# Bhagyesh Pathak > A collection of essays and resources on technology, philosophy, and human potential. Last Updated: 2026-10-05T12:25:43.012Z ## Pages ### About URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/about/ Description: Learn about my background, experiences, and the types of projects I’ve worked on. I help founders bring their visions to life. *This about page is slightly dated. So, enjoy it until I update it. Meanwhile, you can learn [what I’m doing right now](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/now).* 10 years ago, I received an offer I couldn’t refuse. How could have I turned down the chance to embark on an incredible journey? It was aboard a state-of-the-art train, covering 17,000 km, and traversing every Indian state non-stop for 7 months. This experience not only introduced me to the world of work but also transformed my outlook on life. It was vibrant, challenging, and youthful, in short — enchanting. Over the past decade, I’ve primarily collaborated with founders of various organizations, predominantly small to medium-sized ones, helping bring their visions to life. As my capacity allows me to take on only a limited number of assignments each year, I’m excited about the prospect of working with an exceptional group of individuals in the next decade. Frequently, people ask me about the types of assignments I can assist with. While I can certainly provide a list of my past projects, there’s no guarantee that my next assignment will mirror my previous ones. For instance, I’ve: - Implemented systems for data collection, analysis, and monitoring for a dynamic organization. - Set up a marketing funnel and email dispatch system for a U.S.-based startup. - Created compelling scripts and teaching aids for unique educational concepts. - Established an in-house monitoring system for 10,000 students and over 100 schools. - Revitalized a decade-old scholarship system for improved efficiency and transparency. - Shaped a curriculum that was adopted by the Delhi Government. - Orchestrated multiple data collection and analysis exercises. - Developed an innovative human development-centric impact assessment program for residential training, a one-of-its-kind initiative. - Played a pivotal role in designing a mobile tools workshop to expand outreach in rural areas. - Collaborated on the development and delivery of STEM curriculum, kits, and sessions. - Contributed to R&D efforts to enhance content for tablet-based learning. - Embarked on a 7-month journey promoting STEM education in a unique train-based initiative. So, what’s on your mind? Please don’t think that your project is mundane or boring. I have a knack for turning boring things into interesting. That’s my work. Relax and [write to me](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/#contact-me) See you! --- ### Home URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/ Description: A collection of essays and resources on technology, philosophy, and human potential. Hi, let's make this easy. My name is Bhagyesh Pathak. If we were strangers riding an elevator and you asked me what I do, I'd answer "I provide tech solutions to businesses through my firm named [Sisyphus Consulting](https://sisyphusconsulting.org/?ref=bhagyeshpathak.com). We focus only a select few things and do them right." Then I'll ask you a question, you'll answer the question. Back-and-forth, back-and-forth. And what if we hit it off? Then eventually you'd learn the things I have listed on my [About Page](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/about/). I need to update it, but still take a look. --- ### Listening List URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/listening-list/ Description: A curated list of insightful podcast episodes, mainly Akimbo by Seth Godin, to help you comprehend better and stay amused. Simply hit play and enjoy! I understand that everyone is not a reader. Some people comprehend better by reading, while some by hearing. Regardless of your dominant comprehension style, you will enjoy these podcast episodes. I know, the current list of episodes only contains [Akimbo](https://open.spotify.com/show/6rKyXhL2splRZAdVg9yo13?si=0330575d84e147dd) by Seth Godin. But, that’s mostly what I tune into. I hope you will find them as helpful and amusing as I did. To listen to these episodes, you don’t need to log in or sign-up, simply hit Play and enjoy! --- ### My tenet on change making URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/my-tenet-on-change-making/ Description: What constitutes as change-making? Let me put this straight: we are all change makers. Change maker is a banal term; however mere banality of a language piece should not affect the importance of the real meaning. Change makers across the world are as important as they were 300 years ago. My idea of change maker is influenced and derived from one of the 20th century’s most influential politicians and leaders: MK Gandhi. What he could accomplish was to change the perspective of the common men about their own capacity to induce a change. Imagine, if one evening, in a prayer assembly, Mr. Gandhi is preaching and suddenly he points at you and nominates you as the Messiah destined to bring a change in the country. What would be the range of emotions you’d go through? Surprised, shocked, overwhelmed, numb, denying and ultimately pause with a conviction “it can’t be true, I’m no change maker. I’m just a poor farmer. This is too huge an expectation from me.” Probably, this is what he knew too well about the human psyche. That’s why Mr. Gandhi democratized the change maker movement and divided the responsibility according to each individual’s immediate context. If we were a part of an actual evening prayer assembly, we would have heard something like: “Every single one of us is a change maker. I’m not asking you to sacrifice your life, kill another human or leave your mundane work. If you’re a farmer, a cleaner, a trader, a clerk, a home maker, a horse-cart driver, just keep up with your duty as honestly as you can. Your small acts of mundane work are the real pieces of change making process. Pour your heart in your work. We cannot achieve a great change without changing the little things. If everyone of us keeps our porch and courtyard of houses clean, we will have a clean village and ultimately a clean nation to dwell in.” On the similar lines, I believe in playing my piece in the complex array of social work and developmental projects. One does not need to be a social worker by degree or job role. Here is a story of an office maintenance staff fellow Chris: This man is a genuine, dutiful and hardworking individual. He works for an NGO office. Day in, day out his sole duty is to keep the office maintained. He is the first one to come and the last one to leave. If one is to ask him about his work, he would probably say he is maintaining the office and that’s all about his work. Here are a few of the things that Chris is doing on daily basis for everyone: - Arranging newspapers in newsstand - Refilling hand-wash soap on each floor - Availing fresh drinking water on each floor - Bringing fresh milk for all-day tea/coffee preparations - Keeping a check on groceries as simple as sugar and salt - Cleaning and maintaining the director’s cabin - Sorting and filtering posts for the director and seniors - Collecting and dispatching cheques to bank for payment processing - Refilling water bottles in conference room - Serving the director’s lunch on time - Preparing tea/coffee two times a day - Serving guests Can we consider Chris’s work as a contribution to the social work? Unlikely. Can we change our view and have a relook at his work? Certainly! Chris’s work touches all staff members. Everyday. *His quality of work more or less determines how the staff will work for the day: frustrated or cheerfully.* How the director will take decisions and how those decisions will lead to a lasting change in the beneficiary’s life. A good morning coffee is likely to cheer the director and she will motivate the team for the day, while on the other hand, a not-so-good coffee might do just the opposite. Also, think about all the posts and cheques that Chris directly deal with. Wouldn’t a beneficiary suffer if an important post or a cheque was missed by Chris? May be the child (suppose a beneficiary) would miss his/her scholarship amount and hence might get admitted to some substandard college. Lives change by Chris’s role in this play. So, you get the story. Bruce Barton had something similar to say: > *Sometimes when I consider what tremendous* > > *consequences come from little things. . .* > > *I am tempted to think. . .* > > *there are no little things.* Yes, there are no little universes, together, all of us make up the whole universe. --- ### New World Rules URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/new-world-rules/ Description: New World Rules The world is in the first phase of transition from an industrial age to a technological one. The people who adapt to the new world rules will thrive, while others will struggle. ### Deep workers are going to become scarce. With the shortening attention span and culture attributing more social value to the ability to multi-task, people capable of focusing and working on a specific assignment for a sustained period of time will continue to decline. This coincides with the time when more and more deep workers are required to solve problems. ### Every worldly interaction is UX. The ones who understand this, will thrive. ### Fear of getting replaced by the technology will indeed replace the ones who harbor that fear. Fear blurs reality. No matter how much scary the imaginary fear might be, technology is here to stay and grow to provide leverage to the individuals who are open to change. The ones who take technology on their side, will thrive. And the others ones, they will be replaced. ### Facilitation is core to well-being. In a world full of flawed humans, with almost everyone having survived some degree of trauma, having the capacity to walk in their shoes and facilitating to look past their worldview towards a better world is an emotional slog. More the sloggers, the better. Such facilitation capacity makes the individual indispensable. ### Healthy body, healthy mind. The continuous rise in consumption of processed food, recreational drugs, pills culture and lack of quality sleep will provide a competitive advantage to those who rate comparatively better on these aspects. A less damaged body hosts a less damaged mind. ### Race to serve, not to be served. Amid the race to be served, the ones who innately recognize the value of serving others and genuinely commit themselves to act upon their belief will be rewarded. In fact, it ceases to be a race. It becomes harmony. ### A manager-less world. For self-managing units to exist, self-managing individuals are required. The ones who care enough to figure out what is the vision, what is the goal or where we are making a mistake, will be rewarded for increasing the efficiency, identifying the problem at its root in a manager-less world. That world is real because the work is not on an assembly line. Not anymore. ### Emotional labor is the secret ingredient. The knowledge engine getting more and more open, technical skills and qualifications are going to be widespread. Individuals with a willingness to exert emotional labor, individuals who genuinely care holds the competitive advantage. ### Not network, a connection. One at a time. The internet has made it incredibly easy for any two individuals to get in touch and network. The ability to add bulk people in a short period of time has a significantly low ROI. Connections forged over a substantial period of time, anchored by trust, vulnerability and shared vision are to stay. This network effect is the greatest of all. ### Intellectual outsourcing is not a strength. Outsourcing everything to a computer program is not a strength. The ability to integrate ideas, synthesize models and weigh the possible outcomes in a mind, is a rare ability. Individuals who hone these abilities, will be in a position to make the greatest impact in their area of influence. \*The New World Rules are not new. Until now, individuals stood a good chance of thriving or making a moderate living by ignoring the core philosophy behind these ideas. Not anymore. \*This list is dynamic, I sincerely wish that an equilibrium is reached someday and I don’t need to update it. (Now, that’s wishful thinking!) \*The New World Rules are inspired by Kevin Kelly’s [New Rules](https://kk.org/newrules/). Thank you Kevin. --- ### Newsletter URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/ Description: Stay updated with my insights! Sisyphus Notes on tech & design, plus the complete archive of The Friday Newsletter (TFN). My last long-running weekly newsletter was named The Friday Newsletter (TFN). On February 7th, 2025 I sunset it to focus on growing [my firm](https://sisyphusconsulting.org/). You can check out the full newsletter archive at the bottom of this page. I shifted to publishing Sisyphus Notes. Unlike The Friday Newsletter, these notes do not follow any weekly or monthly goals. The full archive of all letters sent under The Friday Newsletter. November 29, 2024 ## [🪜(Part-2/2) Increasing the surface area of luck](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/11/29/part-2-2-increasing-the-surface-area-of-luck/) I love science. I’m sure you’d have noticed that. So, whether you love science, you have to listen to this incredible thing. Our digestive organ–small intestine is 3-5 meters long, with a diameter of a mere 2-3 cm. That’s like a normal PVC water pipe in our home. That’s not... November 22, 2024 ## [TFN#80: 🪜(Part-1/2) Why focusing on upskilling may be dangerous to your career?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/11/22/part-1-2-why-focusing-on-upskilling-may-be-dangerous-to-your-career/) Reader, don’t get me wrong. I’m a believer and practitioner of life-long learning. In this two-part letter, I’m talking about “upskilling”—it is far from “learning”. It’s a deceptive term. So, I hope I don’t confuse you by mixing the two. Now that’s out of our way, we can focus on... November 15, 2024 ## [TFN#79: 🪜Better Zoom meetings, heart-to-heart](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/11/15/better-zoom-meetings-heart-to-heart/) I used to detest the “keep your video on” dictum often thrown during Zoom meets four years back. It left a bad taste. You may feel my anguish and contempt for mass Zoom meetings in WFH: How much worth from home? article that I penned down two weeks into covid... November 08, 2024 ## [TFN#78: 🪜Rules to work by: Manual first, automatic later](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/11/08/rules-to-work-by-manual-first-automatic-later/) Most things in our lives are now automatic: We don’t go fetch water, it automatically reaches us. We don’t need to generate electricity, it reaches us. We don’t need to assemble blocks to print on paper, the laser printer just prints it. And oh, manual printing reminds me of these... November 01, 2024 ## [TFN#77: 🪜(Part-2/2) Deep clean your PC: Bleaching](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/11/01/part-2-2-deep-clean-your-pc-bleaching/) Hi Reader, How’s your Diwali week progressing? I hope you had a good one. Wishing you a happy Diwali week. Today, I won’t take long. Because I’ve got to be somewhere and you’ve got to relax. I hope you began cleaning your PC as per last week’s conversation. It is... October 25, 2024 ## [TFN#76: 🪜(Part-1/2) Deep clean your PC: Find out heavy files and folders](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/10/25/part-1-2-deep-clean-your-pc-find-out-heavy-files-and-folders/) Since my childhood, the Diwali season has been the season of cleaning. It’s like the Spring season. Every corner of the home should look new, dusted, and organized. “Rejuvenated”, that’s the word I was looking for. Although the necessity of cleaning has decreased over the years, I can still feel... October 18, 2024 ## [TFN#75: 🪜Nonviolent communication in work and relationships](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/10/18/nonviolent-communication-in-work-and-relationships/) Some time back, I came across the practice of Nonviolent Communication. Since then, I have constantly thought about it when I hear myself and others communicate violently. Since the practice has stayed with me for a sufficiently long time, I feel comfortable and authentic in sharing with you now. Before... October 11, 2024 ## [TFN#74: 🪜The problem with averages and dashboards](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/10/11/the-problem-with-averages-and-dashboards/) Tell me something, would you step into a river that is on average 4 feet deep? Take a pause. If your mind shouted NO right away, you don’t need to look at this illustration: See? Averages are tricky. Most of the time, they play with our intuition and lead us... October 04, 2024 ## [TFN#73: 🪜Mouse testing 1..2..3..Mouse testing 1..2..3..](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/10/04/mouse-testing-1-2-3-mouse-testing-1-2-3/) That’s what I do almost every year. As a regular user of PC, I use mouse and keyboard a lott. And that’s why I have to replace my mouse often. (No, not the keyboard, I go gentle on the keyboard.) Multiverse model effect 😀 If you know me, you’d know... September 27, 2024 ## [TFN#72: 🪜Backing up work regularly](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/09/27/backing-up-work-regularly/) Reader, You might have experienced the loss of data or a few important edits in a document at least a few times in your work. Everyone experiences that. I don’t know why we tend to forget to either save our work or back up regularly. The gruelling part is the... September 20, 2024 ## [TFN#71: 🪜Create your personal intellectual assistant](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/09/20/create-your-personal-intellectual-assistant/) Who doesn’t like a little help in their work? Traditionally, people hire personal assistants. And we know it is so difficult to hire one: it costs money, they’re inefficient and they don’t get it our style from day one. In short, hiring personal assistants is as tough for us as... September 13, 2024 ## [TFN#70: 🪜Today we create a tiny folder-generator software using Notepad. You can do it. Trust me.](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/09/13/today-we-create-a-tiny-folder-generator-software-using-notepad-you-can-do-it-trust-me/) Trust me, it is worth spending 5 minutes of your life. All you need is Notepad on a Windows PC and NO programming knowledge. You may wonder, why we would go to the length of creating our folder-generator when we can create as many as we want using a mouse... September 06, 2024 ## [TFN#69: 🪜 My go-to site for symbols](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/09/06/my-go-to-site-for-symbols/) Do you remember the late 2000s when mobile phone adoption was on the rise and people had just begun using texting? Forwarding and communicating over sms all the time. Some of my friends used to be pro at texting different smileys. For example, 😀 for laughter, 😉 for winking. Look... August 30, 2024 ## [TFN#68: 🪜Principle of Least Privilege](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/08/30/principle-of-least-privilege/) I should have named last week’s letter “Staff or Admin (Part 1/2)”. Because today’s is kind of Part 2/2. Yes, kind of. I could have shared this independently, but sequencing helps us connect the dots better. And this one is directly related to most people’s work. So… So, we talked... August 23, 2024 ## [TFN#67: 🪜Staff or Admin?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/08/23/staff-or-admin/) Reader, I don’t know what it is. But in the past few months, I have been thinking more about online safety and privacy than before. Maybe it is the news I read or the general state of the world. You would have also noticed it, right? For example, a few... August 16, 2024 ## [TFN#66: 🪜Framing effectively](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/08/16/framing-effectively-2/) Dear Reader, The months of August and September are full of long weekends and holidays in India. I hope you enjoy them and make the most out of them–and I guess you won’t be opening your mailbox this weekend. But if you do, don’t forget to watch this heartwarming book-reading​... August 09, 2024 ## [TFN#65: 🪜Google? Google who? Try perplexity and forget Google like I did](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/08/09/google-google-who-try-perplexity-and-forget-google-like-i-did/) Remember the old Google Search Result Page? ​ Did you know that the word Google is based on the word “Googol”, a mathematical term for the number one followed by a hundred zeros? Crazy, right? I remembered all this for most of my adult life. ​But I have forgotten about... August 02, 2024 ## [TFN#64: 🪜Rules to work by: A little variation in process leads to a little variation in output](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/08/02/rules-to-work-by-a-little-variation-in-process-leads-to-a-little-variation-in-output/) Reader, have you ever prepared dosa? I mean dosa batter? If you have prepared it, you know that no two people’s dosa batter comes out the same. Even with the same ingredients! (And let’s not get into the effect of different seasons.) Why?​ Because of the recipe. The recipe differs,... July 26, 2024 ## [TFN#63: 🪜Write in Dillinger, Export as file, and…you’ve learned Markdown!](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/07/26/write-in-dillinger-export-as-file-and-youve-learned-markdown/) Last week, you saw my love for Markdown. And this week, I recruit more comrades! 😄 If you missed last week’s letter, quickly skim through it so you know what we are discussing in today’s letter. We will talk about a web app called Dillinger. Dillinger helps us write and... July 19, 2024 ## [TFN#62: 🪜There’s something about Markdown](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/07/19/theres-something-about-markdown/) Have you tried ChatGPT? One of the things that I love about it is the way it organizes its responses. The cleanliness it shows. Take this ChatGPT response for example, ignore the content, and look at the info organization: As you can see ChatGPT uses headings, ordered/unordered lists, highlight commands... July 12, 2024 ## [TFN#61: 🪜Maintaining a layer of separation: Spiritual quest through work](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/07/12/maintaining-a-layer-of-separation-spiritual-quest-through-work/) A few years back, I learnt about Vipassana Meditation. No, I didn’t go for it, and shortly, I will explain why. But some of my friends recommended it, while a few were already practising it. If you don’t know what Vipassana meditation entails, from what I have heard from my... July 05, 2024 ## [TFN#60: 🪜Convert loong links into tiny, personalized ones](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/07/05/convert-loong-links-into-tiny-personalized-ones/) A few days back, I received this Experiential Education conference Google Form link in an email: ​https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRkN-dnFrE\_uIpPyKV410P2Oz5SFYMu3DYG\_iAyhMyJMqu7g/viewform​ It’s a Google Form, like this: Imagine, if I wanted to provide this Google Form link in posters or audio marketing to spread the word, it would be useless. Because, as the charactercounter.com... June 28, 2024 ## [TFN#59: 🪜Highlight your mouse pointer during presentations and video calls](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/06/28/highlight-your-mouse-pointer-during-presentations-and-video-calls/) All of us have been there. Standing in front of the audience in a conference hall, moving our mouse vigorously, asking everyone “See this? Here?” “…………ummm..” “Now?” “See the mouse pointer?” It breaks the flow of our conversation and our connection with the audience. The solution is so simple: having... June 21, 2024 ## [TFN#58: 🪜How understanding project and organization debt helps us work and hire better](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/06/21/how-understanding-project-and-organization-debt-helps-us-work-and-hire-better/) A few days back, I came across this job listing by Gumroad. And it is something important that we need to talk about. It doesn’t matter whether you work in the software industry or not, it is not at all related. But we will start with this easy software example... June 14, 2024 ## [TFN#57: 🪜The key skill in Getting Things Done (GTD)](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/06/14/the-key-skill-in-getting-things-done-gtd/) Reader, sometimes you look at your work and wonder why it isn’t moving at a fast pace. Your team and you might be giving your best and still, you can’t get things done.​ These things could be anything: Data analysis reports Software development Teacher training Student assessments Data collection Project... June 07, 2024 ## [TFN#56: 🪜Block annoying ads on the web and YouTube](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/06/07/block-annoying-ads-on-the-web-and-youtube/) Imagine, you wake up in a 9 square meter room. There are screens all around you. You go to some physical labour work in the morning and come back to your room, which is also your home and spend the rest of the day playing video games and watching TV... May 31, 2024 ## [TFN#55: 🪜Ask for a written word, I mean save yourself from headache and heartache](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/05/31/ask-for-a-written-word-i-mean-save-yourself-from-headache-and-heartache/) So, I was scrolling through social media and this comic from Marketoonist cracked me a few weeks back. 🤣 It is soo true. If you think about it, most of the work that we get, the amount of clarity varies. Sometimes we get complete clarity about what is expected, but... May 24, 2024 ## [TFN#54: 🪜Instant use-and-throw email ID using 10minutemail](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/05/24/instant-use-and-throw-email-id-using-10minutemail/) Reader, have you felt the uneasiness when you’re shopping and the checkout counter guy asks for your contact number? For some elusive membership benefits? Now, my uneasiness turns into a permanent frown when I’m in a checkout queue. Because I know my contact number is going to change 100s of... May 17, 2024 ## [TFN#53: 🪜How strong is your password? Check and generate memorable passwords](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/05/17/how-strong-is-your-password-check-and-generate-memorable-passwords/) The first time I came across the concept of a real computer password was when I was around 16 years old. That password set by my father, got so popular in our family that we still use some version of that password even for our home WiFi. And that password... May 10, 2024 ## [TFN#52: 🪜What’s your power distance?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/05/10/whats-your-power-distance/) And..this is the 52nd letter! ​1 letter/week52 weeks = 1 year! Can you believe we have been conversing for a year now? Incredible! ​No matter when you joined this circle, I’m grateful for your support.​ Thank you so much for reading, replying and sometimes just skimming through the letters. 😇###... May 03, 2024 ## [TFN#51: 🪜Rename 100 files for 100 team members under a second](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/05/03/rename-100-files-for-100-team-members-under-a-second/) I should have shared this letter last week, immediately after Do you right-click to rename? Seriously!?. But no problem, better late than never. In that letter, we talked about using the F2 function key on your keyboard to rename files in day-to-day work. But sometimes, you might need to carry... April 26, 2024 ## [TFN#50: 🪜Applying DRY principle in your work](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/04/26/applying-dry-principle-in-your-work/) I have always been fascinated by programming languages. There are so many of them: python, C, C++, Java, SQL, VBA, etc. Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you to death talking about programming. But what I want to talk about is the DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) principle used in... April 19, 2024 ## [TFN#49: 🪜Do you right-click to rename? Seriously!?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/04/19/do-you-right-click-to-rename-seriously/) No, I’m not judging. But I’m curious. When you rename a file in your PC (assuming it’s a Windows machine), do you point at the file icon using the mouse, then right-click (or double-click) to “rename” the file or folder? Isn’t that, too much effort? I mean think about it.... April 12, 2024 ## [TFN#48: 🪜5 mistakes I avoid while designing my dashboards](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/04/12/5-mistakes-i-avoid-while-designing-my-dashboards/) Reader, If you tell me you haven’t seen a dashboard in your career so far, I won’t believe you. You wouldn’t believe yourself. The ease with which data visualization tools are available, it is impossible to believe that you would be spared from a dashboard. Mostly, this is how the... April 05, 2024 ## [TFN#47: 🪜 Adventure Wave: Facilitate unforgettable workshops](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/04/05/adventure-wave-facilitate-unforgettable-workshops/) “Let’s begin with an icebreaker activity!” If you’ve been to work-related “team building” meetings, you’d have heard this a zillion times. I’m that guy who makes the gloomiest face possible upon hearing those words. (OR I used to be. Now, I run away at the first indication of such activity.)... March 29, 2024 ## [TFN#46: 🪜 Six-monthly reading roundup | 13 out of 47](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/03/29/six-monthly-reading-roundup-13-out-of-47/) So, I got the idea of sharing a reading roundup in August when I was traveling and trying to write a letter. And couldn’t write anything. That’s when I came up with My Swades movie moment and reading roundup​ So, it has been approximately 6 months, and here we go... March 22, 2024 ## [TFN#45: 🪜One Ring to rule them all, One Tab to manage them all](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/03/22/one-ring-to-rule-them-all-one-tab-to-manage-them-all/) Reader, I want to ask you something. Does your browser window look like this: If it does, don’t worry, mine used to look the same until a few years ago. We are all addicted to a secret disease called “tabbed browsing“. Mozilla introduced this feature of “tabbed browsing” somewhere around... March 15, 2024 ## [TFN#44: 🪜Don’t despair, find text inside files like a pro: SeekFast](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/03/15/dont-despair-find-text-inside-files-like-a-pro-seekfast/) Reader, sometimes, we come across software applications that we didn’t know we needed. A few weeks back I sent you a letter titled: Instantly search your whole PC using Everything Search It focused on finding files and folders with matching names. But today, we will go a step deeper and... March 08, 2024 ## [TFN#43: 🪜How to use Eustress to delight people at work](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/03/08/how-to-use-eustress-to-delight-people-at-work/) Recently, I published my idea of facilitation on LinkedIn: We are all facilitators. Many readers and friends found it relatable. That got me thinking. What is a running theme of the people I enjoyed working with? What exactly is it that I cherish about some of the people I worked... March 01, 2024 ## [TFN#42: 🪜Skill Cards: How to truly assess your skills and plan career path](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/03/01/skill-cards-how-to-truly-assess-your-skills-and-plan-career-path/) Every time, in my resume, when I had to choose what to write about my strengths, I used to feel claustrophobic. I felt as if I had just a handful of words that I knew, and beyond that…there was a dead end. Now imagine, what would happen when managers and... February 23, 2024 ## [TFN#41: 🪜 The easiest way to explain visually: Murder Maps](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/02/23/the-easiest-way-to-explain-visually-murder-maps/) If you’re a fan of suspense thriller movies like me, you’d have seen one of these murder maps in some scenes. (I didn’t know it is called that until now) What I love about those boards is, how easy it is for a viewer to understand what is going on.... February 16, 2024 ## [TFN#40: 🪜 How to find out and paint your docs & ppts with your brand colours?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/02/16/how-to-find-out-and-paint-your-docs-ppts-with-your-brand-colours/) Reader, if you’ve been on the internet for the past 10 years, you’d recognize TEDTalk and Conferences from a mile away. Most of the time, you would just “know” that a video, photo, or website is from TED! “Brand identity” your mind would tell you. You’re right. It is a... February 09, 2024 ## [TFN#39: 🪜 There are more comfort zones than you think, use them effectively](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/02/09/there-are-more-comfort-zones-than-you-think-use-them-effectively/) “He is a bright guy, but seems like he is in his comfort zone.” “She is great, but as soon as you ask her to step out and talk to the customer, she loses her shine.” Reader, haven’t all of us either overheard or participated in similar conversations? In fact,... February 02, 2024 ## [TFN#38: 🪜 The secret sauce of delighting people, clients, investors or customers](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/02/02/the-secret-sauce-of-delighting-people-clients-investors-or-customers/) In 2016, one of my friends introduced me to a Hair Salon chain named Green Trends. This is when I was residing in Hyderabad. Green Trends set a benchmark of what it means to delight someone. There were many things that they were doing right, but I will give you... January 26, 2024 ## [TFN#37: 🪜Instantly search your whole PC using Everything Search](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/01/26/instantly-search-your-whole-pc-using-everything-search/) Okay, so today’s letter is specifically for Windows users. Because anyone using a Mac, has been blessed with an in-built instant search. So, if you want to be as blessed as an average Mac user, read on. The day I stopped using the Windows Search box I don’t remember that... January 19, 2024 ## [TFN#36: 🪜 Five styles of responding to conflicts | Which one is yours?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/01/19/five-styles-of-responding-to-conflicts-which-one-is-yours/) If you tell me you never had any conflict with anyone in your work, I won’t believe you. It is just impossible. By conflict, I don’t mean punching people in the face. Street-fighter style. Not that. But conflict means subtle disagreement in the team or a fiery debate on what... January 12, 2024 ## [TFN#35: 🪜 I missed sharing this with you last week: The Paper Calendar](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/01/12/i-missed-sharing-this-with-you-last-week-the-paper-calendar/) Reader, Tell me something. Have you ever sent a WhatsApp message and…felt an instant regret? In our case, I felt this regret a few days after sharing last week’s letter: Finally! A free, clean, online PDF editor + password-lock. Nothing was wrong with it. But I realized it would have... January 05, 2024 ## [TFN#34: 🪜 Finally! A free, clean, online PDF editor + password-lock](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/01/05/finally-a-free-clean-online-pdf-editor-password-lock/) Yes, that’s what we are going to talk about today: PDF editor. But before that, I hope you kicked off your new year with renewed zeal. As for me, I have already explained my absurd reason why I have stopped making New Year resolutions. But one thing is sure, I... December 29, 2023 ## [TFN#33: 🪜 The absurd reason why I stopped making New Year resolutions](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/12/29/the-absurd-reason-why-i-stopped-making-new-year-resolutions/) Before I dive into explanations, wishing you a blockbuster New Year! I hope you get to fulfill your promises and resolutions by the end of 2024. And that allows me to share my reason ― which you will find absurd. My reason behind ditching the whole New Year resolution thing.... December 22, 2023 ## [TFN#32: 🪜 The triangle of conflict and how to break it](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/12/22/the-triangle-of-conflict-and-how-to-break-it/) If you remember, in my letter From Conditioning to Consciousness: Why People Do What They Do, we discussed the circle of conditioning. Few of the readers expressed the usefulness of that discussion. So, thanks for the feedback. In that letter, this was the key image for our understanding of why... December 15, 2023 ## [TFN#31: 🪜 A Tiny Extension to Supercharge Copy-Paste Command](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/12/15/a-tiny-extension-to-supercharge-copy-paste-command/) Tell me Reader, do you know anyone who doesn’t use the Copy-Paste command? I can’t think of anyone who uses a computer and doesn’t use it. Copy-Paste command is: Ctrl+C, followed by Ctrl+V In case of Mac OS, it is Cmd+C, Cmd+V So, it is quite ubiquitous as we know.... December 08, 2023 ## [TFN#30: 🪜 How to create a user persona? \[Template Inside\]](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/12/08/how-to-create-a-user-persona-template-inside/) The other day, my friend told me about the latest online scam tactic. In this tactic, the scammer poses as a police/CBI/Narcotics official and grills their victim for hours. Eventually, their victim pays some heavy amount of money and gets scammed. But this one never gets old: That’s one of... December 01, 2023 ## [TFN#29: 🪜 Simple 3-2-1 data backup strategy](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/12/01/simple-3-2-1-data-backup-strategy/) Have you watched the 2012 superhit movie OMG — Oh My God? If you have, you’ll certainly remember this scene: Kanji is flaunting his Godrej Locker key in the aftermath of the earthquake. Because the locker had his insurance papers in it. There wouldn’t be any movie if he hadn’t... November 24, 2023 ## [TFN#28: 🪜Why I’m convinced we can change our brain tissues](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/11/24/why-im-convinced-we-can-change-our-brain-tissues/) So Reader, this really happened to me. And I’m not making it up. In 2016, I purchased a book named The Prophet. Mostly because I had heard a lot about the author Kahlil Gibran. In fact, during my schooling, we had a Gujarati-translated prose from this book. So, I thought... November 17, 2023 ## [TFN#27: 🪜 Help people remember your event by generating ‘Add to Calendar’ links](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/11/17/help-people-remember-your-event-by-generating-add-to-calendar-links/) Reader, How many times have you heard “send me the calendar invite”? It is such a liberating feeling to invite other people and receive their acceptance. It is comforting and reassuring to know that they’re most likely to show up. But sometimes you would not be able to send an... November 10, 2023 ## [TFN#26: 🪜 Your Diwali Homework!](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/11/10/your-diwali-homework/) Reader, I don’t know about you, but I used to hate Diwali homework during my school life. Whoever invented it, must have a natural talent to suck joy out of leisure. My Diwali homework assignments used to carry things like “write the answers to the selected questions twice” or/and “prepare... November 03, 2023 ## [TFN#25: 🪜 From Conditioning to Conduct: Why people do what they do?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/11/03/from-conditioning-to-conduct-why-people-do-what-they-do/) Interesting question, isn’t it? Especially in the workplace, we ask this a lottt. “Why is he like that?” “What does she think of herself?” “Why does he chicken out at the last minute!!” Mostly, the answers are generic: “entitled” “power hungry” “rude” blah blah… A better answer lies in this... October 27, 2023 ## [TFN#24: 🪜 How I use wireframe.cc for quick ideation](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/10/27/how-i-use-wireframe-cc-for-quick-ideation/) Reader, Have you been in a situation where you want to quickly draw a couple of things on the computer and share them with your colleague or team? To give some idea of what the output should look like? Output such as: where to place elements in a poster, how... October 20, 2023 ## [TFN#23: 🪜Mastering “Form Follows Function”](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/10/20/mastering-form-follows-function/) Reader, if it was a matter of life and death to win a Formula-1 race, which car would you choose? Okay, what about choosing a gift for King Charles III if you were to pay him a visit? Both of us know each other’s choices. And the choices are the... October 13, 2023 ## [TFN#22: 🪜 Google Docs, MS Word’s simplicity: the most ignored feature](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/10/13/google-docs-ms-words-simplicity-the-most-ignored-feature/) Reader, If I start counting how many documents I have come across that have hand-made Table of Contents, it will take me a couple of days to finish counting. But it is not their fault. Because there is something inherently soo simple about text editors such as Microsoft Word or... October 06, 2023 ## [TFN#21: 🪜Getting insights: What? So What? Now What?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/10/06/getting-insights-what-so-what-now-what/) Reader, did you know that you can derive pretty good insights from any data using just three questions: What? So what? Now what? Data can be anything. A fact. A conversation. An incident. A story Or A database! Data doesn’t have to always look something like this: Data means information.... September 29, 2023 ## [TFN#20: 🪜 How to safely share confidential info like passwords using 1time?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/09/29/how-to-safely-share-confidential-info-like-passwords-using-1time/) I don’t know Reader, whether you got a chance to go through the Golden Ratio newsletter last week, but I want to share something that I always love sharing: a tool! A tool for sharing confidential information with one or more people. No, it’s not WhatsApp. Let me share with... September 22, 2023 ## [TFN#19 🪜How to beautify your work using Golden Ratio?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/09/22/how-to-beautify-your-work-using-golden-ratio/) Tell me something Reader, Do you believe that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder? I believe sometimes it is true, sometimes not. There are some natural laws that apply to everyone, across the globe. Since the beginning of the time. Laws of what we find beautiful and what... September 15, 2023 ## [TFN#18 🪜 When you talk to someone, there are always two tokens lying on the table](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/09/15/when-you-talk-to-someone-there-are-always-two-tokens-lying-on-the-table/) Hi Reader, Festival season has already begun in India. So, I’m sure you won’t be able to read each of my weekly emails, but that’s fine. They’re already in your inbox, take your time and relish. One of the best things about the festive season is shopping and holidays. And... September 08, 2023 ## [TFN#17: 🪜 Watch and learn fast: Easily change video speed](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/09/08/watch-and-learn-fast-easily-change-video-speed/) Did you know YouTube releases a Culture and Trends report every year? I didn’t know. I recently read its 2023 report. Fascinating! Almost everyone who has an internet connection consumes some or the other type of video content. I learned that there are four major formats of videos: Long-form, short-form,... September 01, 2023 ## [TFN#16: 🪜 Negative space, white space…what is it?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/09/01/tfn16-f09faa9c-negative-space-white-spacewhat-is-it/) Hi dear reader, In my last letter, we saw the comparison of different online writing platforms. The internet is full of so many options that it is easy to get lost while deciding where to begin. I hope it has been useful. If you remember, two months back, we had... August 25, 2023 ## [TFN#15: 🪜 Thinking of writing online? A quick comparison of platforms](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/08/25/tfn15-f09faa9c-thinking-of-writing-online-a-quick-comparison-of-platforms/) What a great time last few days have been! I’m back to Ahmedabad after a week and ISRO successfully landed 🚀 Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon. What a time to be alive! Also, one of our readers Prachi pinpointed a dead link in one of my past letters. It was posted... August 18, 2023 ## [TFN#14: 📚 My Swades movie moment and reading roundup](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/08/18/tfn14-f09f939a-my-swades-movie-moment-and-reading-roundup/) I won’t lie, dear reader. 5 days back, I had thought I will write this week’s newsletter on the go. While traveling. I tried typing the first draft in a crowded local bus on my way to a project I recently undertook. After a very long time, I traveled in... August 11, 2023 ## [TFN#13: 🟩 Challenge by choice: inviting people to set their own mark](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/08/11/tfn13-f09f9fa9-challenge-by-choice-inviting-people-to-set-their-own-mark/) So dear reader, the last few days have been quite testing for me. I guess this is the season of flu and other diseases across the globe. I hope you and the people around you are well. Anyways, have you heard about this beautiful 1989 movie named Dead Poets Society?... August 04, 2023 ## [TFN#12: 🟦 5 things Photoshop’s Firefly update tells us, even if we don’t use it](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/08/04/tfn12-f09f9fa6-5-things-photoshops-firefly-update-tells-us-even-if-we-dont-use-it/) Dear reader, can you carry out some “Find & Replace” in your head? In the headlines below, find the word “calculators” and replace it with “AI”. “Digital Calculators Threaten Traditional Math Skills!” – The New York Times, 1972 “Calculator Invasion: Will It Put Accountants Out of Work?” – The Wall... July 28, 2023 ## [TFN#11: Highlight and take notes from any website, like a pro⚡](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/07/28/tfn11-highlight-and-take-notes-from-any-website-like-a-proe29aa1/) Dear reader, for years, I have struggled to organize whatever I read online. There is no single app/software that can solve all of my reading material in one place. Now that I read a variety of things on a regular basis — especially on a PC — I needed a... July 21, 2023 ## [TFN#10: Change your mind about this and 💪🏻10x your judgment](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/07/21/tfn10-change-your-mind-about-this-and-f09f92aaf09f8fbb10x-your-judgment/) Dear reader, thank you so much for sticking around and reading this letter week after week. This is the 10th edition of this letter. When I started, I didn’t know I will continue for even 10 days! But thanks to your support, looks like this will go on for a... July 14, 2023 ## [TFN#9: Do you look at the keyboard while typing?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/07/14/tfn9-do-you-look-at-the-keyboard-while-typing/) Do you remember — the speed of your nod would reveal your age 😀— when there used to be courses on ‘typing’? Type classes, as they were known. Then we saw the personal computer revolution, so fast that ‘typing classes’ became a distant memory. In fact, film director Basu Chatterji... July 07, 2023 ## [TFN#8: The 7 sins we commit during Thrashing + Paul Graham’s essay that I loved](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/07/07/tfn8-the-7-sins-we-commit-during-thrashing-paul-grahams-essay-that-i-loved/) \[Dear reader\], have you been in a situation where you have to brainstorm with 4-5 other people? Even worse, a room full of people? It may have been related to anything. From organizing a workshop to designing a project. Yes? Great, you will empathize with me on what I’m saying.... June 30, 2023 ## [TFN#7: The Power of Outline + Early access to my mini handbook!](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/06/30/tfn7-the-power-of-outline-early-access-to-my-mini-handbook/) Finally dear reader, I finished working on a handbook that’s ~50 pages long. And now it is ready for download! So, I thought to cover the main technique of outline in today’s letter. This technique helps me complete all the projects that I take on hand. Also, as a token... June 23, 2023 ## [TFN #6: The surprising power of touch-point Maps + My fav retreat Video](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/06/23/the-surprising-power-of-touch-point-maps-my-fav-retreat-video/) So dear reader, I received voting from most of the readers on the Reads of the Week last week. Thank you so much for voting to keep the long-read suggestions on. I will keep sharing the long articles in that section. Thank you so much for voicing your opinion. Last... June 16, 2023 ## [TFN #5: Like most people, do you also think you’re not a designer?🤔](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/06/16/like-most-people-do-you-also-think-youre-not-a-designer/) I mean think about it, dear reader. If someone is working as a manager, engineer, or accountant. And we asked him for a list of 10 skills that he is proud to have. Would he include ‘design’? What’s your guess? He would hand us some version of this: Subscribe June 09, 2023 ## [TFN #4: Reading on social media is full of pain-InoReader](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/06/09/reading-on-social-media-is-full-of-pain-inoreader/) Reader, do you also feel that social media — whether it is LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter — is hard to follow? I used to feel that. As I increased my engagement with social media. It is so difficult to keep up with a few of the gems that I like... June 02, 2023 ## [TFN #3: Using questions as tools](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/06/02/using-questions-as-tools/) “Nooo..no..no..first, you answer me this!!” If you were there Reader , you’d have laughed your guts out. During a quarterly council meeting of the society, one of the uncles — you know the type who wears a tight T-shirt, heavy metal wrist-watch and a pair of sports shoes — was... May 26, 2023 ## [TFN #2: Nobody likes to eat ugly food OR ugly Fonts](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/05/26/nobody-likes-to-eat-ugly-food-or-ugly-fonts/) So, Reader, in the last edition of The Friday Newsletter, we talked about how to use Hemingway App to write better. In this edition, I want to stress on the impact of right Font Type on your audience. Just like most people, I used to think “What’s there in a... May 19, 2023 ## [TFN #1: A knowledge worker’s secret weapon: Hemingway App](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/05/19/a-knowledge-workers-secret-weapon-hemingway-app/) Earlier this week, I published a Powerful lean-mean writing system for anyone. Based on my readers’ overwhelming response, expanding more on the free Hemingway Tool I had covered under step-3 of the guide. We’re all writers. Whether you write text messages, emails, presentations or business reports. You’re a writer. Writing... --- ### Reading List URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/reading-list/ Description: Explore my curated and intentionally disorganized reading list. Find books on various topics with relevant tags. Happy reading! The world is already tainted with univariate identity groups. And I don’t believe in such things. So, this is an intentionally disorganized list. I have provided each book with 3-4 tags to help you get the overall theme. Happy reading! ![Siddhartha](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/1.webp) ## Siddhartha Fiction Spirituality Buddhism Coming-of-age Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse is a novel that follows the spiritual journey of a young man named Siddhartha in ancient India. Seeking enlightenment, Siddhartha explores different paths, including asceticism and worldly pleasures, ultimately discovering his own path to self-realization and inner peace. ![First, Break All the Rules](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/2.webp) ## First, Break All the Rules Business Management Leadership Self-help In "First, Break All the Rules," Marcus Buckingham challenges traditional management practices and offers insights into effective leadership. The book presents research-based strategies for identifying and capitalizing on individual strengths, fostering employee engagement, and building high-performing teams. ![Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/3.webp) ## Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind History Philosophy Anthropology Non-fiction Yuval Noah Harari's "Sapiens" provides an expansive overview of human history, from the emergence of Homo sapiens to the present day. Drawing on various disciplines, Harari examines the key developments and forces that have shaped human societies, challenging readers to contemplate our collective past and future. ![Outliers: The Story of Success](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/4.webp) ## Outliers: The Story of Success Business Psychology Success Non-fiction Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell explores the factors that contribute to extraordinary success. Gladwell examines the roles of opportunity, cultural background, and hard work, revealing the complex interplay of factors that differentiate high achievers from the rest. The book offers valuable insights for personal and professional growth. ![Stop Stealing Dreams](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/5.webp) ## Stop Stealing Dreams Business Marketing Entrepreneurship Self-help Stop Stealing Dreams by Seth Godin addresses the shortcomings of traditional education systems and advocates for a paradigm shift in how we approach learning. Godin encourages educators and policymakers to embrace creativity, passion, and real-world skills to better prepare students for a rapidly changing world. ![Who Moved My Cheese?