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The art of making decisions with ‘First principles’ !
Unlike traditional reasoning, which often relies on established beliefs and assumptions, First Principles thinking involves deconstructing problems and beliefs to their elemental components.
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How can AI tools get you the dream job?
Getting hired in today's competitive job market is no easy feat; candidates face stiff competition and companies receive a deluge of resumes. This is how AI can help.
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Why an infinite game mindset is key to navigating uncertainty in business and leadership?
The infinite game mindset is built with a growth mindset. Leaders who possess this mindset believe in their ability to learn, develop, and improve continuously.
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The man who beats his horse will soon be walking!
"The man who beats his horse will soon be walking" is a proverbial saying that highlights the consequences of treating others poorly, whether it be humans or animals. It suggests that if a person mistreats or abuses their resources, they will eventually face negative consequences that will affect their own well-being.
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Unlock your potential: The 7 things a successful person has to give up !
Success is a goal that most people aspire to achieve in their lives. However, success does not come easily, and there are certain things that successful people have to give up in order to attain it.
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Identifying and navigating subtle workplace signals !
The subtle signals that we send to others can be seen as a form of non-verbal communication. They can be detected by other people and provide important information about our moods, thoughts and attitudes.
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How to manage family money for a better future?
Family financial management is an important part of managing one's household budget and planning for the future. It involves setting goals, tracking expenses, making decisions about how to use income, and investing wisely.
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Recognize and resolve mental resignation or quite quitting !
Mental resignation is a self-defeating belief that one is no longer able to do something that they used to be able to do.
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Which life skills can be learnt from stock traders and trading?
Stock prices fluctuate only because of humans emotions. Not everyone can control reactions. Similarly in life, everyone behaves differently.
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Focus on number of experiences in a year not number of years of experience !
A huge misconception exists in our society. It is felt that number of years of experience in the same vertical is necessarily better.
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Blaming others may feel comforting, but what do you loose in the process?
Do you prefer to react or respond ? You would be thinking that there is no difference. How does it matter as both are same? However, you'll be surprised to know the both are miles apart. Blaming others for everything in your life falls under the reaction umbrella.
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Insightful lessons from the life of Mr. Rakesh Jhunjhunwala !
He would advice to be aware, that leverage has neither a mother nor a father, nor any friends.
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Be impatient with actions, and patient with results
Setting an intention is very powerful and helps tremendously in achievement. The intention can be made more effective by creating an action plan around your goals and having a routine for all the activities. Remember, consistency is the key here.
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What can the price of a water bottle teach us about life and self-worth?
Have you ever observed that the price of a water bottle can vary substantially across different places? For example the price may be 99 cents in a US convenience store and may increase 4 times to $ 4 in an international airport.
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Why motivation never lasts but inspiration does?
Being happy is intrinsic for each one of us. One looses track of time when engaged happily in any activity. It may be as simple as binge watching. Many remain happy and content by pursuing their passions. These may be as diverse as travelling to collecting coins to running a business. Once we approach any task with intrinsic happiness and motivation, creativity blossoms. It is long lasting.
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Wishing a great new year 2022 !
The new year brings new hopes and rekindles aspirations. We sincerely look forward to more resilience, prosperity and health in each one of you.
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Story of determination shared by Mohnish Pabrai !
The 2021 IIT selection test results are finally out. This batch had a lot of challenges with Covid, campus shutdown, delayed tests etc. I am super excited to report that, despite these challenges, at Dakshana Valley we had our highest success rate among our scholars. About 88% of them will be offered a place at one of the IITs. The star of this batch is Rajkumar. Rajkumar is missing his left forearm. His mother (in the picture) is illiterate and works as an unskilled laborer earning $55/month. His father, also illiterate, passed away when Rajkumar was ten years old. I cannot comprehend how his widowed mother raised him and his…
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Make your good habits stay forever!
We don't try to delve into the real reasons of habit formation failure. According to me, the real reason of failure is only one i.e Failing to re-start after a temporary set-back/pause.
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Attach curiosity with happiness
One would generally feel a surge of energy when curiosity and happiness merge. This is also termed as passion and allows one to be in the game longer. It feels like euphoria and if managed well can help achieve goals easily. Work feels like fun
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Major Anuj Sood followed his heart and excelled !
