appreciate

How difficult it is for us to appreciate others. I have been continuously seeing this approach in us where we like complaining more than complimenting.

We go to the extent of creating new social media profiles to blame a company or product. I am also part of the same league. But over a time I have realized, complaining is not the solution.

It takes lots of patience and hard work to build anything: painting, composition or a product. And it takes less than a few seconds to complain about it.

Anyways we are living in a world of uncertainty where one country is trying to bomb another or military set to overthrow a democratic government. Media likes to glorify negatively.

Appreciating little help.

Technology

I have been the last man in my group who would join new technological advancements. Be it an installing a social app or trying a new communication tool. Things are getting better of late, friends install the apps for me and then tell me to use it.

It took me some time to understand their use case. After habit formation, I turn into a regular user.

During my parent’s last visit, we got him a smartphone. We are video conferencing every day. It is like I am sitting next to him in the same room.

It took me some time to get away from the prejudice about technology making us dumb. In the end, it is our consciousness which guides its usage.

productivity

2019 has much to do with productivity hacks. The successful preachers from the valley are spreading their gospel of secret. How can you be more productive?

  • Cold bath
  • Intermittence fasting
  • Vegan
  • Gluten free
  • Mindfulness
  • < help me fill in if I missed a few …. >

Most of these have been part of Hindu culture for Centuries. We have stopped reading our text and started believing on these Twitter preaches.

I am not saying it is wrong, but we need to get closer to our roots.

reading

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.

you can?

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.

Haywire Heart

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.

Culture

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.

Chaos

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.