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/6.webp) ## Who Moved My Cheese? Business Personal development Change management Non-fiction Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson is a motivational business fable that illustrates the importance of adapting to change. The book follows the journey of two mice and two "little people" as they encounter unexpected shifts and learn to navigate uncertainty by embracing change and seizing new opportunities. ![The School of Life](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/7.webp) ## The School of Life Philosophy Psychology Self-help Relationships The School of Life is a series of books and resources founded by Alain de Botton. It offers philosophical insights and practical wisdom on various aspects of life, including relationships, work, and self-understanding. The School of Life provides guidance for personal development and emotional well-being. ![The Art of Thinking Clearly](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/8.webp) ## The Art of Thinking Clearly Psychology Self-help Critical thinking Non-fiction Rolf Dobelli's "The Art of Thinking Clearly" examines common cognitive biases and logical fallacies that affect decision-making. The book offers practical advice and examples to help readers recognize and overcome these mental pitfalls, enabling them to make more rational and effective choices in their lives. ![The Forty Rules of Love](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/9.webp) ## The Forty Rules of Love Fiction Spirituality Love Relationships The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak is a novel that weaves together the stories of a thirteenth-century poet and a modern-day woman. Exploring themes of love, spirituality, and self-discovery, the book delves into the transformative power of love and the universal quest for connection and meaning. ![Rich Dad Poor Dad](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/10.webp) ## Rich Dad Poor Dad Business Personal finance Investing Self-help Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad Poor Dad" shares personal finance lessons through the author's experiences growing up with two different father figures—one rich, one poor. The book challenges conventional notions about wealth and provides insights on building financial literacy, assets, and a mindset for wealth creation. ![Animal Farm](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/11.webp) ## Animal Farm Fiction Political allegory Dystopia In George Orwell's "Animal Farm," farm animals rebel against their human owner to establish a utopian society. However, the pigs, led by Napoleon, gradually become corrupted and oppressive rulers. This allegorical novel explores themes of power, corruption, and totalitarianism. ![1984](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/12.webp) ## 1984 Fiction Political thriller Dystopia George Orwell's "1984" is a dystopian novel set in a totalitarian society where the government controls every aspect of people's lives. It follows the story of Winston Smith, who rebels against the oppressive regime. The book serves as a warning about the dangers of totalitarianism and the erosion of individual freedoms. ![A Taste of Well-being](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/13.webp) ## A Taste of Well-being Self-help Spirituality Yoga Meditation A Taste of Well-being by the Isha Foundation offers insights into maintaining physical and mental well-being through a combination of nutritious food, yogic practices, and a balanced lifestyle. The book provides guidance on adopting healthier habits and achieving overall wellness. ![Brave New World](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/14.webp) ## Brave New World Fiction Dystopia Science fiction Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" presents a future society where people are genetically engineered and conditioned to live in a state of superficial happiness and conformity. The novel explores themes of technological advancements, individual freedom, and the cost of societal control. ![Deep Work](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/15.webp) ## Deep Work Productivity Focus Technology Non-fiction Deep Work by Cal Newport provides strategies and insights on how to achieve focused and uninterrupted work in an increasingly distracting world. The book offers practical advice for cultivating deep work habits, enhancing productivity, and achieving professional success. ![Making Questions Work](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/16.webp) ## Making Questions Work Communication Problem solving Critical thinking Non-fiction In "Making Questions Work," Dorothy Strachan provides a practical guide to the art of asking effective questions in various contexts. The book offers strategies, techniques, and examples to help individuals develop their questioning skills, improve communication, and enhance problem-solving abilities. ![Tuesdays with Morrie](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/17.webp) ## Tuesdays with Morrie Memoir Death Life lessons Non-fiction Tuesdays with Morrie is a memoir by Mitch Albom, recounting his conversations and experiences with his former professor, Morrie Schwartz, who is facing a terminal illness. The book delves into themes of life, death, love, and the importance of embracing each moment with meaning and compassion. ![Way of the Peaceful Warrior](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/18.webp) ## Way of the Peaceful Warrior Spirituality Self-help Personal growth Non-fiction Dan Millman's "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" is a semi-autobiographical novel that follows the author's journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Set against the backdrop of gymnastics and martial arts, the book imparts spiritual lessons and explores the path to finding inner peace and purpose. ![Cosmos](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/19.webp) ## Cosmos Science Astronomy Cosmology Non-fiction Cosmos by Carl Sagan is a popular science book that explores the vastness of the universe, delving into topics such as astronomy, physics, and the origins of life. Sagan takes readers on a captivating journey, presenting scientific concepts in an engaging and accessible manner. ![Tribes](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/20.webp) ## Tribes Marketing Business Social media Non-fiction In "Tribes," Seth Godin discusses the importance of leadership and community building in the modern world. The book challenges conventional notions of leadership and encourages individuals to create and lead their own tribes—groups of like-minded people united by a common purpose or passion. ![Thinking, Fast and Slow](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/21.webp) ## Thinking, Fast and Slow Psychology Neuroscience Decision-making In "Thinking, Fast and Slow," Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel laureate in economics, explores the two systems of thinking that drive our decisions: the fast, intuitive system and the slower, deliberate system. The book examines cognitive biases and offers insights into the complexities of human judgment, decision-making, and behavioral economics. ![Predictably Irrational](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/22.webp) ## Predictably Irrational Psychology Behavioral economics Decision-making Dan Ariely's "Predictably Irrational" explores the irrational behaviors and biases that influence our decision-making processes. Through a series of engaging experiments and real-life examples, Ariely reveals the hidden forces that shape our choices, shedding light on topics such as pricing, emotions, social norms, and the paradoxes of human behavior. ![The Tipping Point](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/23.webp) ## The Tipping Point Sociology Social psychology Non-fiction Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" examines the factors that contribute to the sudden and dramatic spread of ideas, trends, and behaviors. Drawing on examples from various fields, Gladwell explores the concept of the "tipping point" and identifies key elements that can create social epidemics, making the book a compelling exploration of how small changes can lead to significant impact. ![Light From Many Lamps](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/24.webp) ## Light From Many Lamps Spirituality Religion Philosophy Light From Many Lamps is an inspirational book compiled by Eichler Watson. It features a collection of quotes, poems, and passages from various authors and thinkers, offering wisdom, insights, and perspectives on life, love, spirituality, and personal growth. The book serves as a source of inspiration and reflection, providing readers with moments of contemplation and guidance. ![Zero to One](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/25.webp) ## Zero to One Business Entrepreneurship Innovation In "Zero to One," entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel presents his insights on innovation and building successful startups. Thiel encourages entrepreneurs to aim for transformative ideas and outlines principles for creating new technologies and monopolies. The book challenges conventional thinking and offers a contrarian perspective on entrepreneurship, highlighting the importance of creating something unique and valuable. ![Factfulness](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/26.webp) ## Factfulness Non-fiction Statistics Global health Factfulness by Hans Rosling, along with Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Rönnlund, provides a refreshing perspective on global trends and challenges common misconceptions about the state of the world. Based on extensive data, the book offers a more accurate and optimistic view of human progress, urging readers to think critically, rely on data, and update their understanding of the world. ![Think and Grow Rich](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/27.webp) ## Think and Grow Rich Self-help Personal development Success Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is a classic self-help book that explores the principles of success and personal achievement. Drawing on interviews with successful individuals, Hill outlines a philosophy for achieving wealth and prosperity by cultivating the right mindset, setting clear goals, and taking persistent action. The book inspires readers to unlock their potential and pursue their dreams. ![Freedom at Midnight](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/28.webp) ## Freedom at Midnight History India Independence Freedom at Midnight by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins is a historical account of the events leading to the partition of India and the subsequent independence of India and Pakistan in 1947. The book provides a detailed narrative of the political, social, and cultural complexities surrounding the independence movement, offering insights into the struggles and sacrifices of the individuals involved. ![Dreyer's English](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/29.webp) ## Dreyer's English Grammar Style Writing Dreyer's English by Benjamin Dreyer is a witty and practical guide to writing and grammar. Dreyer, the copy chief of Random House, offers tips, rules, and humorous anecdotes to help writers improve their prose and avoid common pitfalls. The book provides a refreshing take on language usage and style, making it an enjoyable and informative resource for anyone looking to enhance their writing skills. ![My Experiments With Truth](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/30.webp) ## My Experiments With Truth Autobiography Spirituality Non-fiction My Experiments With Truth is the autobiography of Mohandas K Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi. In this book, Gandhi shares his life experiences, philosophical insights, and his experiments with nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience as a means to achieve political and social change. The book offers a glimpse into Gandhi's transformative journey and his principles of truth, love, and nonviolence. ![Managing Oneself](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/31.webp) ## Managing Oneself Self-Help Personal Development Business Leadership Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker is a concise guide to personal effectiveness and career success. Drucker emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and offers practical advice on identifying and leveraging one's strengths, setting goals, and adapting to change. The book encourages readers to take responsibility for their own development and make choices that align with their values and aspirations. ![The Untethered Soul](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/32.webp) ## The Untethered Soul Spirituality Personal Growth Self-Awareness Mindfulness In "The Untethered Soul," Michael A. Singer explores the concept of self and the path to spiritual liberation. The book invites readers to embark on a journey of self-discovery and inner transformation, providing insights and practices to quiet the mind, release limiting beliefs, and cultivate a deeper sense of peace and fulfillment. With a blend of spirituality and psychology, it offers guidance for embracing the present moment and expanding consciousness. ![Poor Economics](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/33.webp) ## Poor Economics Economics Poverty Development Social Science Poor Economics by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo takes a unique approach to understanding poverty and economic development. Through rigorous research and real-life examples, the authors examine the lives of the poor, debunking common assumptions and proposing innovative solutions. The book provides valuable insights into the complexities of poverty and offers new perspectives for creating effective policies and interventions. ![The Body Keeps the Score](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/34.webp) ## The Body Keeps the Score Trauma Psychology Neuroscience Healing The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk explores the effects of trauma on the brain, mind, and body. Drawing on his extensive experience as a psychiatrist, van der Kolk examines the impact of trauma on mental health and offers holistic approaches for healing and recovery. The book provides a comprehensive understanding of trauma and offers hope and strategies for individuals and professionals working in the field of trauma therapy. ![The Prophet](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/35.webp) ## The Prophet Spirituality Philosophy Religion Love The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran is a collection of poetic essays that offer profound insights into various aspects of life, including love, joy, sorrow, and spirituality. Written in lyrical and accessible language, the book provides timeless wisdom and encourages readers to reflect on the deeper meanings of existence and the human condition. ![The Leader Who is Hardly Known](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/36.webp) ## The Leader Who is Hardly Known Leadership Servant Leadership Humility Inspiration The Leader Who is Hardly Known by Steven Simpson is a leadership fable that emphasizes the power of quiet leadership and influence. Through the story of a young executive, the book explores the qualities and actions that make a leader truly effective. It highlights the importance of authenticity, humility, and self-awareness in leading others and making a positive impact. ![Don't Shoot the Dog!](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/37.webp) ## Don't Shoot the Dog! Behaviorism Positive Reinforcement Training Communication Don't Shoot the Dog! by Karen Pryor is a guide to understanding and applying principles of behavioral psychology in everyday life. The book offers insights into the science of behavior change and provides practical techniques for modifying behavior, whether in relationships, parenting, or training animals. It offers a fresh perspective on motivation, reinforcement, and communication, empowering readers to create positive change. ![Einstein's Dreams](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/38.webp) ## Einstein's Dreams Science Fiction Philosophy Physics Time Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman is a fictional work that imagines various dreamlike scenarios and thought experiments based on Albert Einstein's ideas of time, space, and relativity. The book explores philosophical and existential questions through beautifully crafted narratives, offering readers a contemplative and imaginative journey into the nature of reality, time, and the human experience. ![Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/39.webp) ## Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Young Adult Fiction Coming-Of-Age Friendship Love Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz is a coming-of-age novel that follows the friendship and self-discovery of two teenage boys, Aristotle and Dante. Set in the 1980s, the book explores themes of identity, family, love, and acceptance, providing a heartfelt and nuanced portrayal of adolescence and the search for meaning and connection. ![Into the Wild](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/40.webp) ## Into the Wild Adventure Memoir Travel Wilderness Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer is a nonfiction account of the life and journey of Christopher McCandless, a young man who abandoned his conventional life to live in the wilderness of Alaska. The book delves into McCandless's motivations, his encounters with nature and society, and the consequences of his choices. Krakauer explores themes of adventure, self-discovery, and the complexities of human desires and aspirations. ![Atomic Habits](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/41.webp) ## Atomic Habits Self-Help Personal Development Habits Productivity In "Atomic Habits," James Clear explores the power of small habits and incremental changes in achieving personal and professional goals. The book provides practical strategies for building good habits, breaking bad ones, and optimizing daily routines. Clear emphasizes the compounding effects of small actions and offers insights into the psychology of behavior change, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their habits and make lasting transformations. ![The Psychology of Money](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/42.webp) ## The Psychology of Money Personal Finance Investing Psychology Money The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel explores the complex relationship between money and human behavior. Housel delves into the psychological biases and emotional drivers that influence financial decisions, offering valuable insights for managing personal finances and building wealth. The book challenges conventional notions of wealth and success, providing a fresh perspective on the impact of emotions, storytelling, and long-term thinking on financial well-being. ![This is Marketing](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/43-1.webp) ## This is Marketing Marketing Business Strategy Creativity This is Marketing by Seth Godin offers a fresh perspective on modern marketing. The book emphasizes the importance of empathy, storytelling, and building meaningful connections with customers. Godin challenges traditional marketing approaches and provides insights into creating value and making a difference in people's lives through authentic and purpose-driven marketing strategies. ![Dream with Your Eyes Open](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/44.webp) ## Dream with Your Eyes Open Self-Help Entrepreneurship Business Inspiration Dream with Your Eyes Open by Ronnie Screwvala is a memoir and business guide that chronicles Screwvala's entrepreneurial journey and shares his insights on leadership, innovation, and the power of dreaming big. The book offers practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, highlighting the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and unconventional thinking in pursuing ambitious goals. ![Man's Search For Himself](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/45.webp) ## Man's Search For Himself Psychology Philosophy Self-Discovery Mental Health Man's Search For Himself by Rollo May is a psychological exploration of the human quest for meaning and identity. May examines the challenges of finding one's authentic self in a society that often imposes conformity and external expectations. The book delves into themes of personal freedom, self-actualization, and the role of anxiety and existential questions in shaping individuality and personal growth. ![Small is Beautiful](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/46.webp) ## Small is Beautiful Economics Sustainability Environmentalism Social Justice Small is Beautiful by E. F. Schumacher is a seminal work on economics and sustainability. Schumacher challenges the notion of unlimited economic growth and advocates for a more human-centered and ecologically balanced approach to development. The book explores themes of appropriate technology, decentralization, and the importance of valuing human well-being over material wealth, making it a thought-provoking read for those interested in alternative economic perspectives. ![Ignore Everybody](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/47.webp) ## Ignore Everybody Creativity Self-Promotion Marketing Inspiration Ignore Everybody by Hugh MacLeod offers unconventional advice and insights on creativity and personal expression. Through a series of witty and inspiring anecdotes, MacLeod encourages readers to embrace their creativity, follow their passions, and navigate the challenges of self-expression. The book challenges common myths and provides practical strategies for nurturing creativity and staying true to one's artistic vision. ![Linchpin](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/48-1.webp) ## Linchpin Business Work Creativity Productivity Linchpin by Seth Godin explores the concept of becoming indispensable in the modern workplace. The book encourages readers to embrace their unique talents, take initiative, and create remarkable work that makes a difference. Godin challenges traditional notions of employment and provides insights into thriving in an evolving economy by becoming a linchpin—an essential and irreplaceable contributor. ![Project Hail Mary](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/49.webp) ## Project Hail Mary Science Fiction Space Adventure Mystery Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir is a science fiction novel that follows the story of an astronaut on a perilous mission to save humanity. Weir weaves together elements of space exploration, scientific discovery, and human resilience in a thrilling and thought-provoking narrative. The book combines scientific accuracy with gripping storytelling, making it a captivating read for fans of speculative fiction and space adventures. ![Rework](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/50.webp) ## Rework Business Productivity Entrepreneurship Startups Rework by David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried challenges traditional notions of productivity and work. The book advocates for a fresh approach to entrepreneurship and highlights the importance of simplicity, focus, and unconventional thinking. With practical insights and real-world examples, the authors encourage readers to question conventional wisdom and find new ways to succeed in business and work on their own terms. ![The Surrender Experiment](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/51.webp) ## The Surrender Experiment Self-Help Spirituality Personal Development Mindfulness The Surrender Experiment by Michael A. Singer is a memoir that explores the author's journey of letting go of personal preferences and surrendering to the flow of life. Singer shares his experiences of embracing opportunities and challenges that came his way, leading to unexpected personal and spiritual growth. The book offers insights into the power of surrender, trust, and aligning with the universe's unfolding, inspiring readers to let go and embrace life's unfolding journey. ![It Doesn't Have To Be Crazy At Work](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/52.webp) ## It Doesn't Have To Be Crazy At Work Productivity Work-Life Balance Entrepreneurship Management It Doesn't Have To Be Crazy At Work by David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried challenges the prevailing culture of overwork and burnout in the workplace. The authors share their experiences and offer practical advice on creating a calm and productive work environment. The book advocates for a healthy work-life balance, setting realistic expectations, and focusing on meaningful work. It provides strategies for fostering a positive work culture and achieving sustainable success. ![The War of Art](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/53.webp) ## The War of Art Creativity Motivation Self-Discipline Overcoming Resistance War of Art by Steven Pressfield explores the internal obstacles and resistance that often prevent individuals from pursuing their creative endeavors. The book identifies and dissects the various forms of resistance, such as self-doubt and procrastination, providing insights and strategies for overcoming them. With a motivational and no-nonsense approach, Pressfield encourages readers to break through creative blocks and unleash their artistic potential. ![The Almanack of Naval Ravikant](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/54.webp) ## The Almanack of Naval Ravikant Personal Finance Investing Entrepreneurship Stoicism The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson is a compilation of wisdom and insights from entrepreneur and investor Naval Ravikant. The book covers various topics, including wealth creation, happiness, relationships, and personal growth. It offers thought-provoking perspectives on life and success, drawing from Ravikant's experiences and philosophy. The Almanack provides practical advice and principles to navigate the complexities of modern life and find fulfillment. ![The Minimalist Entrepreneur](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/55.webp) ## The Minimalist Entrepreneur Minimalism Productivity Entrepreneurship Personal Finance The Minimalist Entrepreneur by Sahil Lavingia explores a different approach to entrepreneurship, focusing on simplicity, intentionality, and personal values. Lavingia shares his journey of building a business while prioritizing a minimalist lifestyle and aligning his work with his core principles. The book offers insights on building a purpose-driven business, embracing minimalism, and finding balance and fulfillment in the entrepreneurial journey. ![To Sir, With Love](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/56.webp) ## To Sir, With Love Coming-Of-Age Education Race Relations Social Justice To Sir, With Love by E. R. Braithwaite is a memoir that recounts the author's experiences as a teacher in a challenging school in post-World War II London. The book explores themes of education, race, social issues, and personal growth. Braithwaite's narrative reflects on the transformative power of education and the impact of compassion, understanding, and respect in fostering positive change in students' lives. ![The Win Without Pitching Manifesto](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/57.webp) ## The Win Without Pitching Manifesto Sales Marketing Entrepreneurship Business Development The Win Without Pitching Manifesto by Blair Enns challenges the traditional approach to pitching and selling creative services. The book advocates for a value-based approach, emphasizing expertise, confidence, and building long-term client relationships. Enns provides strategies for positioning oneself as a trusted advisor and creating a sustainable business model that focuses on delivering high-value outcomes rather than participating in competitive pitching. ![The Fountainhead](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/58.webp) ## The Fountainhead Individualism Objectivism Philosophy The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand is a novel that explores themes of individualism, creativity, and the pursuit of personal vision. Set in the architectural world, the book follows the story of Howard Roark, an uncompromising architect who faces resistance and opposition for his innovative ideas. Rand's work delves into the philosophical concepts of objectivism and the importance of individual achievement and integrity. ![Atlas Shrugged](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/59.webp) ## Atlas Shrugged Individualism Objectivism Philosophy Capitalism Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand is a dystopian novel that presents a philosophical narrative exploring the role of individual achievement, capitalism, and personal freedom in society. The story follows a group of innovators and entrepreneurs who go on strike, withdrawing their talents from a crumbling society. Rand's work delves into themes of individualism, reason, and the consequences of collectivism, offering a provocative and thought-provoking exploration of society and human nature. ![The Tom Peters Seminar](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/60.webp) ## The Tom Peters Seminar Management Leadership Entrepreneurship Innovation The Tom Peters Seminar is a collection of insights and ideas from business guru Tom Peters. The book captures Peters' dynamic and engaging speaking style, delivering practical advice on topics such as leadership, management, innovation, and customer service. It offers a lively and informative resource for individuals seeking inspiration and guidance in their professional endeavors. ![Daring Greatly](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/61.webp) ## Daring Greatly Self-Help Personal Development Courage Vulnerability Daring Greatly by Brene Brown explores the power of vulnerability and the importance of embracing imperfections and taking risks in life. Brown delves into the concept of shame and its impact on our ability to connect with others and live authentically. The book offers insights and strategies for cultivating courage, resilience, and wholehearted living, making it a valuable resource for personal growth and cultivating meaningful relationships. ![Never Split the Difference](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/62.webp) ## Never Split the Difference Negotiation Persuasion Communication Business Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss, a former FBI negotiator, shares practical techniques and strategies for effective negotiation and communication. Voss emphasizes the importance of empathy, active listening, and understanding human psychology in achieving successful outcomes in negotiations. The book provides actionable advice and real-world examples that can be applied in various situations, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in improving their negotiation skills. ![What Adults Don't Know About Art](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/63.webp) ## What Adults Don't Know About Art Art History Appreciation Criticism Creativity What Adults Don't Know About Art by The School of Life challenges traditional perspectives on art appreciation and offers fresh insights into the role of art in our lives. The book explores the emotional, psychological, and personal dimensions of engaging with art, encouraging readers to embrace their subjective experiences and find meaning and connection through artistic expression. It provides a thought-provoking and accessible exploration of art's impact on our well-being and understanding of the world. ![Impro](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/64.webp) ## Impro Theater Improvisation Creativity Communication Impro by Keith Johnstone is a guide to improvisation and creativity. Johnstone shares techniques and exercises to unleash spontaneity, imagination, and collaborative skills. The book explores the principles of improvisation and how they can be applied in various contexts, such as theater, business, and personal development. It offers valuable insights into enhancing communication, creativity, and adaptability, making it a valuable resource for individuals seeking to unlock their creative potential. ![Blink](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/65.webp) ## Blink Decision-Making Psychology Intuition Speed In "Blink," Malcolm Gladwell explores the power of intuitive thinking and quick decision-making. The book delves into the science behind snap judgments and the factors that influence our ability to make accurate assessments in an instant. Gladwell draws on research from psychology, neuroscience, and social sciences to provide insights into the strengths and limitations of rapid cognition. "Blink" offers a fascinating exploration of the unconscious mind and its role in decision-making processes. ![Extreme Ownership](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/66.webp) ## Extreme Ownership Leadership Military Self-Discipline Teamwork Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, two former Navy SEAL officers, explores leadership principles based on their military experiences. The book emphasizes the importance of taking ownership, accountability, and leading by example in achieving success as a team. Willink and Babin provide actionable strategies and real-world anecdotes that highlight the power of effective leadership and the impact it can have on individuals and organizations. ![Freakonomics](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/67.webp) ## Freakonomics Economics Sociology Pop Culture Statistics Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner applies economic thinking to unconventional topics, revealing surprising insights into human behavior and societal phenomena. The book uses economic analysis and data to explore a range of subjects, from crime and parenting to cheating and incentives. With its thought-provoking and engaging style, "Freakonomics" challenges conventional wisdom and offers fresh perspectives on the hidden forces that shape our lives. ![Can't Hurt Me](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/68.webp) ## Can't Hurt Me Self-Help Personal Development Resilience Strength Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins is a memoir that chronicles the author's journey from a troubled childhood to becoming a Navy SEAL and ultra-endurance athlete. Goggins shares his experiences of overcoming adversity, pushing past physical and mental limits, and developing an unbreakable mindset. The book offers inspiration, motivation, and practical strategies for achieving personal growth, resilience, and self-mastery, making it a compelling read for those seeking to overcome challenges and achieve their goals. ![What If?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/books/69.webp) ## What If? Science Humor Curiosity Hypothetical What If? by Randall Munroe, the creator of xkcd, explores absurd hypothetical questions with scientific rigor and humor. The book answers quirky and imaginative questions, such as "What would happen if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90% the speed of light?" using physics, math, and Munroe's signature wit. It offers entertaining and educational insights into the extremes of science and the universe. --- ### Redirecting… URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/reading-list-new/ [Click here if you are not redirected.](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/reading-list/) --- ### Shop URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/shop/ Description: Tools and ideas I’ve learned from my experience in education and systems design. Check out Wu Wei Cards and Data System Design Notes. I like to market and sell ideas. As you’d learn from my [About Page](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/about), I have been in the profession of education and systems design for a good amount of time. I have noticed that some ideas work better than other ideas. So naturally, I packaged them for everyone. I have listed only two of those ideas here: [Wu Wei Cards](#if-youre-in-the-business-of-facilitation) and [Insider’s Notes on Data System Design](#if-youre-in-the-business-of-data-collection-and-analysis) ### If you’re in the business of facilitation… Check out the [Wu Wei Cards](https://wuwei.cards/) on its dedicated address. These are smart processing tools that help you turn your workshops and interactions in powerful experiences. There are plenty of free facilitation tools that you might not have seen before. Give them a try, they’re all FREE and no login required. Attaching the latest home page screenshot at the time of writing this: ![Wu Wei Cards](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/wuwei-1.webp) ### If you’re in the business of data collection and analysis… …it is a no-brainer to get my Insider’s Notes. It is tried-and-tested. The knowledge that can’t be found on internet. --- ### What I’m upto? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/now/ Description: A snapshot of my current activities: projects, reading, and writing. Updated regularly. *(This is a [now page](https://nownownow.com/about), and if you have your own site, [you should make one](https://nownownow.com/about), too.)* Updated on September 17th, 2026 from my desk ## Where and weather Ahmedabad. Not waiting for rains anymore. Excited about winter. ## Watching, reading… - Watching: I love Korean, Japanese and Indonesian movies. Recently watched [Grave Torture](https://www.netflix.com/in/title/81711292?ref=bhagyeshpathak.com). It is one of the best Indonesian horror movies I have watched this year. - I intend to watch a recent Malayalam movie named [Bethlehem Kudumba Unit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk0JHh1P9H0). Received as a good recommendation, let’s see when it is available on OTT platforms. - I’m also watching Better Call Saul. This was in my list since the time I watched Breaking Bad but just couldn’t spare time. As usual, Bob Odenkirk’s performance is dazzling. - Reading: During a recent bookfair visit, I stumpled upon [Maverick by Ricardo Semler](https://www.amazon.in/Maverick-Success-Behind-Unusual-Workplace/dp/0446670553) in the thrift section. This is something that I like about bookfairs and their second-hand book section. We come across books that we didn’t know we were looking for. I had this book in my Kindle and had read a few chapters a few years back, but had forgotten about it. If you’re interested in some radically different approach to running a workplace and business, this would be a surprising one. ## Working - A major update about [Feedhammer](https://feedhammer.com/). After launching it in July, the momentum didn’t sustain in terms of customer acquisition. One of the main reasons seems to be the lack of a Free Trial. So, now we have included a 7-day free trial on all subscription tiers. The original idea was to provide an experience of the feeds through the existing [Feedhammer Demo](https://app.feedhammer.com/demo) which doesn’t require any sign up. But looks like, I was wrong. At the end of the day, demo is just a demo. People want to tinker with things themselves. ## Travel plan… - I had to travel to Maharashtra in August, so unless something comes up, no other plan at the moment. Except for in October for leisure travel. ## Writing - I published the essay [Art as a positive force](https://sisyphusnotes.substack.com/p/art-as-a-positive-force?r=bhagyeshpathak.com) a few weeks back. Do give it a read. - There are a few more in the pipeline but there is no deadline. * * * ## Then Updated on July 3rd, 2026 from my desk ## Where and weather Ahmedabad waiting for rains. So, humid and cooler than the previous 4 months. ## Watching, reading… - Watching: [JCS Criminal Psychology](https://www.youtube.com/@JCS) videos on YouTube. JCS videos are almost over and now I’m getting into a similar channel called [Matt Orchard’s Crime and Society](https://www.youtube.com/@MattOrchardCrimeandSociety). Not the quality of JCS but it is fun. Takes tremendous effort to produce these videos. I have my utmost respect for people who create video content. - Reading: currently on my nth read of War of Art by Steven Pressfield. This book is like nutrition for soul. The working soul specifically. ## Working - At the beginning of this week, we opened [Feedhammer](https://feedhammer.com/) for public use. Contrary to what people believe, launching a product and then working to get customers is a full-time work. I’m currently in that phase–and I don’t think this work is going to get over anytime soon. Know anyone who’d benefit from Basecamp calendar management tool? Ask them to check out Feedhammer. - Oh yes, Feedhammer got listed as one of the [Basecamp’s official integrations](https://basecamp.com/integrations)! This is a huge milestone for us. It is one thing to create a third-party tool and completely a different feat to be added as one of the official integrations. ## Travel plan… Hopeful about sparing some time to travel. ## Writing “Art as a positive force” is almost complete. * * * ## Then Updated on June 1st, 2026 from my desk ## Where and weather Same as last time. Ahmedabad and hot. ## Watching, reading… - Watching: It is not happening as much as I wished. But I’ve found new cinema landscape to relish: Malayalam cinema. I didn’t know this side of world existed. Malayalam cinema is my new Korean and Japanese counterparts. Once you watch Hollywood movies, you realize that most Bollywood movies suck. Once you watch Korean and Japanese movies, you realize Hollywood movies suck. And once you’ve watched Malayalam movies, you realize: well, that’s that. Korean, Japanese and Malayalam are the new trio. - Reading: AI agent responses and documentation. That’s what I’ve been reading. ## Working - A few weeks back, we opened waitlist for [Feedhammer](https://feedhammer.com/)! If you use Basecamp or know someone who does, please suggest them to check out Feedhammer. They may find it helpful. In essence, Feedhammer aggregates a collection of Basecamp projects, cleans them up, filters them as per your choice and gives you one feed URL that you can add to Google Calendar or share with a client. They don’t have to keep checking Basecamp for any upcoming Meetings, Todos or Cards. Feedhammer is our answer to a very specific problem that most Basecamp users, especially Freelancers and Agency owners are feeling. We will be launching in a few weeks time. - New Product in line: While I am gearing up for Feedhammer launch, preparing Wu Wei Cards for onlie shopping…there’s a new product under development. I will share about it once I have created the prototype and tested it well. It is going to be an interesting take in the field of Development Practice and Social Impact. Idea for this product was brewing for quite some time but I wasn’t sure about its shape and focus. Last week, I was talking to one of my ex-colleagues and something clicked in my mind. And yes, the product is going to have AI built in it. It is going to be fun. - As for Wu Wei Cards, we have our first partner store displaying our product: [InStore](https://wuwei.cards/shop). It is a beautiful store. If you’re in Ahmedabad, I recommend visiting it. Not to purchase our product, but just to experience their store. Great taste. - We are looking for more partners to display Wu Wei Cards. If you happen to know a place that would be a good fit, please let me know. ## Travel plan… Mostly, I will be traveling to Pune in July. ## Writing I don’t know if these essays will see the light of day, but here are their working titles: - “Things we can learn from AI agents” - “How to lose track of time” - “Art as a positive force” - “What is so special about cooking” * * * ## Then Updated on March 27th, 2026 from my desk ## Where and weather… Same as my last update. Ahmedabad and Hot. ## Watching, reading… Reading a lot of articles and blogs on LLM mechanism, embeddings, context engineering etc. Thanks to the just completed Wu Wei Cards product. It forced me to take this work up. More in upcoming blogs and essays. ## Working As I mentioned, in the last update: - [Wu Wei Cards](https://wuwei.cards/) product is made live today. This is one of the long-running projects of Sisyphus Consulting Pvt. Ltd. In fact, even before the company was formed. This was always in the pipeline. Wu Wei cards is a combination of physical + digital + AI tech. I’m quite excited to share all the struggles, learning and insights in my upcoming blogs and essays. If you’re reading this and if you want to get your hands dirty with some real work and ideas, email me. - Feedhammer is still in the last phase of testing but there was a major feature addition that we had to do a few weeks back. All in all, I’m quite happy with the addition. It positions Feedhammer as a well-thought out product. Let’s see how much more time it takes for its rollout. - Based on my experience with the Wu Wei Cards’ AI feature, now I’m gearing up to offer personalized AI solutions for clients. We have solved the problem from technical and costing side, now we can help clients better. If you’re looking for a solution or has an inkling on something that you want to build for your organization–on your own data, we are in the perfect position to help you figure things out and build it. ## Travel plan… Every time I plan travel, something comes up. The last update’s travel plan didn’t happen. Let’s see what happens this time. In any case, April-June are not my favourite months of travel. ## Writing “You can just do things” essay is almost complete. It should be out by next week. * * * ## Then Updated on February 25th, 2026 from my desk ## Where and weather.. This hasn’t changed since my last update. Right now I’m residing in Ahmedabad. March-June months are typically quite hot here. And they’re getting hotter (until early 2000s the media and “experts” were saying it is due to some Ozone layer hole. Then they started saying that it is due to Global Warming. Now I’m convinced it is due to Climate Change). Let’s see how this season goes. ## Watching, reading… If I’m watching any movies, they’re mostly South Korean, Japanese or Indonesian ones. (This reminds me of compiling the list of movies that I have watched until now.) Currently reading “Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco”, a real corporate drama thriller. I haven’t read something like this ever. The authors are wordsmiths and real artists, painting a vivid picture of each character involved in the LBO (leveraged buyout) of RJR Nabisco. Simply beautiful. ## Working… In the last update, I had mentioned a couple of projects that I was working on. I have abandoned some of them. These are couple of things I’m working on: - Catering to a few clients on their tech solutions. - The Wu Wei Cards product is in its last phase: not only the physical cards, but also digital tools have been created. It is going to be a beautiful product providing a beautiful experience. - Another major software prdouct I’m working on is Feedhammer. It is still stealth and the testing is in its last phase. This product is going to be the biggest bet from Sisyphus Consulting in 2026. Bet in the sense of opening a product up for a large number of users. And yes, this product is focused on the US, UK, European market. We will see if Indian consumers want it and later on release India-specific tiers too. ## Travel plans… Travelling to Pune and around in March for work. Leisure travel may not be this planned, if it is going to happen, it would take a moment’s notice I guess. ## Writing… I have been publishing more than last year. However, long-form essays are taking more time. Currently writing an essay with a working title “you can just do things”. --- ## Posts ### How to make AI conversations effective? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/09/02/how-to-make-ai-conversations-effective/ Date: 2026-09-02 Description: Practical tips on making the most out of AI tools Author: Bhagyesh Pathak For most of us now, some of the most important conversations happen inside ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Grok websites. (I wanted to talk about the privacy and everything, but some other day.) Most of us treat these interfaces as chat. Even when we use them for serious work. When we’re doing a long-running work, we seed the AI with some initial files: reports, data sets, images, background etc. And these documents make up the base for all our future conversations. Initially, everything works well but as the time passes and conversations build up, the AI is overloaded with TMI (Too Much Information, courtesy: Michael Scott) And starts forgetting earlier details or outrightly makes up things. What to do? How to make it more effective without any tricks. Because it is pure mathematics, no tricks work except for tricks of mathematics. There are many things that we can do to make it more effective. But I want to share only two actionable things: // 1. One idea per chat thread: Asking the AI about your child’s homework and adding your data to generate a report in the same chat is mathematically abusive to the LLM and your usage meter. Because a single thread carries all previous messages in that conversation. If you’re sending your 10th message to the AI in the same chat thread, the previous 9 messages from you and the AI’s responses will be carried forward. It is game-changer for most people because it saves the usage and mainly, INCREASES your AI’s attention to the concept being discussed. // 2. Context distillation: This should be practiced when you’re working on long-running tasks. For example, you’ve got a 80 page report from where you need to check different things and use in your work. Context distillation significantly reduces your page count, mostly by 60%. The idea is very simple: we ask the AI to remove all semantic words and condense the document. You don’t know how to do it, just use the prompt provided in the comment. Save the result as your source of truth and you’re done. --- ### What will happen to Razorpay? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/09/01/what-will-happen-to-razorpay/ Date: 2026-09-01 Description: What will happen to Razorpay when Stripe and other global payment firms enter the Indian market? Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I had noted this experience in mid-January this year. I have used Razorpay for implementing subscriptions product in one of my clients’ projects. The amount of hoops I had to jump through to get my subscription do what I intended to do was painful. I was testing several things with Razorpay. But the one I want to share with you is about testing this scenario: when a customer’s card is charged and the subscription gets activated, Razorpay’s server sends a ping to my server. I was waiting for that ping on a scheduled day and time. It should work like an atomic clock. But I didn’t receive it. That’s the background, now going ahead: In the Test Mode, I had setup a dry-run to check the triggers of different webhook triggers. One of the key webhook triggers that I wanted to check was `subscription.activated`. It was important for me to get it right during tier change of the subscription from the user’s side. The day of expected trigger arrived and I kept waiting for hours. I checked all logs, even the events that had setup the subscription to take effect on the D-day. No luck. Finally, I wrote to Razorpay. ![razorpay-1](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/razorpay-1.webp) The customer agent connected over chat. She tried to diagnose what had gone wrong for 20 minutes. I supplied plenty of screenshots, logs, background during the conversation. All to no avail. The customer agent referred me to a specialist team. That took 24 more hours. And what response do I get from the specialist team? That Razorpay doesn’t send `charged` or `activated` webhook events in Test Mode! Wow! In the whole response, only the highlighted line is the answer to my query. Everything else is just fluff. The email didn’t refer to any documentation mentioning this difference. ![razorpay-2](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/razorpay-2.webp) ![razorpay-3](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/razorpay-3.webp) I’m just wondering how Razorpay intends to lead in their core market–that is India, with such a abysmal developer experience? The Govt of India’s policies have tied global giant Stripe’s hands FOR NOW. What would happen after Stripe’s full-fledged entry? Carnage. If Razorpay is serious about growing and maintaining, the number one thing they need to fix is their developer experience. Because the economy is moving more and more towards subscription models and whoever provides a superior developer experience, is going to get the market. For example, I chose Dodo Payments for my next project, not Razorpay. --- ### Scaling LLMs at the Edge: A journey through distillation, routers, and embeddings URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/04/01/scaling-llms-at-the-edge/ Date: 2026-04-01 Description: Learn how I built an AI-powered facilitation assistant using LLM distillation, embedding-based routing, and Cloudflare Workers—all within a $2 per customer budget. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak *I have extensively edited this article after an LLM agent combed through my codebase and prepared the initial draft.* *Originally published at [Sisyphus Consulting blog](https://sisyphusconsulting.org/case-studies/2026/04/01/scaling-llms-at-the-edge)* At **[Sisyphus Consulting](https://sisyphusconsulting.org/)**, We recently launched a unique product in the market: physical facilitation cards + digital tools for virtual facilitation. They’re named **[Wu Wei Cards](https://wuwei.cards/)**. But this write-up is not about the product. I want to share the behind-the-scenes events of how I navigated through tinkering with LLMs, Embeddings and the whole trial-and-error. If you’re building something in AI-space, I hope this would be helpful to you. First, let me give the background so that you know the WHATs and WHYs. ## The Product and the Constraint Wu Wei Cards is a deck of 50 hand-drawn metaphorical cards for facilitators, coaches, and therapists. People use them in workshops. To help participants reflect, open up, and explore ideas through objects and images rather than direct questioning. This is how they look like: ![wuwei-6.webp](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/wuwei-6.webp) Anyone who buys the physical deck gets an access code that unlocks **[Wu Wei Planner](https://wuwei.cards/wu-wei-planner)**, a complimentary AI companion. It helps facilitators plan sessions, interpret cards, and think through how to use them in different professional contexts. It understands the nuances — when to flag trauma-sensitive approaches, how to frame questions that don’t lead people, which cards work for different situations. The Wu Wei Planner is free. Complimentary. No subscription. Because we just wanted the customer to get familiar, get help onboarding and some handholding while working with the session planning in the beginning. That meant we had to decide a hard cost ceiling first. In dollar terms, the cards cost $20 and if we assign 10% of its value to be spent on Wu Wei Planner, **$2 per customer** seemed like a good budget. As I mentioned, there are no recharges, no top-ups. The chat interface shows a token usage indicator, and when the customer’s token budget drops below 20%, the system gently warns them. Once the budget is exhausted, that’s it. This constraint was entirely self-imposed. Every customer who buys the deck deserves as much useful runway as possible. $2 doesn’t go far unless you’re careful. That’s why I needed to optimize vigorously. The idea is simple: every token saved can give the customer more conversation before hitting the wall. ## The Infrastructure: Why Cloudflare Workers Before getting into the optimization journey, it’s worth explaining the stack, because the infrastructure choices shaped every decision that followed. Everything runs on a **[Cloudflare Worker](https://workers.cloudflare.com/)** — a serverless function deployed at the edge, close to users. Why Workers? - **No infra management.** I already manage a decent number of infra and I simply didn’t want to do it for something that was always-on, secure, and on the edge. - **Zero cold starts.** Workers don’t cold start problems. - **Edge deployment.** 200+ locations worldwide. Requests are handled geographically close to the user. - **Built-in KV storage.** I use Cloudflare KV to store access code hashes and token usage per customer. No separate database needed. - **Native streaming support.** LLM streaming responses work cleanly without extra plumbing. - **Generous free tier.** 100,000 requests per day. ### How does the site talk to the AI model? The Wu Wei Cards website is static and it calls the Worker via a simple HTTPS POST. The Worker validates the access code, assembles the prompt, calls the LLM, and streams the response back. Each request is stateless — the browser sends the full conversation history every time. Here’s the basic flow: ``` ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ CLOUDFLARE WORKER │ │ │ │ Client Request │ │ ↓ │ │ ┌──────────────┐ │ │ │ CORS Handler │ │ │ └──────┬───────┘ │ │ ↓ │ │ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │ │ │ Access Code │───▶│ KV_STORE │ │ │ │ Validation │ │ (token use) │ │ │ └──────┬───────┘ └──────────────┘ │ │ ↓ │ │ ┌────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ PROMPT ASSEMBLER │ │ │ │ Knowledge Base + Chat History │ │ │ └──────────────┬─────────────────────┘ │ │ ↓ │ │ ┌────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ LLM │ │ │ │ Streaming Response │ │ │ └────────────────────────────────────┘ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` This is quite simple and standard setup. Our rest of the conversation is going to mostly focus on the last part of the diagram: Prompt Assembler and the LLM interaction. I had a lot of tinkering done in that part. ## Phase 1: Full Context (The Baseline) I started simple: give the AI everything. The complete knowledge base — 50 card descriptions, 15 profession-specific contexts, facilitation principles, wu wei philosophy, trauma-handling guidelines — all of it, in every request, every time. I checked on **[OpenAI’s tokenizer](https://platform.openai.com/tokenizer)**, the knowledge base hit roughly **17,000 tokens** count. I picked GPT-4.1-nano as the main model: cheap, fast, and capable enough for a first pass. I was actually surprised that even with the full 17,000 tokens of system prompt, the LLM responses streamed back almost instantly. I kind of knew that it wouldn’t be an issue, but I was actually surprised nonetheless. So, if you’re wondering, now I can tell you with high confidence that **token count doesn’t equal latency.