this family that is taking baby steps to bloom. Honesty and trust are incredibly important.

Founders are just one piece of this bigger operating system. If founders are not committed, the dawn begins and ends then and there.

Strive for finding the right team before shopping for funding or copying some valley/Chinese model.

Monkeys see monkey do. We are all animals.

sleep

I picked this book: why can’t we sleep, last week. The author talks about everything around Sleep. 

  Thanks to the modern era and consumerism. Sleep is a multi-billion dollar market. From music to mattress to light to watch, we have got everything to measure and pay for good sleep. 

Time is not far when like gyms, we will have sleep spas: people will pay to sleep there in peace. 

These are some of my steps for attaining good sleep.

  • Closed the windows of my bedroom to cut noise and light.
  • Not having electronics in my bedroom( phone and laptop)
  • Drinking calamine or hibiscus before sleep.
  • Having an early dinner.
  • Thinking about how the day went, learning.
  • Reading some fiction.

tribe

Man is a social Animal said, Aristotle. We thrive in a community with like-minded people. We grow and become better as a tribe.

As we grow old, our connections and the social circle get broadened. We make friends, acquaintances during the journey of our life.

With the limited allocated time in our life, it becomes important to pick and live with your tribe.

A tribe of people who trust you, who like you for who you are and lastly who celebrate in your success and cheer you up in your failures.

Pick your tribe for a healthy life.

BS meter

Our communication channels have skyrocketed in the past decade. Social media and IMs have replaced in-person meetings. Postmen rarely deliver any mails, besides online shipments.

The vehicle of sharing opinions, feedbacks and criticism has increased too. Sending a hate or love message can be done with a tap of our fingers.[via smartphone]

It is too easy to get lost in this endless communiation and take less thought through, impulsive decisions.

How can we live rational or have our independent thoughts if we don’t have a BS meter or a filtering mechanism?

Epictetus discourse

“Some things are in our control and others not. Things in our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our actions. The things in our control are by nature free, unrestrained, unhindered; but those not in our control are weak, slavish, restrained, belonging to others. Remember, then, that if you suppose that things which are slavish by nature are also free, and that what belongs to others is your own, then you will be hindered. You will lament, you will be disturbed, and you will find fault both with gods and men. But if you suppose that only to be your own which is your own, and what belongs to others such as it really is, then no one will ever compel you or restrain you. Further, you will find fault with no one or accuse no one. You will do nothing against your will. No one will hurt you, you will have no enemies, and you not be harmed.”

 ― Epictetus,  Enchiridion and Selections from the Discourses

fear

Fear is the creation of self. Our imagination of losing something or someone drives it. Our dependence on externals is what drives fear.

Fear is a disease now and many pharma companies and therapist are minting money on it.

Why do we have to fear about losing someone or something?

Socrates died giving discourses on acquiring self-knowledge. But here we are, living like a miserable animal imagining for the worst from our life.