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The Secret of Confidence: Focus on What You Know
As a rookie consultant at McKinsey, before the final client presentation, I used to feel very jittery. No matter how much work I had done, there would be so many things we were not sure of -- what if the client asked about them? But the senior...
Recent Posts
Why Staying Up Late Doesn’t Mean You’re Working Hard
On day 1 of my last job with a private equity fund, I wanted to know whether they worked late nights routinely or followed reasonable work hours....
How to Survive the Avalanche of Advice
I am afraid you will become a victim. Not a victim of some scam, but of all the well-intentioned advice, frameworks, and exhortations you will find...
When a Blunder Turns Out to Be a Blessing
When writing my Wharton MBA application, I was working right until the 2:30 am deadline. I was frantically working on my application essays in a...
Why We Must Sweat Every Day
Today during my morning run, I crossed a guy walking his dog (a sweet-looking labrador). But sadly, the dog was so overweight that even at a very...
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When You Try Too Hard to Sleep
During a consulting project at McKinsey, every Monday morning, I had to drive 2-3 hours from New Jersey to the client's office in Connecticut. One Sunday evening, when I went to bed, I barely had 6 hours left before my wake-up time. So I tried hard...
A Decade Later, Your Body Won’t Forget
Very early in my career, I developed severe back pain due to long hours of sitting. I knew that I should have gone for evening runs or sports, but I stayed late in the office to show that I was a sincere worker. But one of my bosses would regularly...
The World Runs Just Fine Without You
In my very first job as a senior cop, I saw that many sub-inspectors of police were reluctant to take their weekly day-offs. When asked why, they said that 'they could not afford to' because of the work pressure. (Also, they would get some extra...
The Hidden Joy of Having a Compelling Goal
I know many people who miss the days when they prepared for IITJEE or some major exam. Why? 1. A singular, compelling goal like a big exam overrides most distractions and helps you focus, often creating a pleasurable flow-like state. 2. In exam...