** Modern LLMs handle large context just fine. Now that I had kind of dried-run the setup, it was time to optimize. Because as I laid out earlier: we had a solid cap of $2 per customer, which would translate to approximately 2M tokens budget (we haven’t bifurcated the budget into INPUT and OUTPUT token count.) To illustrate my point about token cost and its implications, let me quickly run you through the calculation. ### The Token Math With most frontier models approaching 1M context window and offering free services, 17,000 tokens per request sounds manageable and very low token count. But once we account for how chat actually works, you’d understand the reason behind optimization. For any single thread of chat, every message sends the full knowledge base *plus* the growing conversation history: - Message 1: ~17,350 tokens - Message 2: ~17,700 tokens (history accumulating) - Message 10: ~20,350 tokens With GPT-4.1-nano at $0.15 per million input tokens, a 20-message conversation costs roughly $0.06–0.08 in input tokens alone. Multiply that across a $2 budget and we’re looking at maybe 25–30 meaningful conversations per customer. That felt like too little runway. So I started cutting. Now, you will see different strategies that I implemented. ## Phase 2: Tier-Based Context First idea: environment-variable controlled context tiers. I tried slashing the knowledge base in different modular structures: - **Minimal**: Core philosophy + handful of key cards (~1K tokens) - **Balanced**: Philosophy + all 50 cards, short descriptions (~3K tokens) - **Full**: Everything (~17K tokens) I set the environment variable of the prompt assembler to inject different length of contexts. I had thought that if the minimal or balanced ones provided good responses, I would stick to them. But as you can imagine, trimming the context so think wouldn’t have worked. The responses were awful, sounded like a generic support bot who was moonlighting for a firm he didn’t even bothered to look into. So, just ditched that effort. Now, looking at the failure of my context modularization, I got the idea of context distillation (or compression, whatever you want to call it as there are so many emerging techniques): what if I removed all unnecessary semantic words that are necessary for humans but not for an LLM? ## Phase 3: Context Distillation I researched a bit about it and found **[LLMLingua](https://github.com/microsoft/LLMLingua)** by Microsoft promising. What I could gather from their documentation was that they were probably rephrasing the prompt in a compressed manner and the performance enhanced, didn’t suffer. I was too desperate. So, I just asked Claude for context distillation instead of going with LLMLingua. Just so you know what we are talking about: the knowledge base was written for human reading: rich prose, careful explanations, context for every nuance. That’s not what an LLM needs. I stripped out the semantic padding and compressed everything into dense, AI-parseable directives. Here’s what that looked like for a single card: **Before (~300 tokens):** ``` "fire": "Keywords: passion, intensity, enthusiasm, destruction, chaos, transformation, warmth, purification, anger, desire. Metaphor: Fire is one of the most emotionally charged cards in the deck. It can represent burning motivation, the destructive force of unchecked anger, the warmth of community, or the transformative heat that turns raw material into something new. Approach: This card rarely produces neutral responses. Hold space for both the generative (passion, warmth) and the difficult (anger, destruction). Do not steer toward the 'positive' interpretation. The power is in its duality.. Prompts: What is the first thing this fire brings up for you?; Is this fire helpful or harmful in what you are imagining?; Who or what tends the fire in your situation?; What would happen if this fire went out? What would happen if it spread?; Is this fire yours, or does it belong to someone else?. Contexts: coaching: Explore motivation and drive. What is fueling versus burning out the client?; therapy: Approach carefully — fire can surface anger or trauma. Establish right-to-pass first.; hr: Use in culture conversations or burnout discussions. Is the organization's fire warming people or consuming them?; education: Explore learning motivation. What subject makes this kind of fire in you?; management: Team energy, performance, and change management. Where do you feel this fire in our project?; mediation: Name emotional heat. Which part of this situation feels most like fire for you? ``` **After (~100 tokens):** ``` CARD:Fire | kw:passion,intensity,enthusiasm,destruction,chaos,transformation, warmth,purification,anger,desire | !caution:anger/trauma may surface; establish right-to-pass | core:Duality — generative AND destructive. Rarely neutral. Never steer positive. | prompts:What does this fire bring up first?|Is it helpful or harmful?|Who tends it?|What if it went out?|Is this fire yours? ``` Same information. Roughly 60% fewer tokens. The LLM reads it fine. Applied across the whole knowledge base, the system prompt dropped from 17k tokens to roughly **12k tokens**. Responses stayed the same. So, savings of 5k tokens. Not bad. But 12k tokens per request was still too much. So, the next thing I realized I needed *selective injection*. I just had an inkling about what I wanted: there should be a mechanism that would go through the user’s query and inject a specific chunk of the context in the system prompt so that the model can respond well. Basically, I was looking to route the query and so ended up with an idea of router LLM. ## Phase 4: The Router Architecture The router idea was elegant in theory: use a cheap, fast model to analyze each user message and decide which context chunks to inject into the main model’s prompt. Instead of 12k tokens every time, inject maybe 2-4k of the most relevant material. **And what would it cost?** Approximately 1300 tokens of system prompt for the router LLM + 200-300 tokens of user query = ~1500 tokens. Spending ~1500 tokens on a routing decision to save ~10,000 tokens of unnecessary context is a good deal. But it wasn’t that straightforward. Before we get to the problems, let us look at the attempts. ### Attempt 1: GPT-4.1-nano as Router I kept GPT-4.1-nano for the router. Same model, different job. Cheap and fast, seemed right for simple classification. And how would the router inject the context? JSON. That was a no-brainer answer in my mind. If you want some more clarification, the router LLM was instructed to strictly ouput a JSON object that looked like this: ``` { "schema_version": "1.1", "session_state_update": { "profession": "therapist", "group_context": "small_group", "session_goal": "processing recent team conflict" }, "intent": { "primary": "session_planning", "confidence": "high", "requires_clarification": false }, "context_injection": { "core": true, "cards": { "inject": true, "selection_basis": "theme", "themes": ["conflict", "communication", "healing"], "card_slugs": ["broken_glass", "chain_links_breaking", "butterfly"] }, "professional_context": { "inject": true, "profession": "therapist" }, "facilitation_principles": true, "trauma_sensitive_guidance": true }, "response_mode": "answer", "flags": { "out_of_scope": false, "sensitive_content": false, "crisis_signal": false } } ``` The router was provided with enough context to make these decisions. This JSON was fed into the prompt assembler. The assembler would just take this object and form a system prompt. It looked fine on paper but from the outset, JSON malformations started. **80% of router responses had malformed JSON.** Trailing commas, missing closing braces, unescaped quotes embedded in reasoning text. The model couldn’t reliably produce structured output. You can see my tunnel-thinking from the fact that I built a fragile repair system: ``` function repairRouterOutput(raw) { raw = raw.replace(/,(\s*[}\]])/g, "$1"); // trailing commas const jsonMatch = raw.match(/```(?:json)?\s*([\s\S]*?)```/); if (jsonMatch) raw = jsonMatch[1]; // strip markdown fences const openBraces = (raw.match(/{/g) || []).length; const closeBraces = (raw.match(/}/g) || []).length; if (openBraces > closeBraces) { raw += "}".repeat(openBraces - closeBraces); // patch missing braces } return JSON.parse(raw); } ``` This recovered about 60% of malformed responses. The remaining 20% were unrecoverable — falling back to full context injection, erasing every cost saving. Then I researched and found out about Gemini 2.5 flash’s reputation for good JSON output. ### Attempt 2: Gemini 2.5 Flash as Router Switched the router to Gemini 2.5 Flash. JSON malformation dropped to under 3%. Problem solved. Then I hit the latency wall. Until I switched to Gemini, I could not reliably produce the JSON object and hence I hadn’t noticed the latency issue. Mostly, I was busy fire-fighting the JSON malformations. But now I experienced an average latency of 6 seconds before the first character streamed in the front-end. Let me call it 6000 ms so you feel the effect. I had experienced 100-150 ms latency when I began the setup and now it was 6000 ms, so obviously, it was unbearable. The reason behind this was clear: two LLMs working sequentially. ### The 6-Second Wait Two sequential LLM calls meant no response until both finished: ``` User Query ↓ [Router: 4–5 seconds] Router Decision ↓ [Main: ~1 second] Streaming Response ``` Objectively if you think about, the router LLM should not take more than 1 second to output but after running several trial-and-errors, I’m convinced, it was the JSON output step that was the rate limiting factor. (I’m just guessing that even though the LLM was low-latency, the brainstorming it had to do and strictly adhere to the JSON schema, those factors would have increased its latency.) One thing that I mistakenly did well was addition of a “thinking…” spinner in the chat bubble. It helped a bit as it felt like something was happening. But 6 seconds is 6 seconds. In any case, before we move ahead, this is our score board: | Approach | Tokens/Request | Latency | Cost/Message | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Full Context | ~12,000 input | ~1s | ~$0.0018 | | Router-Based | ~1500 (router) + ~3K (main) | **~6s** | ~$0.0005 | Fantastic cost improvement. But catastrophic latency. And we are not counting router cost yet. Negligible but not zero. ### Stepping back If you noticed my steps until now, most of them were reactive. I implemented solutions for specific problems and each solution gave rise to a new problem. So I stepped back and reviewed where I was. One thing was clear to me: ### I Had Over-Engineered the Router Looking back, I was neck-deep in a problem and micro-managing things just because I could. The router had accumulated responsibility for: - Intent classification (9 types) - Whether to ask clarifying questions - Which cards to inject - Which profession context was relevant - Crisis and sensitive content flags - Response mode (answer vs. clarify vs. decline) - Session goal extraction This was only the router’s problem. I had also dictated too much to the main model. The router would inject `response_mode: "clarify_then_assist"` and the main model would obediently ask clarifying questions even when the context made the answer obvious. Responses felt stiff, mechanical. You saw the JSON object structure mentioned earlier. It looks thorough, right? But it was unnecessary. Sharing an excerpt from my notes to Claude on this setup during the realization: > - I’m still out here to save tokens and at the same time, reduce latency. > -
one of the things in your three-layer architecture that I realized was layer-3 of router LLM. Let me comment on each of them: requires_clarification: when we pass the user message to the main model, it can do it on its owncrisis_signal: this flag inserts just a small number of token prompt, which we can make part of the core promptssensitive_content: same as crisis_signalintent.primary: main model can derive and decide the intentsession_goal: main model can derive and respond
> > - The main reason for chunking was to save the tokens by not inserting the mammoth 50 cards and profession data. They can be very well done by embeddings. Even if it misclassifies, we have two options: > > 1. keep one-line info in the core prompt about these mammoth chunks > 2. main model is not stupid, it will make up something relatable, but with our one-line prompt, it will not be clueless either. We are not doing search engine work, so it is fine. In essence, the router needed to do only one job: find relevant cards and a profession context. That’s it. Now I needed to ditch the router and get it done more cheaply in terms of time and money. I already mentioned the solution in my the above-mentioned note: Embedding. ## Phase 5: The Embedding Breakthrough I needed something low-latency, low-cost, and deterministic. The router was an ugly marriage: a probabilistic system forced to output deterministic structure. JSON is binary: valid or not. LLMs are not binary. Embeddings are different. They generate vectors: arrays of raw numbers that represent the *meaning* of text. You run similarity search on those numbers. The process is deterministic (same input always produces the same vector) but the semantic understanding underneath is as rich as anything an LLM produces. Deterministic and magical at the same time. #### How Embeddings Work If you already know this, skip ahead. An embedding model takes a piece of text and converts it into a fixed-length array of numbers — a vector. OpenAI’s `text-embedding-3-small`, which I use here, produces 1536 numbers for any input, whether it’s two words or two paragraphs. The useful property is that meaning is preserved in the geometry. Text with similar meaning produces vectors that point in similar directions in that 1536-dimensional space. “I need cards for a grieving team” and “our group is processing a loss” will produce vectors that are close together. “What’s the best pasta recipe” will produce a vector that’s far from both. You see? The model is placing these words in a hyperdimensional space. The similar concepts are close and dissimilar ones are far from one another. I find this magical. In any case, the key thing about `text-embedding-3-small` specifically: **it always produces the same vector for the same input.** No temperature, no randomness, no probabilistic sampling. Feed it “Fire card” today and in six months, you get identical numbers. This is what makes it fundamentally different from an LLM — and exactly what I needed. ### Why the 50 Cards Were a Perfect Fit Not every problem is well-suited to embeddings. Mine happened to be close to ideal. Each of the 50 cards and 15 professional contexts is self-contained. The Fire card description doesn’t reference the Butterfly card. The therapist context doesn’t depend on the HR context. There’s no cross-referencing, no “see above,” no shared state. Each item is an isolated semantic unit. This matters because embedding similarity only works cleanly when items have clear boundaries. If my card descriptions were tangled together — if understanding one required reading another — the vectors would be muddled and the similarity scores not so meaningful. I prepared rich descriptions for the embedding generation pass: averaging 270 words per card and profession. Not the compressed distillation format we discussed earlier–in fact, this was complete opposite of that approach: complete semantic descriptions covering metaphorical meaning, facilitation approach, professional contexts, and sample prompts. More words meant richer vectors. ``` // Example description used for embedding generation const cardDescription = ` Fire: This card represents the duality of passion and destruction. Keywords: intensity, warmth, chaos, transformation, anger, desire. Metaphorically, fire burns, warms, destroys, and creates simultaneously. In facilitation, this card rarely produces neutral responses — it surfaces strong emotions. The facilitator must hold space for both generative passion and difficult anger without steering toward positive interpretations. Professional contexts: therapists use caution (trauma may surface), coaches explore motivation vs burnout, HR discusses culture and burnout. `; ``` This ran **once**, before deployment. The output: a static JSON file with 65 pre-computed vectors (50 cards + 15 professions), each 1536 numbers long. About 300kb total. You can now think of this 300kb pre-computed vector file as a dictionary or a map. I have vectors (the raw numbers) of my cards and professions. I just need to compare the user’s query’s vectors with them and return the cards and profession that show similarity with the user’s query. The process is simple. At query time, I embed only the user’s message. One API call, 15–20ms, ~150 tokens. I get the vector of the query immediately. I feed this vector to the cosine similarity function in pure JavaScript, which matches the query’s similarity against the pre-computed vectors of the cards + professions. And outputs: 3 cards and 1 profession. Here’s the full similarity function: ``` function cosineSimilarity(a, b) { let dot = 0, normA = 0, normB = 0; for (let i = 0; i < a.length; i++) { dot += a[i] * b[i]; normA += a[i] ** 2; normB += b[i] ** 2; } return dot / (Math.sqrt(normA) * Math.sqrt(normB)); } export function findTopMatches(queryVector, items, { k = 3, threshold = 0.2 }) { const scored = items.map((item) => ({ ...item, score: cosineSimilarity(queryVector, item.embedding), })); scored.sort((a, b) => b.score - a.score); return scored.filter((item) => item.score >= threshold).slice(0, k); } ``` Cosine similarity measures the angle between two vectors — ignoring magnitude, focusing purely on direction. A score of 1.0 means identical meaning. 0.0 means no relationship. -1.0 means opposite relationship. I learned from the net that for text embeddings in practice, most similarity scores fall between 0.1 and 0.7. So, the higher the similarity score, the better. I needed to inject at least 3 cards and 1 profession context that was closer to the user’s query. So, I began by setting the similarity threshold score. ### The Threshold Calibration Problem I started with a threshold of 0.7. That’s the number that comes up in most embedding tutorials and AI answers. No matches. Every query returned empty. Lowered to 0.6. Still nothing. I added live server logging to see the raw scores. The top matches were landing around 0.40–0.45. Reasonably related pairs scored 0.27–0.35. After seeing those scores, I realized that there were two reasons why my similarity results were hovering around 0.35-0.4 instead of the proposed 0.7: **Older models, denser spaces.** Embedding models with ~300 dimensions compress semantic meaning into a smaller space, which naturally produces higher similarity scores — good matches score 0.7–0.8. `text-embedding-3-small` has 1536 dimensions. The semantic space is higher resolution and more spread out. The same conceptual relationship scores around 0.4 instead of 0.7. **My content is metaphorical.** “Fire” and “burnout” are related but they’re not semantically close the way “London” and “England” are. The content domain genuinely called for lower thresholds. *If you’re interested in visualizing embeddings, check this **[TensorFlow Embedding Visualizer](https://projector.tensorflow.org/)**.* So, ultimately, **I calibrated thresholds against my actual data, not against recommendations written for different models and different content.** Final thresholds for this project: - Cards: **0.2** — low enough to capture weak but relevant associations - Professions: **0.25** — single selection, slightly higher confidence needed ### The New Architecture ``` ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ CLOUDFLARE WORKER │ │ │ │ Client Request → CORS → Access Code Validation │ │ ↓ │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ EMBEDDING LAYER (text-embedding-3-small) │ │ │ │ Embed user query (15–20ms) │ │ │ │ Cosine similarity → top 3 cards, top 1 profession│ │ │ └──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────┘ │ │ ↓ [~20ms total] │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ PROMPT ASSEMBLER │ │ │ │ Core (~800t): philosophy + one-line card refs │ │ │ │ Selected (~1–2K t): full card + profession data│ │ │ │ + crisis suggestion if keyword-flagged │ │ │ └──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────┘ │ │ ↓ │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ MAIN LLM (GPT-4.1-nano → later 4o-mini) │ │ │ │ Streaming Response (~1 second to first token) │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` Total overhead: ~20ms and ~150 tokens. Compare that to the router’s 6,000ms and ~1500 tokens. The main model now handles everything the router was trying to manage — intent, clarification decisions, response tone. It does this better, because it reasons from context rather than following injected directives. The responses became quite better. This is the final scoreboard. | Metric | **Full-Context** | Router-Based | Embedding-Based | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Latency | **~1 second** | **~6 seconds** | **~1 second** | | Token overhead | ~12,000 tokens | ~1500 tokens | ~150 tokens | | Card selection accuracy | ~100% | ~85% | ~80% | | Code complexity | Lowest | High | Low | | Failure rate | ~0% | ~3% | ~0% | The 5-point accuracy drop is a non-issue. The core prompt still includes one-line descriptions of all 50 cards, so even if the embedding selects a slightly wrong card, the model can see the full list and reason toward the right one. Conversational AI doesn’t need search-engine precision. I kept the “thinking…” spinner. Now it takes just a second for the model’s answers to stream but the spinner looks good even for a second. ## Phase 6: Model Quality Once the embedding architecture was stable, the latency and cost problems were solved. The only issue remained of the response *quality*. It wasn’t as good as the directions in the core system prompt. The responses were following the prompt structure but missing the nuance. Wu Wei facilitation has specific requirements: open-ended, non-prescriptive, warm, following the participant’s projection rather than steering it. GPT-4.1-nano was clearly the wrong choice. There’s a developer version of **[Maslow’s hierarchy of needs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs)** at work here. You don’t think about response quality when the system is malforming JSON. You don’t think about nuance when you’re irritated by 6-second latency. Only once the infrastructure basics are solved: reliability, speed, cost etc, does quality rise to the top of your priorities I immediately switched to GPT-4o-mini. Response quality improved 10x. Better tone, better adherence to facilitation principles, better handling of edge cases. ## Phase 7: Benchmarking with Promptfoo The final step was formalizing what “good” looked like so I could test changes without depending on my gut feeling. I used **[promptfoo](https://promptfoo.dev/)** for automated evaluation. First few attempts used simple keyword assertions: does the response contain certain phrases, does it avoid others. That kind of thing. It was largely a waste of time. Because the problem I’m dealing with is different. Wu Wei Planner’s quality isn’t about keywords. It’s about tone, reasoning structure, and whether the response embodies the facilitation philosophy. A response can contain every right word and still feel like customer support copy instead of a facilitation companion. So, I removed promptfoo’s simple assertion types called `contain` and used `llm-rubric` instead. This is a very interesting evaluation. Promptfoo runs the model’s response through an LLM. That LLM judges the response on our provided rubric and evaluates. This is how it looked like for my use case. Sharing two test assertions: ``` tests: # LLM Sensitivity Evaluation: Right-to-pass principle - vars: query: "What if someone refuses to engage with the cards?" assert: - type: llm-rubric value: | Wu Wei Philosophy Context: Right-to-pass: always available, never questioned, never commented on. Resistance is information. Facilitator validates and offers alternatives without pressure. Never insist or encourage forcefully. Evaluate the response for: 1. Does it honor right-to-pass as absolute and non-negotiable? 2. Does it treat resistance as information, not problem to solve? 3. Is the tone accepting and non-pressure-inducing? 4. Does it avoid phrases like "Encourage them to try" or "insist"? Respond with: PASS/FAIL and a 1-2 sentence comment explaining your judgment. # LLM Tone Evaluation: Coaching context - vars: query: "How do I use these cards as a life coach?" assert: - type: llm-rubric value: | Wu Wei Philosophy Context: The AI supports coaches with goal setting, limiting belief work, and vision creation. Cards bypass client's invested self-image. Use metaphor when client is stuck in their own language. Trust the projection over immediate explanation. Never clinical diagnosis or therapy. Evaluate the response for: 1. Is the advice appropriate for coaching (not therapy/clinical)? 2. Does it emphasize metaphor and projection without prescribing? 3. Is the tone supportive but non-directive? 4. Does it avoid clinical or diagnostic language? Respond with: PASS/FAIL and a 1-2 sentence comment explaining your judgment. ``` And this was their evaluation results: ![wu-wei-planner-eval-llm-1.png](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/wu-wei-planner-eval-llm-1.png) ![wu-wei-planner-eval-llm-2.png](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/wu-wei-planner-eval-llm-2.png) You can see the LLM-judge’s comments in RED and GREEN. The black text is the response it has evaluated. (Also, note the ~1 second latency recorded by promptfoo.) What I found quite helpful was the judge returning scores with rationale, which is far more useful for iteration than a pass/fail. You can see *why* a response underperformed, not just that it did. All in all, I’m quite satisfied with the results. * * * ## My takeaways **Start simpler than you think is necessary.** This is such a no-brainer. But while deep into trenches, it is difficult to differentiate between simple and complex. Most of my solutions sounded “simple”. I was just trying to fix just one tiny problem at a time. Taking a step back helped a lot. **Distillate your system prompts.** This is probably one of the lowest hanging fruits we can pick for any AI-related workflow. You don’t have to lift a finger, just use **[these prompts](https://gist.github.com/bhagyeshsp/b2728f41ef96d14fff76f52607aca684)** I have created. **One LLM is better than two LLMs.** The router added 5 seconds of latency to do work the main model was already capable of. Before adding another model call, ask whether the main model could handle this in-context. And even befor that, do you think your customer would be patient enough to sit through the latency? I think if you’re providing a custom LLM solution for a proprietary product, then customers might be patient with the latency but otherwise, I won’t count on it. **Calibrate thresholds for your data.** Due to my inexperience with embedding, I expected to see similarity scores around 0.7 because that’s what most articles and AI agents suggested. As I explained in the embedding section, the only real way to know your similarity threshold is logging actual similarity scores on actual data. **Pre-compute everything you can.** Generating embeddings once and loading them as a static file eliminated API rate limits on the embedding call, cold-start latency, and cost unpredictability. If your dataset fits in memory, keep it in memory. **Model quality is a separate concern from architecture.** I spent a lot of time optimizing the infrastructure around a model that wasn’t the right fit. The embedding approach with GPT-4.1-nano was fast and cheap. It just wasn’t good. Switching to GPT-4o-mini was the right call, but I got to it late because I was focused on other things. **Accept 95% solutions.** The embedding approach matches the “right” card about 80% of the time and a “relevant” card about 95% of the time. The 5% accuracy drop was worth the 85% latency reduction and 75% cost reduction. This isn’t a search engine. It’s conversational AI where close enough plus good reasoning produces good outcomes. * * * ## Closing Thoughts Every situation is different. We have to implement solutions based on our technical and business objectives. Recently, I came across a few click-bait videos on “RAG is dead.” But that’s all click-bait. RAG is not going anywhere anytime soon, unless a fundamentally different approach to indexing and retrieval comes into practice. Pls share your thoughts, ideas and questions. Especially, any other architecture that you have tried and tested. * * * Originally posted at: https://sisyphusconsulting.org/case-studies/2026/04/01/scaling-llms-at-the-edge/ --- ### You can just do things URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/03/30/you-can-just-do-things/ Date: 2026-03-30 Description: In the age of AI, you don’t need permission to start. Here’s why you can—and should—just do things without waiting for approval. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak *A few days into writing this essay, I realized that this essay is for men. So, if you’re a woman, you’re welcome to read, just be mindful that it is based largely on a man’s experience of the world and adapts a specific set of masculine premises on life, world and fulfilment.* If there’s one thing that I truly believe in, it is this: you can just do things. Let me repeat it: You. Can. Just. Do. Things. And in the age of AI, this belief becomes stronger than ever. Whatever limitations remained in the internet technology, the AI technology is overcoming them. In fact, it already has overcome the limitation of personalization. We have now a highly smart guide at our fingertips who can help us understand toughest of concepts tirelessly. The only condition is, are we ready? Do we want that guidance? ## Do you want to do things? So many men get paralyzed by inaction because they want to do something “great”, something “massive”. Something world-changing. They want to directly publish a book instead of blogs. They want to build a business or a career that directly takes them to the top of the market, without grinding or apprenticeship. And there is another type of men who don’t do anything. They’re a bit different than the first kind. While the first kind wants to accomplish great things and become paralyzed, this other type of men just don’t want to do things. At the most, they want to think about doing things someday. “Wanting to” and “thinking to” do things are just day-dreams. Not ambitions. And it is okay to be unambitious. But then, it is not okay to complain. To be able to “just do things”, you need to feel a need inside your heart. A need to do something. If you genuinely do not have that feeling, then it is totally fine. Just refine your expectations and don’t let people get to your mind. Above all, don’t complain or fall in the rut of victimhood. And to tell you the truth, if you’re a man and you lack an internal need to do things, I don’t know what type of life you’re experiencing. I’d seriously feel numb. I’d err on the side of wanting to do things. ## The problem of waiting Until now, even in the age of internet, there was a huge majority of people who were perpetually waiting. Waiting to be told, waiting to be taught, waiting to be hired, waiting to graduate, waiting to be recognized…waiting to..in essence, BECOME. While they waited to realize their dreams, a motivated small minority used the internet to cut the waiting queue. This wonderful minority of people decided they didn’t need to wait for anyone’s approval to do what they wanted to do. And we have seen how they have transformed our world, our work and our lives. (Most TitTok and Instagram reels creators don’t count. Because brainrot factories don’t enrich our lives.) We are now entering an era which is inviting the ones who are still waiting. The ones who are little bit afraid. The ones who find comfort in taking shelter of the “known ways” of the world. It is not that they like to wait. This is not their first choice. It is just how it turned out. With a combination of factors outside their control–that is what they tell themselves, and some opportunity gaps. Whatever the case, whether you fall under the said minority or the majority group, the threshold has been lowered. All you have to do is make a choice. ## Scratch your own itch I’m not talking about building your own business or some app or something like that. I’m simply talking in terms of doing things. You don’t need permission or instructions from the external world to scratch your own itch. Noticed your chair is making squeeky noise? Scratch your own itch by spraying it with WD-40. Noticed people throwing rubbish here and there? Scratch your own itch by installing a trash can. I’m not saying all this without a first-hand experience. As long as I remember, I have always scratched my own itch. One thing that I’m quite proud of is an app that I had created to scratch my itch. It was approximately 11-12 years back. The problem was simple: whenever I was travelling, especially late-night flights, on the way to pickup, I had to call and explain to the taxi guy where I was standing and what I looked like. You know how difficult it gets when everyone is standing near the arrivals and waiting for the taxi guy to show up. Too chaotic. I figured that I needed an app that showed bright, colorful blinking lights on mobile screen. I didn’t know programming full-fledged at the time, so I made use of the tool at hand: [MIT App Inventor](https://appinventor.mit.edu/) It is a free, visual coding platform. Just in a few sittings, I had my android app ready. I named it Loom. You can download it from my [Google Drive folder here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tcBLCMcoYMAOrFYzqhureOe09I78K06X/view?usp=sharing). I still use that app. This is how it looks: ![Loom App Screenshot](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/loom-screenshot.webp) Tapping a color on the screen results in full-screen color blinking. If I want it to stop blinking, I shake the phone and it stops. That’s it. This was done 11-12 years back. All this description only to illustrate my point: You can just do things. ## Think internet, then international Not everyone can leave India (my sentiment of India’s opportunity landscape has significantly changed negatively in the past couple of years) and get some work or permanent visa to reside in a better-organized country. So, I’m going to talk about the greatest visa of all: TCP/IP visa, aka, the internet. You have it. I have it. And we use this visa to travel far-away places digitally. Internet doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t gatekeep. If you’ve got something worthy to share, the internet will actually reward you for it. It may be just a like, a comment, a dollar or maybe a job offer. It can be anything. But it will reward you without fail. In [his X post](https://x.com/balajis/status/1998967507554832594), Balaji has addressed this point. ![Balaji on Internet](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/balaji-internet-international.webp) No one is asking you to limit your dreams and ambitions. But as I noted in the beginning, so many people succumb to inaction because they want to do something international. Something great. If they can do it, great, but if it doesn’t happen, then internet is a good entry point. It takes you places, even international. And above all, you can just do things on the internet. ## Your first dollar online changes your outlook Speaking of internet… Several years back, I had read this statement somewhere on the social media: “your first dollar online changes your outlook.” I didn’t know at the time that it will get engraved on my brain tissues and never leave me. Because when I indeed made my first dollar online, it changed something inside me. It was this [Data System Design handbook](https://wuweied.gumroad.com/l/datasystem). I think somewhere around late 2022, I was feeling a strong urge to share my ideas on creating data system, from operational point of view. So, I typed out the mini-handbook and put up on Gumroad. Again, internet. It just lets you do things. ![Data System Design Handbook](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/data-system-design-gumroad.webp) And shortly, somebody paid $1 to buy this. And if I remember correctly, it was somebody from Czech Republic. 6000 km away from India! This $1 indeed changed my outlook. I can’t describe it in words but you can feel it in my words and tone. One of the immediate feelings is immense gratitude. You feel grateful for getting recognized for your contribution. For most people–especially men–money is the world’s greatest validation. The world tells you what you’re doing is useful. Money is universal token of appreciation. There are only 8 downloads of this data system handbook since its launch but you know, the best change of outlook is the beginning of internal-search. The search of your gifts that can be valued higher by the market. The vast internet market. You can just do things. ## Open-source is always open I’ve been quite late to the open-source party. I was unaware of the secret world of systems that run the world. ![Open Source Comic](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/open-source_comic_xkcd.webp) Before I talk more about open-source, let me check one thing with you. If you’re working in non-tech field, and as soon as you read “open-source” in the above paragraph, did you think: “open-source? I’m a non-tech person.” If you did, you need to pay attention. Most of the projects that we generally talk about under open-source are related to technology. But, that’s not what open-source is about. Open-source is about collaboration. Now, “collaboration” sounds like just another bland, over-used, worn out..in Ayn Rand’s language: a corporate bromide. And there’s a reason to it. Much of what we call collaboration is mostly communicating with other people because we work in the same organization or industry. Open-source collaboration is different and better than that. People sitting 10,000 km away from you see your work or you see their work and suggest improvements or use your work to build something greater based on your ideas. Or let you use their free software for your own usage, without asking for anything in return. Let me show you what I mean. A few weeks back, I was integrating a payment gateway provider named [Dodo Payments](https://dodopayments.com/) for my upcoming product Feedhammer. Some of their installation commands weren’t working as expected. I checked, understood the mistakes in their documentation. Since their documentation is opensource, I suggested the fix in their Github repository. Wthin 5 days, they accepted the change and updated their documentation. A company where I would not qualify for their tech hiring, I could contribute in my small way. All developers depending on their documentation would save countless minutes. [Here’s the source](https://github.com/dodopayments/dodo-docs/pull/215): ![Dodo Payments PR](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/dodopayments-pr.webp) Even if you’re not a programmer, you can contribute to opensource projects. Google or ask your favourite AI tool about contributing to opensource projects as per your skills and interest. It will guide you. Or look into [this link](https://opensource.guide/how-to-contribute/) and [this link](https://www.firsttimersonly.com/). So, what’s the relevance of opensource with our discussion? It has multiple dimensions: - We don’t need credentials to contribute. - We get the feedback of our contribution from the real world: if what you proposed was incorrect or was not matching the expected standard, people will tell you so. - We can’t fake our contributions. They have history and receipts. In one sentence, you can just do things. ## Take a lever long enough ![Archimedes](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/archimedes-leverage.webp) > “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” Sometimes I think, if 2000 years back, people had found a lever and fulcrum for him, Archimedes would have moved the Earth. I have no doubt about it. He was just the kind of a guy who just used to do things. We are not Archimedes and we don’t need to wait for someone to hand us a lever. We have AI, internet, computer and above all, more information than we can process in our life time. Naval Ravikant has beautifully explained Leverage in [this interview](https://nav.al/rich). That webpage has mentioned “leverage” 132 times. Because there’s a reason: leverage is everything for a man who just wants to do things. Though Naval’s discussion and philosophy stems from his background in Economics and startup ecosystem, your leverage doesn’t have to be code, capital or media as he mentions. It can be just your connection and the care with which you take care of your customers. You can’t build your leverage without going a bit off-track. Without tinkering with ideas and different types of work. The sure-shot way of finding and building your leverage is simple: just do things. The more things you do, the closer you get to identifying areas and building your leverage. Once you have built a long enough leverage, find a fulcrum to place it on and move the earth. You can just do things to build leverage. ## Pascal’s wager I think about life in terms of a series of decisions. Choices if you like. And some philosophical tools make it easy to make decisions. One such tool is [Pascal’s wager](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wager). Approximately 400 years ago, Blaise Pascal shared his thinking about belief in god in a series of statements, ultimately concluding it was a better bet to believe in god than not believing. And now we can use his thinking as a philosophical tool. I got the following image made using Google’s Gemini. The point is simple, there is so much to gain by committing to things and so little to lose if those things don’t work out. ![Pascal's Wager](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/pascals-wager-worthy-life.webp) All these 2000 words to tell you: You can just do things. You can just give your gifts. --- ### Wu Wei cards are live! URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/03/27/wu-wei-cards-are-live/ Date: 2026-03-27 Description: Wu Wei Cards are finally live—a deck of 50 hand-drawn facilitation cards with free digital companion tools for coaches and therapists. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Finally, [wuwei.cards](https://wuwei.cards/) is live. I first came across processing cards a few years ago. And their effect hasn’t left me since then, so much so that I’m going over so much trouble to provide the same experience to others. Crazy. Wu Wei is an ancient Chinese philosophy, which loosely translates to “non-action” or “effortless action”. I came across the idea of Wu Wei while reading and re-reading the beautiful experiential book by Steven Simpson, called “The Leader Who is Hardly Known”. (I literally distributed several tens copies of that book in my circle at the time.) One of the things that most facilitators miss out on is using props. Effective props. I believe Wu Wei cards are some of the most effective props a facilitator can use (of course, props are secondary, facilitation is primary). This project has been going on at the back of my mind, through [Hardi](https://hardishukla.com/)’s pencil and [Bansari](https://bansaripathak.com/)’s brainstorming for the last 4 years. And now finally, it has reached you. The initial idea was to offer only cards but what’s the point of only having physical cards when the world works now through hybrid mode: physical + digital. Hence, the digital tools that supercharge anyone’s facilitation. This is probably the world’s first digital facilitation toolkit with such a rich variety of interactivity. The main point is: if you can’t afford or need the Wu Wei cards, it’s okay. But these powerful tools are FREE. Anyone can use them without spending a penny or sharing a login credential. It is a gift–passed as received. Since this product was manifested by the talented [Hardi Shukla](https://hardishukla.com/), you will see her fingerprints all over them: cards, companion guide, and packaging. Shoutout to Vishwas Parchure for his DEEP facilitation. If it wasn’t for DEEP, I would have been building some fun applications but would have missed out on passing on these gifts. [wuwei.cards](https://wuwei.cards/) is the first major physical + digital + AI product by Sisyphus Consulting Pvt. Ltd.. And oh yes, soon, the Wu Wei Cards will be available to purchase online and in some select stores. PS: To every friend whom I have been mentioning Wu Wei Cards product for last four years, this is it. Finally, it is published. :D PPS: Pls visit [wuwei.cards](https://wuwei.cards/) and let me know how you liked it. ![Wu Wei Cards](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/wuwei-1.webp) --- ### Barbarians at the gate URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/03/13/barbarians-at-the-gate-book-review/ Date: 2026-03-13 Description: A review of Barbarians at the Gate—the gripping tale of RJR Nabisco’s takeover that reveals Wall Street’s raw power and ambition. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak ![Barbarians at the gate](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/barbarians-at-the-gate.jpg) For some strange reasons, I came across this marvellous piece just a few months back. Once I had my hands on it, I just couldn’t stop reading it. One of the best piece of writing on financial transactions, board meetings, mis-management, ambition, greed..and above all, The Wall Street. I didn’t know that Wall Street had sooo much money. Soo much. And unimaginable might and will-power. I do not have financial background but a strong interest in public companies that I invest into, their balance sheets and the common-joe stock market knowledge. But this real-life story. The whole thriller based on highly sophisticated financial instruments, strategies and the political economy has made me extremely interested in financial instruments that I didn’t care existed. Of course, there’s a huge catch. I’m in India and this book is based out of the 1980s’ United States. India is a different and rigged game altogether. What makes me appreciate is the United State’s real capitalism at work. The sheer volume of talent, freedom and lack of red tape. I’m sure they must be having their own version of problems, but compared to India, it is a capitalist’s heaven. This book also opened my eyes about why the US is called the land of opportunities. It feels illegal that there is a country where people can start at the bottom of the pyramid and reach the top of it just based on hard work, networking, risk and a little bit of luck. The chances of that happening in India are miniscule, it is exception not the rule. Reading this book reminded me of three other Wall Street movies that I can recall: The Big Short, Pursuit of Happiness and Wolf of Wallstreet. The reason why this story felt so intense and impressive was its medium: book. If I had watched its film adaptation, I would have been impressed but not equally. It is like the difference between reading Harry Potter and watching Harry Potter. For the record, I have only watched Harry Potter, never read it. The act of reading communicates ideas through words and forces us to portray details on the infinite canvas of imagination. It is far more effective. One of the qualities that I liked about reading the vivid details of the whole saga was the raw display of effort and hardwork against all odds. The soul-crushing rigorous 18-hour days, sleepless nights. The uncertainty, the maddening volume of paper work. Everything is inspirational. Of course, I don’t intend to covet such work but the hardwork is admirable. Those are the types of stories more people need to hear. The story also shows how people’s personal ambitions and beliefs drive the whole world. I was quite moved by the description of how RJR Tobacco Company was founded by R. J. Reynolds. The way the authors have described Mr. Reynolds’ rise and contribution to Winston-Salem, I can’t help but resolve to visit this little town someday in my life. I’m now wondering, any of my connections working for PE firms, VCs or Investment Banking really read such books? If I were in investment banking, this one would be one my go-to classics. --- ### The pleasure of experimenting URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/01/12/the-pleasure-of-experimenting/ Date: 2026-01-12 Description: The joy of setting up real-world experiments and learning from them beats theoretical guesses. Here’s how I tested Google Calendar’s polling frequency. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I looove experiments. My childhood was full of hardware experiments and then I switched to software. For FEEDHAMMER–the product I’m going to release for [Sisyphus Consulting Pvt. Ltd.](https://sisyphusconsulting.org/), one of the key questions was this: > What is Google Calendar’s frequency of checking for new changes? Now, as usual, I “researched” on the internet but there was no authoritative answer to this. And that makes sense because there are some obvious technical reasons. So, what should I do? Work on the product accepting the ballpark answers? I would have but I like setting up experiments. So, the solution was simple: Write some code and record how often Google Calendar pings Feedhammer. The dashboard you see in the screenshot is a quick-build for internal testing. I can’t describe how helpful agentic coding becomes in such a scenario. But that’s not what this post is about. ![Google Calendar Ping Dashboard](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/feedhammer_gc_monitoring_dashboard.png) The pleasure of interacting with the real world, setting up experiments, learning from them…that’s beyond words. * * * For curious souls: What’s going on in the dashboard: Google Calendar is checking 3 test feeds I have created on Feedhammer. And we can see that after the first check, GC has checked again roughly after 1 hour and 7 hours. The experiment is still on, let’s see how it goes. --- ### Following through URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2025/12/30/following-through/ Date: 2025-12-30 Description: Following through isn’t a skill—it’s a quality. Here’s why keeping your word matters more than ambition or talent. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak As we wrap up the outgoing year, we tend to promise to better ourselves next year. And there are a ton of things we can promise ourselves about: exercise, meditation, nutrition, social life..etc. And when it comes to work, there are many must-have skills touted by different people. Sometimes, the list contains resourcefulness, adaptability, resilience, openness..blah blah blah. All of that means little when people can’t follow through. “I’m a very resilient man, but hey sorry, I missed meeting the deadline I had committed to you.” Did you follow through on the work that you had suggested you’d finish? Did you show up for the meeting that you had confirmed a week back? Did you call for a follow-up after you had said you’d call for a follow-up? These seemingly insignificant actions are not-so-insignificant when you notice that there’s something common among most of the people who get work done. All of them follow through. No exceptions. No excuses. And on the other hand, the people who don’t get work done, they share the opposite of the same quality: not following through. Not doing what they said they’d do. This is no surprise. Almost all cultures around the world figured out this important quality over millennia. They distilled this virtue in as “keeping your word.” Marriage? Keep your word about in sickness and death. Allegiance to your tribe? Keep your word on protecting their interest. Parenting your kids? Keep your word about protecting and nurturing them. Selling a bread? Keep your word about quality of ingredients. You won’t find a culture that celebrates not keeping a word as a virtue. And there’s a reason. If you think about it, not keeping a word is equal to lying with your action. Generally, we limit the meaning of a lie to only verbal sphere. But in reality, the meaning of a lie is anything that deviates from reality. So, by not keeping one’s word, people deviate themselves and others from the reality they had promised. And no culture is going to embrace a liar. Not because of some high ethical grounds. But because of the threat it creates for survival. Lying doesn’t help survival. At least, that is what used to be the case before the dawn of the civilization. In any case, why is it so tough to keep one’s word? To follow through? I don’t know exactly and it is tough to make a case for everyone in all settings. But still, if we narrow down to the circle of the modern workplace, we can make some statements that may apply to the majority of people. I look at it in this manner: why would someone intentionally not follow through? Why would they say one thing and do a completely opposite thing? One of the things that explains things is their inability to manage their time and model effects of their actions in their work and world. In one word, it shows the lack of “sound judgement”. Unfortunately, in modern world, there is rarely any existential penalty for not exhibiting sound judgement. The world of work silently suffers from such individuals’ lack of follow through and there really, is no consequences for anyone. Though there is no real punishment for those who break their word, there is some good news. The world recognizes the ones who follow through. The ones who keep their word. And the rewards are beyond recognition. They’re translated into reputation. Though I began this piece by mentioning “must-have skills”, I have to say that following through is not a skill. It is a quality. It cannot be learned, it has to be cultivated. Drip by drip. Probably it is one of the toughest things to develop, but following through on follow through is a hell of a thing you can do for yourself next year. Or probably today? --- ### Why people hide AI usage at work? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2025/07/14/why-people-hide-AI-usage-at-work/ Date: 2025-07-14 Description: Why do employees secretly use AI at work? From shame to job security fears—here are the real reasons behind secret AI adoption. