koolhead17
I have been asked about the books I have read of late. I have added some books comprising various categories: Philosophy, psychology, design, management, product, health.
Running own enterprise is like being captain of a running a rocket ship, it is lonely most of the time and the reading book helps.
Going by a self-help book, TED talk, and survivorship bias it seems one can do anything. Everyone is selling us a dream, finding true love, a perfect job or entrepreneurial success path.
Is it really possible for anyone to do anything? I agree we have gotten better over the years and becoming big is not related to a particular family. A small-time boy/girl can work hard and make name for themselves. But these are few success stories, thousand other unsuccessful ones are never shared with the world.
Every single movie, fiction, and romcom talks about true love. FMCG companies run million dollars worth advertisement selling true love. We see them and try to replicate it to our lives, how many have succeeded?
I am not being a cynic but trying to see the world from both sides. Going by Charlie Munger, he says follow and get best at your circle of competence. Know your blind spots. What Charlie says is correct? I don’t know, I have heard a few times how they regret not investing in Google.
We have to take control of our life, our thoughts and what we can and cannot do. We have to be honest with ourselves.
Seeing Instagram influencers or reading the autobiography of billionaires will do no good unless we start seeking from self, asking questions from ourselves.
As a runner sometimes recently I realized that I am overdoing. Thanks to my friends who warned me after seeing my heart rate. I have been getting injured on a regular basis. I have not gone for my regular long runs for some time now. I am on rest for a few more weeks.
The book Haywire Heart talks about our craving for adventure sports, running, cycling et all and how it affects our heart. Most of us are overdoing it. Can it be because of our goals or that shiny medal or personal milestones?
I liked the book and every chapter. It has its own unique story, injury, and diagnosis.
Added screenshot from the book where the author talks about the cardiac arrest and heart attack.
Global Warming is a coffee discussion these days. The discussion takes twists and turns. Instead of suggesting what government should do, we should ask ourselves what are we doing.
Instead of asking the world to turn vegetarian, we have to ask ourselves what are we doing?
To see a change, we have to be the change.
Are we part of the problem or solution?
In seductive interactive design, the author talks about “User experience hierarchy of needs model.” I liked it and felt worth sharing.
I keep hearing from my founder friends about many aspects of startups. Sometimes the conversation boils down to culture.
The definition of culture differs from founder to founder. For some, it reflects in every action of theirs: sales, hiring, product. Running a startup is like watching the game of thrones, surviving in chaos.
Marty Cagen in his book talks about PPP rule, People, process and product. Hire a bunch of smart people, build a solid organizational process and it will result in an amazing product.
How will you hire smart folks when you don’t have the right culture?
I know paying 10X the market salary will get you a pedigree, but how many of those will stay with you and be part of your journey? Will, they not jump to your competitor who just raised 2X more than yours and is a Unicorn?
To me, culture starts with trust, transparency and having a common organizational goal. If you have these things sorted, the organization runs on its own.
Unfortunately, survivorship bias is huge in entrepreneurship that everyone shoots for becoming next Uber, WeWork Et All. The dopamine hit we get bagging startup award of year supersedes over profitability.
Sometimes I wonder if founders have taken “Eric Cartman’s 4 brotastic steps to startup success” seriously.
Going by media: newspaper, television and internet streams it seems we are all in some chaos. Everything looks messy, screwed up and worrisome.
The movies, TV series portrays how bad corruption is and how lawmakers are sucking our blood.
We humans react more to negativity. So media, Bollywood and the internet sell it. The attention merchants make a profit by showing filth, misery, poverty, violence.
Your older ones will tell you about the past, how difficult it was to afford basic healthcare. How many mothers would die giving birth, how many kids would die of black fever, smallpox et all. The caste system, women’s rights, and many other things.
We are living in a fantasy world. We have everything which was available to people in the west for ages. We are on a level playing field with everyone, innovation, capital, and advancement. We have it all.
We were not born perfectionist. We are slaves to our desire and ego. As we progress in life journey, we learn, adapt and get better.
Some of us improve our self, become a better version of self. Some continue living like an animal, on ego and desires.
Charlie Munger says learn from others mistake and try not to repeat it. I wish it was so easy.
Some of us improve our self, become a better version of self. Some continue living like an animal, on ego and desires. r eternity most gets trashed.
Living a life with the scar is not only dangerous but hurtful.
What credentials or degree one requires to become a teacher?
An Ivy league degree, exit from a successful startup or having millions of followers worshiping like a god on social media?
I don’t know. What I do know is that a teacher can be anyone, without any pedigree or affiliations.
The barista who taught you making pour over, your maid who taught you making paneer or the gardener who shared his wisdom on happiness. Are they not the teachers? Look around, open up and you will find a teacher everywhere.
Our nature, birds, animals are teachers as well.
There are few days in my life when I want to get away from humanity. The days without books/pen/paper diving in my thoughts, observing things around. This does not mean being anti-social.
Only if I had Scotty to beam me somewhere. That would have helped me in avoiding traffic.