Major Anuj Sood was an alumnus of the Punjab Public School Nabha and had signed up with the National Defence Academy prior to being commissioned into the Brigade of the Guards. After his school education, he had cleared the IIT JEE test, however he chose to sign up with NDA as he had dreamt of. From his youth days, he constantly desired to follow in the steps of his dad( Brig Retd. Chandrakant Sood, who served in the Corps of EME) and serve in the Army like him. Major Anuj Sood of 21 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), who put down his life in the line of duty in an encounter with…
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Thoughts can revolutionize your life !
Any beautiful creation has to be deliberate and well planned. Nothing is accidental. If it is, then you do need to plan really well to retain that beautiful creation of yours. All of us have a small self-talk. It depends what we tell ourselves. It can be positive or a negative self-talk. What does your thoughts do to you? I feel it is like sowing the seeds of a flower plant or a weed. Be careful of what you sow, as your mind is like a garden, which needs all the care possible. Self-talk seems commonplace at first glance. I had this cluster of images running in my own mind.…
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I know my place! The story of ‘Saysh’.
Allyson Felix the most decorated American track and field sprinter also made it very special my running in her own brand of sneakers.
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How to stay motivated?
What drives us to remain inspired is as private as who we are. Thus you require to customize your inspirational trigger, that will resonate with you. The more you understand and comprehend yourself, the more reliable your efforts will be. You discover it within, due to the fact that all inspiration is self-motivation. What happens, when you can’t discover your inspiration or you can’t remain inspired long enough to complete a job or even keep up with everyday jobs? You need discover your inspiration soon. In today’s competitive workplace, our biggest untapped resource might be self-motivation. Break objectives into workable jobs. One crucial secret to your success will be your…
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Is the ‘Digital Nomad’ genie out of the bottle?
The term ‘Digital Nomad’ has gained tremendous visibility during the recent pandemic. It is a lifestyle adopted by technology savvy people who can work from anywhere, without having to be based out of a location. With job losses and salary cuts, alternative sources of income are being explored. The ‘Digital Nomad’ lifestyle has caught the imagination of youngsters around as it provides flexibility to manage your own pace. Research shows that the 2020 ‘Digital Nomad’ spike is driven by people with traditional jobs. It is a whopping 96% increase in 2020 if compared with 2019 numbers. It will be no surprise if 2021 doubles the figures again. This is a…
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How travelling changes you for the better?
I have travelled across India and can definitely say they have been one of the best experiences. Have travelled the farthest when I had the least money and was a student. Hence, the misconception of having good buffer money during travels is biased. I have travelled from Kashmir to Kerala. Other states include Delhi, Punjab, UP, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Telangana. All of the visits have been memorable and linger on even after decades. Travelling is also good for the soul. Below are few of the many benefits of travelling, which I have experienced over the years. 1. Brings humility The first…
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Jonny Kim and the power of focus!
Steve Jobs once said “Focus and simplicity….once you get there, you can move mountains.” This is so true for Jonny Kim, who achieved the rare distinction of being a Navy Seal, an accomplished doctor and now a NASA ‘Artemis’ astronaut program candidate. How did he achieve all of it as he himself had confessed that, “As a child, he was not aware what he wanted to become”. The biggest thing he lacked as child was ‘confidence’. This was natural as his parents had immigrated recently and he would have took time to adjust. His Navy Seal career provided him with lot of hard skills but higher education taught him how…
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How to identify your talent?
It is a big Myth that everyone has a unique or raw talent. One must have heard about the book ‘Talent is overrated‘ by ‘Geoff Colvin’. It indeed is overrated and one needs to take note. A better phrase would be that ‘everyone has natural abilities‘. ‘Abilities‘ are not talent but God given skills like ‘running‘ , ‘thinking‘ etc. ‘Interests‘ and ‘Passions‘ definitely exist. These then lead to enough practice automatically as you love them. It is that simple ! Enough practice then makes you skilled. Athletics is a very good example of observing the ‘hidden Talent myth’. Have you ever wondered why cricketers keep on practicing one shot for…
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Everything you need is out there. Just shift the perspective !!