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak ## Essay Outline - [The reasons](#the-reasons) - [The AI-stigma](#the-ai-stigma) - [Organic vs Inorganic](#organic-vs-inorganic) - [Role of shame](#role-of-shame) - [The efficiency trap](#the-efficiency-trap) - [AI and doping in sports](#ai-and-doping-in-sports) - [Fear of job loss](#fear-of-job-loss) - [To exaggerate their contribution value](#to-exaggerate-their-contribution-value) - [AI acts as a lever](#ai-acts-as-a-lever) - [“Shadow AI” usage](#shadow-ai-usage) - [Before and After comparison](#before-and-after-comparison) - [Response to “what do you bring to the table?”](#response-to-what-do-you-bring-to-the-table) - [Implications on other employees](#implications-on-other-employees) - [Late to the party](#late-to-the-party) - [Parity with the stars](#parity-with-the-stars) - [Hopelessness](#hopelessness) - [Missing out on AI use cases](#missing-out-on-ai-use-cases) - [Feeling lost](#feeling-lost) - [Difficulties for organizations](#difficulties-for-organizations) - [Measuring and rewarding](#measuring-and-rewarding) - [Determining baseline performance](#determining-baseline-performance) - [Naming a fair price](#naming-a-fair-price) - [Estimating the conversion factor](#estimating-the-conversion-factor) - [How do you measure engagement?](#how-do-you-measure-engagement) - [Confidentiality dilemma](#confidentiality-dilemma) - [Risk mitigation](#risk-mitigation) - [Getting the top teams on-board](#getting-the-top-teams-on-board) - [Upskilling or re-casting?](#upskilling-or-re-casting) - [AI interaction changes processes](#ai-interaction-changes-processes) - [Hidden liabilities](#hidden-liabilities) - [Unpredictable overhead](#unpredictable-overhead) - [Opening the closets](#opening-the-closets) - [Starting small, aiming big](#starting-small-aiming-big) - [Ask and you shall receive](#ask-and-you-shall-receive) - [Begin from the top](#begin-from-the-top) - [Publicize the adoption with face and numbers](#publicize-the-adoption-with-face-and-numbers) - [Revamping incentive structure](#revamping-incentive-structure) - [AI-tools ready hardware](#ai-tools-ready-hardware) - [Celebrating doping in sports](#celebrating-doping-in-sports) - [Policy framework](#policy-framework) - [De-stigmatizing AI usage](#de-stigmatizing-ai-usage) - [Going local](#going-local) - [Adapting business goals](#adapting-business-goals) - [Hiring for AI-readiness](#hiring-for-ai-readiness) - [Fighting the resistance](#fighting-the-resistance) - [Managing Tech-Doom Crusaders](#managing-tech-doom-crusaders) - [Demystification sessions](#demystification-sessions) - [The way ahead](#the-way-ahead) In 2022, when I came across DALL-E and ChatGPT for the first time, I was hooked. I spent hours and hours of my time tinkering with them. Apart from the fun, I wanted to find out their capabilities and limitations. What a feeling! Consequently, I couldn’t stop myself from sharing about it with the people I cared for. I had to share it with everyone I knew. I just couldn’t resist. Why couldn’t I resist myself from sharing about these tools? The answer lies in human psychology. It is one of the most widely studied behaviour in the field of marketing. And while there are no right or wrong answers, I have a favourite answer: people purchase things or spread the word because it elevates their status in comparison to others. Immediately our mind begins to verify this answer. - “Sent from my iPhone” signature in emails - “My BlackBerry Pin is xxxxx” (if you remember this, you’d also remember the glorious decline of that techno-social phenomenon) - And the latest one was the Studio Ghibli phenomenon If it doesn’t elevate their status, people neither purchase things nor spread the word. So, after the rise of industry-changing AI tools in past 2 years, we would have imagined a scenario: - Workplaces teeming with conversations about AI tools - Teams celebrating every new win they make in outsourcing grunt work to AI tools - People chatting about how they applied which tool to speed up their earlier process - Organizations incorporating AI-gains in their value chain - Hiring managers creating new frameworks for new hires to ensure they’re AI-ready - etc…etc.. But that is not what happened. Sure, different surveys indicate that the usage of AI tools has increased multi-fold among employees. Take the latest one by KPMG, sampling 48,000 people from 47 countries. ![KPMG Survey](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/kpmg_survey.webp) [Click here to access the full report](https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/au/pdf/2025/trust-in-ai-global-insights-2025-full-report.pdf) > 58% employees use AI in their regular work. In emerging economies such as India, 72% employees are using AI compared to 49% employees in advanced economies. The numbers are solid. The adoption is fast and at an unprecedented scale. But. But. But, the interesting thing is that not all who acknowledge AI usage at work in a survey *actually* acknowledge AI-usage in their work in their workplace. Saying “yes” in surveys, saying “no” when asked by a co-worker. And that’s half-fascinating, half-confusing. Why would people pass the opportunity of elevating their status by showing off their experiments and productivity with AI tools? In other terms, why do they hide their AI usage at work? ## The reasons We can only guess what each individual’s reasoning might be. But when taken as a group, we humans are not that mysterious. It is little bit easier to assume a range of reasons for a group employees than an employee named Paresh. Let’s try to touch as many dimensions as possible. ## The AI-stigma Many managers frown at the mention of AI usage in their work. It may not be as direct as frowning at a team member when they bring up the news of the latest AI tools, but it might be something quite indirect: - A subtle condescending tone while talking about AI - It might be their doomsday postings of “copyright violations, energy consumption…AI iS BaD..bEcAuSe cLiMaTe cHaNgE..” - It might be their attitude on AI’s reliability. There is a small echo chamber on internet that is hell-bent on finding faults with AI’s output which occasionally feeds their bias. These attitudes seep up through the organization and what once used to be a team-limited “uncomfortable silence” turns into “stigma”, a “taboo”. Most people do not want to engage with people harbouring irrational and unreasonable attitudes. This AI-stigma is no different. Team members read the room and they lay low. They do not share their findings and use cases about AI in their work. They become [secret cyborgs](https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/detecting-the-secret-cyborgs). ## Organic vs Inorganic There’s a Korean channel on YouTube that publishes detailed process of how different products are made. They’re mostly from South Korean artisans and factories. For example, I loved this one where the craftsman create beautiful Hiking Shoes by hand. I’m sure people might pay above the market price for these shoes. After the industrial revolution, the supply of factory-made, high-quality products replaced the hand-made, moderate-quality products throughout the world. Still there is a special kind of reverence, a spiritual ego boost in doing things with hands. Perhaps, Mahatma Gandhi appealed to this quality in people when he called on to them to boycott factory-made, English clothes.  ![British Clothes Burning Event](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/british-cloth-burn.webp) This reverence for organic elements also permeate the modern work. For the workforce that has been in the market for last 3-4 decades, using AI tools may seem inorganic…inhuman. Feeding the cycle of shame. ## Role of shame > “Shame is the fear of disconnection—it’s the fear that something we’ve done or failed to do, an ideal that we’ve not lived up to, or a goal that we’ve not accomplished makes us unworthy of connection. \[…\] Shame derives its power from being unspeakable. That’s why it loves perfectionists—it’s so easy to keep us quiet. If we cultivate enough awareness about shame to name it and speak to it, we’ve basically cut it off at the knees. Shame hates having words wrapped around it. If we speak shame, it begins to wither. Just the way exposure to light was deadly for the gremlins, language and story bring light to shame and destroy it.” – *Daring Greatly, Brene Brown* Shame researcher Brene Brown has provided some of the foundational ideas on why we feel shame and how to get over it. When it comes to knowledge work, is it any wonder that so many people might be feeling to have failed to live up to the ideal of “hand-craft”? It stands to reason that a Creative Head would appreciate their junior’s “hand-crafted” headline copies more than the ones provided by an AI tool in 30 seconds. Even if the AI ones were far better. Imagine the condition of someone who works in an environment where accepting AI usage in their work is a matter of shame. And that’s how shame sets its roots. Shame gets stronger with each unspoken word. Each hidden usage. ## The efficiency trap In most organizations and society in general, people who get work done faster than others, are underappreciated and suspected of compromising quality than their slower counterparts. Even if the faster people’s quality of work was better than the slower ones. It is probably one of those psychological illusions that we humans have developed over the years of evolution: “if it is fast and cheap, it is too good to be true.” Most AI-users are aware of this efficiency trap. They know that completing and delivering work more efficiently than their peers may draw attention and unnecessary doubts about their quality of work. The solution to this trap is age old: deliver the work in average time. Sometimes with variation in quality[1](#fn:1). ## AI and doping in sports In competitive sports, doping is use of athletic performance-enhancing drugs by athletes. It is a way of cheating. Failing a dop test is a matter of embarrassment and humiliation. It is a career-ending event for athletes. Due to whichever combination of reasons, if employees feel that AI usage is frowned upon in their organizations, AI becomes the performance-enhancing drug. A drug that lets people produce better work but they can’t admit their usage. And let’s be honest, the sweetest fruits are the ones that are forbidden. ![Osho Quote](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/osho_quote.webp) In the wise words of Acharya Rajneesh: “निषेध से आकर्षण बढ़ता है।” In context of our discussion: निषेध से उपयोग बढ़ता है। ## Fear of job loss Another reason is simple and understandable. If employees begin disclosing their AI usage in work and if AI seems to be surpassing their competency (which it will), the employer and colleagues would judge them as replaceable cog in the wheel. Combine this with the AI doom-and-gloom narratives. And you have created an existential threat. Take a look at some headlines from this year. ![AI Could Wipe 50% Of Entry-Level Jobs As Governments Hide Truth, Anthropic CEO](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/ai_doom_headline_1.webp) ![AI job loss_ 40% of roles at risk, experts warn - The Economic Times](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/ai_doom_headline_2.webp) ![AI surge, human cost_ Thousands of jobs lost in 2025 as layoffs accelerate](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/ai_doom_headline_3.webp) Almost every headline is programming the workforce to be fearful of AI. To treat it as an enemy. When so many screens scream at you with the same message, it is difficult *not* to internalize it. And that’s one of the irony of employees hiding their AI usage: they’re seeing its benefit first-hand but they’re unable to reconcile it with the messaging of the doomsday scenarios, ultimately giving in the fear. ## To exaggerate their contribution value Perhaps, this might be one of the main reasons behind people’s under-reporting of AI. If they can produce a better work with less effort and time, they stand to gain multiple things: 1. Social status and career push by the perceived high contribution from them 2. Put considerably less effort and time. This increases the money-to-actual effort ratio. They don’t get additional cash per se. But we are going in with the assumption that “most people want to disconnect the effort and outcome equation”. That’s what we call leverage. ## AI acts as a lever > “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” > – Archimedes In post-industrial economy, no technology other than internet has held as much leverage as the current AI technology does. Almost all knowledge workers (and many manual workers) have access to the AI lever. Interestingly, most people do not want to show off this lever. Because showing off the lever may rob them of their leverage.[2](#fn:2) This non-disclosure or under-reporting of the actual AI-usage provides an edge in workplace competition. If someone doesn’t know what or how much of a tool you’re using, they can’t prepare an effective defence against you. (As noted in the footnote above, I don’t think that’s a good and lasting career strategy.) ## “Shadow AI” usage Shadow AI is the usage of AI tools that happen outside security oversight, increasing risks related to data exposure and violation of secure cyber practices. As found in [this survey](https://www.techmonitor.ai/digital-economy/ai-and-automation/57-enterprise-employees-input-confidential-data-ai-tools?cf-view), “57% of enterprise employees input confidential data into AI tools”. That’s the percentage of people who *knew* they were dealing with confidential data AND chose to answer accordingly in the survey. The real number would be way higher than that. And what do we mean by confidential data exactly? Here’s the breakdown from the survey: > 31% reported entering personal details, such as names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers. > 29% disclosed project-specific information, including unreleased product details and prototypes. > 21% acknowledged inputting customer-related data, including contact details, order histories, chat logs, and recorded communications. > 11% admitted to entering financial information, such as revenue figures, profit margins, budgets, and forecasts. Any wonder people would hide their AI usage? Especially when they know they might be exposing sensitive data to AI models. ## Before and After comparison ![AI users before and after AI tools](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/superman_before_after.webp) By sharing the extent to which someone is using AI in their work, they expose themselves to the scrutiny of their work without AI. And most likely, their work would seem subpar when compared to the AI’s output. Disclosing usage of AI in their work draws a solid line in their career: “Work BEFORE AI” and “Work AFTER AI”. For most normal folks like me and you, smart usage of AI in our workflow would make our ”BEFORE AI work” look dim in comparison to our “AFTER AI work”. It is only humane to not want to put ourselves in such a situation. ## Response to “what do you bring to the table?” In the face of existential uncertainty in their career, whether a person is gainfully employed or looking for a job, almost every interaction seems to be asking them: “what do you bring to the table?” Hiding the AI-usage might seem like their answer to that unasked question. It gives them a justification to get retained or hired, although that would not last very long. ## Implications on other employees As it is with any innovation, the early adopters are always in the minority. So far in our discussion, we have talked about this minority: the employees who have been using AI in their work. They’re powerful and their impact is not localized. But it affects the majority: the employees that are ignorant to the relevance of AI to their work. These employees fall under the other category of people who are not early-adopters (the 85% of any group). We need to briefly discuss how the minority’s secret usage of AI affects the majority, and consequently the organization. ## Late to the party > “What we have learned so far is that using AI well is a skill that needs to be carefully learned by… using it a lot.” > – [The AI Memo](https://x.com/tobi/article/1909251946235437514), Tobias Lutke, CEO, Shopify Most people using AI to augment their day-to-day work fall under the “early adopters” category. And most of them hide their adoption. As long as they keep it a secret, the rate of adoption to “early majority”, “late majority” and “laggards” will be extremely slow. Because it is the early adopters and early majority that spreads adoption of new ideas. And ideas that don’t spread, die. ![Product Adoption Curve](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/product_adoption_curve.webp) The act of not sharing AI usage in work, leads to a series of problems for everyone on the other side of the adoption curve. The later the rest of the crowd sees the effects of AI in their work, the later they will tinker with it. And the later they tinker with it, the more difficult it would become for them to catch up due to these factors: - Steep learning curve: As reported by [METR](http://metr.org/blog/2025-03-19-measuring-ai-ability-to-complete-long-tasks) (Model Evaluation and Threat Research), the AI’s ability to complete tasks at 50% success rate has been doubling every 7 months for last 6 years![3](#fn:3) If this trend continues–which seems likely–the late adopters will have to face a steep learning curve because of the increased complexity of AI systems. ![metr_ai_performance](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/metr_ai_performance.webp) - Futility: Having missed the early train, the late adopters may feel that catching up with their AI-ready competitors is simply futile. - Skill-gap: Trying to tinker with a more evolved AI would make the uniniated feel that the gap between his/her skill and the AI’s skill is staggering. This would in turn engender the “futility” feelings. - Not getting the reps: What Tobi pointed out in his memo to his people is spot-on. AI is not a genie and learning to use it requires tinkering. A lot of tinkering. The more time and practice one gets, the better. But someone who tries to adopt AI late would not hit the reps that an early adopter would have hit. In other words, they wouldn’t be able to punch in their 10,000 hours. ## Parity with the stars Every organization has a small star performer group and a big non-star performer group. If both groups begin tinkering with AI simultaneously, the initial phase may prove motivating to the non-stars because after all, they’d be able to create and solve ideas that previously were mostly monopoly of the star group. This parity brings a sense of accomplishment. Euphoria. A quick win. It a powerful motivating factor to keep tinkering with the AI and keep improving. But hiding the degree of AI usage robs the non-star group of people to taste this parity with the stars. And eventually, costs the organization value creation. Of course, this parity is unlikely to sustain because the tool’s usage is user-dependent. Eventually, star performers would remain top performers due to their domain knowledge, experience, and creativity. But the non-star performers would be nothing less of a 10x of their previous selves. And that is what counts. ## Hopelessness When organizations and their people create an echo chamber that banishes AI tools, majority of their people catch the late train (how late? that’s one of the deciding factors) to the world of possibilities. The implication of being on the last lag of AI adoption may instigate the feelings of hopelessness (it is different than feelings of futility). These feelings get further reinforced when some of the risk-takers and well-connected fellows reach different heights in the organization using AI tools.[4](#fn:4) ## Missing out on AI use cases AI tools are “solutions” for which we have to find matching “problems”. There’s no SOP, no playbook. People have to use AI in their day-to-day work and find out what works and what doesn’t work. It helps them develop intuition about what AI can do and find their eureka moment for their workflow. This is an important experience that the other employees miss out on. Consequently, this may perpetuate the false belief that AI tools are useful in some select domains only. “Not in my work…my work is too complicated to be done by AI”. ## Feeling lost In the middle of already strong narratives about doom-and-gloom scenarios, not knowing how the other employees are “making it” to the next rung, it is natural to feel lost. If no meaningful intervention is provided, it leads to the individual’s career stagnation and loss of interest. Organizations might see a wave of such lost faces in the coming years. ## Difficulties for organizations Every organization is unique and complicated. Hence, it is difficult to estimate the cost of the hidden usage of AI for any organization. So what can we do? Instead of looking for exact dollar or hour values in cost, we can list the difficulties such organizations would face. And let each organization assess what it would cost them to overcome those difficulties. If an organization chooses to completely ignore the increasingly AI-dependent value creation in the world, their cost would be paid in the form of lost relevance. ## Measuring and rewarding Long before the rise of AI, organizations have been struggling to measure and reward performance “fairly”. It has never been a perfect system. Now, the additional layer of AI-enhanced performance is beyond capacity for most organizations. For example, before introduction of AI, a junior programmer could complete 10 units of tasks per week. After its adoption, he is able to complete 50 units of tasks per week. That’s a four-fold increase in his performance. How do we measure it? And subsequently, how do we reward it? ## Determining baseline performance Naturally, after a year or two of AI-enabled workforce, it would be extremely difficult to understand what baseline performance looks like for a given task. Here, “baseline performance” is the minimal expected work output of certain quality by an individual who is relatively new to that specific work. Since the organization would be used to seeing AI-enhanced work for a long time, it would be difficult to judge the performance of the prospective hires (even if they’re AI-ready) for similar tasks. Their performance would seem dismal when compared to their counterparts already in the business groove and equipped with AI. Without a reasonable standard of baseline performance, it would be difficult to judge someone’s work. ## Naming a fair price Similar to the problems of measuring and rewarding, compensating people fairly would be a tough task. There are two types of compensations issues that organizations would run into: - The AI-adopters: These members would have been with the organization before the AI revolution. They adopted AI, contributed to the organization’s growth. In many cases, initially self-taught and self-funded AI adoption, later funded by the organization to continue the work. Since the AI adoption would increase productivity by 10-50x, reflecting in profit too, how would the organization price the AI-adopter’s additional value creation?[5](#fn:5) - New AI-ready hires: Before AI, pricing a role was already a difficult task. Now this task has an additional layer of gauging: the organization needs to understand not only the candidate’s raw capacity but also AI-enabled capacity. ## Estimating the conversion factor *I was struck by this idea while writing a footnote for one of the former paragraphs. Understanding the importance of this idea, I feel obliged to expand it as a separate heading.* Suppose an organization is operating a coal mine and recruiting miners through contractors. It’s a manual coal mine. Each contractors are paid in the proportion to the coal mined by their miners. If the contractor brings more miners, or experience miners, it would reflect in the increased output on a daily basis. Here, we can draw a straightforward cause and effect relation between the number of miners and the quantity of coal mined. Under ideal condition, the conversion factor of the productivity gains is almost 1. Every addition of a miner leads to → increase in coal mined, which in turn leads to → more money for the coal company, which leads to → more money for the contractor. Now, with AI, we are not dealing with coal mines or miners. But like the coal company, organizations live on profit. Their business value leads to profit. The tough question for organizations is to estimate how much of the additional business value gains made by the AI is *actually* converting to profits. This conversion factor will always be in ranges. And estimating this range is important for making long-term investments in AI at organization level. Estimating this conversion factor is one task, another task is to get a consensus on the conversion factor. Since it is not an exact science or arithmetic, organizations would need to invest heavily in making sure that the basis of these estimates are as indisputable as possible. ## How do you measure engagement? For most knowledge workers, showing up at 9 to 5 job in the office is a mark of successful engagement. If they’re remote, answering a phone when called, being present in virtual calls and not messing up deadlines might be a mark of successful engagement.  But now when the AI-augmented employees can do the same work at the 10x-50x speed, organizations may need to change the terms of calling an engagement successful. And what would those terms be? - The number of successfully submitted assignments? - The quality of successfully submitted assignments? (If yes, who would decide that?) - A high ratio of quality/time-to-complete? - Impact of assignments to the direct profit? (If yes, how would they determine the conversion factor?) - The degree of innovation? - The difficulty level of problems getting solved? ## Confidentiality dilemma Encouraging people to adopt AI may sound as easy as asking them to sign up for personal ChatGPT account and begin tinkering with it for work. But as we discussed in one of the previous sections, a majority of workforce is feeding confidential and sensitive information to AI tools. It may seem like a no-harm-no-foul practice until a major security incidence takes place. The challenge for organizations is to define, implement and monitor different security practices for their people. And even after implementing guardrails, organizations would need to identify certain business operations that should never be exposed to AI tools. ## Risk mitigation As we discussed, training people on best practices of safe AI-usage, maintaining boundaries and monitoring their compliance are difficult tasks. After implementing them, if there is still a breach of confidential data or any similar incidence, how would the organization respond? Every organization would need to re-assess their vulnerability and prepare mitigation plans. The points of vulnerability would be drastically different and far more in the post-AI business processes than the pre-AI ones. ## Getting the top teams on-board In most of the mature organizations, the executive team comprises of executives with a wealth of experience. Getting them to try the AI tools is ironically difficult. There are couple of reasons behind this: - Chasm between workers and decision-makers: After years of experience making high-level decisions and not being involved into the day-to-day, it might be difficult to draw a parallel on the applications of the AI in day-to-day operations for their workers. - Just another bubble: Senior executives have seen all rain-and-shine and bubbles in technology domain. Thinking that AI is just another bubble is an easy trap to fall into.[6](#fn:6) - Worker protection: Even if they are convinced of AI’s usability, with a misplaced sense of protecting their workers, the top teams may want to postpone AI-integrated work culture. ## Upskilling or re-casting? On an average, for most mature organizations, a significant portion of the workforce is older than the the rest. While old age doesn’t necessarily translate to learning-challenges but there would be instances where it becomes difficult to learn new tools and model their application in day-to-day work. This is going to be a widely spread problem in any organization. Depending on their nature of job, experience and competency, a minority of these employees would need upskilling while the majority would need to be recast in a way that capitalizes on their strengths. They may never need to touch AI tools, but only direct the other team members. Hence, organizations need to be prepared for a humungous organization-restructuring exercise. ## AI interaction changes processes Until now, we have been considering AI tools as just another set of tools that need to find their space in our workflow. We have assumed that the old pipeline would remain unchanged. But the reality of effective AI tool usage is two-way. We modify AI tools to fit our workflow and the AI modifies our workflow to maximize its benefits. This is an automatic process. The more we begin to integrate the AI tools in our workflow, the more we are challenged to question our processes. Now, if you have seen organizations grow, you’d quickly recognize that this has been true for any enterprise software too. For example, if you subscribed to a CRM software for your organization, there is only so much you can customize. Ultimately, your staff needs to make changes to their processes to align with the software workflow. But but..AI tools are different. They’re flexible. They can meet where you are. The question is, where do you want to meet the AI tool? And that’s the question that trips most organizations. There are no right or wrong answers here, but it helps to be creative and ambitious in this undertaking. As [reported](https://www.techmonitor.ai/digital-economy/ai-and-automation/57-enterprise-employees-input-confidential-data-ai-tools?cf-view) in the reasons earlier, “57% of enterprise employees input confidential data into AI tools.” We also discussed that the real number would be far greater than the 57%. And it was just one survey. This trend means only one thing: organizations are unaware of the degree of their liabilities. It cannot be measured right now and so can’t be mitigated. Organizations, whose business survives on their proprietary practices and deals with sensitive information at scale, they would need to revisit their security practices. ## Unpredictable overhead If organizations recognize the need for AI tools and begin supporting their people with organization-wide access to premium AI tools such as ChatGPT Plus, what would be their overhead? That’s a little bit predictable since it is a subscription-based model. But things get complicated fast when organizations decide to use AI APIs in their workflow. Since API services follow usage-based pricing, the cost projection is complicated. This part is difficult but not exactly unsurmountable. Organizations need to set right expectations about the financial and technical complexity of this part from the get go. Read more: [A primer on how to navigate through AI API costs if you’re thinking to implement AI in your workflow](https://www.byteplus.com/en/topic/397523?title=ai-api-costs-understanding-pricing-models) ## Opening the closets By now, you, the reader would have realized that the task at hand is tough. Handing over AI tools subscription to your people is not going to make it. But still, you have to start somewhere. Organizations can begin by setting up some concrete goals. One of the goal can be as simple as: encouraging people to be honest about their AI usage and inspire others. To achieve their goals, organizations can employ combinations of different strategies. Overall, the following actions can be undertaken to implement strategies. ## Starting small, aiming big In 2022, the business world was awash with AI-integration news. Start-ups, grown-ups, everyone was announcing their version of “we’re ditching whole teams for AI tools”. None of them were as loud as [Swedish fintech giant Klarna’s decision](https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/klarna-ceo-reverses-course-by-hiring-more-humans-not-ai/491396) to replace their customer support staff of 700 people. To be replaced with AI. By 2025, they had to resume hiring customer support staff since the AI tools were not as effective as actual humans. None of us knows what exactly went wrong with Klarna’s AI tools, but we can be sure of one thing: they tried to start big in over-enthusiasm. Learning from examples such as Klarna’s failures, organizations can start small. As we discussed before, AI tools are solutions we need to search problems for. We need to understand our context and processes first. Once understood, we can identify a small, automatable task in a workflow that can be used as a pilot. And build on it slowly. Iteration is the key here. Integrating AI in organization processes is similar to developing a good software. In this case, the organizations experience what goes wrong during the development process, the same way a software developer sees the bugs first-hand. When organizations begin such small scale pilots, it acts as a magnet for people who are using AI in their work. They feel related and willing to contribute. ## Ask and you shall receive Requesting team members to come forward with their experiments with AI is a low-hanging fruit. It is straightforward. And one of the most effective action managers can take. It doesn’t require any drama, strategy, 10-people-meeting or a memo. Simply asking and encouraging team members to begin sharing their AI-usage in work. Agreed, it may not guarantee a full disclosure from people, but organizations have to begin somewhere. ## Begin from the top Leading by example is a powerful strategy when it comes to AI usage in the workplace. As we discussed earlier, while it might be difficult to get some of the executive team members on-board, they can be pursued by experiencing small bits of AI usage in their work. It has to be meaningful though. It can be as simple as providing an AI-enabled summarizer bot that summarizes key insights from one of the dashboards they’re used to look at. The more visionaries of the lot at the top can also begin treating the non-adoption of AI among their teams as existential threat–which it is true–and that may move a needle. ## Publicize the adoption with face and numbers Shopify’s Tobi adopted AI from the outset and [kept sharing his tinkering journey with the world](https://x.com/tobi/status/1839652810347946321) at large. Especially with his people. Same goes for many people at top of the hierarchy. Dharmesh Shah, the CTO of Hubspot, has been vocal about his tinkering with AI tools for a long time. He has already built an interesting AI product: agent.ai ![Agent AI Homepage](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/agentai.webp) Whether it is Tobi or Dharmesh or anybody of their stature, by publicizing their usage, these people are not only leading by example, but also they’re getting a real-world feedback. Not to mention, the kind of top talent they might be attracting towards them. ## Revamping incentive structure > “Before asking for more Headcount and resources, teams must demonstrate why they cannot get what they want done using AI.” > – [The AI Memo](https://x.com/tobi/article/1909251946235437514), Tobias Lutke, CEO, Shopify The last part of the Tobi’s memo is quite interesting. He has rightly drawn a line as any business owner should. If you notice, Tobi hasn’t indicated that people are going to lose their jobs. But he has clarified that people owe some justification before asking the organization to spend additional resources. So, how do we incentivize people to be intellectually honest in justifying their need for additional headcount? One way might be to share a percentage of expenses saved with the people. If 10 employees are doing the work of 15 people, they need to be incentivized by money, time, and status for the savings of 5 people worth of expenses. How much to be incentivized? We’re back to [estimating the conversion factor](#estimating-the-conversion-factor). And if people get greedy, not expanding their team for additional incentives, it would reflect in their deteriorated performance. Most companies tightly regulate their company-issued devices to keep them secure. But sometimes, it makes it difficult to experiment with AI tools, which may require new combination of security parameters. There are solutions available in the market that doesn’t compromise security and data while allowing tinkering with AI. Organizations need to invest in understanding their requirements and getting the solutions that suit their needs. ## Celebrating doping in sports The history of sports is filled with controversies of doping athletes and their humilation. For an elite athlete, being found guilty of doping is a career-ending event. In such a culture of preserving human potential, integrity and hardwork, what if someone celebrates doping? What if they encourage doping in competition? That’s what the [Enhanced Games](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Games) events are going to do. They’re scheduled to inaugurate in 2026 where the participating athletes would have trained on performance-enhancing drugs. As controversial as it may seem to be, the founder Aron D’Souza has taken a bold step and tapped a whole different market. In the world of business, organizations need to rethink the way their people work. They need to have their own Enhanced Games version of teams. Celebrating AI-enabled performers and acknowledging their contribution. ## Policy framework Adopting an organization-wide AI policy and providing controlled infrastructure is one of the most effective ways organizations can protect themselves against unsafe AI usage that would lead to unlimited liabilities. Ideally, the framework should be tailored for each organization’s specific needs, however, one can start by using templates such as this one published by PwC. \[Attach the document\] ## De-stigmatizing AI usage Stigmatic topics remain stigmatized for not seeing the light of day. One of the ways to de-stigmatize them is to talk about them. Sounds boring but organizations can get creative without spending much effort. There are different ways to create a space for such type of discussions: - Organizing weekly/monthly discussion groups - Beginning a newsletter, highlighting organization-wide updates, including AI-usage stories - Publicizing case-studies about what worked and what didn’t in your organization ## Going local It is tempting for many organizations to rope in external parties to encourage and educate their people on AI usage. There are at least two possibilities when people from outside are brought in: One of the most common ones is the increase in internal resistance. If not handled well, outside hires, whether they are consultants or conference speakers, get pushback from the people. There might be several reasons behind such internal resistance: such as lack of shared business or cultural context, lack of time for developing rapport between outsiders and insiders, etc. This may do more harm than good. Another not-so-common but not-so-impossible one is when there is total submission, almost a reverence for the outsiders. People may even feel grateful for the guidance and support they receive from the outside hires. This is equally problematic. Because it gives rise to three problems: 1. It sends a message to the employees that the organization has little-to-no innovation capacity or risk-taking attitude, and hence completely dependent on outsiders. 2. It may seed the idea that AI is too difficult to be handled without outside help. 3. It sends a strong signal of discouragement to the early adopters within the organization. Because if not consulted, they feel marginalized and devalued. That’s why, taking help from internal talent is a good long-term solution. Identifying people who make AI-aided impact and inviting them to act as champions within their teams has a better ROI than any other options. So, shouldn’t organizations hire outsiders in their AI-adoption, *ever*? Not exactly. The initial steps should be local. Once the internal champions are set and the dialogue has begun, adding external parties would only enrich everyone’s experience. ## Adapting business goals After a few months of using AI tools in different workflows, it is likely that the organization would have hit a new expectation milestone. For example, if one of the workflows includes writing SEO-friendly meta-descriptions for client websites, what used to take a week for 100 webpages, might be taking less than 2 hours. This new expectation milestone of 2 hours should be included everywhere: - Project timeline projection - Performance management - Pricing Without formalizing and acknowledging these gains, organizations may suffer from amnesia about AI tools’ contribution. ## Hiring for AI-readiness In addition to retaining and retraining people, organizations have to look for new hires that are AI-ready for a job role. The fresh blood provides a much-needed hope and peer-training within the organization. As discussed earlier, hiring for AI-ready people requires organizations to be clear on what exact core skill they would like to see in the prospective hire. Understanding the nature of job and setting up a baseline expectation for the new hires would help the recruitment process. For example, if looking for e-commerce store cataloguing expert, the baseline expectation should be clear that the cataloguing expert should be able to generate meta-tags and technical copies for each product using AI tools. Not only that, they should be able to understand whether the AI-generated copy matches their client’s positioning. This example baseline provides much better idea to the recruiters and the prospective hires than simply asking them whether they know how to use ChatGPT. ![BCG AI Transformation Chart](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/assets/images/uploads/bcg_chart.webp) [Source](https://www.bcg.com/featured-insights/the-leaders-guide-to-transforming-with-ai) ## Fighting the resistance As we discussed about AI’s impact on processes, smart organizations would quickly identify where they need to adjust their processes to match AI. This may mean breaking from established processes or habits. Some adjustments would be necessary to reap the benefits from AI-integration. One of the key adjustments is getting concerned people on-board. Software systems do not have any sense of preference, it is the people who do not appreciate change. Undertaking a large-scale exercise to cultivate trust and ownership in making this change happen would be necessary. ## Managing Tech-Doom Crusaders There’s a growing faction of small but loud-mouthed group of people who are on their next crusade to ban AI tools. Their reasons may vary but the underlying tone is always the same. Their message invokes a combination of these emotions: fear, guilt, hopelessness and self-loathing. For example: “AI is going to take over, it is going to replace us. People are already struggling to keep afloat in this economy. To top it, the amount of energy a single prompt uses is insane! It is only going to accelerate the cLiMaTe cHaNgE. We have a moral obligation to question it and save millions of people from the looming societal collapse.” The content and tone of their sentiment may vary but the emotions they evoke remain the same. Organizations need to identify such Tech-Doom Crusaders early on and “manage” them. If left unchecked, the organizations would pay the ultimate cost. ## Demystification sessions AI is mysterious. Calling it “AI” makes it even more mysterious and it feels alive. If we call them LLM (Large Language Model), it decreases their shine and also, LLM is an uncomfortable tongue-twister. (Try shouting LLM thrice.) Plus, using the term AI in your product increases its perceived value by several fold. Read more: [The AI domain name sales are breaking records](https://www.unite.ai/ai-domain-names-skyrocket-in-value-with-recent-record-sales/) In such a situation, most companies developing AI or selling AI products have an incentive to keep things as much technical and mysterious as possible. Organizations that struggle with AI adoption (i.e. almost all organizations) in their workplace have an opportunity to arrange knowledge sessions on demystification of AI. This is one of the few lowest hanging fruits organizations have. Demystification assuages fears and makes some room for reflection. Read more: [What is ChatGPT doing and why it works](https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2023/02/what-is-chatgpt-doing-and-why-does-it-work/) ## The way ahead > There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self. > – Ernest Hemingway Depending on your job role, goals, and temperament, your ways of doing things may differ from the way of other people’s doing things. Still, we can employ a simple heuristic to track if we are progressing forward: asking ourselves “are we inching towards the goal set by ourselves?” Speed doesn’t matter as much as progress. Here’s a list of resources to help everyone get started on their AI-readiness journey: | Article | Author | Comments | | --- | --- | --- | | [Using AI Right Now: A Quick Guide](https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/using-ai-right-now-a-quick-guide) | Ethan Mollick | Ethan is a proponent of using paid version of products such as ChatGPT. He is right in the sense that the premium models are mind-blowing in their abilities to solve complicated problems. BUT if committing $20 is too much for you at the moment, continue tinkering with free models. Just begin. | | [Reshaping the tree: rebuilding organizations for AI](https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/reshaping-the-tree-rebuilding-organizations) | Ethan Mollick | Business owners and people in management position would find some helpful perspectives in this article. | | [AI Hallucinations on the Decline](https://jakobnielsenphd.substack.com/p/ai-hallucinations) | Jakob Nielsen | I have been using different AI tools since their debut and Jakob’s analysis is accurate. When AI-pessimists say that AI output is flawed and unreliable, I know they haven’t tried the tools. | | [Power to the people: How LLMs flip the script on technology diffusion](https://karpathy.bearblog.dev/power-to-the-people/) | Andrej Karpathy | I like Andrej’s analysis of how AI is empowering people and organizations. Organizations are catching up and that diffusion would take some time. | | [Stop Game Denial](https://metamoderna.org/game-denial/) | Hanzi Freinacht | This article is not exactly about AI adoption. But I can’t stop thinking about how organizations and people falling in the trap of “game denial” when it comes to AI. | | [Project Vend: Can Claude run a small shop? (And why does that matter?)](https://www.anthropic.com/research/project-vend-1) | Anthropic | In this fascinating experiment, Anthropic shared how their AI model Claude handled their office vending machine operation. This article will provide ideas about how AI is going to permeate in different aspects of our lives. But more than that, it will spark your imagination. | | [Integrating AI into Your Daily Work: A Practical Guide](https://www.it360inc.com/integrating-ai-into-your-daily-work-a-practical-guide/) | it360inc | I found this quick and no-fluff guide quite useful for anyone looking to get ideas on AI use cases. | | [The Leader’s Guide to Transforming with AI](https://www.bcg.com/featured-insights/the-leaders-guide-to-transforming-with-ai) | Boston Consulting Group | This article provides specific ideas for different management roles: sales, operations, human resource, finance, technology, risk management, and marketing. | FOOTNOTES: --- ### 🪜(Part-2/2) Increasing the surface area of luck URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/11/29/part-2-2-increasing-the-surface-area-of-luck/ Date: 2024-11-29 Description: Upskilling alone won’t advance your career. Discover how expanding your luck’s surface area through diverse experiences matters more. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I love science. I’m sure you’d have noticed that. So, whether you love science, you have to listen to this incredible thing. Our digestive organ–small intestine is 3-5 meters long, with a diameter of a mere 2-3 cm. That’s like a normal PVC water pipe in our home. That’s not incredible. The incredible part is this: The small intestine’s effective surface area could be as large as **several tennis stadiums**! Look at this image: ​ ![0 8.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/xoV7gW3DWacs2SWn4uJqfP)​[Source](https://basicmedicalkey.com/gastrointestinal-physiology/)​ ​ As we zoom into the fine structures of the small intestine’s wall, we can see how even a small patch of wall is lined with thousands of folded structures–each increasing the surface area by hundreds of magnitudes. So, our food passes through touchpoints that measure several tennis stadiums! Who had thought that our tiny tummy space could encompass stadiums? **Everything starts making sense as soon as we start thinking in terms of surface area.**​ One of the core ideas in influencing our luck is seeing it in terms of surface area. So, let’s begin with understanding luck first. ## 100s of factors = luck So many factors make up luck when it comes to career advancement. Let me list out a few: - Age - Sex - Languages - Genetics - IQ - Appearance - Health - Personality and temperament - Socio-economic background - Parental influence - Peers - Natural inclination - Years of work experience - Domain of work - Types of work/projects undertaken - Network - Publications - Exposure to complementary fields - Financial health Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. It is impossible to account for all the factors that make up a person’s luck. But you got the idea. ## Also, let’s not mix the two types If you think about the items in this list, you will quickly identify some factors that you CAN’T control: - Age - Sex - Native language - Genetics - IQ (It is very tough to get a reasonable increase, so let’s keep on this list) - and other relevant ones… And then there are some that you CAN influence: - Languages - Appearance - Health - Peers - Domain of work - Types of work/projects undertaken - Network - Publications - Exposure to complementary fields - Financial health - and we can come up with other related ones… You can see that we have been mistakenly mixing them with other factors for a very long time. Now, we have clarity over what makes up for career advancement: Upskilling + Factors in our control + Factors outside our control = career advancement Similar to the small intestine, the factors under our control may seem insignificant. Right now, the factors are just words. A bullet list. A 2D depiction of the concept. But we have to think of luck–the factors–in terms of surface area. And quickly, you will notice things changing. ## Let’s compare Jolly Joe and Worried Will Two men, Joe and Will, are the same in many aspects: - Both of them are men with similar age - Both of them have 8 years of work experience - Master’s Degree in a similar field - Have worked in the IT sector - Have a circle of supportive friends and family But, can you figure out why their career is on different trajectories? ![jj.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ptxfE1b2wdkMG8pfvzJHzz)I know my drawing may convert you into Worried Will, but what can we do? I can’t upskill myself in the middle of writing, right? ​ Worried Will is worried for a reason. He doesn’t get as many **opportunities** as Jolly Joe. Because Joe has tried different domains of work, different companies, different colleagues…and he is in touch with things outside his full-time job. In other words, the surface area, the **literal touch-points** for Joe to get better career opportunities are far more than William. And things do not stop at just “opportunities”, Joe has developed confidence by: - Taking risks of getting into domains other than his familiar ones - Keeping the learning pace steady by working on side projects - Building a protective financial shield by saving some money Every single decision has increased Jolly Joe’s exposure to the chances of advancing his career. ## Increasing the surface area You’re smart enough to figure out what we need to do to increase the surface area of our luck. If we had Rs. 1,00,000 and 1000 hours per year budget for career advancement, it would be wise to expend the money in a way that increases our surface area maximally. Instead of putting all of the eggs in one basket called “upskilling”, we could have diversified a bit with some combination of: - Working on a side project - Learning new tools related to our fields - Reading about things that interest us - Watching movies, documentaries, and podcasts that interest us - Writing and publishing our thoughts for a larger audience - Taking up lead and responsibility at work - Speaking our mind at work - Assessing our financial condition before getting into debt - Taking up work outside our field of expertise - Spending time bonding with colleagues and friends that fulfil our lives These things don’t provide certification. And *that’s why* they are more valuable. ## Now, add upskilling to it As discussed last week, the term “upskilling” is a catchphrase, a self-defeating spell for anyone who uses it. But still, let’s use it and discuss it a bit before winding down today’s letter. Who do you think stands a chance to benefit more from “upskilling”: Joe or William? I can’t think of any reason why William would benefit more than Joe. But Joe will benefit far more than William. You can see, that “upskilling” doesn’t tip the scale that much. ## A luckier tomorrow Though we used a comparison between Jolly Joe and Worried William, in practice, I subscribe to the idea of comparing ourselves to our previous selves. ​**Our today should be more lucky than our yesterday.** **And our tomorrow should be more lucky than today.**​ A simple progression. But compounding over time. By the way, have you watched the famous F\*\*\* Around and Find Out graph? You can find the original one on YouTube, but I liked the one posted by this user. He’s right and it matches our discussion on increasing our surface area of luck: [![video preview](https://functions-js.convertkit.com/playbutton?play=%233197e0&accent=%23ffffff&thumbnailof=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DmH9NzJwldok&width=480&height=270&fit=contain)​](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH9NzJwldok) Personally, I’m not interested in the idea of “advance..advance..” war cries of career. Because that’s propagated by a specific group of people, for a specific purpose. Tomorrow, our hearts may stop in a split second and on our deathbed, we won’t recall the all-nighters we had pulled through. Life is richer than that. So, to each, their own. What have been your experiences and observations related to career advancement? **Hit Reply and share your thoughts with me.** Also, forward this letter to anyone who may find it useful. * * * **Reads of the week:** ![3 38.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/7tusBPLJsPsJ95wsA1MSNL) ​[Link](https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/11/study-why-aztec-death-whistles-sound-like-human-screams/)​ I knew that there were Aztecs some 500-600 years ago in Mexico, but I didn’t know about the Death Whistles thing. The death whistles were made of ceramics or clay. Archaeologists have been unearthing the skull-shaped whistles since 1999, buried with human sacrificial bodies. There are many plastic copies available in the market and you can hear their sound on the [internet](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=aztec+death+whistle). The sound is exactly like how a person would scream if they were being killed. It gives goosebumps. There are many theories about the purpose of death whistles. The most believable and chilling explanation I found was in ESR’s [post](https://x.com/esrtweet/status/1859556171918479626): “\[…\] The factual piece missing from the article is that sacrificial victims were drugged into semi-consciousness so they wouldn’t struggle and disrupt the ceremony.​This meant they didn’t scream as obsidian knives were penetrating their chests and their hearts were ripped out to be offered to the gods. Obviously, the Aztecs considered the ceremonial experience incomplete without the screaming, and built death whistles to simulate the proper sound of agony.\[…\]” --- ### TFN#80: 🪜(Part-1/2) Why focusing on upskilling may be dangerous to your career? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/11/22/part-1-2-why-focusing-on-upskilling-may-be-dangerous-to-your-career/ Date: 2024-11-22 Description: Upskilling is a dangerous trap word. Learn why focusing only on certifications may harm your career instead of advancing it. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, don’t get me wrong. I’m a believer and practitioner of life-long learning. In this two-part letter, I’m talking about “upskilling”—it is far from “learning”. It’s a deceptive term. So, I hope I don’t confuse you by mixing the two. Now that’s out of our way, we can focus on the main subject. If you’re in India and watch YouTube videos, you might have encountered some ads about upskilling. Almost all of them have a poster that looks like this: - A beautiful model wearing a worksuite - Using a power pose - Looking directly at the camera - Some hashtag that sounds powerful ![0 13.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/cHM2KUXAwQsfzh4GXxC9LE) There are hundreds of other companies making similar ads. And to fuel the fire, government agencies keep coming up with similar programs. Look at [this news bite](https://government.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/digital-india/csc-infosys-tie-up-to-upskill-6-cr-citizen-in-rural-india/88382642) from 2021: ![1 34.