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The Real Lesson from 12th Fail
Many have asked me to watch the movie '12th Fail' -- people are raving about this wonderful movie. Manoj's story (who battled extreme adversity to become an IPS officer) is inspiring beyond words -- and I am so happy for him! But we tend to forget...
Recent Posts
The Hardest Test of Leadership
The best tonic for your mental health is having a kind boss. Even in the most high-profile assignments, when my bosses have been bad, I have hated...
The Irony of Life: Why Chasing a Better Future Steals Today’s Joy
A few years ago, I was at IISc Bangalore to give a talk. And I was raving about the beautiful, idyllic campus to my host, a retired civil servant...
The Truth About Wealth: Why Side Hustles Rarely Work
I know quite a few wealthy and well-off people. But I don't know even one person who got somewhat wealthy doing "side hustles, generating multiple...
Flying, Safety, and the Myth of Magic Solutions
Whenever I take a flight, my mother becomes anxious and is on tenterhooks till the flight lands. For 20 years, I have been convincing her that...
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Why the Zero Inbox Philosophy Fails
If you follow the 'zero inbox' philosophy for email, I have some bad news for you. Zero inbox is great in theory but in practice, it fails. Here is why. When you go zero inbox, by replying to emails, you throw the ball back in someone else's court....
The Hidden Truth Behind Motivational Content Online
I was once recording a video talk for a TED-like online platform. When I was preparing the script, the organizer asked, "Can you insert some struggle in this part of the video? We want it to really motivate our audience!" I told him that I did not...
Learned Helplessness: Why Good People Help Us Break Free
During my policing career, when interacting with very poor people, I would often notice an attitude of helplessness and resignation. Life had probably battered them so much that they felt that nothing they did mattered. Martin Seligman, a renowned...
How Elimination Reveals What Truly Matters
A partner at McKinsey once told me about a massive cost-cutting project at a company that used to operate very lavishly. For example, on every floor, this company had multiple large printers. Had you asked, the staff would have probably insisted...