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Focus on the Problem, Not the Competition
In my startup journey, I learned more from one particular 5-minute video than from dozens of books and podcasts -- this video is that of Dropbox's founder Drew Houston. When Drew was fundraising for Dropbox, he met a VC, who asked, "There are...
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Love for hard things is the secret
Most of your life will be spent doing three kinds of things: Category 1: Things you do because they are easy and fun. Category 2: Things you do even...
How to succeed in the workplace?
To succeed in the workplace (and even in your personal life), here are some things you should never say: 1. No offence. Why is this a bad idea:...
Substance over style
One lesson I learned at McKinsey -- "Never go to a meeting without a polished presentation." Before the meeting, everybody might say, "It is just a...
Prioritization
The day I get a LOT done is also a day when most routine things remain pending. And those are the days I cherish. Just striking off the maximum...
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Being busy won’t change the world
Here is the wicked story of the 20th-century technology revolution that may change your resolutions for 2023. William Shockley was working at AT&T Bell Labs with John Bardeen and Walter Brattain when they came up with the point-contact...
A no-choice is also a choice
During my MBA, Sam Zell, a multi-billionaire real estate tycoon in the US, came to our campus as a guest speaker. Just before that, he had sold Equity Office Properties to Blackstone for $36 billion, at the peak of the real estate bubble in 2006....
An ounce of action is greater than a ton of theory
Everybody knows how to be a good leader – until their tail is on fire. Everybody knows how to advise startups until they do their own startup. Then, they are staring at an empty bank balance and the family on the verge of disowning them 🙂 Some...
Perfectionism is not excellence
Perfectionism is not excellence -- it is a mental trap. When we are anxious and unsure of our work, we keep editing our emails and keep fine-tuning the presentation far beyond the point of adding value. The root cause of perfectionism is anxiety....