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/bLoowyKZKbrxxN4VwAsDbm) And if you work in an organization, you are likely aware of the effort they have been making to upskill their employees. Like a war-cry, everyone shouts *“upskill..upskill..upskill or vanish!”*​ It feels like the whole world is going through great turbulence and everything is uncertain. But.. But… But we need to pause for a minute. And reflect. ## When did we adopt this catchphrase: upskill? Google Search Trends provides some clues. As you can see in [this search trend analysis](https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2015-10-21%202024-11-21&q=upskill&hl=en-US), the **first peak** in interest for “upskill” appeared in April 2020. And now the interest has almost quadrupled in 10 years! ![2 34.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/qfPLj4JZCJwcivTwLTnQsk) Yes, that time when so-called EdTech and online certification companies had the full attention of work-from-home employees, with nothing much tangible to do. I remember social media feeds full of people sharing some or other online certifications every other week. A social race to show a piece of electronic paper and then rush to another one. My guess is, that’s how we ended up adopting this catchphrase: upskill. ## Why “upskill” is a trap word? When we use the term upskill, we automatically make some dangerous assumptions: ​**Assumption no. 1:** **There is always a next upgrade possible for a given skill.** **Assumption no. 2:** **The current level of skill is inadequate.** **Assumption no. 3: Only skills are important.** **Assumption no. 4:** **Everything is a skill**​ Anything a human can do is a skill. This absurd assumption is the logical consequence of the third assumption. That’s why, now companies are coming up with terms such as “mental skills”, “emotional skills”, “people skills”, etc. And we all know, those are not skills. But if they don’t package them as “skills”, they won’t sell. See the third assumption: “Only skills are important”. **Assumption no. 5:** **All people are upgradable**​ Probably, the darkest of all assumptions. Try waking up at 6 am every day and going for a walk, try to adopt a “healthy” diet. And you’ll realize–as I have realized many times–it is extremely difficult. No organization wants to admit this. Because if they do, then they don’t believe in their people. But it is fine if they set their people up for failure by assuming that attending a few weeks of “emotional skills” class by a consultant will make their emotional outbursts less frequent and make their team paradise on Earth. **That’s not how things work.**​ I can’t find a single useful way to use the word “upskill” in natural human-to-human communication. ![3 37.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/c9UFVqfmGuWADD23NckUE1)I created this using [Toonytool](https://www.toonytool.com/), try it. It was fun. ## The carrot of career-advancement In most scenarios where organizations tell their employees or prospective hires to get upskilled, the employees/prospective hires think that **once they’ve upskilled, they will be rewarded**. When one round of upskilling is complete, they’re sent to the next round of upskilling and then next, then next…and so on. The goalposts keep changing. And most organizations don’t behave in this way intentionally. They just don’t know how to reward someone who claims to have been “upskilled”. Because **businesses are not universities** with fixed paths to career progression. We can get ahead in a university by producing a certificate. But businesses have to generate value by rewarding the people who produce value, not certificates. So many organizations are dangling the **carrot of career advancement** through the **stick of upskilling** and it is not working. ## So, shouldn’t we upskill? The AI is going to take away our jobs and here I’m saying, we shouldn’t “upskill”. **Am I a lunatic? ​**Not really. As long as we use the term “upskill”, we are living in a trap. Replacing “upskill” with “learn” changes many things. **For example,** a customer-care executive may be assigned the work of talking to a customer, filling up customer reviews and retaining them or training new members in customer care. Out of curiosity or need, if she began learning new Customer Relationship Management software and helped with its implementation throughout the organization, they’d have generated enormous value by learning and contributing. We’d be doing a **grave disservice** by saying *“the customer-care executive upskilled herself”*. She didn’t upskill. She followed her interest and learnt whatever was required. ## Full-throttle upskilling The saddest part is when people and organizations go into upskilling mode. Just search about news articles on upskilling and you’d be shocked how many people and organizations are undergoing the frenzy of upskilling. Each party holding on to a **single assumption**: **Organizations’ assumption:** If our people upskill, we will generate more value, leading to more money.​ ​**People’s assumption:** If I upskill myself, I will generate more value, advancing my career.Following this wrong assumption, organizations and people spend all their **time, effort and money** on only one thing: upskilling. This full-throttle mode is not only dangerous but also flawed. If you had a budget of Rs. 1,00,000 and 1000 hours a year to advance your career and you spent all of it purchasing online courses, attending workshops and what not, you’d have set yourself up for disappointment. Because **upskilling ≠ career advancement** **Then what is career advancement equal to?** ## Luck: the secret ingredient to career advancement Not many people talk about this because they fear being tagged as lucky. We, humans, like to have an explanation for everything. The simpler the explanation, the better. Because that’s what our brains can understand and compute. We immediately accept simple causal explanations, where Event-A leads to Event-B. **In this case, Upskilling (Event-A) leads to Career advancement (Event-B)**. ​ ![Various Simple Causal Models by Keith Anthony](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8mEnuk9t9gdVQ5Zu7LwtMH)​[Various Simple Causal Models by Keith Anthony](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/251735394_Introduction_to_Causal_Modeling_Bayesian_Theory_and_Major_Bayesian_Modeling_Tools_for_the_Intelligence_Analyst)​ But, the reality is far more complex than that. So, we cut the noise and call every other thing “luck”. 100s of factors bundled together and called luck. And it secretly implies we don’t have agency over those factors. So, what do we do? We give our all to the one that seems plausible: to the Event-A, expecting Event-B to take place. While in reality, our equation looks like this: **Upskilling + 100s of other factors = career advancement** ## We can influence our luck(?) For our communication, we will keep using the term “luck”, but what we mean is “factors”. Factors that affect career advancement. We will talk about it in the next letter. I know, it has been a long write-and-read today. It was worth it. If this has resonated with you and you want to share it with someone, pls go ahead and forward this letter to them. Meanwhile, what are your thoughts on luck in this context? **Hit Reply and tell me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** ![5 16.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/uRsddu8FSrZqcozTpXoFBG) ​[Link](https://devoneriksen.substack.com/p/the-trillionaires-of-mars)​ In this classic, understandable write-up, Devon explains the whole idea behind going to Mars. I wish more people read this and their brains understood the science, technology and mainly, the ultimate human future achievable in our lifetime. He has made it quite easy to understand. And this is not a fantasy piece. If all goes well, this is what the future will look like in a few decades. I’m unsure whether the critics would understand it. But then, how would I know? I’m suffering from the [curse of knowledge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_knowledge). Perhaps, I have read too many science fiction stories and imagined the future a little too much. --- ### TFN#79: 🪜Better Zoom meetings, heart-to-heart URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/11/15/better-zoom-meetings-heart-to-heart/ Date: 2024-11-15 Description: Make Zoom meetings feel real. Hide self-view to stop being a digital Narcissus and connect heart-to-heart with colleagues. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I used to detest the “keep your video on” dictum often thrown during Zoom meets four years back. It left a bad taste. You may feel my anguish and contempt for mass Zoom meetings in [WFH: How much worth from home?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog//wfh-how-much-worth-from-home) article that I penned down two weeks into covid lockdown. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/dRCiLZuzLYytmFJPMZ98MU)Also, do people still keep their mic unmute in large Zoom meets? Thanks to different opportunities, I could make some career adjustments without having to join a Zoom meeting for the sake of it—and not in a mass of 5+ people. This new phase of unforced Zoom meetings took away my resistance of showing my face on video! Because if I don’t show my face, how would I be able to hold a dialogue with the 2-3 people I might be on the call with? Out of a few work practices, I wanted to share one of the easiest ones to implement: **Hiding self-view in Zoom app** ## What is self-view? Self-view is our own video feed that we see on the Zoom screen. By default, Zoom shows us our live webcam feed on our screen. As if we are in a meeting with our clone too! Zoom has the facility to hide it. ## But why should we hide the self-view? For better, heart-to-heart communication. I’m not going to go into the other benefits of saving screen real-estate, rendering compute and all. Because my interest has been in improving the quality of the communication. When we hide the self-view, we can pay attention to the other people in the meeting. Especially, if you’re having a one-on-one meeting. Look at this GIF from Jimmy Falon’s show: ![1.webp](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4yh66UqfRFsDmsMzW7bPwd) **Doesn’t this feel more immersive?**​ You can try and see if you want to adopt this practice by following either of the following methods. ## Method-1 to hide the self-view in Zoom By choosing this method, all of your Zoom calls will have self-view hidden. You don’t have to do anything for each meeting. ​**Step-1**​ On your PC, go to Zoom settings by clicking on your profile photo. This window will open. You need to click on the “Video” tab. ![2 33.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/cm7pNv6pewYceqNuUBy3Vx) **Step-2**​ Scroll down the settings on the right-hand side, until you reach the “Hide self-view” option. ![3 35.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/SLehLWydn6yYTJqxu4ejy) Check it and you’re done! If you change your mind about any specific meeting, you can follow method-2 to switch back and forth. Let’s see how to do that. ## Method-2 to hide self-view in Zoom This easiest method, but it doesn’t set a default for all of the meetings. So, I don’t prefer this one. Once you have joined the meeting, you can navigate to the “View” menu generally located on the top right-hand side corner. You will find the “Hide self-view” option. Just click it. ![4 23.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/rvHw6cdfuGCtmhA2NV2gZk) That’s it! I hope you get to try it and share your experience later. Especially in a small group, the communication occurs heart-to-heart. My suspicion is that due to the lack of self-view, we are able to pay attention to others. And of course, we become less of a digital [Narcissus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_\(mythology\)). Do you already use this feature? When did you decide to go for it? OR are there any other practices that you find helpful for Zoom meetings? ​**Hit Reply and tell me about it.** * * * **Reads of the week:** ![5 15.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4yWFu2GH4rpoUCZXYYJP3u) ​[Link](https://x.com/dieworkwear/status/1742775542271893567)​ I have been reading Derek Guy’s ridiculously long threads and articles for some time now. Derek’s taste in male clothing is striking. The core concepts of male clothing laid out by him in his writing and exhaustive sample photographs make you wonder where was he all these years!? For all the female readers, I’m yet to find a female Derek, but reading him won’t be a waste of your time. I promise. ![6 12.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/vJEWriXtqGnLJjm33BL6bC) ​[Link](https://signalvnoise.com/svn3/the-value-of-human-exploratory-testing/)​ As we learn more, we find more and realize how much we don’t know. One of the things that I’m currently learning is called TDD (Test-driven Development). That’s a software development practice. When I came across this practice, I found it ridiculous (oh, I used the word again!). Tests are useful, but Test-driven development is not my style. I didn’t know companies hire dedicated testers for exploratory testing. Read this interesting one by David. If you’re interested in the TDD debate, this one is my next read, again by David: [TDD is dead. Long live testing.](https://dhh.dk/2014/tdd-is-dead-long-live-testing.html)​ --- ### TFN#78: 🪜Rules to work by: Manual first, automatic later URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/11/08/rules-to-work-by-manual-first-automatic-later/ Date: 2024-11-08 Description: Do manual work first before automating. Grassroots understanding builds mastery and reveals what really needs automation. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Most things in our lives are now automatic: We don’t go fetch water, it automatically reaches us. We don’t need to generate electricity, it reaches us. We don’t need to assemble blocks to print on paper, the laser printer just prints it. And oh, manual printing reminds me of these fun printing videos made every day by the Sacramento History Museum. For example, in [this YouTube shorts](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4I05YGZhV9Y), Howard prints a Happy Halloween greeting using the press. ![0 7.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/gytY2DBdiAYHk67aYwcN3e) But of course, that’s not what we want to discuss today. I wanted to share with you a rule that I work by. This is the central idea: mostly there are two ways to accomplish any work: one is manual, and another is automatic. Let’s take two different examples. ​**Status update example**​ You’re managing a small team of colleagues at your work. If you want to know the weekly status of your team’s work, you have two options: - Option-1: Communicate with everyone to provide a status update through an email or whichever collaboration tool you might be using - Option-2: Meet your teammates every week for a few minutes and learn about the status of their work. When you have identified what type of concerns and updates your team comes up with, you ask them to share a status update with specific types every week **Marketing example**​ You’re a marketer. And you have received an assignment to sell board games to people over the internet. You have two options: - Option-1: You can carry out Google “research” over a few days, talk to your client a few times, and come up with a marketing strategy - Option-2: You reach out to prospective customers online or offline in the game shop and try to understand what makes them tick. Then combined with your interviews and online research, you come up with a marketing strategy **Dashboard manager example**​ This one is my personal favourite. You’re a manager in an organization. And you need to monitor the project’s progress. You have two options: - Option-1: Get your team to set up a data dashboard with all types of statistics. You regularly keep an eye on the dashboard and ask “tough” questions to the project managers - Option-2: You begin collecting raw data and with the help of the project managers, you understand the bottleneck, challenges and the story behind the data flow. After doing this for some time, having identified the necessary points, you get your team to set up a data dashboard for you Most people choose Option-1 from the outset. Because that is how others around them conduct their work. But it is neither productive nor effective. Option-2 is how we get impactful work done. ## Grassroots = initial manual work Whether it is business or non-profit, we hear the term grassroots a lot. Grassroots work can’t be done without getting our hands dirty first. That is what I meant in [Begin with a pencil sketch.](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/begin-with-a-pencil-sketch) To develop a full understanding of something, there is no substitute for some initial manual work. ## This philosophy has some important effects The philosophy of doing things manually first and automatically later has some important effects. For example, think of these letters I have exchanged with you in the last couple of weeks: ​[Rename 100 files for 100 team members under a second](https://get.bhagyeshpathak.com/posts/rename-100-files-for-100-team-members-under-a-second)​ ​[Today we create a tiny folder-generator software using Notepad. You can do it. Trust me.](https://get.bhagyeshpathak.com/posts/today-we-create-a-tiny-folder-generator-software-using-notepad-you-can-do-it-trust-me)​ ​[(Part-2/2) Deep clean your PC: Bleaching](https://get.bhagyeshpathak.com/posts/part-2-2-deep-clean-your-pc-bleaching)​ None of these letters would be helpful unless we have done some manual work before. The automation wouldn’t compensate for our lack of understanding of the process. You’d experience some important effects of following this rule/philosophy: - You’d start seeing the initial manual effort as an investment - You’d develop mastery of the project you undertake - You’d begin asking fundamental questions, sometimes existential ones - You’d start recognizing time-waster people and tasks early on These are some of the effects of following the manual first approach. What do you think about this approach? Do you practice anything like this in your work? **Hit Reply and share it with me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** ![1 33.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4VoNxecuACXUMRGWN1kjFe) ​[Link](https://govleaders.org/rickover-purpose.htm)​ I came across this jewel of a speech from the legendary US Admiral Hyman G. Rickover from 1977. You have to read the full speech to appreciate his message. Still, let me share my favourite passage from this speech: ​*“Man has a large capacity for effort. But it is so much greater than we think it is, that few ever reach this capacity. We should value the faculty of knowing what we ought to do and having the will to do it. But understanding is easy. It is the doing that is difficult. The critical issue is not what we know but what we do with what we know. The great end of life is not knowledge but action.”* Also, this is the same paragraph reprinted on the wall in the following photo when Nvidia’s CEO Jensen delivered the first AI system to the OpenAI team in 2016. ​ ![2.jpeg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/nZakvQaJfb2BbsRjhfGrbE) ![3 34.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/szTz6bpjKe3B8WgxKU14W4) ​[Link](https://world.hey.com/dhh/the-spells-are-spent-beaa675b)​ Haha, it would be meaningless of this letter if I didn’t share anything related to Donald Trump’s successful election this week. It is such a relief to see the comedic insanity coming to a halt. In the past decade, the US’s export of radical ideology and counter-culturalism painted a doomed future, but thanks to sane Americans, the future no longer seems as doomed. Finally, lunatics are not going to run the asylum. David has felt the brunt of these lunatics firsthand and he has rightly deemed this stage: The spells are spent. --- ### TFN#77: 🪜(Part-2/2) Deep clean your PC: Bleaching URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/11/01/part-2-2-deep-clean-your-pc-bleaching/ Date: 2024-11-01 Description: Auto-clean your PC with BleachBit. The open-source tool removes temp files, caches, and junk from browsers effortlessly. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Hi Reader, How’s your Diwali week progressing? I hope you had a good one. Wishing you a happy Diwali week. Today, I won’t take long. Because I’ve got to be somewhere and you’ve got to relax. I hope you began cleaning your PC as per last week’s conversation. It is something that no software can do automatically. ## Automatic cleaning today We will use an automatic software for today’s micro-cleaning. You just have to select which parts of your PC you want to get cleaned and then press GO. It is like chemical wash—as if bleaching. You don’t need to move a muscle and still the cleaning happens. ## Micro-cleaning using [BleachBit](https://www.bleachbit.org/download)​ I have used some other cleaning software most of my life. But this one beats them all. It is fully free and open-source (we will talk more about the meaning of open-source and some funny things about how people are abusing this term). So, just head over to BleachBit’s [download page](https://www.bleachbit.org/download) and install it on your system. (Yes, it is available for almost all popular Operating Systems) ## How to use it? ### Step-1 Once installed, BleachBit would take a few seconds to scan your PC and understand which different software and browsers you use. So that it can check their temporary files, cache etc. My screen looks like this: ![1 32.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/s45374cMMbtKExx9MMw4gr) By default, the checkboxes would be unchecked. A word of caution, Checking “Deep Scan” would reset many of your PC settings, so I recommend not checking it. ### Step-2 Once you have done the checking, you will need to click the first two buttons. When you hit “Preview”, it will begin scanning for removal. But will not clean. It will just gather and show you how much space it would be able to free. This step would take 5-10 minutes, depending on the junk files on your PC. ​ ![2 32.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/3zhAha2PbNeFsEjetMVLsy) ### Step-3 Before you hit “Clean”, please make sure that you *really* want to delete your Form History and Passwords from your browser. If you save passwords to your browser, please UNCHECK these boxes. There’s no undo button once cleaned. ![3 33.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/jr5vUtsU4e7A96D8yHeyu) ### Step-4 Now hit “Clean”. The software will take its time cleaning your files. At any moment in time, if you want to stop cleaning, hit “Abort”. ### Step-5 Once cleaning is over, you can check the individual cleaning logs. Once satisfied, restart your PC. Restarting will remove any temporary files and repair any broken file paths. And now your PC is spick-and-span. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ko8HT4YrzXLeGuEiQD6aEP) **Hit Reply and tell me** how your cleaning session went. * * * **Reads of the week:** ## Meet HeyGen’s Avatar 3.0: the most lifelike avatars ​[Link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxbSV98VnhY)​ This is the kind of AI-use case that feels like science-fiction materialized. Watch the 2-minute video about HeyGen’s video production capabilities. It can clone anyone and make them act, dress and talk naturally. **There’s a surprise in this video.** Find it out. ![5 1.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/eWC4bSkxVs5bvPfrtcxYkN) ​ --- ### TFN#76: 🪜(Part-1/2) Deep clean your PC: Find out heavy files and folders URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/10/25/part-1-2-deep-clean-your-pc-find-out-heavy-files-and-folders/ Date: 2024-10-25 Description: Deep clean your PC for Diwali. Use TreeSize Free to find heavy folders consuming your storage and reclaim disk space. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Since my childhood, the Diwali season has been the season of cleaning. It’s like the Spring season. Every corner of the home should look new, dusted, and organized. “Rejuvenated”, that’s the word I was looking for. ![0 7.gif](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ko8HT4YrzXLeGuEiQD6aEP) Although the necessity of cleaning has decreased over the years, I can still feel the spirit of this season. So I thought, why not share ideas on digital cleaning our workspace? I’m sure you might not be taking up a broom and cleaning your office space–because the cleaning staff would have mostly taken care of that. But there’s a more important space that most of us don’t get to think of as a space: our PC. ## Cleaning in two parts **This week**, in today’s letter, we will discuss macro-cleaning. It will be a bit manual, but worth it. (This letter will be applicable only for Windows PCs, though.) ​**Next week**, we will discuss about micro-cleaning. You won’t need to do much to get your PC cleaned completely. ## Indications that your PC needs cleaning There are some tell-tale signs: - Slow PC - Constantly running out of storage - Takes forever to boot ## “I want to clean my PC, but I don’t know which folders to check first” If you’re using a Windows PC, you can’t see a complete break-up of your storage. The system doesn’t give you a way to look at the biggest files or smallest files in a dedicated window. It is all messy and sloow. ## That’s why, this free [TreeSize software](https://treesize.net/)​ I think the name is due to its feature of providing a Tree-style map of the computer folders. Just ignore the name, the important thing is that it does the job. You can download the official copy of this software from [here](https://treesize.net/). ## A quick guide on using it ### Step-1 Once you have downloaded and installed it, open “TreeSize Free” by clicking “Run as administrator”. ![1 31.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/37tC7WPanaGWsaL3bf3QA6) ### Step-2 This is how the first screen may look. The layout may differ as I haven’t updated my software copy lately. ![2 31.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/3Y7cmCYNBUyWM1M78Q3g27) ### Step-3 In this step, you need to click on menu item-1 and select a drive that you want to scan and check the distribution of its content. ![3 32.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/h3x5BmcpBMdP1himJRPghC) Also, a brief list of the options as seen in the screenshot above: ​**Menu item-1:** Let you select the directory ​**Menu item-2:** Let you stop the scan abruptly ​**Menu item-3:** You can refresh the folders once the scan is complete ​**Menu item-4:** Selecting this would provide you with the actual size of the folders/files (please don’t select this mode, it is not useful to us) ​**Menu item-5:** This would be the default option, it shows us the “allocated space” of the folders/files on the space. This is what we are interested in ​**Menu item-6:** This one would show us the number of files in a folder ​**Menu item-7:** This would show occupied space in terms of the percentage of the parent folder ​**Menu item-8:** The default is good, but if you want to see the break-up size in other units, you can play with these options ### Step-4 Once you have selected a drive and scanned it, it will immediately show you the storage break-up. The folders will be sorted in descending order of size, so the biggest folders in size will be displayed first. In the following screenshot, you can see: - I have selected my C Drive - Out of the total space of 219 GB on my C Drive, most of it is used by the first three folders - The Users folder is hogging 44% of my total C Drive storage! ![4 22.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ipWEaqQ3Qd8DUw7toimmKo) ### Step-5 Clean! Tracking down the biggest folders first and deleting unnecessary folders/files would begin your first round of cleaning. You can collapse these folders by clicking on the side-arrow and delete any unnecessary folder by right-clicking on it. Repeat it for all of your drives and you’re all set for the deeper, more automatic cleaning. ​**And we will cover it next week!** I hope you get some time to clean your workspace. Just remember, if you don’t know what the purpose of a folder is, do not delete it. So, go ahead and [download the TreeSize Free tool](https://treesize.net/) and let the Diwali spirit take its shape! Don’t forget to **Hit Reply and share your story of slow PCs with me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** ## The invisible gorilla ​[Link](https://search.bwh.harvard.edu/new/pubs/DrewVoWolfe13.pdf)​ If you were an experienced Radiologist, regularly looking at people’s X-Rays and CT scan reports, would you miss out on a gorilla printed on a report? Turns out, you may do. Because 83% of the radiologists covered in this research didn’t notice a big gorilla on the CT scan report. It was 48 times larger than the average nodule that they’re used to detecting in the report. So, what’s going on? The researchers are calling it Inattentional Blindness. The idea springs from similar experiments carried out by Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris in 1999. Enjoy [this 2 minute clip](https://youtu.be/vJG698U2Mvo)and see if you can beat the challenge. ![5.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/eA7sYXxycXUFTedszrikN7) --- ### TFN#75: 🪜Nonviolent communication in work and relationships URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/10/18/nonviolent-communication-in-work-and-relationships/ Date: 2024-10-18 Description: Transform workplace communication with Nonviolent Communication. A 4-step framework to express observations, feelings, needs, and requests. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Some time back, I came across the practice of Nonviolent Communication. Since then, I have constantly thought about it when I hear myself and others communicate violently. Since the practice has stayed with me for a sufficiently long time, I feel comfortable and authentic in sharing with you now. Before we move ahead, let me borrow Marshall Rosenberg’s definition of “violent” communication. The man who conceptualized this practice. If “violent” means acting in ways that result in hurt or harm, then much of how we communicate could indeed be called “violent” communication. — Marshal Rosenberg, Author: Nonviolent Communication***A Word:*** *I used to communicate violently. If you too are used to communicating “violently” most of the time, it is likely that after reading this letter, your mind would shout “No way! This wouldn’t work!” And that is completely fine. There’s a reason why it is called a practice. It is difficult to see its effects on your relationships with others and yourself, without practising it yourself.* ## First, some self-reflection I hold an optimistic worldview, which includes seeing humans as a net positive addition to this world. So I’m not going to proclaim that “we are all violent, egomaniac animals, suffering from a disease called life.” No, that’s not me. So, instead, you assess yourself. Carry out a brief self-reflection and determine where you stand in terms of “violent” communication. Get some idea of your level of violence by reflecting on the following questions: - Do I blame people around me often? - What is the underlying tone of the majority of my communication: condescending, sarcastic, aggressive, humiliating? Or Understanding, accommodating, curious? - In an argument, what is my end goal: Winning the argument, making the other party feel inferior, shifting the blame, taking responsibility or finding the solution? - How do I feel at the end of an argument: peacefully satisfied, victorious, defeated? - Do people fear confronting me? Why? By the end of this brief self-reflection, **your guts would have already answered you**. The higher the level of violence in communication, the more uneasy you would have felt while reading the questions. No matter what the feeling you’re sitting with, all of us go through it. All of us have Jackal and Giraffe within us. Take a look. ## The Jackal and The Giraffe Style Dr. Rosenberg presents two animals, a Jackal and a Giraffe, to symbolize their perceived nature with our communication style. ![0 12.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/7hYG5dFvqa1dxPu7eVuJ3v) The idea is to slowly transform our lives towards the giraffe way. How? Using the NVC framework. ## The NVC framework Dr. Rosenberg proposed a Nonviolent Communication framework. When someone proposes concepts in the form of a framework, that signals they are being **process-driven**. They’re telling us: do this, this and this, in this and this order and you will get the results. That is what I like about the NVC framework. It is based on **four components** put together while communicating with a person: 1. **Observations:** We share our observations related to their behaviour/the matter at hand. 2. **Feelings:** We also share how we feel about the observation. 3. **Needs:** We identify our needs/desires that are at the base of those feelings. 4. **Requests:** Finally, request some concrete actions from the other person’s side that would solve the issue. These are some bare-minimum moving parts of this framework. For the complete understanding and nuances, I recommend you read Dr. Rosenberg’s book Nonviolent Communication. ### In any case, let’s take an example We will take a simple example. Let’s say, one of your teammates is often late at work. You need to confront him about this behaviour. In this situation, this is how the NVC components can help: 1. **Observations:** You observe the teammate being late often. You try to observe it objectively, without making any assumptions. 2. **Feelings:** You acknowledge and express that as a manager, you feel disappointed, frustrated, and disrespected by your teammates not showing up for work and meetings as expected. 3. **Needs:** You identify the needs behind the different feelings you feel by this observation. For example, you identify that you feel disappointed because he used to show up on time in the past. This new behaviour is not meeting your need for predictability. You also identify that the frustration stems from the need to get the work done on time. And about the feeling of being disrespected, it might be because when your need to be kept in the loop is not satisfied by your teammate, you may be feeling disrespected. 4. **Requests:** Considering the first three components, you express a request to your teammate in a clear, concrete and positive manner. Make sure that the words and tone do not imply a “demand” from your side. **So what do you tell them?**​ There’s no format. Because there can’t be. Everyone is unique. But still, whatever you say, it should not miss the **key components and the flow:** you share that you noticed your teammate has been coming to work late more often than usual. And that makes you feel a bit disappointed and disrespected. Then you ask them whether there is a situation that is leading to their frequent late arrival. And lastly, you conclude with your request to see them at 9.30 in the office. ## Why bother with this practice? Sure, it looks like a lot of work. Instead, why not go old-school by writing a harsh email with an ultimatum and shouting at the person? (And definitely, that may work for some people.) ​*But does it have to be our default behaviour?*​ The beauty of practising Nonviolent Communication is that it enriches our life. It brings a level of satisfaction that only a compassionate way of life can bring. And most importantly, it changes the way we think, feel and talk to ourselves. Do you have someone in your life who’s your go-to person to share your deepest troubles? Next time you talk to them, can you observe their language and intentions? My guess is that you will find them communicating non-violently. In future, whenever you put NVC into practice, don’t forget to share your stories with me. If you already have some, **Hit Reply and share them with me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** ## ESR on Mechazilla Catch and Men’s Feelings ​[Link](https://x.com/esrtweet/status/1845763790656205290)​ I came across the noted Programmer and Hacker ESR’s comment on this meme image and it resonated with me. If you’re anything like me, I’m sure it will resonate with you too. ![1.jpeg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/sGqGHRBaR5WVu8L4DJ5hce) ## How exactly does encryption in our websites work?: Genius RSA Algorithm ​[Part-1, runtime: 8 minutes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zahvcJ9glg)​ ​[Part-2, runtime: 12 minutes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOcTVTpUsPQ)​ All of us browse the internet and visit different websites. Whenever we try to visit a website that starts with ‘http://’ instead of ‘https://’, our browser warns us about the website being insecure. In common terms, it is said that the website lacks SSL/TSL certificate. What’s that? And how does that encryption work using a combination of magical mathematical algorithm called **RSA Encryption Algorithm**? (By the way, RSA comes from the surnames of Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir and Leonard Adleman who publicized the algorithm in 1977.) I know you might not have thought about it, but when I came across this video explaining the RSA algorithm, I couldn’t help but wonder at the **beauty of mathematical applications** in our lives. It is incredible how we can’t decrypt a message over the internet even if we have the algorithmic formula. You will agree with me that **Eddie Woo** is a phenomenal teacher. --- ### TFN#74: 🪜The problem with averages and dashboards URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/10/11/the-problem-with-averages-and-dashboards/ Date: 2024-10-11 Description: Averages in dashboards trick us into bad decisions. See how 93% of derivative traders lost money and why dashboards hide the truth. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Tell me something, would you step into a river that is on average 4 feet deep? Take a pause. If your mind shouted NO right away, you don’t need to look at this illustration: ![0 11.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/qbP7Ez5hG1sK9jQnSKWyM2) See? Averages are tricky. Most of the time, they play with our intuition and lead us to bad decisions. ### STOCK DERIVATIVES RIVER One of my favourite averages is the recent Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) [research outcome](https://www.business-standard.com/markets/news/over-93-retail-traders-lost-money-in-f-o-in-three-years-says-sebi-124092300853_1.html) : approximately **93%** of equity derivative traders have incurred an average loss of *Rs 2 lakh (per trader)* during the last three financial years. Imagine the deadly depths of this river! ​ Now *that’s* a river I wouldn’t dare step into without expertise. In any case, the knowledge work that most of us are involved in doesn’t contain derivative trading or stepping into rivers. But many of us deal with dashboards every day. ## Dashboard mania Most organizations have been frenzy about having dashboards for some time now. This began a few years back due to the increased computing power of PCs, better internet connectivity and the upgradation of the technology stack of webpages. A few months back, we had discussed different aspects of the problems with dashboards and mistakes in [5 mistakes I avoid while designing my dashboards](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9c5-mistakes-i-avoid-while-designing-my-dashboards/)​ The three problems I had highlighted were: 1. Dashboards are treated as a cure for all problems 2. Only for managers 3. The gap between decision-maker and decision ## But the main problem: Averages Other organizational, humane and management problems aside, the main problem is that most dashboards show averages. Consider this image that I had shared in the said letter: ![1 30.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/mhFSKDc4RFFJ7j7mRghEsg) In your business, the real data might be coming from 100 different locations in a large geographic area. As a business owner or a high-level manager, the dashboard would provide an aggregate, average idea of the the business activity health. ## 4 feet depth on display Your dashboard shows you the 4 feet depth of the river. Of course, the modern dashboards provide the facility to drill several levels deeper (but how often do you click 5 levels deep and corroborate the data?). In other words, dashboards tend to do two things: ### 1\. Making good business look bad If the average sales data of your 50 salespeople show bad business, that overshadows the good business brought in by the individuals. ### 2\. Making bad business look good On the other hand, if the average sales data of your 50 salespeople shows good business, it hides the bad business brought in by the individuals. In essence, averages play with our intuition, mood and consequently decision-making. ## So what’s the solution? Giving more power to your people. By investing in a design that provides a personalized experience. Most importantly, not showing averages or percentages. Look at this stock management screen I created sometime back. Ignore the discrepancy in the sample data and look at the quantity of Curd. It doesn’t tell the person that 75% curd is available. Instead, it tells the person that the curd status is GREEN at the moment and it is 750 gram. The person will make necessary the decision depending on this information. ![2 30.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/sH4wxZHZM68cnYzqcwjppD) Have you saved your organization or team from falling into the averages trap? Would you like to share it with me? **Hit Reply and just share it with me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** ## Why is Tesla’s coming Robotaxi such a big deal? ​[Link](https://x.com/Scobleizer/status/1843478107237601335)​ What would be the soon-to-be future of transportation? In this post, Robert argues that out of the all Robotaxi brands currently available in select US cities, Tesla’s upcoming Robotaxi is going to dominate the market. He provides some interesting insights about why he thinks so. I haven’t ridden a Robotaxi yet, so let’s see when I get to experience it and maybe I will be able to verify Robert’s claims. --- ### TFN#73: 🪜Mouse testing 1..2..3..Mouse testing 1..2..3.. URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/10/04/mouse-testing-1-2-3-mouse-testing-1-2-3/ Date: 2024-10-04 Description: Test your mouse for problems before replacing. Use this free online tool to check double-clicks, scroll, and button issues. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak That’s what I do almost every year. As a regular user of PC, I use mouse and keyboard a lott. And that’s why I have to replace my mouse often. (No, not the keyboard, I go gentle on the keyboard.) ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/eoh3vxgPio3PXhAcAcW6H2)Multiverse model effect 😀 If you know me, you’d know I don’t mind using the same Cell phone for 10 years. So if a mouse lasted 2 years, I wouldn’t replace it in a year. I mean why fix something that is not broken? So, the question is **how do I know it is time to replace the mouse?** ## I know when it’s time There are many symptoms, but some combination of these inevitably happens: - Double-click issue: when my single click closes two windows back-to-back (This is by far the scariest scenario that forces me to re-order the mouse from my Amazon order list) - When I can’t highlight text properly by holding the left-click button (This one is not scary, it is frustrating) - When the mouse left-click also starts acting as a right-click - When the scroll wheel moves the page by 2 scroll spaces for my 5 scroll effort - When the mouse doesn’t get detected (This one never happens with me, because I don’t let it happen) ## They creep up slowly The symptoms I shared with you, creep up slowly. It is similar to how we don’t realize our weight increased/decreased without us noticing it. Similarly, suddenly, you realize “damn, this mouse is giving problems.” And mostly, that is when I decided to replace the mouse. ## But recently, I came across a [Mouse Test](https://testthiscps.com/mouse-test/)​ The idea is simple. Go to the webpage, and start clicking. If your mouse has problems, you will notice the problems and inconsistencies with clicks and scrolls. ![1 29.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/bwctcK598APuZCZBRPhrCU)Mouse Test Homepage Let’s test the main mouse buttons: left, right, centre and scroll wheel. Please note, that you have to click on the main rectangle to begin the test. ### Left button As you can see, the left button’s click count is shown as I click. If my mouse had the double-click problem, when I click once, the count will increment by two points. Telling me that it is indeed problematic. ![2.gif](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/pXZdpTjqjWnR6s8DBkCK1)Left click test ### Right button Similarly, clicking the right mouse button should only reflect that count. Whenever there is an issue with the buttons, even clicking a left button increases this count. You can do the same for the middle button. (Did you know that the scroll wheel is a button too?) ![3.gif](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/nAy62ceTrLChxcWdfAa34D)Righ click test ### Scroll wheel To test this, you must keep your scroll wheel on the rectangle area. You may need to move the arrow out of the rectangle for the scroll count to get started. In this clip, you can see how precisely I can control the count of the Up and Down scrolls. ​ ![4.gif](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/wsvD7vuPF6N4Z6GUc4oEwH)Scroll test ## You can check your new mouse with this test One of the best uses of this test is to check the functioning of a newly purchased mouse. The idea is to click the buttons and scroll until a score of 100 is reached for each of them. If there is anything wrong with the mouse, the chances are you will notice by you reach your 100th count. (Did you know, that most mice that we use last approximately 1 million counts without any issue?) So, how often do you replace your mouse? I use a Logitech mouse, that fits perfectly in my hand. Do you have any preferences? **Hit Reply and share with me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** ![6 11.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/thiAYz7YoczQfaTwYHfU86) ​[Link](https://nadh.in/blog/decentralised-open-indexes/)​ Don’t be repulsed by the title. This is a very well-written essay by Kailash Nadh (CTO of Zerodha). He talks about how painful it has become to find anything useful on the internet because most of the search results are now spammed with SEO-engineered and AI-made content. Since Kailash is a well-known open-source contributor too, he proposes a simple idea of curating and creating indexes by people and sharing them publicly. 80% of the discussion is understandable by anyone. You will also come across some useful websites that you didn’t know existed. For example, I liked the ​ ![5 14.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/vQYxEKgnmREncdFUXSsM7N) ​[Link](https://m.xkcd.com/1475/)​ I remember one of my professors who would counter our answers with “technically…” and you know you are defeated. Check out all comics by Randall Munroe. And oh, *technically*, Randall is not exactly a comic guy, he is an ex-NASA engineer. --- ### TFN#72: 🪜Backing up work regularly URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/09/27/backing-up-work-regularly/ Date: 2024-09-27 Description: Back up work after major changes, not just occasionally. Combined with 3-2-1 strategy, it protects your crucial files. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, You might have experienced the loss of data or a few important edits in a document at least a few times in your work. Everyone experiences that. I don’t know why we tend to forget to either save our work or back up regularly. The gruelling part is the need to do over the whole effort. ![0 6.gif](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/beZMReeUyyLbiQDJNmD3Ca) So, just saying “back up your work” is not helpful advice. Helpful advice might be something that we can see with an example. ### When is backup necessary? Anytime you begin working on a long-term and important thing. If you take 10 days to come up with a 5-pager business document and lose it, you can’t recreate it with the same depth in a day or two. Think about it. Most of the knowledge work is incremental. For example, no matter what you are creating: a design, software, or a presentation; things take shape over a few days to weeks. Work is incremental. This incremental progress is the biggest reason why need to back up regularly. ### A picture is worth a thousand words Look at this screenshot from one of my software development projects’ archives: ![1 28.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/oAbMZhCPPjv33ShFGtyF9Z) ​ There are 28 copies of this project file backups to date. Each file has a dedicated change log. (The change log details fall under the “version control” discussion. I will cover it in one of the future letters.) ### File corruption happens all the time Forget that these are MS Access software files. These could be MS Word or Adobe Photoshop files too. And do you know what is common to all computer programs? File corruption. Your 2 days of effort go down the drain. ### Habit formation No matter how advanced systems we use for automatic backups, for regular knowledge workers, it boils down to their habits. If we are habituated to not save work, or think of consequences of not making a backup, it is difficult for automated systems to come to our rescue. Making a regular backup of files after making a major change, should become a habit. ### Combine it with the 3-2-1 backup strategy If you remember, almost a year back, we discussed [the 3-2-1 backup strategy.](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9c-simple-3-2-1-data-backup-strategy/)It was an overall backup strategy: a total of 3 backup copies, on 2 media types: solid state drives and cloud, and 1 offsite copy. If we combine it with our today’s discussion, it would serve us as the ultimate solution in maintaining all-important work resources without losing them. I just shared computer-based offline backup practices today. What are your backup practices? Offline or online. **Hit Reply and tell me about it.** * * * **Reads of the week:** ![2 29.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8BgVRE4Pzp4wakHzbnWdtr) ​[Link](https://web.archive.org/web/20230630111131/https://www.thinkful.com/blog/why-learning-to-code-is-so-damn-hard/)​ If you’ve just begun learning to code and read this article, you would give up. Erik is right in his analysis. Look at the graph that he has produced in the article. When you just begin learning to code, the few weeks from your “Hello world!” are more like a hand-holding honeymoon period. The instructor on your YouTube video/Coursera is aware of it. That’s why they try to soften the blow as much as possible. But as you read the article fully and digest it, you realize that though it is hard, it is one of the most fulfilling skills to learn as a knowledge worker. ![3 31.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/wA4d5n2g4LV8txu8fAAW1a) ![4 2.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/7TQ47TpVbY2dPrMZxuCzpG) ### DHH is right about everything ​[Link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTa2d3OLXhg)​ I relished this DHH’s 2-hour interview. Though I have mentioned him multiple times in this letter, if you don’t know, David Heinemeier Hansson is a Danish programmer and racing driver. He is also the owner and CTO of 37Signals software firm. One of the YouTube comments on this video said: ​*“This is not an interview; it’s a monologue, and I’m here for it.”*​ Another one said: *“I just love DHH’s brand of angry enthusiasm.”*​ If you watch it, you’ll know it was worth 2 hours. In this interview, DHH talks about the joy of programming, competence, parenting, racing cars, open source, etc. If you’re not much technical person, you may want to skip the first hour and [begin here](https://youtu.be/mTa2d3OLXhg?feature=shared&t=3866). --- ### TFN#71: 🪜Create your personal intellectual assistant URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/09/20/create-your-personal-intellectual-assistant/ Date: 2024-09-20 Description: Create a free AI research assistant using Google NotebookLM. Upload PDFs, chat with documents, and generate audio podcasts instantly. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Who doesn’t like a little help in their work? Traditionally, people hire personal assistants. And we know it is so difficult to hire one: it costs money, they’re inefficient and they don’t get it our style from day one. In short, hiring personal assistants is as tough for us as it was for Miranda Priestly (played by Meryl Streep) in The Devil Wear Prada in [this scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2f2Kqt_KcE). ![0 6.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/i28C2VPdHcytJfETLGfQJj) Or as painful as it was for Miranda to see the newly hired personal assistant [mess up the work](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjiJ-aeBj9Y): ![1 3.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/qjAggKUk4E7Ene2cCmPzpR) But if you think about it, most of us don’t need to hire a personal assistant to help in our day-to-day work. In fact, the renowned philosopher Nassim Nicholas Taleb mentions in his book Skin In The Game that he doesn’t believe in hiring personal assistants: The mere presence of an assistant suspends your natural filtering—and its absence forces you to do only things you enjoy, and progressively steer your life that way. (By assistant here I exclude someone hired for a specific task, such as grading papers, helping with accounting, or watering plants; just some guardian angel overseeing all your activities). This is a *via negativa* approach: you want maximal free time, not maximal activity, and you can assess your own “success” according to such metric. Otherwise, you end up assisting your assistants, or being forced to “explain” how to do things, which requires more mental effort than doing the thing itself. In fact, beyond my writing and research life, this has proved to be great financial advice as I am freer, more nimble, and have a very high benchmark for doing something, while my peers have their days filled with unnecessary “meetings” and unnecessary correspondence.So, the personal assistant we are talking about is an assistant meant to do some specific intellectual work. Not a calendar manager of our work. ### We will use Google Labs’ NotebookLM I came across this free product from Google Labs a few days back and it is great. It is called [NotebookLM](https://notebooklm.google.com/). Since it is from Google Labs and is experimental, we don’t know how long they will keep this project alive. But it shouldn’t discourage us from creating our personal assistant using it. ### What we are going to do We will create a personal assistant that can read our documents and answer questions like an obedient and smart assistant. In fact, it will also produce a high quality audio podcast summarizing our documents. ### Atal Tinkering Lab curriculum assistant If you’re my friend or a connection on social media, you might have been fed up with my usage of the ATL curriculum in all use cases. I like using it because I know the subject matter and it has practical implications. A few days ago, I also shared one of such use cases of in-built ATL session planning in [this LinkedIn post](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bhagyeshpathak_replace-equip-ataltinkeringlab-activity-7236327006672482304-3puj). ​ But today, we will look at something entirely different: ATL curriculum assistant who would be able to summarize and talk about the curriculum to us. ### Follow these steps and then take over STEP-1 Download the ATL curriculum files from [here.](https://www.aim.gov.in/atl-tinkering-cirriculam.php) There are three levels of curriculum. I have used only Level-1 curriculum for our example. STEP-2 Go to Google Labs’ [NotebookLM](https://notebooklm.google.com/). It will ask you to log in first. ​ ![2 28.