People used to spend entire lives working for a single organization in the name of job security. Many benefits definitely accrued, however, the zeal to implement innovative solutions vanished.
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Why random curiosity is extremely important for Entrepreneurs and everyone ?
The traditional education system rarely encourages random curiosity. Teacher’s fear, what if the focus on subjects wither off. Rote learning was encouraged in many schools earlier. Now the teaching methodologies are changing for the better. Just imagine the possibilities, if children start asking good questions, teacher’s have to come better prepared and quality of education will improve drastically. Off late curiosity is being frowned upon, even in society. If asking questions become a taboo, then solutions to problems will not emerge. It will ensure status quo and powers to be would be happy in their false glories, as no one dares to show the mirror yet. Many homes have a…
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The 3 S of learning anything
Any new learning demands efforts. If it is complex and expected to take time, then you break down into digestible chunks. Efforts have to be consistent. Learning also demands a plan, else it will be haphazard and may take longer to internalize. A sprinkle of unstructured learning here and there would help in the process but don’t overdo it. Below is a short process of scoping, scooping and sharing which can do wonders to your grasping abilities. Scope: Scoping a new learning will help establish an excellent base. It is highly likely that you may already have a background on the subject. One should therefore leverage on previous learnings to…
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Just one thing to get things done. How?
Have you ever wondered why others are able to do much more during the day but you are not? Everyone has the same number of hours during the day. The differentiating factor is how you are able to use the available time. Here is a powerful concept, which will turn around you life. 1. ‘Highlight of the day’ concept The concept states that you block a time of the day to complete the most important task and then make sure it is completed as per plan for that day. ‘Highlight of the day’ is that task that makes you feel incomplete, if you have not done that by day end.…
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Enjoying wealth when young or old?
Akhil – What can I do to become financially independent? Should I go slow, save 10% of my earnings every month, cut down on credit card spends, invest in pension and mutual funds, then buy a house. Ajay – Of course, the above are good ways to accumulate wealth in the long term. However, let me ask you a question. Do you want to enjoy your wealth from a young age or when you are old and don’t have the energy to appreciate it? Akhil – Surely, I do want to enjoy wealth from a young age as it will leave me with enough time to enjoy it with other…
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Half hearted efforts
Kavita – How are your preparations for the exam going on? I heard you recently went on a long vacation abroad. Anil – Don’t worry I will ensure the syllabus is covered at least once. I have a natural talent for numbers. The exam is still 3 months away. Kavita – Hey, the exam results were out yesterday night. I am sure you have sailed through with flying colors. Which universities are you expecting a call from? Later after results… Anil – I am sad. Could not clear the exam this time as did not pace myself well in the end. Most of the questions were from previous year papers…
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Visualising scenarios
Nikhil – I want you to have a 360-degree view of any solution. Anil – What do you mean by that? Nikhil – Explore every scenario. Be mindful of where it can go wrong. Often signs appear beforehand. Plan alternative paths to reach your goal. Anil – What if a part of the solution is dependent on an external event and I don’t have control? Nikhil – Forget that and just give your best. Course correct if required. Always view a solution to a problem from the angle of different scenarios and be prepared for course correction at short notice. Give your best and hustle well, no matter what!! ‘कौन…
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When in doubt !
Anita – I have high blood pressure Kunal – Let’s go to a doctor asap Anita – I don’t want Allopathy treatment. Homeopathy suits me well. Kunal – Allopathy will give faster relief and may also have side effects. On the other hand, Homeopathy can take a long time to heal and you will have to bear with current issues for some time. However, whatever you choose, please have complete faith in the process and follow it diligently. Do keep observing progress though and course correct if required. When in doubt of the best road for someone, suggest good alternatives with relevant facts. Let the impacted person decide the most…
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Motivating an employee for behavior changes
Supervisor – Why are there so many mistakes in your report? Staff – Sorry Sir. Did not re-check before sending. Supervisor – Let me give you an advice. Please make it a habit of checking your work before sharing. It will make you feel better and boost your confidence. Ask where you are not clear. Gradually it will become a habit and you will be known for quality work. Staff – Thank you Sir for the advice. Highlight employee’s own benefit when expecting behavior changes. Also, share your expectations clearly. Recently I was facing an issue, where staff would not give their best in a role as they expected a…
