peace

Our inner peace requires more solitude, less chattiness or externalities. We can have all the wealth of the world, and still, we will be broken from the inside. We can be the best actor or scientist winning numerous awards, but still feel lost. All of this is because we are not satisfied or at peace with ourselves.

This world we are living in is for us alone, our thoughts and actions leave a mark on us more than others. All these quests of getting rich, becoming famous, or winning for others will leave us more miserable.

Do we even know what we are running for? Do we even know what we are running away from? Do we know where will this run stop? Do we know if it ever stops?

The peace comes from acceptance and acknowledging adversities and knowing that we are tiny little creatures in this bigger scheme of things aka the universe. In the end, we all die and most importantly no one gives a shit. We will be forgotten even after everything we are desiring to accomplish in this single life.

We have to live now, making the world around us livable. We have to be at peace within ourselves.

Vulnerability

When we were kids, we were onto ourselves. We can act, behave, and be as we are. It was accepted to cry, be sad, or speak about vulnerability. It was well received, and people appreciated it.

As we age, we have to be perfect. We must do our best among others in the families, friends, and even siblings to as medal of superiority. It is like we are living a life for others. We are not the same person. We are not supposed to cry, speak about our fears, or ask for advice from our parents as they expect the best out of us.

It is like we are in some battle and, we cannot be ourselves. Every move of ours is tracked by someone.

The alter ego comes hunting with a big reminder: Don’t show your Vulnerability.

change

Many of us dislike change. We feel it isn’t easy to adapt to a new reality. Some continue to live in pain till death over losing, while many others continue drinking and smoking knowing how it’s killing them.

Why do we dislike change? Is it because we are lazy, is it because we are stubborn, or is it because we like being miserable?

Our life should be like water, changing course with time. We cannot blame others or live with past glory or waste time on what we could have done that we did not.

Vision

As a founder, it becomes necessary to show the long-term vision of the enterprise to the members. Like an evangelical priest, a founder must discuss a long-term roadmap. A young team should know what they are getting into. In some scenarios, it will work for all in others, not for a few.

The long-term vision should be the progress of everyone and every stakeholder. Building a startup is a long, painful journey. What makes it easy is a team equally motivated and geared up for any challenges.

In the founder, the team looks for aspirations and future journeys.

Army

A startup team is like building an army. It has defined must-have virtues and must-not-have vices as the first level of filtration, something we, as founders, tend to forget because of building fast and fundraising. In the short run, this gets us funding or a product, but as the company grows, it bites us on multiple fronts.

An army or a team requires a culture to imbibe. There is a saying: monkey see, monkey do. We humans are similar. In the early days, from the very top if the culture is not well aligned, the team will suffer and overall productivity will be affected.

We were sold 10X engineers, their fast development skills and founders were okay paying them loads of money and taking their shit. With time many of those companies realize the toxic work culture the organization has become. It has become the individual’s ego, contribution VS working together as a team and shipping.

Travel

We can read all the books and watch all the documentaries, but Nothing beats traveling. When you travel, you see a world beyond your daily life. You understand hardships, battles, luxury, and the culture of the other side.

You can relate to taboos and various practices as well. At the same time, you will start loving your country and culture more. You will hear about the battles the world is in, food insecurity, family, and civil wars.

I was lucky that I had friends across India and my job allowed me to travel widely. I love traveling inside India more than elsewhere. My reason is simple: I can connect to every bit of my country. The diversity in food, culture, tradition, art, and fiction within India can take many years.

After traveling to over 25 countries and living for some time outside India, I still want to live and die here.

center

We should center our thoughts around solutions, not problems. It is easy to give up and feel what is not possible. I am not saying I will be the greatest gymnast practicing 10000 hours. What I meant is that things that are in our control.

When we center our thoughts toward positives rather than negatives, our minds tend to think backward more on positives.

I am talking about what we have in our control: we should positively think about it. That is when we will focus on achieving it, instead of giving up.

We humans live in our very own bubble, essentially our thoughts. We should condition it accordingly.

opportunity

We don’t know what is in store for us unless we seek out.
People who took risks, who went against the odds made a name for themselves. They are the ones who gave new direction to the world.

The opportunity god has given us for a reason. We have to use it to its maximum. We are breathing, which means we have it all. It is upon us to believe in ourselves. It is upon us to learn and make a road for ourselves.

Want

There is no end to what we want. People with all the wealth in life are craving for more. Those at the top crave more powers.

We live in a world where we crave to accumulate. This never-ending loop drives consumers to the forefront.

We are not satisfied with what we have. We are headless chickens living like a robot.

How much do we need to live a life?