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/p5RUV3ddQi85916gcrKaeY) STEP-3 Then click “New Notebook”. Upload your PDFs as the source. I added the Level-1 curriculum. It would take 15-20 seconds to read the PDFs and populate the screen with relevant info. Once uploaded, the screen will provide options to: 1. Create an FAQ document from it 2. Create a Study Guide 3. Create a Table of Contents 4. Create a Timeline of the file edits 5. Create a Briefing Doc 6. Generate an Audio Overview (Must try) 7. Chat with the assistant about the curriculum ![3 30.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/bRfvAevKgdvvZKDfmrN6JH) STEP-4 Now tinker with it. For example, I clicked on the FAQ button and It generated a pretty good list of FAQs: *(Tip: in case, your screen is too small to fit the whole webpage, press the F11 key on your keyboard to enter a full-screen mode. Press it again to exit the full-screen mode.)*​ ​ ![4 21.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4mmZVHifoa31QzDKBKxNGn) I also generated the audio overview. It took about 3 minutes to generate. The AI actors talk about the whole curriculum in such a juicy manner. For example, just in the beginning, they comment that the number of children targeted under the ATL project are staggering 75 lac, similar to the population of Switzerland. (The AI agents came up with the factoid!) Here’s the audio if you want to see how natural and entertaining it has come out: ​[**ATL Curriculum Podcast.mp3**](https://download.filekitcdn.com/d/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/scoFu61czXaZ5wo19JBj6E)​ So, give it a try and see what else you can do with it. I have tried such AI assistants by creating custom GPTs, but none of them match the precision and fun provided by NotebookLM. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. So, if you make some fun or serious use of this personal assistant, don’t forget to share it with me. Have you tried it already? **Hit Reply and share it with me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** ![6 10.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/e6vysEeGa24YCn8Ln1feGp) ​[Link](https://www.livescience.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/these-living-computers-are-made-from-human-neurons)​ We know that our brain is a computer. A biological one. A company named FinalSparks has taken this idea to the implementation level. They’ve built neural computers. They’re alive and can perform some rudimentary tasks. What a time to be alive! Read on. --- ### TFN#70: 🪜Today we create a tiny folder-generator software using Notepad. You can do it. Trust me. URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/09/13/today-we-create-a-tiny-folder-generator-software-using-notepad-you-can-do-it-trust-me/ Date: 2024-09-13 Description: Create thousands of folders in seconds using Notepad. No coding needed—just a simple batch file transforms productivity. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Trust me, it is worth spending 5 minutes of your life. All you need is Notepad on a Windows PC and NO programming knowledge. You may wonder, why we would go to the length of creating our folder-generator when we can create as many as we want using a mouse click. I’d tell you this: 1\. Because it is fun 2\. We can create 1000s of folders in a single click, as many times as we want. But, first, this is how it all started: ### In 2020, I needed to create multiple folders Not once, but multiple times and many of them were nested. So, it was cumbersome to do it manually. Every time, I had to copy-paste the past folder structure with files and manually delete them to have a fresh folder structure for my use. That’s when I came across this solution on the internet. We will take an example for easy understanding. ### Let’s say you want to create expense report folders For example, you want to manage the monthly expense reports received from your team into relevant folders. Your team comprises four people: Anil, Rashi, Shubham, and Divesh. You will need a folder structure that looks like this: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/qy3rmes5buwaMDYNb4PWSX) ### You can create these folders easily using Notepad For our tutorial, I will show you how to do it for three months of folders. That will create 17 nested folders as many times as we want. Step-1 Open Notepad on your computer ​ ![1 27.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/osaV5c5dTAPjLidfFAri9e) Step-2 Now write the folder structure you want to create. We will tell the computer to Make Directory (i.e. create a folder) using the word: MD. So every new folder will go like this. Compare it with the folder structure shared at the beginning. You can see that the parent folder is 2024. It has three child folders: Jan, Feb and Mar. Each child folders have its own child folder named after the team members. ![2 27.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/fcsu2LxwCRJoj3x6hcxznn) Step-3 We are almost done. Now hit “Save”. You will need to give this file a name and add a “.bat” extension. I named it “ExpenseFolderGenerator.bat”. ![3 28.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/iuvHeH7Pn4gEgph7ej7uMx) Step-4 Your folder generator is ready. Wherever you want to create these folders, paste this BAT file and hit double-click! As soon as you double-click it, the Command Prompt will ask you to press any key on the keyboard to grant permission. Just press any key and your folders will be created instantly! ![4 20.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/h4QYPtDuy5b5ADb4jQPUvN) And now you have a working software program to make your folders as many times as you want. ### How to modify and distribute it? You may want to modify the BAT file. You can open it in Notepad and make the edits as you find fit. You can create multiple copies of this file and distribute it to anyone. ### There’s no limit There’s no limit to how many folders you can create with this method. Just make sure that whenever your folder name has space in it, the name should be enclosed in double quotations. So, 2024/Jan/”Anil Kumar” will go like this. ### How about 1000 folders? Now, if you’re wondering how to do this for 1000 folders, let me know and I will show you how I do it fast. Same method, same Notepad, but just a slight difference. Don’t forget to write to me when you try this! Also, have you been struggling with this or any similar problem? **Hit Reply and share it with me**. * * * **Reads of the week:** ![5 13.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6XjC4HHCtAbxpD8a85A2ni) ​[Link](https://www.straightdope.com/pages/frequently-asked-questions)​ I don’t know how I came across these FAQs, but I’m glad I did. You have to read it to know how hilarious and witty it is! ![6 9.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4ARQBth6trZXPYQg3ztSda) ​[Link](https://theconversation.com/sex-differences-dont-disappear-as-a-countrys-equality-develops-sometimes-they-become-stronger-222932)​ This is one of those taboo topics that Jessica kind of pointed out in her article The Sound of Silence, that the culture doesn’t want us to discuss. It is like that scene in the Chernobyl series where no matter what the underlying mathematics, the State — the Ideology — is supreme. And it is the ultimate truth. Which results in mass delusion. The said article tries to defile its sharp edges, but several empirical studies confirm what is said in the title. People find it counter-intuitive and the resulting cognitive dissonance makes them change the subject altogether. --- ### TFN#69: 🪜 My go-to site for symbols URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/09/06/my-go-to-site-for-symbols/ Date: 2024-09-06 Description: Quickly insert any symbol into documents. My go-to site copychar.cc solves the Microsoft Word symbols nightmare instantly. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Do you remember the late 2000s when mobile phone adoption was on the rise and people had just begun using texting? Forwarding and communicating over sms all the time. Some of my friends used to be pro at texting different smileys. For example, 😀 for laughter, 😉 for winking. Look at this cheat sheet: ![0 10.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/hPQs5RTQQ22rDdDZ9B4pc7) Nowadays, due to high smartphone adoption and communication beyond texting, we use emojis without using these symbols. But, I don’t want to talk only about these emojis because regular work doesn’t require such emojis much. In day-to-day work, we need some simple symbols and they’re difficult to find. ## The Microsoft Word nightmare For years, I have struggled to find symbols/special characters to insert into my Word documents. Look at this window. If you’ve been there, you know what a nightmare it is to find a simple arrow symbol. ![1 26.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ioWrNyWijUgZjyF7Vaeqws) If you need specific punctuation symbols, you have to open this window to insert the character in the document. (Honestly, to get an Em Dash, hitting *Alt+Ctl+Num-* is not a short key, it is the opposite of a short key = it is a long key!!) ![2 26.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ocnEQtARAzZ5ADeFv7hfzv) ## So, I began using [copychar.cc](https://copychar.cc/)​ It is a simple website listing all the characters that we need in different categories. To use any character, just click them once and done! The character would be ready to be pasted anywhere you want. This is the home page listing all popular characters from people. ![3 27.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/udK2rbyNcEEUobvgU1nSfK) I use these characters regularly: → ↻ • –If you’re using a Windows PC —————————- You can also bring up an instant symbols window from the system by pressing “Window Key + Dot”. I use this mostly for emojis. ![4 19.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/pisTXcKuRuuCznufHnS1uv) So, I hope this helps you in your regular workflow. If you’re using some other website or tool, **Hit Reply and share it with me**. * * * **Reads of the week:** ![5 12.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/whggzPiNffHVmweyTJAvua) ​[Link](https://www.inkandswitch.com/local-first/)​ I followed a rabbit hole and came across this essay by a couple of computer science researchers and programmers. They’re trying to solve the current problem of the software that we use on a day-to-day basis. The idea of local-first is not new, in fact, all software used to be local-first in the beginning, but with the advent of the internet and the lucrative incentive of keeping software as a service, the local-first approach has vanished. This essay explains what most of us ignore in our daily lives. At the end of reading the essay, you will feel a bit of dissatisfaction with the current software that we use. Because the essay shares with us the vision of what is possible. By the way, the main reason I came across this essay was another beautiful vision document shared by [Maggie Appleton in her Home-cooked Software and Barefoot Developers](https://maggieappleton.com/home-cooked-software). It’s a must-read for anyone building software or making decisions regarding software. --- ### AI in session planning-2 URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/09/02/ai-in-session-planning-2/ Date: 2024-09-02 Description: AI can help educators break from the rut. See how ATL AI Assistant creates hyper-contextual, personalized learning experiences. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Is AI going to replace all of us? No, I don’t think so. Is AI going to equip all of us? Yes, If we ask for help. In this walkthrough, you can see the usage of AI in creating Atal Tinkering Lab sessions. This could be anything: a science class, history class, or career counselling session. Anything. You get the idea. The main objective is to see whether your institution or organization thinking and designing to make the work more fun, more involving and providing a window to the people to look at the horizons. In this case, the ATL AI Assistant helps the educator break from the rut. Same curriculum, and the same sessions. No more. What similar challenges come to your mind? A challenge where your hunch says that AI can be helpful somehow. --- ### TFN#68: 🪜Principle of Least Privilege URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/08/30/principle-of-least-privilege/ Date: 2024-08-30 Description: Only grant minimum access needed for jobs. The Principle of Least Privilege protects organizations from data leaks and breaches. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I should have named last week’s letter “Staff or Admin (Part 1/2)”. Because today’s is kind of Part 2/2. Yes, *kind of*. I could have shared this independently, but sequencing helps us connect the dots better. And this one is directly related to most people’s work. So… So, we talked about four types of access control last week. One of them was the DAC (Discretionary Access Control). The one where we decide whom to allow different levels of access. Remember this screenshot? We will take that example forward. ![0 9.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/9Mu1hoEG5F4VS9x1VqiaxY) ## We use DAC everyday You might be sharing files on Google Drive or One Drive etc platforms with your colleagues regularly. We allow different people to access our files at our discretion. That makes it DAC type. And if you check the different types of available access, there are three types: - Viewer - Commenter - Editor - There’s a fourth one: Owner (which you can transfer to others. I will share how to do it in future) ![1 25.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/5YueYaxcyKNdrtfqkeZn5v) ## Now let’s say we are working on a document on Google Docs And we need to add 10 of our colleagues to this document. For collaboration. What would we do? Generally speaking, we would add all 10 colleagues to the document, making them “Editor”. This is also due to the [Default Effect that influences our decisions](https://www.mentesabiertaspsicologia.com/blog-psicologia/blog-psicologia/default-effect-what-it-is-and-how-it-influences-our-decisions). Because the “Editor” is a default choice provided by Google Docs. But would all of our colleagues be Editing the document? No. Out of 10 colleagues: - 2 will need editing rights - 2 will need commenting rights - 6 won’t bother looking at the document because you know we are just “keeping them in loop”, otherwise they will make a ruckus later ## So ideally… This is what how the access permissions should look like: - 2 Editors - 2 Commenters - 6 Viewers ## That’s the Principle of Least Privilege Only granting the minimum access necessary for users to perform their jobs. Nothing less, nothing more. Applying a culture of this principle shields organizations from suffering confidential info leaks, data breaches and reputational damage. I have observed–as you too might have–that so many organizations suffer from too relaxed a culture of privacy. This makes it difficult to say no to people who shouldn’t be on a team, a meeting room or a shared document. What are your experiences in this regard? ​**Hit Reply and share it with me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** ![2 25.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/oMfNin5JLZwnKnC4bFG1Qz) ​[Click to read](https://a16z.com/ai-turns-capital-to-labor/)​ All of us have been witnessing different types of software integrations with AI. But in almost all use cases, we have to take action. We have to do something and the AI helps do it. In this article, Alex Rampell, a GP at Andreessen Horowitz, argues that we will see more and more use cases where the users will not have to do anything. The AI agents will become the labour (in fact, we have already seen it in a few companies). This opens up a possibility to generate new types of work, better work for people. I liked how simply the author has laid out his thoughts in this article. ### ​[The immediate cause of the obesity epidemic is feminism](https://x.com/Devon_Eriksen_/status/1827513966186160565)​ I had never thought of this. I’ve grown to experience and understand some of the sins of feminism and their causes. But this one hit home. One more of Devon Eriksen’s connecting the dots moment. Or putting the finger on the unsaid, un-understood part of politics and culture. You might have noticed, the louder a feminist, the uglier and unhealthier they tend to be. The American obesity epidemic has already knocked on the doors of India and other developing economies. It would be fun to see how far this pandemic progresses. --- ### AI in session planning-1 URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/08/29/ai-in-session-planning-1/ Date: 2024-08-29 Description: Building an ATL AI Assistant to help teachers plan better sessions. Using AI to create personalized learning without replacing teachers. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Shipping work is hard. Making it public is even harder. For past few months, I have been tinkering with something. And if you remember, a few weeks back, I shared an essay “To AI or Not To AI” too.\[1\] How to make the best of the technology without making it spammy. So, this is one of the use cases in my work: helping teachers plan better. This fictional Sisyphus Valley School has an Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) setup. If you didn’t know, India has now 10,000 ATL Labs setup across the nation.\[2\] The guiding curriculum is good enough to start, but teachers need an extra hand in creating activities that meet their constraints. So, what’s the solution? ATL AI Assistant. This AI assistant has a copy of all three levels of ATL curriculum books. So, when a teacher consults this assistant, it by-default receives the exact context–without teacher explicitly sharing. Context info such as: class size, session duration, idea brief and ATL session that the teacher wants to undertake. I’m creating a video overview. Meanwhile, sharing a few screenshots. And oh yes, there are more assistant use cases for the Sisyphus Valley School. I will share them as I get some dedicated time. THE BOTTOMLINE: We don’t need to think of (and consequently, fear of) an AI Robo Teacher in our schools. AI is here to help us create hyper-contextual, hyper-personalized learning experiences. [Sisyphus Demo-1](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Sisyphus-Demo-1.pdf)[Download](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Sisyphus-Demo-1.pdf) \[3\] Still not on my list? Get here: [fridaynl.club](chrome-extension://hhjeaokafplhjoogdemakihhdhffacia/fridaynl.club) --- ### TFN#67: 🪜Staff or Admin? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/08/23/staff-or-admin/ Date: 2024-08-23 Description: Beyond staff and admin roles—explore DAC, MAC, RBAC, and ABAC access controls. Choose right security for your organization. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, I don’t know what it is. But in the past few months, I have been thinking more about online safety and privacy than before. Maybe it is the news I read or the general state of the world. You would have also noticed it, right? For example, a few months back, I shared two letters on this theme: 1\. [How strong is your password? Check and generate memorable passwords](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9chow-strong-is-your-password-check-and-generate-memorable-passwords/)​ 2\. [Instant use-and-throw email ID using 10minutemail](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9cinstant-use-and-throw-email-id-using-10minutemail/)​ I found this gif that I used at the beginning of the second letter quite funny. Most of us are as miserable as the black dog, begging the tele-caller to leave us alone. ![0 5.gif](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/bbJxXAsJ8LhjYWa4rutpGQ) **Anyways, back to the subject of today’s letter: Staff or Admin?** Most of us know about these **two roles** in computer applications. If we join a new organization, we may get an orientation on the latest Operations Management Software or Attendance Management System and we’d be marked “staff” in the system. And we accept it as a norm. Everyone also intuitively understands that there are a few people in the organizations, who would be “admin”. They can access things that we won’t be able to. And that makes most of the knowledge-workers’ idea about access control simple: either you’re an admin or a staff. And that’s all about access control. ## But there’s more to it, there are four types The admin/staff access control we know is called Role-Based Access Control. That’s one of the four major types of access controls. Let’s look at all four types now. ### 1\. Discretionary Access Control (DAC) You must be using Google Drive, Dropbox etc services. When you want to share the files with someone, you add them to the file. Sometimes when you want to access someone’s files, you ask them to add you. So people control who can access what. It is up to the **individual discretion**. This is quite a flexible type of access control, but it is less secure because it relies on the individual’s judgement. ![1 24.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/TyGA6FZAfKJjucEjRjXCo) ### 2\. Mandatory Access Control (MAC) In this type of access control, a central authority/policy provides a mandate about who can access what. To protect confidential and sensitive information, this access control is implemented. There are no exceptions. And the users don’t have any real choice. For example, if you’re working in the banking sector, based on your clearance level, you may be privy to confidential information. The central authority/policy would have mandated you to have the privilege to access the confidential information. This also makes **it easy to keep people accountable**. If there were 500 people out of 50,000 bank employees who were privy to some confidential information, any breach of trust would narrow down to the 500 suspects. Look at this decision diagram of [SELinux Security Server](https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/8/html/using_selinux/getting-started-with-selinux_using-selinux#introduction-to-selinux_getting-started-with-selinux). It allows system administrators to implement MAC. The diagram shows when a user requests to read a file, the server refers to the policy first and decides whether the user should be able to read the file. ![2 3.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/gW36B48txwZR2yDwQkbFEp) ### 3\. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) All of us are aware of this type of access control. So much so that I have seen people fight to gain an “admin” tag in their system. It helps some people gain social status in the workplace. Because the “admin” role has more power and privilege than the “staff” or other roles. See these **Home Screens** I created for one of my clients: [Sachet Foundation](https://www.linkedin.com/company/sachetfoundation)​ On the left, there’s an Admin Screen and on the right, there’s a Staff Screen. Admin gets to see the “Change Log” and also gets to access the “admin panel” by clicking on the admin role label. But the “staff” role can’t do any of that. ![5 11.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/3hp64yp1YruUzsBDh6wz7X) ### 4\. Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) This last one is even more interesting and more complex than any of the other access control types. And it works in combination with other access control types. ABAC provides permissions based on the attributes of the user. These attributes can be IP Address, location from the office, device ID, time of day, department name, etc. For example, look at this **Azure Cloud Server’s access control**. IP Address is used as the identifier attribute in this case. So, we have to add the IP Addresses of the users to let them access the resource (in my case, the database). This is on top of the role-based access control. The user would need to have the username and password to logon their app and additionally, have the right IP Address. ![6 8.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tVg12xHmy69fx9DfGDUC8h) So, that’s about the four types of access controls. **​** **But now you might be wondering:** ## “Which access control type should I choose?” In most of the knowledge work, there is hardly any scenario to make a choice. Because **there’s a default set in software systems**. But if you’re developing a policy or getting a software developed for your company, consider the following factors: - **Data sensitivity:** How sensitive data are you dealing with? The more sensitive the data, the stricter the access control. - **Team Size and Structure:** If there’s a small team, the first type of access control DAC would suffice. The more complex the organization structure gets, role-based access control would be recommended. - **Ease of Management:** RBAC and ABAC require dedicated oversight from a system administrator and that’s an additional overhead. - **Regulatory Requirement:** If your industry is highly regulated, you may want to check with industry standards about access control. You may need to implement some combination of strict access controls. Have you worked in a highly regulated industry? What are the security measures like? I have never worked in such an industry, so I’m curious how it is. Want to share anything else? ​**Hit Reply and share with me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6eRrgRFqnBgDuk8suj9Uos) ​[Click to read](https://stories.riafy.me/why-generative-ai-doesnt-make-it-past-poc-0bc53740e4ed)​ I have been tinkering with LLM aka AI for the last few months. When I read this article, it resonated. It is exciting when we create a Proof Of Concept (POC) prototype showing AI use cases, but it is a daunting task to repeat the same success in production software. It is just that the design and planning of the whole integration need to be well-thought-out. --- ### TFN#66: 🪜Framing effectively URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/08/16/framing-effectively-2/ Date: 2024-08-16 Description: Frame information for impact. Master the three elements—value, emotion, and decision clarity—to get things done effectively. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Dear Reader, The months of August and September are full of long weekends and holidays in India. I hope you enjoy them and make the most out of them–and I guess you won’t be opening your mailbox this weekend. But if you do, don’t forget to watch this heartwarming [book-reading](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBjAWkog9n0)​ [video.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBjAWkog9n0) Sometimes I feel that some of the most beautiful literature is available in the children’s section. ![0 5.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/gCJKdXK6EwsiTWvWrNoLgb)The Rabbit Listened: Book Coverpage Now, let’s get down to business. Most of you who read this letter know how our words and tone affect other people’s behaviour in the workplace. There are thousands of unique books and seminars written on this topic and still, what gets attention in popular culture is the same repeated chewing gum. Colourless, tasteless, flavourless. So, you would ask me: “What are you getting at?” And I’ll respond: “Framing…not only framing. But framing effectively.” You might have mistaken “framing” for this framing: ![1 2.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/kFSaXqzzwJdTGXFTJqYxeQ) No, not photo framing. But information framing. ### What’s framing? Framing refers to the way information is structured and presented. We are not talking about design per se. But how the information is conveyed, in what order and all those aspects. This can significantly impact how it is interpreted. Interested in “framing effect bias”? You may like this article from [The Decision Lab](https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/framing-effect). ![2 2.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8FV9t9RVk9z85qPAdWzg9f) ​ People would prefer **80% fat-free yogurt** over **20% fat yogurt**. Even though, the fat content is the them in both versions. Reason? [Risk aversion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_aversion). We instinctively avoid any risk. Our minds have invented a shorthand over a long evolutionary process to identify risk and avoid it. Our topic of discussion is not “framing” in terms of BIAS. But it is in terms of a TOOL in our communication with people. ### “Isn’t that a mind game?” If that’s your first response to our topic of discussion, look at it this way: I believe whatever work we do, we should give our best. That effort involves creating conditions so that we can do our best work and contribute well. If the work requires support from people, then we have to communicate in a way that makes it certain to get the support. So that the work doesn’t stall. And that’s why framing is an important tool to get our message across. ### The three elements of effective framing Any effective framing touches three elements in the audience’s mind: 1\. Value The personal values that drive the audience’s behaviour. We can ask ourselves: - What are the audience’s personal values? - Which values do they see in high regard? - Which values do they see in low regard? - How easy it is for them to relate to the value in our context? - Which values are related to our intended message? For example, in the 80% fat-free yogurt framing, the personal values targeted may include: choosing a healthy lifestyle, being rational, being informed, etc. 2\. Emotion The emotions that are generated in the audience’s mind. We can ask ourselves: - What emotions do our audience want to stay away from? (That’s risk aversion again. We don’t like anything uncomfortable.) - What emotions do our audience want to feel? - Which positive and negative emotions are related to our message? - Which emotional combination would support the passage of our message? For example, in the 80% fat-free yogurt framing, the target emotion may be fear. Fear of heart attack due to the popular narrative of fat = heart attack narrative. Or fear of looking obese, hence unattractive. 3\. Decision clarity The clarity of decision provided by our message. If you choose X, this will happen. If you choose Y, that will happen. People suck at imagining the consequences of their actions, so we have to make it easy for them. We have to make it evident in front of their eyes. We can ask ourselves: - What decision supports our cause? For the scope of our letter, we want to [get things done (GTD)](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9cthe-key-skill-in-getting-things-done-gtd/)​ - What decisions do we want the audience to avoid making? - Can the audience immediately get it? And make up their mind? For example, in the 80% fat-free yogurt framing, the customer immediately chooses the *80% fat-free* option. Because they feel, it’s a “no-brainer”. It is “common sense”. Why would anyone choose yogurt that contains 20% fat? That’s outrageous! ### Framing your annual appraisals, revenues, reports etc. I know. While writing, even I felt that I had eaten 4 buckets of 80% fat-free yogurt. It feels bulky in my stomach. So, let’s touch on some non-foody examples. Examples where we don’t talk about 80% fat-free yogurt. If you know me, you’d be also knowing that I hate the idea of annual appraisals. If you haven’t read [Appraisals of Appraisals](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/appraisal-of-appraisals) yet, consider reading it. So, appraisals. The time of the year when we take stock our ourselves, and our work and present for rewards. We have to make a case where our work is perceived as worthy of rewards. So, instead of saying: “I’ve shown my commitment by only taking 5 leaves in the year”We can frame it as: “I let go of 25 leaves in the year to make sure the project is completed on time.” ​**Value:** responsibility, sacrifice ​**Emotion:** reciprocity, awe, defence ​**Decision clarity:** “Of course, the guy deserves a raise.”See? You can think of other framing examples in your context. ### Framing changes your mindset I have experienced one of the main benefits of framing: it changes your mindset. It opens you up to possibilities. It is not a positive mental attitude thing. It rewires your brain and changes how you talk to yourself. (By the way, that reminds me, have you read this beautiful book: [The Untethered Soul](https://untetheredsoul.com/untethered-soul)?) So, in essence, framing benefits ourselves more than it does to the audience. Have you heard of framing before? Where did you hear it? And of course, would you like to share how you use framing in your work? **Hit Reply and share it with me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** ### ​[What happens when you give people $1000 per month for 3 years? For FREE!](https://x.com/Athan_K/status/1819423883998458024)​ Did you know that last month, one of the most important research results was published? **Universal Basic Income**. The idea is proposed by most “Intellectual, Yet Idiot” [(IYI)](https://www.shortform.com/blog/intellectual-yet-idiot/) category of people. They believe that if we provide the whole world with a basic, guaranteed income, the world will be more productive and happy. So, to test this hypothesis, I think 4 years back National Bureau of Economic Research and other agencies jointly conducted a [Randomized Control Trial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randomized_controlled_trial). RCT is called a gold standard in scientific methodology. The researchers provided $1,000 per month to the 1000 participants’ households in two US states for three years. **The result?** It failed. Read the article to see how people behave when given extra money. The idea of getting money for doing nothing is itself preposterous. But that’s how IYIs think. --- ### TFN#65: 🪜Google? Google who? Try perplexity and forget Google like I did URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/08/09/google-google-who-try-perplexity-and-forget-google-like-i-did/ Date: 2024-08-09 Description: Why I abandoned Google for Perplexity AI. A powerful research tool that understands queries, summarizes sources, and rivals ChatGPT. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Remember the old Google Search Result Page? ​ ![0 8.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/dZGLeNegsfvSBmUGnMzLbr) Did you know that the word Google is based on the word *“Googol”*, a mathematical term for the number one followed by a hundred zeros? Crazy, right? I remembered all this for most of my adult life. ​**But I have forgotten about Google’s existence for the last 1 year.** ## Because now I have been using perplexity.ai I don’t want to beat around the bush. You can go ahead and try [perplexity.ai](https://www.perplexity.ai/) right away! Don’t forget to sign up, it’s free and will let you save your conversations. ![1 23.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8HP8rgmhx2Xy1UkBNtMjWJ) ## Google’s weaknesses are Perplexity’s strengths All my complaints about Google’s poor search results have vanished due to perplexity’s real-time surfing and exact answers. It is like ChatGPT but better at browsing and referencing. Perplexity doesn’t throw a bunch of 20 pages with matching terms, it understands our query and summarizes the references for us. ## Plus perplexity also plays the role of ChatGPT Though I dedicatedly use ChatGPT for AI-aided tasks, perplexity is also excellent at similar tasks. ## Google doesn’t come close 2nd Perplexity is an excellent research tool. You ask questions, provide documents, receive images, and videos..and everything is hyper-contextual. No BS. Google just throws a bunch of indexed results at us and we are supposed to make sense of them. It feels like the Stone Age. So, if you haven’t tried or not using it regularly, pls give it a try and let me know. In case you have already been using perplexity or anything similar, would you like to share it with me? ​**Hit Reply and let me know!** * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/rbtEdYW7FTyuwS4GmN4Fdo)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/beasleydavid/2020/02/20/google-removes-gender-descriptions-on-ai-tool/) Speaking of Google, one of the reasons Google couldn’t innovate in its category is due to its reverence for certain kind of ideology. There is something called as **sexual dimorphism** in the animal kingdom. Due to sexual dimorphism, the two sexes look different. AI too, can tell the difference between a man and a woman by looking at the face. But because “gender is a social construct”, in 2020, Google removed the feature that recognizes men and women differently in their AI tool. What a waste. By the way, did you know that this week, a [United States federal court ruled Google to be a monopoly?](https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/5/24155520/judge-rules-on-us-doj-v-google-antitrust-search-suit) Let’s hope Google is forced to disintegrate and begins working on building a better search engine. --- ### To AI or not to AI? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/08/06/to-ai-or-not-to-ai/ Date: 2024-08-06 Description: The question isn’t whether to use AI—but what, when, where, who, and how much. Navigate AI integration wisely. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak That’s no longer the question now. The real question is… Actually, it is not a single question. There are questions: – What to AI? – When to AI? – Where to AI? – Who will AI? – How much to AI? These are reasonable questions, but we are not there yet. When we experience a technological leap, people get divided into believers and non-believers. Embracers and repealers. Pro and against. This is completely natural.[1](#fn:1) It is similar to being thrown into a war. A state of uncertainty. Once we come to terms with such shock, we begin to think about better questions. Not for a philosophical discussion. But to understand what we should do with this new situation. Understanding how we fit in the new context. So naturally, when ChatGPT 3.5 made loud and visible noise in November 2022, the world was divided into two groups. A doomsday group and a rosy-glassed group. Some people from both groups got seriously radicalized. It is important that we briefly talk about what these zealots did or are still doing and will keep doing. On one side, the ROSY-GLASSED zealots began dreaming and conjuring up things that AI could do. But they didn’t ask the question, “Should it do that?” Take Microsoft’s much-thrashed AI feature Recall.[2](#fn:2) Or take LinkedIn’s AI writing feature and “contribute expertise” harassment. They’re examples of mass experiments on the world because a mad scientist was absorbed by his invention. On the other side, the DOOMSDAY zealots began attacking the technology and tech-bros with some of the oldest tricks in the book: regulations, taxes, strikes, and lawfare. For example, most technologically savvy educational universities have begun regulating the use of AI in their classroom, so much so as to ban it. On a government level, every major economy has begun enacting laws or “frameworks” to regulate AI to “protect” their citizens.[3](#fn:3) So, that’s why public opinion still vacillates in the response to the question: “To AI or Not To AI?” A faction of public shouts “yessss!” and another faction cries “noooo!” This is not new. Historically, public opinion has been formed by journalists—a category that no longer keeps a journal. Now most journalists are trained to be newsmakers, so it is difficult to expect an intellectually honest opinion-making. For example, when newspapers printed that the increase in short-term capital gain tax from 15% to 20% is a rise of 5%, we have to understand that the newsmakers have stopped thinking. This implies we can’t expect them to understand how AI systems, tokenization, or models work and communicate it to the public—the public with an average IQ of 100. And that leads us to the current dilemma of the tech business founders: “to AI or not to AI?” Businessmen[4](#fn:4) live among the public and they’re not isolated. Being influenced by the two extreme sides of public opinion doesn’t help them form a useful opinion about which way to move ahead. They move ahead with doubts: whether they choose to do AI or not to do AI. Generally speaking, if you think about it, doubts are of two types. In the first type of doubt, an individual doubts whether something will work out in the end or not. In the second type of doubt, the individual doubts whether they should do something or not. The second type of doubt is a dilemma–and that’s the main problem. Because when we get afflicted with this second type of doubt about any new technology, it blurs our vision and makes us feel indecisive. This type of doubt is the main obstacle to fulfilling our potential, serving our customers and contributing to the world.[5](#fn:5) The first type of doubt is net positive. In reality, the first type of doubt is often the fuel that pushes the ship of progress forward. When determined people are filled with the first type of doubt, they become more determined to overcome the doubt by doing something about it. This also means that when tech businessmen are filled with doubt about whether the AI integration will work for their product, they will figure out the answer by doing things. And eventually, finding an answer. Surprisingly, the answer will not be BLACK AND WHITE. Also, there would not be an answer, but there would be answers. Nuanced ones. They would answer the questions that we posed at the beginning of this essay. Take for example, “What to AI?” After months of struggle, the businessmen’s tech team may find that their image editing software doesn’t require generative AI or the non-profit founder’s tech team would brief them that their beneficiaries prefer chatting with real humans over the AI bot. That’s real-world feedback. That’s not coming from a journalist’s ideological utopian world that doesn’t exist. The real world may also answer the “When to AI?” question by telling us when during the customer journey, we should involve the AI. Or when the business should think about doing AI in their growth journey: when they hit 5 years, 50000 customers or $200k revenue? The real world may answer the question “Where to AI?” by telling us which part of the product to do AI and which part to leave untouched. The most important question that we don’t think much about is “How much to AI?” It forces us not to go extreme on either side and stay within reason. AI technology is not a deadly airborne virus around us that we have to think “Should I wear a mask or not?” It’s just another technology, like thermonuclear power that can be used for progress.[6](#fn:6) Let’s hope that we get out of this rut of choosing between “to AI or not to AI” soon and make some real contribution to the world. FOOTNOTES: --- ### TFN#64: 🪜Rules to work by: A little variation in process leads to a little variation in output URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/08/02/rules-to-work-by-a-little-variation-in-process-leads-to-a-little-variation-in-output/ Date: 2024-08-02 Description: Small process changes lead to different results. Like dosa batter—recipe variations change the outcome. Find your work recipe. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, have you ever prepared dosa? I mean dosa batter? If you have prepared it, you know that no two people’s dosa batter comes out the same. Even with the same ingredients! (And let’s not get into the effect of different seasons.) ![0 4.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8Tv3VbQwbGrMjFgVHHpojc) **Why?**​ Because of the recipe. The recipe differs, and the result differs. And what exactly is a “recipe”? It’s a set of processes and algorithms. Change a part of the recipe and the result changes. I can go on with the culinary analogies for days. But we are not chefs and this letter is for knowledge workers like us. So…my point is… ## ..that our work is no different than preparing dosa batter Sounds crude, but give me a minute. One needs utmost care and planning to prepare a good dosa batter. The proportion, the soaking duration, the grinding etc. And if we want to keep preparing the same, good quality dosa batter, we need to have it written as a recipe and practice preparing it. **And how is it different from our work?**​ It is not, except that the result is not dosa. Our result might be a powerpoint presentation, a data analysis report, a customer survey, a lesson plan, a product roadmap, or a software interface. You get it. ## All of us have some natural tendencies Though the school system does its best to get us rid of our natural inclinations, we still have some strong tendencies. For example, I tend to have some solid objectives in front of me before taking up a project. If there are no objectives, it is difficult for me to proceed with confidence. I know some people who tend to procrastinate until the deadline and finish the work just before the deadline, which is completely the opposite of my tendency. ## These tendencies lead us to our processes These tendencies help us formulate our unique processes. For example, one of my tendencies is to require isolated time to provide reviews on content. I’m not at my best if asked for an impromptu review over a Zoom call. That’s why in my work, documentation is a big part of the process. ## What if I skipped documentation? My work will not be the best. I would have compromised my process. Because **a little variation in dosa recipe leads to a little variation in dosa batter**. It is as simple as that. ## Say hi to Winston Wolf again Once more, this lesson from Winston Wolf. 6 weeks back, I shared this clip in the letter [The key skill in Getting Things Done (GTD)](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9cthe-key-skill-in-getting-things-done-gtd/) : [![0 4.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/vhBFgch7ESs6J6Ar151ngy)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOZB6mNqhuA) But that’s not the main clip for our letter today. The main clip is this 1-minute one: [![2 1.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/xvqbh4kuou76aDgma3SwyX)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B1p1zPFo7w) In this clip, you can see Mr. Wolf is somewhere in a party. And he receives a phone call about the murder and the requirement of his help. He meticulously takes notes–because that’s what he is! He is very specific about things. And that is reflected in the 9-minute video clip too. In other words, Mr. Wolf has a process. He doesn’t take assignments that don’t match his processes. ## But shouldn’t we all be capable of working in any condition? Do you mean being WELL-ROUNDED? What are we? Gemstones? I believe the “well-rounded” term is the most problematic roadblock in child development and consequently, individual development. No one needs to be “well-rounded”. We need to embrace our idiosyncrasies, temper them with reasonable application and we’re good to go. The key lies in the process. A step here, a step there and the results change. So, are there any steps, or an algorithm that you have formulated for yourself to contribute your best work? What is that process? And did you compromise your process in the past? What were the consequences? ​**Hit Reply and tell me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** [![3 25.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8tQsreon7sSKzb7ZAz8wNx)](https://yourstory.com/2015/10/mansoor-khan) Don’t be deceived by the headline. Mansoor Khan, cousin of Aamir Khan, the director of the super hit movie ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’, didn’t leave Bollywood just to make cheese. I had read this article 7-8 years back and recently found it. Mansoor has a brilliant mind, an alumni of Cornell and MIT, he has seen it all. But like any other high-IQ person, man’s intelligence is limited by his beliefs. Apart from his inclination to live a rural, slow life, Mansoor is so sure of the idea that the world has finite resources and our hunger is infinite that we will exhaust the planet, that he abandoned it all and began living in Coonoor, Tamilnadu, rearing cows and goats, making cheese. He has written about his idea of the finiteness of the Earth’s resources in his book The Third Curve. Needless to say, I don’t buy that idea. But I wanted to share Mansoor’s story because what he is doing is brave and I like people who make such decisions. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8F4MzJvuNnPb2ELfdD61Mj)Mansoor with his family --- ### TFN#63: 🪜Write in Dillinger, Export as file, and…you’ve learned Markdown! URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/07/26/write-in-dillinger-export-as-file-and-youve-learned-markdown/ Date: 2024-07-26 Description: Write in Dillinger, export as PDF, and learn Markdown naturally. Save ChatGPT responses in proper formatted documents. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Last week, you saw my love for Markdown. And this week, I recruit more comrades! 😄 If you missed last week’s letter, quickly skim through it so you know what we are discussing in today’s letter. We will talk about a web app called Dillinger. Dillinger helps us write and preview markdown. We can export files in different formats too. We will use Dillinger to save ChatGPT’s responses in various formats. ## Dillinger: free, no sign-up app I don’t use Dillinger daily, but if you want to learn markdown quickly and intuitively, it is the best choice. So, no matter whichever browser you’re on, go to [https://dillinger.io](https://dillinger.io/)​ Dillinger starts with an in-built example to help us understand how markdown works. If you want to learn the basics more, go to [Markdown Guide](https://www.markdownguide.org/)​ This is how Dillinger’s screen looks: ​ ![1 22.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/wSUcyT9eR1Sx5LBsqBMRwa) The interface is self-explanatory. Type on the left, live preview on the right. You can go through the whole example. ## Save ChatGPT conversation in a file One of the best uses of Markdown and this Dillinger app is to save ChatGPT responses in your favourite file formats, for example: PDF. I asked ChatGPT to generate a document for our example: ![2.2.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/sy9yExGskATgXjjxGGJrBo) ​ Then I copy pasted it in Dillinger: ![2.1.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/9L7D9oPDWszXXnxKCckuH2) ​ I hit export as PDF: ![3 24.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/q1MNPRMdC1whMeBb5vwesU) ​ And the PDF is ready! Find the full document [here](https://download.filekitcdn.com/d/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/68o9Byk5hmwnVAkKYTzW91). Sharing the screenshot: ![4 16.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/nhMbtLj82CHyhAFrcFCjjX) So now we have a PDF file, respecting all the original formatting made by ChatGPT. Even the code block is also shown. ## We learn when we apply If you think about it, copy-pasting ChatGPT responses is not exactly learning Markdown. But as you keep using it, you will want to make edits to the document. And that’s how we can learn by applying ourselves. Tell me something, do you save your ChatGPT conversations anywhere? How? ​**Hit Reply and share with me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** [![5 10.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8QdM5dTCWo6Rak6BZbuUbi)](https://world.hey.com/jason/no-big-deal-or-the-end-of-the-world-0b0d8619) In this refreshing piece, Jason talks about a simple way to look at customer service or any interpersonal relationship. There are two tokens on a table when a customer complains. Which token would you pick? --- ### TFN#62: 🪜There’s something about Markdown URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/07/19/theres-something-about-markdown/ Date: 2024-07-19 Description: Markdown is portable formatting that works everywhere. Write in any text editor and keep structure intact across platforms. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Have you tried ChatGPT? One of the things that I love about it is the way it organizes its responses. The cleanliness it shows. Take this ChatGPT response for example, ignore the content, and look at the info organization: ![0 7.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/r8q2BpQEr2YEybA8u3C3d4) As you can see ChatGPT uses headings, ordered/unordered lists, highlight commands and provides code snippets too! It is so helpful to me and millions of others that I can’t even describe how important these small things are. This formatting in ChatGPT is made possible by a simple formatting markup language called Markdown. ## The beauty of Markdown Look at the sample table showing the most basic Markdown syntax: ![1 20.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/3HZT8Jr7GQyXQNu99XN4KV) ​ As you can see, if you want to create Heading1, you put one # hashtag in front of it. If you want to create Heading5, put five ##### hashtags before the title. You can enclose your code by two backticks to create a code block. Read this quick-start guide on [Basic Markdown Syntax](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/). ## But…why the hassle? If someone hasn’t used Markdown or similar language markups, it is natural to think that using these special characters while typing is an extra hassle. Wouldn’t it be easy to just fire up Microsoft Word or Google Docs and start formatting text? Click, click, click. Easy, right? I understand the sentiment. But there’s a key difference between using word processors and using markup language. ## Let me show you. I copied the ChatGPT response shown at the beginning of the letter and pasted it in Google Docs. This is what it looks like: ![2 23.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tDhJKtNeFNZuacuRGW1GhX) ​ Notice the special characters around some words? ​**That’s because Markdown syntax accompanies its text wherever the text goes.** So, Markdown text can be opened by virtually any software in the world. This is not the case when we use Microsoft Word or Google Docs. ## What does this mean for our use? We can use Markdown and organize our documentation in any plain text editor. And share it with anyone, assured that the structure will remain the same. So, if you write something using Markdown syntax in your WhatsApp, Google Notes, Notepad, or any simple text editor, you will be 100% sure that your document will look the same to the reader no matter what software they use. And this is where Microsoft Word or Google Docs can’t compete. When we copy anything from Microsoft Word or Google Docs and paste it into any plain text editor such as Notepad or WhatsApp Message, **the formatting is not retained**. Because we left the their software system. ## My affair with Markdown I came to learn about Markdown almost 4 years back when I discovered a note-taking software called [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md/). (That’s where I do all my writing, including these letters. I will cover it in our letters this year.) Obsidian uses a Markdown format for writing. It provides an ultra-rich text editing experience and the interconnectedness of all the notes. ## Markdown software Next week, I will walk you through a few options of Markdown apps that you can readily use: Dillinger. I only use Obsidian, but Dillinger is good, to begin with, to familiarize yourself with Markdown syntax. It is extremely easy. I love Markdown syntax and I use it all the time. Did you know that you could save your ChatGPT answers in a properly readable format, without those hashtags, asterisks and backticks? I will cover it next week when talking about Dillinger. Oh, by the way, do you use Markdown in your day-to-day work? **Hit Reply and tell me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** [![3 23.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/eDPymUFc9Xc1qL7AtKR1p2)](https://sameboat.substack.com/p/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-and?triedRedirect=true) Okay, being a student of Molecular biology and Epigenetics, I get thrilled when I come across genuine research such as this. Depending on your background and interest, this may or may not make sense. But here’s the crux: we have evidence that goes contrary to the accepted Central Dogma in Molecular Biology and Gene Expression: “DNA makes RNA, and RNA makes protein,” in a unidirectional process. We used to think that nothing gets in its way, but several findings tell us that this is not the case. In patients suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), there is a higher level of stress-causing chemical than that of a non-PTSD person. And this is due to the micro-RNA’s interference in DNA expression. Such type of research showcases how much we are dependent on our biochemistry. ## Jason Fried’s Chicago Home for Sale Photos This one is not a “reading” piece. But a “seeing” piece. Just look at the beautiful home Jason has put up for sale. Gorgeous! Find all the pictures [here](https://www.1736nwood.com/) posted by his realtor. