A friend of mine doing investment banking with a Wall Street bank once told me about his managing director, who would frantically reply to every email within 2-3 minutes, no matter what time of the day or night you emailed her. Clearly, she was very prompt. But why?...

During my stint in the Civil Services, the most powerful person I ever worked with was the Kerala Chief Minister, which at that time was Mr. AK Antony. And when we think of powerful people, what is the imagery that comes to one’s mind? Maybe someone who shouts down...

When I started my Civil Services or IITJEE preparation, I had no idea how I would get to the finish line – so I just bought a few books and started learning. When I quit my job to do a startup, I did not know how I would build a company. But I got started, made...

When I was in the 9th grade, I built a habit that inadvertently helped me crack the Civil Services interview almost a decade later. In those days, I started reading newspapers religiously because I loved following the international stories (e.g., the Tamil conflict in...

When I finished my BTech, instead of feeling on top of the world, I felt dejected and defeated. Till I went to IIT, like any teenager, I felt that I could accomplish anything – I felt bullet-proof. But during college, for the first time in my life, I felt that I was...

Soon after I landed in Kerala on joining the Indian Police Service (IPS), my batchmates and I did a courtesy call on an officer of the rank Additional Director General of Police – the second-highest rank in the IPS. Naturally, as rookies, our rank of Assistant...

When I was in the 5th grade, I learnt the basics of monetary theory from a local shopkeeper in Assam. Here is what happened. At that time, my father got posted to a remote place in Assam’s Kamrup district. There, the most prominent shop in the local market was a...

The skill that has changed my life the most is ‘writing.’ And if I could give you some unsolicited advice, here it is: Learn the craft of writing and it will pay you a hundred times over. In school, my writing was pathetic. Nobody taught me because my English teachers...

Last few days, I was a bit angry and unhappy with someone. Not so angry as to want to smack his head but angry enough, nevertheless 🙂 So when I woke up today morning, I could feel the anger inside. But what’s the point of carrying anger inside? It is so dumb! So...

When I joined the Indian Police Service training at the National Police Academy, my squad was infamous for ending up last in most outdoor competitions. We were divided into 8 squads, which then competed in all outdoor activities. I was good at running but except for a...

Many years ago, I met this person who had degrees from the world’s top-tier universities and an exceptionally stellar career. The only thing this person had not done was a startup. In fact, she had come up with a startup idea but to be doubly sure, she asked each of...

A few weeks ago, I tricked my family into going for a morning trek. I told them about this beautiful place near Trivandrum but when they asked how long the walk was, I said it was just a short walk. So the next day we started early, and when the uphill climb started...

The hyperactivity and constant busyness at work are placebos -- they lull you into believing that you are making progress. No, you are not. Most of the real progress you make in life happens only during deep, focused work. Focus is the real deal. So get rid of the...

When I saw how much some of the most coveted jobs suck, I realized that there is no perfect job. And if no job is perfect, how can our life be perfect? Everybody with a perfect life is sharing their story selectively. Be careful in what you choose to believe. -...

Today morning when I woke up, I was not feeling good. But after an almost hour-long meditation, I felt like a different person – calm, mindful, and in control. A long run does exactly the same thing to me – it virtually flips a switch, brightening my mood, driving...