Latest Post
Not All Failures Are Equal
Everybody says, "Embrace failure." Sounds such bullshit, right? But here is the thing that we don't talk about. There are two kinds of failure: Type 1 failure: This is like you jumping from a plane and the parachute fails to open -- this failure...
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...
More Articles
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...