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/rbiw68VWAQPCrjFJUYu6Ng) --- ### TFN#61: 🪜Maintaining a layer of separation: Spiritual quest through work URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/07/12/maintaining-a-layer-of-separation-spiritual-quest-through-work/ Date: 2024-07-12 Description: Maintain psychological separation between work and personal traits. Detach from outcomes, dissolve ego, and enjoy professional growth. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak A few years back, I learnt about **Vipassana Meditation**. No, I didn’t go for it, and shortly, I will explain why. But some of my friends recommended it, while a few were already practising it. If you don’t know what Vipassana meditation entails, from what I have heard from my friends and read online, the first leg of exercise is a **10-day long silent meditation on their campus**. You try to empty your mind. Many people can’t last a day or two and they quit. When people complete the intense 10 days of Vipassana, most of them feel **as if they are reborn**. As if they’re entering the world for the first time. They can speak, listen to their own voice, see other people. (Because during 10 days of Vipassana, it is recommended that you don’t look around too, nor try to communicate.) And…that’s how it works. One of the **main problems** with so many structured and rigorous meditation practices is that you may be able to empty your mind and be one with the light, but as soon as you’re back into the world, that state doesn’t last. That’s the reason so many people go on sort of an **annual pilgrimage** of 10 days of Vipassana. I’m sure it works for them, but my intention has always been to build a practice that integrates with my life. My day-to-day being. One such **practice** is maintaining a layer of separation between people’s work and their characteristics. ## I mean… It is kind of accepted truth that one should not engage with people at work on the basis of their personal characteristics such as religion. It doesn’t matter what the other person’s religion is, we engage for the common goal of getting work done. Instead of religion, it could also be their sex, food preference, mother tongue, height, weight, favourite sports team etc. You get the idea. So, the overall work culture has accepted these fair agreements. ## But still, we fail to maintain the line of separation Not exactly on the point of religion, sex etc. But separating one action from another. For example, if our colleague shows up late on the event day a few times, we’d automatically tag him/her late-Latif. If someone gets angry during a heated office debate, we tag them as the angry bird. And then we keep ignoring all the signs that they are not that way all the time. Their one action is not a reflection of their whole being. ​**Same thing about positive actions:**​ If someone is tolerant of satire from their other colleagues, it may not hold when we try to be satirical. ## The moment when I heard people hire based on politics A few years back, I heard two of my outgoing colleagues discuss some prospective hires for their new business venture. They were discussing some candidates received through friends. ​ The main filter they applied was evident from their quick comments: *“I checked his social media.. He’s supporting X political party.”\*\*“Oh, this one? I have seen him posting about Y political party.”*Unfortunate. No wonder their business didn’t see the light of day. In this 3-minute TV ad, Denmark’s TV2 Network shows us how we box people. And if you show just a little bit of curiosity and charity, you get to unbox people. And connect with them. [![0 3.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ehCcPpScvgL23faLUJNY4K)](https://youtu.be/jD8tjhVO1Tc?feature=shared) If you loved that ad, here is another one from the same TV network, with the same message. **But this is likely to make you cry.** [![1 1.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/e6Uzho6s1yyukvmrxGPasy)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ15cqP-K80) ## So what does it mean to work with a layer of separation? It makes you a professional. It helps you detach from the outcome. It helps you dissolve your ego. It encourages you to disagree with the person but commit to the manager. It makes it easy to criticise a part of the organization’s policy and appreciate the rest of it. In other words, it helps you develop a sense of self-consciousness pushing you to be your best self and realize your potential. And above all, **it helps you enjoy your work**. What work practices do you observe that help you elevate your well-being and overall satisfaction? Not making it a mechanical job-to-be-done thing? **Hit Reply and share it with me.** * * * **Reads of the week:** [![2 22.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/48BFzYE2WxtKbVKfUFEwKo)](https://humanprogress.org/desalinating-water-is-becoming-absurdly-cheap/) One of the things that rings true again and again is human being’s capacity to solve any problem through their resourcefulness. We regularly hear about how the world is going to run out of freshwater by XYZ year. I have been hearing this for more than 3 decades of my life. And if you’ve lived longer than me, you’d agree. ​**Incentives drive behaviour in the world.**​ The so-called journalists and news media thrive on hijacking our attention by throwing negative news. If negative news is not there, they manufacture it or suppress the good ones. Such as this: we are not going to run out of fresh water. We are efficiently converting seawater into fresh water by desalinating it. So much so that UAE’s whole municipal water supply is desalinated, and so are their agriculture practices. Read the short article, and explore that website. If it piques your interest, then you may want to read the Book [Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34890015-factfulness). If you read this book, don’t forget to try the short quiz provided at the beginning. The same quiz has been presented by the authors to the UN, WEF decision-makers and politicians across the world. Wait, [I found the live quiz here](https://factfulnessquiz.com/). 13 questions to test your idea of the world. --- ### TFN#60: 🪜Convert loong links into tiny, personalized ones URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/07/05/convert-loong-links-into-tiny-personalized-ones/ Date: 2024-07-05 Description: Turn long links into memorable short URLs using TinyURL. Create personalized links for easy sharing and tracking. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak A few days back, I received this Experiential Education conference Google Form link in an email: ​[https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRkN-dnFrE\_uIpPyKV410P2Oz5SFYMu3DYG\_iAyhMyJMqu7g/viewform](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRkN-dnFrE_uIpPyKV410P2Oz5SFYMu3DYG_iAyhMyJMqu7g/viewform)​ It’s a Google Form, like this: ![0 6.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/t36fCWRfGYGxAG1DUiQeCn) Imagine, if I wanted to provide this Google Form link in posters or audio marketing to spread the word, it would be useless. Because, as the [charactercounter.com](https://charactercounter.com/) shows, it has 99 characters and you can’t expect anyone to type this link in their browser to check the form. ![1 19.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/uz1Mu2r5FTRib9xvxd5bwb) So, what’s the solution? ## We have three options We can: 1\. Create a random short link 2\. Create a personalized short link 3\. Create a QR code ## Let’s do all these three in a single setup: TinyURL I recommend using TinyURL. Launched in 2002, it is the pioneer of Link Shortening services. Just go to and Sign up for free. We won’t require any paid plans for our usage. ## But before that, what are we trying to do? We want to create a short link for our original 99-character long link. So when we enter the short link, it will redirect us to the original link. This is how TinyURL or any link-shortening service works: ![3 22.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/aZELb7ytV8JPBq6HU55MsF) Let’s get back to our solutions. ### 1\. Create a random short link For our first solution, we won’t create any personalized links. Just a random link autogenerated by TinyURL. **Step-1**​ You will see this screen. Make sure you have signed up and signed in. ![4 15.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6aDQXpLwh78TtsXHqKYzkr) **Step-2**​ Paste the long link in the first field. **Step-3**​ Hit the “Shorten URL” button. **Step-4**​ Your short link is randomly generated! The link is 28 characters long. If you ignore https://, that makes it just 20 characters long! ![5 9.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/9Ue3nyyMwuKxxRh3WYgDE2) ### 2\. Create a personalized short link The short link is good, but if I want to publicize it over the Radio or print on leaflets to get registrations, it is still inconvenient for people to type the link in their browser and it is not memorable. So, let’s create a personalized one. **Step-1**​ Go to the TinyURL homepage again or click the “Shorten Again” button. **Step-2**​ Enter the long URL. **Step-3**​ Now, instead of hitting the “Shorten URL” button, enter a unique memorable combination of words and numbers in the “Enter Alias” field. If someone has already created it, we need to create another one. Because there can’t be the same web address for two web pages. I chose AEE2024 (AEE = Association for Experiential Education) But turns out, it is already taken! *(Funny thing: to check what webpage has taken tinyurl.com/AEE2024 I entered it in my browser. It is someone’s Google Drive link with possibly Russian files.)* ![6 7.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/479Vy3PrsSyH7hvajcs6eL) So, I finally chose: AEEpune2024 And ta-da! It was available: tinyurl.com/AEEpune2024 Now I can put it on any poster or Radio advertisement asking people to register by going to “tiny url dot com slash AEE pune 2024”. ![7 3.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tvcXcTFqcR6ShFFEUDmxv4) ### 3\. Create a QR code TinyURL provides an in-built QR code generation facility. As you’d have figured out, you’d only need to click on the “QR” button. ## Tracking clicks I love this feature. It gives us a raw count of visitors on our TinyURL link. ​**Just go to the “My URLs”** section on your right-hand side corner. It will show you your links and the number of clicks. (If you want an even more detailed analysis of clicks, you need to get a premium account.) ![8 2.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/eQ4WMdPxhxGSR4Yp33Jcsv) See these four options: ​**Label-1:** You can check the number of clicks. ​**Label-2:** Next year, if you want to make it AEEpune2025, you can do it here in just one click. Hit rename. ​**Label-3:** The QR code generator is still here. ​**Label-4:** If you want to delete the TinyURL link, click it. This means that once deleted, tinyurl.com/AEEpune2024 won’t redirect to our registration form. Such free tools are so powerful that most people think you need to get some sort of certification to learn and use them. So,Reader, have you used TinyURL or any similar services? How has been your experience? Share it with me. ​**Just hit reply**. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![9 1.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4sWa251u7MY5ErgV9Vuzao)](https://www.stoneageherbalist.com/p/how-diclofenac-is-killing-zoroastrianism?utm_source=activity_item) I never thought that the Vulture-Diclofenac effect could hurt religion too! As you already know, I do not believe in doomsday prophecies in the name of climate, environment and energy. But diclofenac’s effect in India is fascinating. There’s no doomsday. In about 20 years, the population of vultures was reduced by 99% due to the usage of diclofenac as a medicine in Cows and other domestic animals. But there’s more to the story which I didn’t know: it also hurts the Parsis. Because they don’t bury or cremate the dead. They have sky-burial. Flock of vultures feed on the dead bodies and finish them within a matter of minutes. This is important in a sky burial because the dead body should not stay lying around long decomposing and soiling the earth. Parsis believe that a decaying human body pollutes the earth, hence it should be processed by the birds as soon as possible. See this photo of the sky burial ceremony. You can see the flocks of vultures on the walls, waiting for the dead. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/qm43hRk3gtv2UFP8DNGs7V) ​ --- ### TFN#59: 🪜Highlight your mouse pointer during presentations and video calls URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/06/28/highlight-your-mouse-pointer-during-presentations-and-video-calls/ Date: 2024-06-28 Description: Never lose your audience during presentations. Use PenAttention to highlight your mouse pointer for clear screen visibility. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak All of us have been there. Standing in front of the audience in a conference hall, moving our mouse vigorously, asking everyone *“See this? Here?”* *“…………ummm..”* *“Now?”* *“See the mouse pointer?”* ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6riCohwCzP7sgtRcFBrxBY) It breaks the flow of our conversation and our connection with the audience. The solution is so simple: having a highlighter on the mouse pointer. ## I finally got it a few months back A few months back, I was preparing for a video call where I was to present a software interface and walk through the audience. And I didn’t want to constantly ask people or guess they could follow my actions on screen. So after spending years without using a highlighter, I finally came across a tiny application that helps me have a mouse highlighter. Now whenever I want, my mouse pointer looks like this: ​ ![1 18.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/hVZinVDgQY4oAuFPrSP3HT) ​ Okay, don’t like yellow? Let’s make it green: ​ ![2 21.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/dKzYSEazAMGtPLm5o1fNNe) ​ Umm, too small? Let’s make it bigger and revert to yellow. ![3 21.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ghjwfGspMknDBPp6hcKZJK) ## You can also do this, it is quite simple Just install a tiny program called “PenAttention” from [this link](http://www.cse.uaa.alaska.edu/~afkjm/PenAttention/). ![4 14.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ktQkLipL9G18qZrZ3yyWCr) ​ PenAttention?. Quite a literal name, isn’t it? Because it is developed by one of the Computer Science professors at University of Alaska, probably to solve his own problem. That’s a nerdy way to name things. By the way, this program only works on Windows machines, so if you’re using MacOS, you might need to search for something else. ## Once installed, you don’t even need to customize Whenever you want the highlighter on your mouse pointer, just click on the installed program “PenAttention 11” on your computer and your mouse will get the highlighter. You don’t need to configure anything, but if you want, you can go to the program hidden near your clock on the Taskbar and click settings. You will see this window. ![5 8.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tB9fthHyAEozU9HYf4mzPn) Notice that this program doesn’t look very “finished” or “professional”. Because it is handmade for personal needs and later released. But still, this gets the work done, so it is pretty impressive. That’s how I’ve begun using this tiny, but useful program in my regular work. What do you do? Is there any other program or a default configuration in Windows that you know, but I don’t? **Hit Reply** and share it with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![6 6.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/fN4suNnbS8z1BxUfeuXd9b)](https://www.theschooloflife.com/article/on-feeling-obliged/?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_June%20-%20Newsletter%20-%20Articles%20-%20\(1\)%20-%20On%20Feeling%20Obliged%20-%2003/06/2024%20-%20\(General\)%20\(Non-Subscribers\)) Sometimes, we can’t say “no” because we feel obliged. A beautiful read on that feeling. Most adults can take a ‘no’, and may even be grateful to us for putting boundaries on their demands. --- ### TFN#58: 🪜How understanding project and organization debt helps us work and hire better URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/06/21/how-understanding-project-and-organization-debt-helps-us-work-and-hire-better/ Date: 2024-06-21 Description: Understand project and organization debt to work smarter and hire better. Learn to manage invisible debt in teams. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak A few days back, I came across [this job listing](https://app.flexile.com/roles/gumroad/software-engineer-bw049ph4cr42y) by Gumroad. And it is something important that we need to talk about. It doesn’t matter whether you work in the software industry or not, it is not at all related. But we will start with this easy software example and work through it. So, have a look at this job role: ![0 5.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/deZyGwrJmUfsLXdnEBejQF) The very first line mentions “technical debt”. One of their main priorities is finding someone who helps them remove “technical debt” from their product. *Now, if you don’t know what “technical debt” means, a simple explanation: while developing software systems, programmers try to write perfect code so that it doesn’t need modification in the future, but that’s an ideal scenario. Sooner or later, in any software, some part of the code has to be changed because of the changes made in other parts of the code over the years. It is inevitable. This is called technical debt. The debt that we have to pay in the future is in the form of code. That’s why it is also called design debt or code debt.* Depending on your interest and work, this may sound abstract. And it is completely fine because **now we will shift to our main topic of discussion:** **Project debt and organization debt**. ## But first, is debt good or bad? Many people fear the “debt.” Because of the **negative connotation** it carries due to its normal association with money. But debt is a great instrument that runs the world. For example, when you work for a company, the company is indebted to you and pays you money. This “owing you something” is good. The same goes for paper money. The money that we hold is a promise by the central bank to pay us in the future when we exchange that note with someone. ## The invisible debt of organizations See, owing people salaries and bills to vendors is just one part of running organizations. But we are talking about invisible debt here. When we carry out our work, we get involved with the customers, colleagues, vendors and other systems of the organization. We connect with people and make decisions. We create documents. We forge partnerships. We float and execute ideas. We promise offers—all this, contributes to **invisible debt called project/system/organization debt**. ## Let’s take an example You have been working in an organization for 5 years. When it is time to move on, there are **unique challenges for two parties**: one for you and the other for your organization. **Your challenge** is how can you hand over your responsibilities to your replacement. How can you summarize your 5 years of interactions, decisions, and history with the other person, so that they can carry out responsibilities as well as you could? One way is to have a brain transplant so that all your experiences are directly transferred to the other person and they just know what they need to do. Haha, I know that’s not possible *yet*. (Side note: this reminds me of the movie Matrix. I love this movie. There’s a fascinating scene. In this movie, they can train people on any art or skill just by downloading a knowledge program in their brain!) [![video preview](https://functions-js.convertkit.com/playbutton?play=%23324C85&accent=%23ffffff&thumbnailof=%E2%80%8Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D9cL7HVU-uU4&width=480&height=270&fit=contain)​](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cL7HVU-uU4) In any case, **since we can’t have a brain transplant**, the next best thing we normally do is prepare a bunch of documentation and handover it to the incoming fellow. And we sign off. We have transferred our generated debt to the next fellow. **On the other hand, the organization’s challenge** is to make sure that your replacement can learn and adapt. And kind of get up to the speed as soon as possible. **In other words, your organization is paying your generated debt through the new person.** That’s project debt. And the cycle goes on. **You’d have realized** that every project and organization accurses debt. It is inevitable. ## If it is inevitable, why are we talking about this? Because we can control the rate of the debt increase. And it changes so many things in our world: our career development, personal development, organisational growth, etc. ## For a moment, let’s talk about people who increase project debt You must have come across a particular type of people in your work life: the ones who do superficial work and take shortcuts. ​**Shortcuts look like this:** - In building construction, ignoring planning and using substandard materials. - In product development, skipping market research and ignoring user feedback. - In software development, superficial testing and hardcoding values in the code. - In human resources, rushed hiring, and neglecting employee development. Such activities increase project debt. When it goes beyond a normal level, the organization would feel the pain in terms of inefficiency, over-budgeting, missing deadlines, higher churning etc. ## How to limit project debt in your work? It should be clear by now that, to progress in a career and fulfil our potential, we have to be mindful of the debt created by us. Because **the debt also impacts our reputation.** So trying to limit its rate is a good strategy. These steps help in **limiting our debt:** - Giving the best of our capabilities - Being open to feedback and improving ourselves - Being explicit about our commitment - Delegating of work - Creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) - Decentralizing decision-making - Documenting history and key processes - Inculcating the culture of detachment in the work ## What can organizations do? From the organization’s point of view, the management can take some strategic steps such as: - Prioritizing quality over speed - Continuous assessment of key people’s project debt - Mitigating risk by splitting or limiting the concentration of responsibilities to a selected few (of course, there are exceptions) - Identifying net negative contributors and replacing them - Focus on the process and not on the people - Hiring and retention of people who are net positive contributors and with a healthy debt level So, as a knowledge worker or a business owner, if you’re feeling any of these pains, have a look at your people and processes. See if this makes sense. What’s your experience with what I described? Have you experienced any of these challenges and pain points? ​**Hit Reply** and share with me! * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8mfpYrK1rMMPEb4ZEwdpFf)](https://collabfund.com/blog/expectations-debt/) I think a year back, I shared this beautiful article by Morgan Housel on expectations debt. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. --- ### Can EVMs be REALLY hacked? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/06/17/can-evms-be-really-hacked/ Date: 2024-06-17 Description: Can Indian EVMs really be hacked? A technical analysis of EVM security, access controls, and the VVPAT paper trail. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I have been tinkering with microcontrollers since childhood and I can see the gap in the communication here. Between Rajeev and Musk. > This is a huge sweeping generalization statement that implies no one can build secure digital hardware. Wrong. [@elonmusk](https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ‘s view may apply to US n other places – where they use regular compute platforms to build Internet connected Voting machines. > > But Indian EVMs are custom… > > — Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@RajeevRC\_X) [June 16, 2024](https://twitter.com/RajeevRC_X/status/1802195948254466461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) So, here’s the gap that no one is addressing: ##### 1\. Any hardware/software is hackable Anything that is understandable by us, is hackable. In fact, in this context, what we really mean is “cracking”. Legendary hacker ESR has talked about the difference between hacking and cracking in his famous “How To Become A Hacker” guide.\[1\] To quote him: *“There is another group of people who loudly call themselves hackers, but aren’t. These are people (mainly adolescent males) who get a kick out of breaking into computers and phreaking the phone system. Real hackers call these people ‘crackers’ and want nothing to do with them. Real hackers mostly think crackers are lazy, irresponsible, and not very bright, and object that being able to break security doesn’t make you a hacker any more than being able to hotwire cars makes you an automotive engineer. Unfortunately, many journalists and writers have been fooled into using the word ‘hacker’ to describe crackers; this irritates real hackers no end.* *The basic difference is this: hackers build things, crackers break them.”* (I will continue using the term ‘hack’ while actually I mean ‘crack’.) So, the question is, is it possible to hack anything? Theoretically, yes. In that case, this X account, my Credit Cards, my Bank accounts, the aeroplanes.. anything can be hacked. Then, why aren’t they already? Why hasn’t Russia hacked Ukraine and the US’s most important defences or vice versa? ##### 2\. You need access to hack anything The traditional iron lock at the front gate of my home is 70 years old and still functions. It is easily hackable. But you. YOU, the reader, can’t hack it. Because you’re sitting somewhere far away and don’t have access to my lock. Similarly, if you can’t access EVMs, or my TV remote, you can’t hack them. (That’s the reason, why cutting-edge defence technology is not published. Limiting access, you know.) There’s a reason why Osama Bin Laden and the terrorist teams had to #hijack the aeroplanes. They HAD TO access them, to make it do what they wanted. Same goes for the rare events where thieves steal whole ATM machine and try to dismantle it. ##### 3\. Access alone doesn’t allow hacking Let’s imagine, you got access to my home lock, an EVM or my TV remote. How much time would it take you to hack these things? 5 minutes? 10 minutes? 60 minutes? You can’t be sure. Because you don’t know the inner workings of these things. You would need a reasonable amount of time to understand the mechanisms, and then modify the workings, if possible. ##### 4\. Decentralization is the key As per the Election Commission of India’s estimate of conducting simultaneous elections, they would require 3 million EVM machines.\[2\] Mind you, these are standalone units. So, even if you could seize one of these heavily guarded EVM units for your hacking project, you won’t be able to change the election outcome. (And while you’d be tinkering with the seized EVM machine in your lab, the special forces would be looking for you. A fearful hacker soon becomes a tearful cracker.) ##### 5\. Paper trail using VVPAT Every voter can confirm their vote by seeing a live printout of their vote, which gets sealed along with the EVM unit.\[3\] It is like the Advanced Renamer utility that I use on the computer. Once I have renamed my 1000+ files, the software also gives me a detailed changelog, in case I want to track if everything has gone well.\[4\] A certain % of VVPAT is also counted for reconciliation. ##### “Hand over one EVM unit and I will hack it” These people either don’t understand the whole system in place, or they’re in the business of seeding doubts in the psyche of general population.\[5\] Of course, with sufficient knowledge, lab and time, anyone can hack anything, including the EVM. But that’s exactly why the system doesn’t let anyone touch it. \[6\] For example, if you had a supercomputer and you wanted to hack in my account using this password (assuming there’s no 2FA), it would take you 109 B years!\[7\] If you’ve got a supercomputer and 109 B years of time, welcome to hack my password. In summary, the people who jump to resorting to Ballot Box citing the hackability of EVMs are either misinformed or intentional about shaking the processes of democracy. Because we know the history. **References and Foot notes:** \[1\] How To Become A Hacker: http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html \[2\]Election Commission will require around 30 lakh EVMs, 1.5-year preparation time for simultaneous polls to LS, assemblies: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/election-commission-will-require-around-30-lakh-evms-1-5-year-preparation-time-for-simultaneous-polls-to-ls-assemblies/articleshow/104731346.cms?from=mdr \[3\] Voter-verified Paper Audit Trail: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter-verified\_paper\_audit\_trail \[4\]🪜Rename 100 files for 100 team members under a second: https://get.bhagyeshpathak.com/posts/rename-100-files-for-100-team-members-under-a-second \[5\] Archemedes had famously said “Give me a lever *long enough* and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world/Earth.” We know theoretically it is possible to move the Earth if the lever is strong and long enough and a fulcrum to support the lever. But is it practical? \[6\] Now, there’s a notion that “the system is not letting us touch the EVMs in our private garage. THAT MEANS they’re rigged”. There is a flaw in this logic. Once a piece of information is declassified, it is no longer secure. Classification is one of the primary security layers. \[7\]🪜How strong is your password? Check and generate memorable passwords: --- ### TFN#57: 🪜The key skill in Getting Things Done (GTD) URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/06/14/the-key-skill-in-getting-things-done-gtd/ Date: 2024-06-14 Description: The key skill in getting things done: identify and address limiting factors. Remove blockers to accelerate work. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, sometimes you look at your work and wonder why it isn’t moving at a fast pace. Your team and you might be giving your best and **still, you can’t get things done.**​ These things could be anything: - Data analysis reports - Software development - Teacher training - Student assessments - Data collection - Project launch - Organizing a retreat Even non-knowledge work can also be covered, but we will limit our letter to knowledge work. Before that, sharing a [movie clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOZB6mNqhuA) from my favourite 1994 classic Pulp Fiction. In this 9-minute clip, you will see the character Winston Wolf who is known to solve problems. He has 40 minutes to clean a blood-dripping car and a corpse. You can see Wolf identifying all the limiting factors, removing those factors and and getting things done. 😄 ![0 4.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/2vUM8ztFcFKHNWy87QEowx) While writing this piece, I learned that [David Allen coined the GTD term](https://gettingthingsdone.com/) in a book with the same name and he’s kind of the **productivity** guru as I understand. But. But. ## But I’m not interested in productivity I’m talking about the natural expectation of getting any work done. For example, if I were to run a 2-day teacher training program for 30 teachers, I expect the material to be ready in less than a week. Not more. **It is not a productivity issue, it is a work-related issue.**​ See, we can think about productivity after the work starts getting done as per expectation. But if the work chain is broken, there is no point in thinking about productivity. Identifying and addressing the limiting factors. That’s the key skill. If you think about it, if your work is mostly delayed—albeit, completed in quality, that means the team doesn’t have competency issues. But there might be steps that are causing trouble. These steps LIMIT the pace of work. Identifying and addressing these limiting steps is one of the key skills in getting things done. ## Let’s take an example Suppose you run an HR team. Your team submits procurement requests through ERP software on a rolling basis. The requests are reviewed by 2-3 people. Upon approval, the procurement is done. For example, the team submits a request for some stationery items for new joiners. And the way approvals work, it would take a week or more to get the approval and the stationery items. All of this, when the vendor has a ready stock! ## So, should we remove accountability? From the approval example, it may seem that I’m suggesting removing approvals and associated accountability. But that is not correct. I’m suggesting that by analysing which part of the process is causing the delay, we can optimize it. In our example, if the approvals are taking time, there might be reasons: - The request lacks context, specific need and timeline - The approver has nothing to do with the request and she doesn’t understand its importance Whatever the case, limiting factors are always present. Identifying and addressing them directly is a key skill in getting things done. So, addressing the limiting factors helps us make people accountable. Not less. In any case, what other skills do you think are important to get things done? Have you seen anything similar playing out in your work? ​**Hit Reply** and tell me. If you enjoy these letters, go ahead and share them with your colleagues and friends. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![2 19.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/7TMz7uZJeEw7YRxV8po94e)](https://maggieappleton.com/home-cooked-software) Last week, I came across this resonating vision of barefoot software developers and truly “local-first” solutions. Instead of aiming for a million users, aim to serve a dozen. And serving them with whole heart, by understanding their problems. Now, you will think every software company tries to do just that. But there’s a huge chasm between what local problems need and what the Silicon Valley companies provide—and mind well, the intentions of those sitting in the Bay Area are to help. But there’s a limitation: local context. Take, for example, developing a software solution for a local school in India. A US-based UX designer will try his/her best to get in the shoes of the user by asking questions. The real gap is in the things that are left unsaid because they were not asked. And the designer also doesn’t know that s/he such a use case is possible. For example, they may not be able to factor in the unsaid amount of vacation days the students might take because of some local festival. That’s why we need “barefoot developers”. Developers who live within the community, understand their pains, and language, and imagine multiple scenarios. Since I have been helping small Indian organizations develop solutions with a dozen users, this vision resonated with me. I hope you too enjoy this read by Maggie Appleton. --- ### “Our app doesn’t have AI” is the new differentiator now URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/06/12/our-app-doesnt-have-ai-is-the-new-differentiator-now/ Date: 2024-06-12 Description: Our app doesn’t have AI is becoming the new differentiator. Why privacy-conscious users prefer tools without AI surveillance. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I love LLMs (Large Language Models) tools aka AI tools, they’ve changed the way I work, what I work and how I envisage my future. If you’ve been using it, you know what I mean. And so, it is natural for companies to ride the AI wave. “We are the first AI code companion company.” “We are the first AI 3D modelling company.” “We are the first AI translation company.” “We are the first AI architecture company.” “We are the first AI education company.” “We are the first AI medical diagnostic company.” Add to it Microsoft and Apple’s support for local data-trained AI: Recall feature\[1\] and Apple Intelligence.\[2\] If you remember, most startups used to bring in such AI-related solutions for people. At a smaller scale. And people thought they were experiments. Most of the 700 lb gorillas facilitated the technology, but they didn’t make system-wide changes that much. OS-wide I mean. For example, if you use a Windows PC like me, you’d find that Microsoft secretly installed Co-pilot on the PCs. Even a tech-savvy person like me didn’t realize when and how they did it. Thank god, I turned it off as soon as I found it. There’s already an ongoing raging public discussion (Not on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is docile. It is still living in DEI, ESG era) regarding the force-feeding of these AI integrations. And most of them bear merit. After yesterday’s Apple unveiling of Apple Intelligence, it was clear that companies are coming after users’ data. And there are some fanatics who are trying to rationalize that the data is safe, there is no surveillance. I think Apple’s carefully nurtured brand image of “safety” has a lot to do with these fanatics being unable to see what a deal they’re making with the devil. Talking of Apple’s ethical track record, it is as bad as any other gorilla’s. Remember the recent €2 b EU fine?\[3\] “But the data is processed locally!” Hahaha, that’s the thing. This reminds me of Wittgenstein’s Ruler, which briefly states that “unless you have confidence in the ruler’s reliability, if you use a ruler to measure a table you may also be using the table to measure the ruler.”\[4\] In this case, our fanatic’s proclamation that “it is processed locally” assumes the reliability of his understanding of local processing mechanisms. If they are flawed, then shouting “local processing” is meaningless. And if you have shown any interest in how AI works, you’d know that you can’t understand it really. No matter how smart you’re. Because the AI neural models are black boxes. So, whom do we trust? The experts? But we don’t have a scale to weigh who is a “true” expert. You know what, the larger question is, do you NEED Microsoft or Apple going through your private data—whole PC and cell phone—24/7/365 to provide you with some insight and files that you thought you had misplaced? I don’t know about you, but I don’t NEED that. I don’t need to accept surveillance, a house arrest for no crimes that I committed. Before the year 2023, “our app has AI” was a product differentiator. Not anymore. Foot notes: \[1\] In this video, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella talks about Recall feature in windows. It has been rolledback after severe backlash, but enjoy this 1 minute clip: \[2\] The Apple Intelligence demo in 5 minutes: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q\_EYoV1kZWk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_EYoV1kZWk) \[3\] EU hits Apple with €1.8B antitrust fine for abusive app terms: \[4\] Wittgenstein’s Ruler: How to Not Be Fooled by Authority: --- ### TFN#56: 🪜Block annoying ads on the web and YouTube URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/06/07/block-annoying-ads-on-the-web-and-youtube/ Date: 2024-06-07 Description: Block annoying ads with Adblock Plus and Adblock for YouTube. Remove 30+ ads per page and protect privacy from trackers. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Imagine, you wake up in a 9 square meter room. There are screens all around you. You go to some physical labour work in the morning and come back to your room, which is also your home and spend the rest of the day playing video games and watching TV on the screens around you. **The screens are the only source of joy in your life**. Sometimes they show advertisements, if you don’t want to watch them, you can pay and skip the ads. BUT, there are ads that you can’t skip. You can’t close your eyes. You have to watch those ads. If you close your eyes, the **screens will scream at you with “Resume Viewing” prompts**, until you open your eyes. ![0 4.gif](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/kTmZt8vNjMPj2d4zH8QSaB)Scene from Fifteen Million Merits episode from Netflix show Black Mirror That’s the plot of the famous dystopian Sci-Fi series Black Mirror’s 2011 episode “Fifteen Million Merits”. It is disturbing. If you think about it, **our present world is no different**. We live in the world of advertisements. And we have sort of accepted this norm. We can’t watch a funny YouTube video without clicking **“skip ad”** and sometimes, there is no “skip ad” option. We HAVE TO keep our eyes open. The whole business model is quite a scam and silly, but I will write about it someday later. Today, let’s focus on how to get rid of most of the ads on the web pages. For more than 8 years, I have used an extension named **Adblock Plus**. Until recently, it used to remove all YouTube ads too! But no more, so I also use another extension that removes YouTube ads. All in all, two extensions to remove annoying ads: ​[Adblock Plus](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/adblock-plus-free-ad-bloc/cfhdojbkjhnklbpkdaibdccddilifddb)​ ​[Adblock for YouTube](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/adblock-for-youtube/cmedhionkhpnakcndndgjdbohmhepckk)​ ## How to use them? Once you install them on your browser, you don’t have to do anything. These extensions work in the background and remove the ads. It wasn’t until 2 years back that I learned that YouTube showed ads! Because YouTube started forcing users to disable the extension. ## Do they work? Let’s see an example in action for Adblock Plus. For testing, I have navigated to [this news article](https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/%E2%80%8Ba-new-era-on-the-south-africa-general-election/article68254369.ece) from The Hindu. This is how the webpage looks like with Adblocker enabled: ![3 20.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/vey1iKq4c5nKA2b2NWMafn) When I clicked the Adblocker extension, it told me that 30 ads were removed from the page. Nice. ![4 13.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/gtDNcpyaSHdiLAHjwxuEqx) Now, let’s disable the Adblocker for only this website, by toggling the button. ![5 7.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/cFKd4U2ZzUuwcggC6aLEER) When refreshed, the webpage looks like this: ![6 5.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/occ65NnnNteuYX7agiuRWY)Notice that the ABP logo in the toolbar is greyed out, indicating it is disabled on this web page A huge Zoho ad greets me. And many other ads as I scroll down to read. Same thing for YouTube ads. You get the idea. So, these extensions work. ## It is not just about annoyance, but also privacy Apart from the peace of mind that you get by removing annoying ads, the main benefit is the removal of spying trackers and dangerous ads. One can argue that we are cutting the source of income from the business by removing ads. But that’s beside the point, because if the business needs to place 30 intrusive ads—which ads? they have no idea—in the name of business, then it is not a business. In any case, we can disable the ads on websites that genuinely serve well and don’t clog your browser with ads. Do you use any adblockers? Any better extension? ​**Hit Reply** and share it with me! Also, if you find these letters useful, go ahead and share them with your colleagues and friends. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![7 2.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/wwLSD8w2fHSy6aJs6XGDw2)](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/05/27/can-you-read-a-book-in-a-quarter-of-an-hour) I loved this piece by Anthony Lane. In this long essay with sort of a notorious tone, he dives into the past and present processes of condensing books. But mainly, the rise of book summarizer services such as Blinkit prompts us to ask some questions: - What is left out when we summarize a 400-page book into 5 pages? - Did the author mean to speak in modern business lingo? - Did Jane Austen have romance on her mind in her time? - Do we summarize so that we can bring up the book/or author in a party conversation? - Reading book summary vs. Not reading books at all: what is better? --- ### TFN#55: 🪜Ask for a written word, I mean save yourself from headache and heartache URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/05/31/ask-for-a-written-word-i-mean-save-yourself-from-headache-and-heartache/ Date: 2024-05-31 Description: Always ask for written confirmation to avoid miscommunication. Get clarity and commitment before starting any work. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak So, I was scrolling through social media and this comic from Marketoonist cracked me a few weeks back. 🤣 It is soo true. ![1 17.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/mvSH9Cx1mRKA7Vgt2GUu3e) If you think about it, most of the work that we get, the amount of clarity varies. Sometimes we get complete clarity about what is expected, but most of the times, it is pure guesswork. Guesswork based on our past experiences with them. So much so, that in most organizations, there is at least one fellow who knows what the boss wants. Not because he knows the details, but because he has been there long enough. Now, who wants to depend on the guesswork? Or someone else’s guesswork? It’s neither professional nor scalable. I met with similar hurdles at the beginning of my career—and soon, I figured out how to save myself from recurring headaches and heartaches at work. When we have no clarity of what is expected of us, we lose our mind first. Leading to headaches. But then, with the help of the “knows-the-boss-well” fellow, we may deliver some work. When the work reaches the boss’s desk, soon we get hit with heartache. Because our sincere efforts to read between the lines and figure out the work do not result in what is expected. And we have to do everything over. So sad. It discourages so many people from hitting the world of work. And they end up building a negative worldview about what an exciting place the world of work can be. That’s why, this is how I avoid this pain: ## I ask for a written word Don’t get me wrong. I don’t directly ask the client, boss, or colleague to type out what they want and hand it to me. That’s not how things work. So, I will tell you what I do instead. But first, why a written word? Why not a spoken word? Because writing is thinking. When we put our thoughts on paper, we realize what is important and what is not so important. It brings about clarity. Another reason behind asking for a written word is, to get their investment and commitment. I have mentioned this practice in my [Data System Design handbook](https://fridaynl.club/datasystem) too. ​ ![2 18.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/aRg1ZCT27tpuoRnD5h6SNb)Excerpt from Data System Design ​ You see, if you don’t get a simple investment such as their effort to put things on paper, we have to doubt about their commitment. Mostly, a lack of written word = lack of commitment. ## Now let’s talk about the way to get the written word We can’t get a written word by asking “Can you put it on a paper/email?” Because if you’re anything like me, you’re not working in a transactional relationship. And I don’t prefer working in such a relationship either. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to write any of these things: ​[Being part of the wave, not the wave itself](https://www.bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/being-part-of-the-wave-not-the-wave-itself)​ ​[How does it sound](https://www.bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/how-does-it-sound)​ ​[Not just another conversation](https://www.bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/not-just-another-conversation)​ ​[The case of hit and run stars](https://www.bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/the-case-of-hit-and-run-stars)​ ​[The doer in the arena](https://www.bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/the-doer-in-the-arena)​ ​[The fastest way to lose at a pitch, work and relationships](https://www.bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/the-fastest-way-to-lose-at-a-pitch-work-relationships)​ Instead, we should follow just one rule. To be the first one to put in the effort. Write first. And pass it for review. And it works. Why? ## Because people like judging other people’s work When you share your written word first, the other person’s natural inclination is to judge. To make remarks. To redo a few parts. **And that’s their written word.** The written word could be in the form of: - A response to your email - Clarification on the minutes of the meeting - A remark/comment on your shared documents - Sharing of additional files for context - Looping in someone else to review - Referring you to someone else for a detailed discussion - A follow-up meeting It can be virtually anything, but the end product will always be something tangible. Something beyond meetings and spoken words. ## A dangerous trap There is one main danger to this approach though. You will come across a few people whose written word would be something on these lines: “Wow, great work! I agree. Let’s move forward.” “Works for me.” “You know better.” “You are the expert, I trust you.” “I skimmed through it. Good to go.”This is a huuuge, burning red sign, screaming “DANGER!!!”. It is called the “passing the parcel” approach. Our intention behind asking for the written word is to gain clarity and investment. But these types of written words neither provide clarity nor signal investment. And if you take these words seriously, you will directly feel a heartache in the end. Of course, this is not a foolproof approach, but it mostly works. So, I hope you try to tinker with this approach in your work. Post-newsletter CTA So, whether it is at the beginning of a project, asking a raise or getting a clarity on roles and responsibilities, asking for a written word helps a lot. Have you faced issues gaining clarity from other people at work? How do you navigate through it? **Hit Reply** and tell me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![3 19.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/duLRpAKsKoi7pwvvasMQ2f)](https://www.theschooloflife.com/article/how-your-job-shapes-your-identity) How our work shapes our lives. I relished this article. I had never thought about this. But if you’re in a certain type of work, your patience will increase, while for other types, your patience will decrease. --- ### Independent Thinking URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/05/31/independent-thinking/ Date: 2024-05-31 Description: Independent thinking is being systematically eliminated. Protect your child’s imagination through unschooling and reading for pleasure. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I woke up to some irritating news today. I felt the urge to rage-write about the death of democracy, the EU’s climate madness, so-and-so forth. But then, what’s the point? Cognitive dissonance is such a powerful mechanism, that nothing can go through zealots. So instead, I thought to talk about something that modern culture is obsessively trying to get rid of : INDEPENDENT THINKING. Because if independently thinking individuals were the majority, we wouldn’t be seeing the farce play out at such a grand scale. The patently false assertion of CO2 being evil, the endless varieties of “genders”, men snatching women’s places in sports, the victimhood pandemic and the whole Orwellian how-to-guide being played out. As these things take more and more hold of our lives—even in India, for example, the EU’s latest carbon tax is going to hit approx. $37b of Indian export from 2026—people will realize they shot themselves in their feet. And that will take several generations. But how can we expedite this realization? We needed the realization yesterday, but it is impossible to make it happen in a year or a decade. What we can really do is, prepare ourselves and our children to learn to think independently. Prepare ourselves to recognize the prevalent authority bias around us (shoutout to [](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAu9kx8B3PqzRqxLnfLnThjb_x4adMAEhjw)[Nishant Mittal](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishantmittaltt/) for reminding people about it on a regular basis) and counter it with humility. Because this is a generational work. Talking of children, I want to share one dangerous thinking that is getting embedded in parents of our times—especially, young parents. Their obsession of exposing their child (see, I used singular, because that’s the trend, you know because of “over-population”) to “fact-based” material. They don’t want their child to read stories, poetry or comics. Especially the ones that have no message or facts. Because that’s not “productive”. That’s “fiction”. That’s not “politically correct”. That’s not “inclusive”. And that’s how the children are schooled—indoctrinated actually. That is the kind of children that get elected, or get into scientific endeavours, or formulate national policies. That’s called a pipe line problem. There’s no “Theory of Relativity” like groundbreaking discovery in the last 100 years—and don’t get me started on the pseudo-Nobel Prizes . The 26-year-old Swiss patent clerk could break through all the noise of classical physics and unravel the truth—but now the kids are indoctrinated that there’s no truth, there’s my truth and your truth. No wonder, the fundamental science hasn’t progressed much. Even with the best of technologies and knowledge at the fingertips. Because parents and the political system want creativity and imagination to go out of the equation. We can’t expect fire without a spark. So, the growing trend of unschooling, homeschooling, and alternative education gives me hope. But even if your children are in traditional schooling—boards don’t matter, you need to protect their spark. And that’s why if your girl loves to read Frozen Elsa’s picture books, shower her with the whole catalogue. If your boy is mad after the Diary of a Wimpy Kid, let him read it all day. (I’m unsure of Children’s current obsession in books, but you get the point) Because. Because. Because writing follows reading. And critical thinking follows writing. And critical thinking is mother of independent thinking. We need more of it. The world needs more of it. Don’t worry, your child won’t lead a poor life. I promise. * * * Reads: \[Link-1\] Stop Stealing Dreams: \[Link-2\] What happens when you work on your own projects: \[Link-3\] The need to read: \[Link-4\] How to think for yourself: \[Link-5\] Get my Friday letters : [fridaynl.club](http://fridaynl.club/) --- ### TFN#54: 🪜Instant use-and-throw email ID using 10minutemail URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/05/24/instant-use-and-throw-email-id-using-10minutemail/ Date: 2024-05-24 Description: Protect your inbox from spam. Use 10minutemail for anonymous, throwaway email IDs that expire after 10 minutes. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, have you felt the uneasiness when you’re shopping and the checkout counter guy asks for your contact number? For some elusive membership benefits? ![0 3.gif](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6ku4Vi1XKGbT2hkT6DgbCK) Now, my uneasiness turns into a permanent frown when I’m in a checkout queue. Because I know my contact number is going to change 100s of hands and harass me through tele-spamming (marketing is different, it is not spam). So, the frown signals my lack of interest and mostly the checkout counter guy doesn’t ask me for my contact number. But what about email IDs? There are times when you’re **pressured into giving your email ID** before proceeding to the next webpage. That’s why [10minutemail](https://10minutemail.com/)​ If you remember, I mentioned it in my letter [How strong is your password? Check and generate memorable passwords](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9chow-strong-is-your-password-check-and-generate-memorable-passwords/) last week. ## What’s this 10minutemail? A free throwaway email id for 10 minutes. Nothing illegal. Completely anonymous. No sign up required. The email expires after 10 minutes. I have been using it for more than 5 years now. Recently, they have loaded the webpage with many ads, but it is bearable. We just need the email id, nothing else. ## Intro Before you start using it, a little intro to the interface. Look at the five parts of the screen: ![1 16.