The Presidential Years, Pranab Mukherjee

Pranab Mukherjee wrote his memoir in a book title: The Presidential Years. I would say it is his diary entry during his presidential years. He has written on all aspects during his tenure.

I was surprised knowing that the note-ban announced by Modi was not known to him. Also, the fact that note ban, GST was part of the previous government’s policy.

I was not aware of our country’s ties and bilateral relationship and aids for many African countries.

Pranab Mukherjee also talks about the controversy during Obama’s visit as chief guest during India’s 66th republic day celebration. Mukherjee does not hide his displeasure with Modi’s surprising visit to Pakistan to greet the Prime Minister on his birthday.

He also brings another important point of the nation above personal relationship dismisses Modi’s marketing about stronger India-Japan relationship mentioning that the country has always been working together.

Pranab Mukherjee was awarded many prizes and doctoral degrees at various ceremonies and events in Bangladesh. I was not aware of his bonding with Seikh Hasina and his family.

competitors

Every customer meeting or product demo, we are reminded who all we are competing. I mostly listen patiently.

As a founder, it is easy to get lost in the competition. It results in creating a tunnel vision and copying their features. In the end no differentiation.

Working for others for over a decade has altered my view of running a company or chasing competitors. I also remember Raja, our advisor giving me a copy of “When Coffee and Kale Compete” in the very early days of our existence.

In short, focusing on customers, pain, and delighting them is what matters. Not everyone will pay for your product and not everyone has desired to progress. This keeps us going.

mirage

I have been part of multiple funded startups. As a stakeholder, we are chasing a mirage: An investor bets on growth for the future. A founder sells his equity at a premium showing the total addressable market and disruption.

On most occasions, this does not work out and, the company shuts its doors. An investor knows out of 10 companies 9 will fail. One will recover all their investment across the fund.

Many founders are battle-tested with the scar of multiple stents in varied persona, continue chasing the mirage. The lust of chasing a mirage and making it a reality is something the ecosystem cheers celebrates.

loneliness

I was listening to the knowledge project podcast and, the recent one has Noreena Hertz: The Crisis of Loneliness. It made me realize how lonely we are even after being so connected with the world.

We are buying robots or dependent on Alexa for curing our loneliness. In the hyper-connected world, we are so disconnected. What has gone wrong? Is it individualism or western civilization to blame?

We have all the money in the world, but no one around to listen to us, hear our pain or stories.

The more I listened to the podcast, the more I realized the thin line between loneliness and solitude. If we are able to convert our loneliness into solitude, we can live our life happily in both eastern or western civilizations. The urge to earning power, glory, and money has killed epicureanism or the social construct of humanity.

accept

Once we accept who we are, authenticity comes by default. I know we are living in a world where life hacking is a new hobby. We are going into the details of every daily activity. But in quest of achieving it, we are giving away our authenticity. I see people on keto, intermittent fasting and, other diets and punishing themselves. The same applies to hitting the gym, yoga or running, etc.

At what cost are we trying to get better? Also, is this right for our body and mind? The peer pressure to look good, be well distributed via social media influencers and stupid YouTubers. Why are we torturing ourselves? We have to know ourself, be honest with our like and dislike.

I am not saying we should not have a good or healthy life. All I am saying is that it should come from within, not outside.

We don’t have to join any movement or cult because of social pressure and FOMO.

noise

We are living in noise. Everyone around us has something to say; everyone needs our attention. Each one has different expertise and experience.

As a builder or any rational human, it is necessary to keep a filter. It keeps us focussed and aligned to the long-term vision. Falling into the noise will lose our focus and, in some cases our identity. We know our DNA, the circle of competence.

These noises can throw us in a whirlpool and, having an affirmation helps.

faceless

I am everywhere. I deliver your groceries; I help you when you want a ride. I am there to serve food for you. I am the one who takes care of your dumpster every morning. I ensure to deliver condoms, flowers, cake at wee hours so that you celebrate.

I also exist; I am part of the same race. I also have to feed myself. I need love, empathy as well. I also get sick; I also pay for the child’s school fees. I also have aging parents to take care of.

Please do not write me off; I also exist; there are millions of others like me. We are also angry, unhappy with everything happening around us. Some of us are more literate than you. It’s where we were born, decided our fate. Some of us will climb the ladder of society and compete for head-on with you all.

Treat us with dignity and respect; we are no beggars; we work equally hard to make our living.

think

We are how we think, what we see as a world. We can be miserable focusing on the atrocities around us. We can get angry, go mad, or sad. We can on the other hand spend time doing your side in fixing it.

We complain about climate change but are we driving cars without AC or buy dinner without plastic containers. These are little changes we can do.

We know that the world is not a perfect place, that should give us more reason to fix it. The world is more within us. We don’t have to look outside, books, Twitter for inspiration. We are little kings or worriers in our own little world or in the eyes of loved ones.

I think, therefore I am.

René Descartes

suffer

Why some of us suffer more than most others? Is it because of their mental ailments or the way their mind works?

Philosophers and sages have told us long back that We have to live in “accordance with our nature”; what does this mean? How do we know more about our nature? It all leads to internalizing, asking questions with self.

Many centuries ago, Marcus Aurelius wrote his daily note while fighting Gauls, a Germanic tribe. The richest man on the planet was in deep pain and, he devised a method to suffer less. The core was to accept things as they, understand how people are and, knowing what’s in his control and what is not. After his death, the collection got published as his meditation.

If you suffer distress because of some external cause, it is not the thing itself that troubles you but your judgement about it, and it is within your power to cancel that judgement at any moment. (Med. 8.47)

Book: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

past

“Learning from the past”: In most instances, it’s about not repeating mistakes from the past.

We forget about the past that had all good memories of growing up, making friends, seeing the world with innocent eyes and pious hearts.

We, humans, are a collection of our experiences. Most of it comes from the past and the relationships we build in the journey. Just learning from past mistakes is not wise. We should also treasure the joyful memories.