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/sh64USb1VZJSu6LSUXDEjj) Here is what each element does: ​**Element no.-1:** Click to copy the weird email address ​**Element no.-2:** This is your temporary email address ​**Element no.-3:** This is real inbox. Any confirmation emails sent are stored in it ​**Element no.-4:** This is the countdown before your temporary email will be permanently deleted ​**Element no.-5:** If you want to keep the email for longer time, click it. It will reset the counter to 10 minutes ## A word of caution It is a good practice not to use this site for sensitive matters. It should be only used for websites that require one-time confirmation. I mean imagine if you create an account using this disposable email, it will get created. But you can’t use it in the future in case you need to reset your account or anything similar action. So, that’s how I try to protect myself from spams. Of course, I still receive many but what would have happened if I had been distributing my emails freely! How do you protect yourself from spam? **Hit Reply** and tell me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/hd1UU5eehkhy41tAEBRpHC)](https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/2021-update-for-every-100-girls-part-i/) I thoroughly enjoyed this table originally put together by Thomas G. Mortenson, senior scholar at the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education in Washington, D.C. and independent higher education policy analyst. The original 100+ item list was published in 2011. Mark J. Perry of AEI, updated this list in 2021. ![3 17.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tvX1gE83nbVJH3WMXwsh6S)Click on the article title to see the full table What is striking about this table is the fact that no one talks about any of these things. Not until recently. Because the culture has been busy beating one sex against another. But then, as someone has rightly said “there’s a lot of money in hating men”, it all starts making sense. (In fact, I could have advanced my career at greater pace if I had shut the moral and rational part of my mind and helped vilify men) Anyways, let’s talk business. [![4 12.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/a3K2Q8BwCKLztow3wZoCvy)](https://sahillavingia.com/dividends) Sahil Lavingia, the co-founder and CEO of Gumroad, has a different way of doing business. In fact, that is how I would like to conduct my business. Apart from paying the freelancers equity and dividends, their way of working is very different and transparent from most of the companies. Take example for [this Sales Person job](https://app.flexile.com/roles/gumroad/sales-person-187) posted for his another company Flexile. You know what you’ll be getting paid if you’re hired. Doesn’t matter whether you live in Pakistan or the US. No hidden ifs and buts. ![5 6.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6cfpZCs5f4E8ycyn1o4ref) I just realized, the Reads of the week section seems longer than the main letter today. What a day to write this letter! --- ### TFN#53: 🪜How strong is your password? Check and generate memorable passwords URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/05/17/how-strong-is-your-password-check-and-generate-memorable-passwords/ Date: 2024-05-17 Description: Check password strength and generate memorable ones. Some take 5 quintillion years to crack—secure your important accounts. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak The first time I came across the concept of a real computer password was when I was around 16 years old. That password set by my father, got so popular in our family that we still use some version of that password even for our home WiFi. And that password is good enough for us. But a few years back, I came across an infographic resembling this: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/exjnAtLYQzByKQrDS8PiKa) It was shocking! No matter how much I might have tried to protect my online passwords, one wrong website and I’d be done for. With most of our knowledge work happening over the internet, it is important to have strong and memorable passwords. (Especially if you’re not using a specialized password manager) So, that’s what I want to converse about today: 1. Checking the strength of the password 2. Generating new memorable passwords ## But before that We have to understand that not all websites and passwords need to be super-secured. If you’re using some free services, you can use a temporary email such as (I will be writing a letter on this) ## What type of accounts should you review? - Your main Google Account password - Your iCloud Account password - Your Net Banking password - Any work-related cloud database password ## Check your password strength This website I’m talking about checks your password strength, it doesn’t store. It calculates the strength of your password offline. You can check by disconnecting the internet connection. **Step-1:** Go to [https://www.passwordmonster.com](https://www.passwordmonster.com/)​ ​**Step-2:** Type your password and see the password cracking time I entered my home WiFi password, the time it will take is: 0.35 seconds! I’m relaxed because not all passwords should be treated equally. It displays that my password has 10 characters, containing lowercase letters and numbers. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/Kg5ajam5tGh9akEA7U8bX) But for important things, we need to keep a secure password. For example, this is the strength of one of my important cloud database passwords: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/74hKdxujtsQj8qg5k1XpMz) Once you have checked your important passwords, and you want to change them, you can generate memorable passwords. There are many free websites that offer this facility, you can use whichever you like. But one that I found useful is this one: ## ​[1Password Generator](https://1password.com/password-generator/)​ Once you go to this page, you can generate passwords. I chose a “memorable password” with 4 word counts. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/7DtovEhqjfQB2YdHrkSvFb) You can generate as many passwords as you want. Let’s check the strength of this generated password: ​**athens-furbish-toweling-ions** ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tM36JJNj6twDEESDgkQufo) Whooooaaahh! This 28-character password password would take 793,000,000,000 years for a computer to crack. Impressive. ### But what if the website mandates you to use special characters, numbers and upper case letters? Simple, use some sort of standard memorable sequence as a prefix or a suffix. For example, I like this memorable password we generated. But the website mandates me to use: - At least one upper-case letter - At least one number So, I will modify the password like this: ​**$2024Athens-furbish-toweling-ions** And the password strength? Let’s check: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/o6YemxViJmDcUUvNtpHjw6) **That’s 5,000,000,000,000,000,000 years!** ## Final notes - It goes without saying that we need to keep passwords unique and **never reuse** them across important websites. - Substituting special characters in words is not a smart move if the overall password is an English dictionary word: For example: @dm!n Hackers are aware of this practice and the algorithms check the possibility of substitution a million times per second and crack it. If you’re surprised by the demise of your favourite password after checking its strength, cry a river, build a bridge and get over it. We need strong passwords more than ever. ​**Hit Reply** and share any password-related poor practices you may have observed in your personal or work life. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/mtPTYwYwNFanJ719NVGPs8)](https://foundersatwork.posthaven.com/the-sound-of-silence) What happens when we want to discuss some taboo topics in the business world? That’s what Jessica, the co-founder of the billion-dollar startup accelerator YC talks about in this essay. Jessica makes the case that the culture has taken some subjects off the table. This costs the world the insights that would fuel innovation, solutions and better lives. I get it when she says this, because the culture, the world is hell-bent on its current belief that you can’t risk expressing or discussing what you observe. --- ### A year of Friday Letters URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/05/13/a-year-of-friday-letters/ Date: 2024-05-13 Description: Reflecting on a year of sending Friday newsletters—the writer-reader symbiosis and the responsibility of thoughtful communication. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Last week was the 52nd week of me sending Friday letters to the readers. One of the beauty of email newsletters is: it is not social media. It is not noisy. There are no likes, comments, shares. The reader can read on their own फुर्सत. If the reader didn’t have time to login to their social media, it’s okay, s/he is not going to miss out on the letter. It will be their inbox whenever they have time. On the writer’s part, there are a different level of benefits. For one, there is no “reactions” addiction. Nothing much and instantaneous is expected. It is close to what Shree Krishna shared with Arjuna: कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन। मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥ Loosely translated: You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty. But that’s philosophical. The writer definitely wants to write better, get feedback, and expand the reach. THINKING BEFORE SENDING The most powerful benefit and responsibility for the writer in email newsletter writing is to think twice before sending out the letter. To make homework not to be proven wrong or not to spam the reader. Because there is no “delete” button. A letter landed in a reader’s inbox is a commitment. Quite opposite of social media postings. The last one year also provided me with a perspective on what else can be improved or introduced in this newsletter readers’ network. Something that’s easy for everyone to engage with and benefit immensely. I’m contemplating introducing two things now: 1. Opportunity Sharing: Job opportunities shared by readers, for readers. 2. Guest Contributions: Collaborative or standalone letter by the readers. Let’s see when we are able to see these additions to the Friday letters. THE SYMBIOSIS OF WRITER AND READER Now, how can I end this post without talking about readers (again)? Upon delivery of the 52nd letter, I had an interesting exchange with someone. I replied to their email by my way of expressing gratitude. By telling a story: I’m reading Three Body Problem and one of the passages was interesting. (The whole book series is interesting). It says, let’s say we created a perfect computer simulation to mimic Earth’s evolution for last 4 billion years. And we add all known-unknown factors that act on the evolution. But we just remove one factor: living beings. Do you know what the present-day Earth would look like? Barren, Mars-like planet with on water. The Earth needs the living beings as much as the living beings need her. The writer and the reader are in a symbiotic relationship. One gets barren without the other. Cheers and thanks to everyone to push a lazy bones like me to continue dropping the letters. \[LINK-1\] Get Friday letters in your inbox → fridaynl.club No, it is not a club or a cult. It is just the cheapest domain I could get. --- ### TFN#52: 🪜What’s your power distance? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/05/10/whats-your-power-distance/ Date: 2024-05-10 Description: Understand power distance to find matching workplaces. High or low—it shapes how you respond to authority at work. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak **And..this is the 52nd letter! ​**1 letter/week52 weeks = 1 year! Can you believe we have been conversing for a year now? Incredible! ​**No matter when you joined this circle, I’m grateful for your support.**​ Thank you so much for reading, replying and sometimes just skimming through the letters. 😇### Also, I’m thinking of including some new features in our letters: **Guest Contributions**: Collaborate with me on a letter, or submit your own piece.**Opportunity Sharing**: Job opportunities shared by readers, for readers. Spreading the word about job openings at your organization, connecting our community with exciting career opportunities. **And oh yes, write back to me with your suggestions and recommendations!** So, today I wanted to touch on one of my favourite topics in the workplace: **power distance**. But before that, this clip and a story: [![video preview](https://functions-js.convertkit.com/playbutton?play=%23324C85&accent=%23ffffff&thumbnailof=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D6y6cLDr9oJg%E2%80%8B&width=480&height=270&fit=contain)​](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y6cLDr9oJg%E2%80%8B) In this 2-minute clip, you can see Anatoly Dyatlov — the BOSS — making the decision to raise the power of the Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor against the SOP. He was deputy chief engineer for the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant when the Chernobyl disaster took place on the night of 26th April 1986. Aleksandr Akimov, the man wearing spectacles, asking for a written order, was the supervisor, his reportee. We can see Dyatlov silenced Akimov and other staff members in the Nuclear Control room. And the chain of decisions led to the disaster after a few minutes. ## In other words We can say that Dyatlov acted as if he had more power than the rest of the people. So, Dyatlov was **very close to power**. While others felt they were not as much in power as Dyatlov. Hence, they were **far from the power**. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/hWBJwVepdTsqyoTTsmEAc8) ## Imagine if the others felt as close to power as Dyatlov did Then the history would have been different. Akimov and the staff would have protested Dyatlov’s order up to the point where he would have to back off. But that is not how some fields of work operate. For example, the majority of crucial institutions such as Aviation, the Army, Nuclear Power Plants, and Political Parties: demand that most of their employees do not question a chain of command. Otherwise, there would be chaos. And no progress. ## Power Distance Index Hofstede, a Dutch psychologist, 1960-70, found a pattern of difference in the power distance of people in different countries. He represented them under [Power Distance Index (PDI)](https://clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-dimensions/power-distance-index/). **PDI shows how much people in places like schools, families or offices think it’s normal that not everyone has the same amount of power.** If you look at the full PDI scores, you will see that Austria has a PDI score of 11. Malaysia has 104. This means average people in Malaysia are much more likely to say yes and carry out the orders as their boss asks them. But in Austria, they’re more likely to question and disagree. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/J9PBu3G99N8ezp1DptkLX) ## What does that mean for us? We can ignore country-wise PDI scores now. Because most of us do not work in multi-country teams. However, the concept of power distance is helpful in two ways: to find a matching workplace and to hire the right talent. Let’s see what I mean. ## Finding a matching workplace or hiring the right talent Sometimes, we come across stories about our friends, colleagues or new joiners. Even with the right degrees, experience and everything, it is very difficult for them to work in a specific department or organization. And they have to prematurely leave. HR may say that “they were not a good match.” This match criteria may include many things, but one of the main factors is their power distance. If the department manager or the nature of work required someone who could say “yes” to everything and we hired someone who was a low power distance person, it would be a bad match. The conflicts would be intolerable. Because the new hire will either challenge the decisions or resent the manager. On the other hand, if a CEO needed an advisor and he would say “yes” to everything, there wouldn’t be any conflicts, but the CEO would discharge him sooner rather than later. Because the role of the advisor is to ask questions and challenge the decisions. ## So, what’s the ideal power distance? There is none. Most of us, who are past our formative years, are doomed. Because our inclinations, our nature, and our work styles are almost solidified now. (yes, “almost”, because if you remember my letter from 6 months back — [Why I’m convinced we can change our brain tissues](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9cwhy-im-convinced-we-can-change-our-brain-tissues/), in that piece, we discussed that Neuroplasticity is a real thing.) **So, the best way is to introspect and ask ourselves:** - Do I feel more at ease in a workplace where a few people make the important decisions without my explicit involvement, or do I prefer being part of the decision-making process from the outset? - How do I respond to authority at work? - Am I comfortable strictly following directions, or do I prefer having the freedom to question and provide input on decisions? - What type of leadership helps me perform my best? Do I thrive under leaders who give clear directions, or do I prefer leaders who encourage autonomy and input from their team? Similarly, if you’re hiring someone, consider questions accordingly. Once we know how much power we prefer having in our workplace, then putting ourselves in matching organizations or work conditions is the best thing we can do. When it comes to our inherent preferences, I don’t believe in going against the grain. It is counter-productive. In any case, I wish work advertisements mentioned the required power distance for the job role. That would save so much time and effort! What do you think about power distance? Have you thought about this before? ​**Hit Reply** and share with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![video preview](https://functions-js.convertkit.com/playbutton?play=%23324C85&accent=%23ffffff&thumbnailof=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhoeIllSxpEU&width=480&height=270&fit=contain)​](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoeIllSxpEU) Did you know 52! (52 factorial) is beyond the scope of our universe? If I handed over all 52 letters to everyone in the world and asked them to order them as they find fit, every stack would be unique! It is baffling once you understand this. --- ### TFN#51: 🪜Rename 100 files for 100 team members under a second URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/05/03/rename-100-files-for-100-team-members-under-a-second/ Date: 2024-05-03 Description: Rename 100 files in 1 second using Advanced Renamer. Bulk rename with CSV—perfect for HR performance reviews. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I should have shared this letter last week, immediately after [Do you right-click to rename? Seriously!?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9cdo-you-right-click-to-rename-seriously/). But no problem, better late than never. In that letter, we talked about using the F2 function key on your keyboard to rename files in day-to-day work. But sometimes, you might need to carry out bulk renaming. Say **100 files or 10000 files**. Even F2 won’t help you do that. So, what to do? Use a software! I use a tiny, free software named [Advanced Renamer](https://www.advancedrenamer.com/). ### It is truly advanced As the name suggests, Advanced Renamer is truly advanced. It provides so many options and methods to rename files that you’d be stunned or confused. But no worries, let’s take a simple example that you’d be able to relate to. ### Here’s the situation Imagine, your organization is running an annual performance review exercise. (I know, I don’t believe in it much as you know, but this is the most relatable example for everyone. By the way, have you read my thoughts about it under [Appraisal of appraisals](https://www.bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/appraisal-of-appraisals)?) Let’s say, you have finalized a Microsoft Word document that everyone in your organization needs to fill in. The idea is that everyone will fill in their document and email it to HR. Fair? To identify the documents easily, you also want to rename all the documents with the employee names. ### How should we proceed? This is the basic idea: We will create 100 copies of the Performance Review Form and keep them in a folder. We will use Advanced Renamer to rename all 100 files by feeding them the employee list. **Step-1:** Keep two things ready: 100 copies of the blank performance review forms in a folder and a list of all 100 employees’ names in a CSV file. Don’t know how to save an Excel sheet as a CSV file? [Watch this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrqSOq2Q3kc). ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/91BFVT915Bk21z18L1N6ur) **Step-2:** Open [Advanced Renamer](https://www.advancedrenamer.com/). I haven’t updated my software so the screen may look different if you download a fresh copy. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/x3tSUsuARzmmp7GBJnmeYX) **Step-3:** Click “Add Method” and choose “New Name” **Step-4:** Then under the “Advanced Tags” dropdown, find out and click the CSV option. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/2wJcDFiFhndkhRRyMs1oHL) **Step-5:** Now, add the files that we want to rename. Make sure that you choose the options under the “Rename Files” tab. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/9qKVpTj1dDR5V9J1T4ZjPh) ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/kosisrVyurXHEWu15zubx1) All files are loaded in the program. Now we need to give the list of names to the program. **Step-6:** Choose the following visual cues. You don’t need to change any settings at any point on any screen. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ijg9RUnv5vLVSsmQDgjexG) We want to import the names, i.e. data, not files. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/jcXPMTsdXYaXVCX9GTCQCu) This is important. By mistake, I left a few duplicate employee names. Advanced Renamer shows that the “New Filename” will be a duplicate. So, it will not be able to rename those files. I want to continue with the error and we will skip the duplicate names in later steps. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/jZBi2TdihgMaiD4AGzowhQ) **Step-7:** Start renaming by clicking the “Start batch” button on the right-side corner. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/pLTLjHdVscE34GrxdCzeX2) The following screen asks for confirmation. It shows that we are using one method, i.e. CSV method to rename 100 files. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6UQLoBEVTzERWwbsN1vwnn) As soon as we hit “Start”, the software shows that there are 26 duplicate names, which will create 26 files with duplicate names. It gives us two options: either stop the whole renaming process or just skip those 26 files and go ahead with renaming the rest of the files. I chose the latter option. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/odtqPCmLbw3jJVmo1EEVAx) **Step-8:** And…Done! It took 1 second to rename the files. Out of 100 files, it skipped 26 erroneous files and renamed the 74 files. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4STA9JAZoFWtwEnuQvT1PH) ## This was the simplest feature of this software What we just saw was probably the simplest feature of Advanced Renamer. It is full of hundreds of ways to rename, change cases, generate random numbered files, files with specific patterns, specific dates and times…you name it. Try it, it is fun. And let me know how you liked it. By the way, what use cases can you think of for this? Is there any repetitive task that Advanced Renamer can help you with? ​**Hit Reply** and tell me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/kjPeGRMJxKUczTdTUYZoxW)](https://blogs.nasa.gov/voyager/2024/04/22/nasas-voyager-1-resumes-sending-engineering-updates-to-earth/) This is a sci-fi movie-level story. Voyager-1, the legend, is back online. It is insane what NASA engineers have accomplished. They identified that one important chip onboard wasn’t working. It had a very important program code to run. But it couldn’t. So, they physically transferred the code to other chips onboard. They broke the complex program down and redistributed it among other functional chips. And that’s how the 46-year-old spacecraft is now online. Did you know that: it takes 22.5 hours for a radio wave to reach Voyager-1 from Earth? And it takes another 22.5 hours for the radio wave to reach Earth. That means Voyager-1 is almost one lightday away from the Earth. It is approximately 24 billion km away from Earth and still cruising away at a staggering relative velocity of 61,000 kilometres per hour (17 km per second). --- ### TFN#50: 🪜Applying DRY principle in your work URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/04/26/applying-dry-principle-in-your-work/ Date: 2024-04-26 Description: Learn the DRY principle from programming applied to daily work: templates, SOPs, and documentation save time and reduce errors. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I have always been fascinated by programming languages. There are so many of them: python, C, C++, Java, SQL, VBA, etc. Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you to death talking about programming. But what I want to talk about is the **DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) principle** used in programming. Any good programmer is supposed to follow it. So, what’s the DRY principle? Many programming languages are designed with the philosophy that programmers should avoid repetition wherever possible. And those languages help them implement this philosophy. Let’s understand it through a programming example. Believe me, it is easy. Even if you think it’s not your cup of tea or coffee 😉 *But if you are allergic to any code, scroll down to the end of this letter.* ### So, let’s get started Suppose, we want to write a code that calculates the area of rectangles. Nothing complicated. Just an area of rectangles. How would we do it? We know the formula: Area = width \* height And imagine, right now, we have three rectangles to calculate. Here we go. Our first thought would be to do as follows: calculate rectangle 1 area calculate rectangle 2 areacalculate rectangle 3 area![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/t7pprNqj4XiNFd7DbK8UkS) So, we repeated ourselves every time we wanted to calculate the area: area1 = width1 \* height1area2 = width2 \* height2area3 = width3 \* height3### Hmmmmm… What if we have 100 rectangles to calculate? We can’t or rather should not repeat ourselves 100 times. As you can see in the code above, 1 calculation = 3 lines of code That equals 300 lines of code for 100 rectangles! ### That’s where the DRY principle comes in handy To show you this, first, let’s write a tiny code named “calculate\_area”. This code needs two things to work: width and height. It will multiply them automatically and give us the answer using that “return” code. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/s8faojMC4x6iRmPMmeFen9) Now, we will provide our rectangle dimensions in that code. For example, Rectangle-1’s width and height are 5 and 10Rectangle-2’s width and height are 7 and 3Rectangle-3’s width and height are 2 and 15Their area1, area2, and area3 can be calculated as shown in the code below. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/7fuds6zq8viuMHGtp5maVc) That’s it! The area calculation is done! We could calculate with 1 line, instead of 3 lines. What if we want to calculate the area of 10 more rectangles? Not an issue, add 10 more lines. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/jv97F8xhojJAfpXoxNXka3) And that’s how we calculated the area of 13 triangles in a single window. ### What does the full code look like? (For the curious creatures) Here are the full code images: ​[Non-DRY code image](https://imgur.com/F4fWQ6l) (81 lines of code) ​[DRY code image](https://imgur.com/gmYdeL9) (36 lines of code) And by the way, the programming language used in our example is Python. ### That’s the power of philosophy If you see the full codes, you’ll learn that we saved almost 50 lines of code by applying the DRY principle. This makes our work clutter-free. Minimizes mistakes. ## Applying the DRY principle in day-to-day work All this coding information is fine, but how to apply the DRY principle in daily non-programming work? That’s what we are interested in. ### 1\. Glossary and abbreviations in documentation This is the single most used DRY principle in non-programming work. When we provide a list of glossary items and abbreviations at the beginning of a document, we don’t need to redefine all the glossary words and abbreviations again. Smart, huh? ### 2\. Centralized Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) In many organizations, most of the work is predictable. When a new person is hired, it is useful to provide a list of SOPs related to his/her work. Instead of handholding the blank slate hires from the beginning, SOPs save a ton of time and effort. *“But Bhagyesh, reading an SOP can’t replace the guidance from other colleagues.”* Of course, it can’t. We are talking about augmenting the human interaction, not replacing it. ### 3\. Templates and checklists If you have ever used a template or a checklist at work, you have applied the DRY principle. Templates such as purchase request form, leave application form etc etc. You get the idea. These are instruments that save us time and effort. ### 4\. Training materials Imagine what would happen if teachers had to re-create their teaching material every day. Insane, right? That’s why, creating a set of training materials would save us from repeating ourselves if your work involves training. ### 5\. Google Docs and Sheets There are many cloud documentation tools. But you must have used Google Docs and Sheets. Such tools are built to support the DRY principle. They save us from sending a Microsoft Word or Excel document to 5 people for review. Then those 5 people send the document back to us. The whole back-and-forth dance. Instead, we don’t repeat ourselves. Everyone is in sync. ### In a nutshell There is nothing wrong with repeating ourselves in some situations. For example, we have to repeat ourselves on every other page of legal documentation. For clarity and surety that we are not making a mistake. But for most knowledge work, the DRY principle is the go-to principle. So, how did you like today’s letter? Was it lengthy? I thought it was. **Hit Reply and tell me!** * * * **Reads of the week:** ### Boeing and DEI ![twitter profile avatar](https://i0.wp.com/pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1459175734602350593/cW3fs5lR_normal.jpg?ssl=1)James Lindsay, full varsity ![Twitter Logo](https://functions-js.convertkit.com/icons?icon=twitter&foreground=1d8ced&background=000000&shape=icon-only&scale=1)@ConceptualJames [Let’s have a close look at Boeing and DEI! Boeing’s corporate filings with the SEC reveal that in beginning 2022, the annual bonus plan to reward CEO and executives for increasing profit for shareholders and prioritizing safety was changed to reward them if they hit DEI targets.](https://twitter.com/ConceptualJames/status/1745110176372339167)![photo](https://i0.wp.com/pbs.twimg.com/media/GDfgc2vWsAAMAMQ.jpg?w=420&ssl=1) 9:17 PM • Jan 10, 20246393Retweets20071Likes [Read 1708 replies](https://twitter.com/ConceptualJames/status/1745110176372339167) ​ Like me, if you too fly in a Boeing aircraft, you must read this. No wonder, the DEI and ESG ideology is not only pervasive but also evil, murderous and anti-human. This is also in line with what I shared 10 weeks back: [Complex Systems Won’t Survive the Competence Crisis](https://www.palladiummag.com/2023/06/01/complex-systems-wont-survive-the-competence-crisis/)​ For the full context, you can also read the article below: [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/cntgCiBqnKGvxg3EDHVMEw)](https://www.vox.com/2024/1/8/24030677/boeing-alaska-airlines-plane-737-max-door-plug) --- ### Dashboard managers URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/04/23/dashboard-managers/ Date: 2024-04-23 Description: Critique of ‘dashboard managers’ who stare at screens instead of understanding real work. Data-guided decisions need context. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Have you noticed there is a birth of a whole new job role? It is called Dashboard Managers. The old school managers used to know what they’re talking about. With whom they’re dealing. All with little help from dashboards. But this new variety is different. And what do they do? Stare at the dashboards. Sometimes, the dashboards dictate whom they should call. Sometimes, they dictate whom they should shout at. or just plainly harass. And all organizations appreciate this behaviour. Why? Because we believe in “data guided decisions”. That’s a bunch of pure BS. You know it. I know it. We know it. I shared similar ideas about the tyranny of dashboards and how to get some relief. That was in Friday Letter today. I shared such 5 mistakes to avoid in dashboard design. Check them out → https://get.bhagyeshpathak.com/posts/5-mistakes-i-avoid-while-designing-my-dashboards --- ### TFN#49: 🪜Do you right-click to rename? Seriously!? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/04/19/do-you-right-click-to-rename-seriously/ Date: 2024-04-19 Description: Stop right-clicking to rename files. Press F2—your keyboard’s secret weapon for instant file renaming in Windows. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak No, I’m not judging. But I’m curious. When you rename a file in your PC (assuming it’s a Windows machine), do you point at the file icon using the mouse, then right-click (or double-click) to “rename” the file or folder? Isn’t that, too much effort? I mean think about it. You have to use one hand to right-click/double-click on the interested file, and hit “rename”. Then shift the hands on the keyboard to rename the file. What if you have to rename 10 files? That will have 10 slow-motion rename operations. Function key F2 on your keyboard. If you think I’m being lazy by writing such a short letter today, be it. But if you had to change only one thing in your knowledge work, make use of F2 to rename files. I see so many people going the long road of right-clicks. Why? Perhaps they’re afraid of hotkeys. But you can’t memorize all the hotkeys in a single sitting. You don’t need to. As you begin adopting hotkeys for daily functions, the brain begins to develop an appetite for more hotkeys. And then you begin feeding your brain. It is that easy. If you’re already using F2 and other hotkeys, look around at how many people take the long road. And you will understand why I had to bring up this tiny matter in this letter. I have only one question for you: do you use F2? **Hit Reply** and tell me. I won’t judge. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/uZ9nVyMthVAJpcgjJRrKrZ)](https://www.cloudplusit.com/f1-to-f12-the-time-saving-function-key-shortcuts-you-need-to-know/) Check this straightforward shortcut list. Adopt whichever you like. --- ### TFN#48: 🪜5 mistakes I avoid while designing my dashboards URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/04/12/5-mistakes-i-avoid-while-designing-my-dashboards/ Date: 2024-04-12 Description: Avoid these 5 dashboard mistakes: decimal precision, ignoring tables, too much detail, objectifying subjective data. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, If you tell me you haven’t seen a dashboard in your career so far, I won’t believe you. You wouldn’t believe yourself. The ease with which data visualization tools are available, it is impossible to believe that you would be spared from a dashboard. Mostly, this is how the tragedy of dashboards looks like: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/kFL3fHiJ8NbHpxCkJ8NbYG) If I’m calling it a tragedy, I may not be holding a favourable view of most dashboard practices. And I would like to share a few of them before we move ahead. ## Problems with most dashboards Three glaring problems that make dashboards frustrating: ### 1\. Treated as the cure to all problems Creating dashboards does not substitute problem-solving. It is like looking at a compass on a stranded boat and waiting to reach a nearby shore. On its own. Well-designed dashboards can guide where to look, but they can’t act as a cure. ### 2\. Only for managers There is a whole new clan of dashboard hierarchy that depends on earning a living based on dashboard-dictated work and meetings. A traditional manager or a supervisor was expected to know the work inside out and provide feedback where necessary. However, the emergence of dashboard managers is a new phenomenon. Companies cannot generate money with pseudo-workers. And they’re realizing it slowly. ### 3\. Gap between decision-maker and a decision Most dashboards are far from the user’s immediate decision-making power. If I can’t change a feature on a product, I don’t need to know which features are used by the customers. My dashboard should prioritize insights that help my immediate decision-making. Good-to-know things can wait. In a way, these three are also mistakes that I try to avoid. But let’s get on to the five mistakes that I reallyyy try to avoid. ## The five mistakes I try to avoid ### Providing decimal-level information aka trying to be accurate Dashboards are to understand trends. They do not require military precision. So, if a Gender-bifurcation pie chart says 45.6% women and 54.4% men, what am I going to do with that .6 and .4? ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/gknWDqNVQeKNzjsrK5DDry) ### Ignoring tables It is not necessary to have only colourful charts on dashboards. Tables are one of the best visual tools to summarize information. Add tables wherever it feels natural to add tables. ### Trying to give all teeny-tiny details That’s not the purpose. An overview of information is more than enough for a smart decision-maker to ask valid questions or sieve through data. People who are really interested and invested in knowing the full picture, usually get their hands dirty by asking for full data. ### Objectifying subjective matter Sometimes, it is simply not possible to do it. And should not be done. Whoever is interested, should take interest. Also, thanks to the onset of new AI tools, this work is now even easier than before. *That reminds me of the Prichard Scale of Understanding Poetry covered in the movie Dead Poets Society. The Prichard Scale tries to evaluate the “greatness” of the poem. How ridiculous is that!* ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/eSQr71hBopVhGj4XW4rRgB)​[Source](https://middleschoolpoetry180.wordpress.com/2017/12/28/229-introduction-to-poetry-billy-collins/)​ ### Treating Dashboard as a god, the ultimate piece of truth Because dashboards reflect the underlying databases and calculations. There are more ways to structure bad databases than there are to structure good databases. This also means that most of the databases are not perfect. Their shortcomings are reflected in dashboards. If people find something wrong with the dashboards, it is an opportunity to look at how we are processing data. And improve the dashboards. That’s five. And I have a few more, but then you’ll think I’m pitching against creating dashboards at all. Which will cost me future work too.😄 So, tell me which mistakes have you seen in your dashboards? Do you have any deal-breaker things that you never want to use in your dashboards? Mine is using too many graph types. **Hit Reply** and share it with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/eVHPjF1Wo1S2LfwZSAvYoo)](https://twitter.com/tracewoodgrains/status/1772359837881446433) Does intelligence add to more human worth and virtue? It is difficult to condense the message discussed in this thread, but Charles Murray is clear that there is no correlation between intelligence, virtue and human worth. But we have been organizing society in a manner where it is increasingly insinuated that a surgeon’s life is more than an insurance salesman’s. --- ### TFN#47: 🪜 Adventure Wave: Facilitate unforgettable workshops URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/04/05/adventure-wave-facilitate-unforgettable-workshops/ Date: 2024-04-05 Description: Design unforgettable workshops using the Adventure Wave. Guide participants through highs and lows for transformative experiences. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak *“Let’s begin with an icebreaker activity!”* If you’ve been to work-related “team building” meetings, you’d have heard this a zillion times. I’m that guy who makes the gloomiest face possible upon hearing those words. (OR I used to be. Now, I run away at the first indication of such activity.) ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tyNL6HnvpwyTh32kfQmcUe) And there’s a reason why **no regular ice-breaker activity breaks the ice**. That’s what I want to talk about today. If you’re going to conduct a workshop, you will be able to deliver effective ones. So, very briefly, let me share the idea of The Adventure Wave. ### The Adventure Wave The idea of adventure wave was described in the Adventure-based Counselling Book named Islands of Healing. The idea is simple. Every memorable experience is like an adventure wave. Taking you through highs and lows until the end of the experience. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/weNqZCAF44rLrCHW63KoNn) Most memorable adventure waves have the following phases in this order: ### 1\. Beginning of an experience This is when the group of people arrive at the place where the workshop is going to take place. People might be a little disoriented, excited, frustrated and whatnot. This is the beginning of the experience. Even before you have introduced them, conducted some activities, or shown them some presentations. ### 2\. Introductions This phase allows people to know one another. Letting them take time. Letting them stay silent. That’s the part of this phase. It is supposed to be the lower part of the wave. Nothing exciting is required. ### 3\. Icebreakers, energizers The lows of introductions are followed by icebreakers/energizers. The aim is fun and laughter. When people have fun, they open up. They bond with one another. There are no risks involved. These activities can’t be competitive for obvious reasons. Icebreakers make path easy to reach the peak of the wave through de-inhibitizers. ### 4\. De-inhibitizers Charged up by icebreakers/energizers, we invite people to take some risk. Some emotional/physical risk. The idea is to allow people to shed their inhibitions. Through slightly risky activities. The activities are the right amount of risk. Not too low, not too high. ### 5\. Behavioural contracts You might have witnessed this. Seasoned facilitators help the group form a behavioural contract with one another. It is usually DOs and DONTs. For example, *“If we want to ask a question, we will raise our hands.”* That’s the behavioural contract that most of us had bound ourselves with. Something similar, but not exactly the same. The behavioural contracts we are talking about are called [Full Value Contracts](https://cdnsm5-ss14.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_1012671/File/Staff%20Resources/Social%20Emotional%20Learning/Learning%20Communities%20Concepts%20and%20Tools/Full%20Value%20Contract/Full_Value_Contract.pdf). ### 6\. Trust-building By this time, the group would be ready to take up trust-building activities. These activities typically involve needing someone else to finish a task. Depending upon your objectives, the combination of fun and your message may vary. ### 7\. Reflection Activity without reflection is like eating without digesting. Trust-building activity is no different. It would follow reflection on the activity, focused on the trust-building theme. ### 8\. Activity brief This is where the main activity or the first of the series of your activities begins. The facilitator briefs the group about the upcoming activity. In your case, it might be a rundown of what people are going to present for subsequent brainstorming. ### 9\. Activity This is a high phase of the adventure wave. Things take place, people are supposed to be challenged and enjoy the stress. ### 10\. Reflection/End of experience Depending on the number of activities and your goals, this would be a conclusion of the experience with reflection. Or a reflection before going to the second Activity Brief. In any case, the end of an experience is an important event. People feel reflective and grateful at the end of a well-organized experience. The end can be marked by some fun activity that leaves the reflecting mode off and everyone is filled with laughter. ### And that’s it You don’t have to be an experiential educator to make a **10x difference in your workshops** or team meetings. Using and contextualizing mental tools such as Adventure Wave is more than enough. Have you participated in or conducted any experiences that you still remember fondly? Did it have any of these elements? **Hit Reply** and share with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ex5GCgXzXppyN29YhaS4L9)](https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1774529076742754328) Not only America but also India. Balaji makes a compelling argument that the next evolution of America is not a physical territory, but the internet itself. It is a fascinating read and it is a matter of time before people begin forming online nations. What Balaji terms as The Network State. [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/bbwp23Su2EcYFpZbhEpCB8)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhbjEAbotj8) Before its current DEI-filth avatar, Disney produced some of the best marvels of our times. Take, for example, the movie UP. In this 3-minute clip Director Pete takes up how they decided what the elements should look and feel like. --- ### TFN#46: 🪜 Six-monthly reading roundup 13 out of 47 URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/03/29/six-monthly-reading-roundup-13-out-of-47/ Date: 2024-03-29 Description: Six-month reading roundup: 13 hand-picked articles from 47 shared. Best reads on persuasion, management, and AI. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak So, I got the idea of sharing a reading roundup in August when I was traveling and trying to write a letter. And couldn’t write anything. That’s when I came up with [My Swades movie moment and reading roundup](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/tfn14-%f0%9f%93%9a-my-swades-movie-moment-and-reading-roundup/)​ So, it has been approximately 6 months, and here we go again. Between the reading roundup in August and last week’s letter, I have been able to share 47 hand-picked articles with you. If you’re new or curious about the past issues, you may want to go to the [archive](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/). In any case, sharing some 13 pieces out of those 47 here: ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/rpT7S28XLcmA11waGopeYw)](https://hbr.org/2021/03/persuading-the-unpersuadable) ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tAioZNZ54QurxUNEhiLKWc)](https://hbr.org/1989/09/managing-without-managers) ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/e8YNRnBAZScxc2i9jTH26X)](https://freshspectrum.com/dissemination/) ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/vBcUTyYNrtexyHPozGgLER)](https://www.benlcollins.com/spreadsheets/google-forms-ai-apps-script/) ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/axncNenDsWzbpoRZE3gUiV)](https://studio.ribbonfarm.com/p/against-waldenponding) ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/fjAQxVZ9aRLZXb7BSCjtkc)](https://twitter.com/aphysicist/status/1747868626948907325?s=20) ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/gvWBBkQVkuBM8WPNr2idjt)](https://www.palladiummag.com/2023/06/01/complex-systems-wont-survive-the-competence-crisis/) ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/jxxo8Ef8i4yWZ5E8cfXig3)](https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1760271594679845272) ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4qTpcjUYqU85qZLqag8QgQ)](https://twitter.com/Devon_Eriksen_/status/1767955347195470076) ​ ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/kuWUNVYB3m9YaaD6ciDHzw) ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/etMJYa1rt6Birmq9GAmzia)](https://www.today.com/health/mom-chatgpt-diagnosis-pain-rcna101843?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email) ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/eLx15s1Ncxo7WEiSHKcRaF)](https://basecamp.com/articles/reconsider) ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/hRtWSB5p2LfjDUdQ9aPin6)](https://seths.blog/2022/09/feature-creep/) Do you have any favorites? **Hit Reply** and tell me. --- ### Our organization is flat URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/03/27/our-organization-is-flat/ Date: 2024-03-27 Description: Debunking the flat organization myth. Real hierarchy exists in decision-making—pretending otherwise causes dysfunction. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak The gimmick of “we are a flat organization” got perpetuated when Facebook in 2015 began its operations with probably the largest open office floor plan in the world. Many of the tech-giants followed the suite. It’s not that open offices didn’t exist before 21st century. But I’m more interested in the time that I’m living. We’re living. Now that you’ve already read the opening of this article, you know that I’m little interested in pros an cons of “flat organizations”. Because I believe it is nothing more than a gimmick, a fad, a “we’re Sillicon-Valley-Cool signalling”. So, what’s my contention? The trope of “we’re a flat organization” portrays the concept of hierarchy, an evil. (Add to that post-modernist radicalism of opposing anything that is competent and orderly) Hierarchy is an order. An organization is an order. Of course, not even for a minute, I’m suggesting that hierarchy for the sake of power-tripping is good. It is the lowest form of pleasure one can get. So, that’s out of question. When people pretend that there is no hierarchy in their organization, they’re signalling one of the following dysfunctions: - No one is held accountable - Only a selected few are held accountable - No decision is ever made - Only a selected few are marred by making decisions for everyone else Hierarchy is a logical conclusion of decision-making process. If you can’t put your organization’s decision-making processes in an order, there is a disorder. Anarchy. So, the next time someone claims that they have no hierarchy in their organization, ask this: “can you make the decision on behalf of your CEO?” What has been your experience around this? Have you been at a receiving end of this gimmick? Did it feel empowering or helpless? --- ### TFN#45: 🪜One Ring to rule them all, One Tab to manage them all URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/03/22/one-ring-to-rule-them-all-one-tab-to-manage-them-all/ Date: 2024-03-22 Description: Tame browser tab chaos with OneTab extension. Consolidate tabs, save memory, and organize your browsing efficiently. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, I want to ask you something. Does your browser window look like this: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/wMjRFeBacyxKUuXdnMJPY6) If it does, don’t worry, mine used to look the same until a few years ago. We are all addicted to a secret disease called “**tabbed browsing**“. Mozilla introduced this feature of “tabbed browsing” somewhere around 2003. And the users loved it. So much so, that most people can’t fathom the fact that initial years of personal computing allowed only opening in “new window”. No concept of tabs. But every new solution gives rise to a new set of problems. ### The problem with tabbed browsing - Eats up most of your computer memory - Divides internet bandwidth - Distracts the computer user And I’m pretty sure, you might be facing many more problems with crowded tabs. But might be trapped in the “I hate it, but I love it” cycle. ### OneTab If you think about it, we don’t need more than one tab to capture all the multiple tabs. And we don’t need to do any manual work. There’s already an extension named OneTab. I began using it a couple of years ago and I haven’t looked back. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/r5Bty7oaoy9wS22Ma3jRFF) ### What’s the central idea OneTab extension creates a tab named OneTab in your browser. It sits in your browser. Whenever your browser gets crowded, you hit the OneTab icon in the extension tray. And what does it do? It cleans up all your tabs by shifting in the OneTab tab. You can instantly organize, remove, group, lock, and export your tabs as you wish. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/dQrTMHPPwLRPf6a9EKREY1)Can you imagine I have access to 77 tabs under OneTab right now? ### The steps **Step-1:** Install [OneTab extension](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/onetab/chphlpgkkbolifaimnlloiipkdnihall). If you’re using Mozilla or Safari, it might be available there too. **Step-2:** Pin the OneTab extension to the browser tray. This would help you hit the icon as many times as you want. **Step-3:** Open all the tabs that you want to work on. Complete your work. And… **Step-4:** Hit OneTab extension. Ta-da! **Step-5:** Organize the tabs as you like. For example, I have a dedicated group of tabs that I use daily. I have grouped them. ### Powerful features OneTab has innovated more than any other product in this category. I want to share two powerful features that are available in OneTab. If you regularly need to share your URLs with someone or need to copy-paste them, you’d benefit. **Exporting URLs** You have two options: 1\. Export/copy-paste ALL URLs in OneTab 2\. Export only SELECTED group of tabs **Sharing as webpage** This is even more interesting. You can generate a live webpage that lists your selected URLs. Anyone with the link can access the shared webpage. Here too, you have two options: 1\. Share ALL URLs as a webpage 2\. Share only SELECTED group of tabs ### Total tabs in my OneTab My OneTab has 77 tabs at the moment! Imagine what would happen if I wanted to keep all of them open! ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/QwkiSULg67ZoKAjEwXmHY) I still open 8-10 tabs while working, but now they don’t linger around. If I find them important for the next few days, I simply send them to OneTab. What do you do? If you try this too, don’t forget to share your feedback about how it went. If you already have any other tool, **Hit Reply and tell me about it.** * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/noWSbJH75agRBX4xBQJg1m)](https://world.hey.com/dhh/be-less-precious-b20bf8c3) Since 2020, there has been a crushing pressure on organizations across the world to look after their employees’ mental health. To coo them, to babysit them. To parent them. Now we know for a fact that [over-exposure to mental health related bombardment is actually doing more harm than good](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/wellbeing/mental-health/mental-health-labels-may-harm-good-why/). In this candid article, David confesses how cringe he feels when he looks back at their mental health policy. I mean how fair is it to not show up at work because one is feeling “overwhelmed”? Life is full of ups and downs. The sooner we stop ourselves as precious, the sooner we will feel better. --- ### TFN#44: 🪜Don’t despair, find text inside files like a pro: SeekFast URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/03/15/dont-despair-find-text-inside-files-like-a-pro-seekfast/ Date: 2024-03-15 Description: Search text inside any file—Word, PDF, and more. Use SeekFast to find words across your entire computer. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, sometimes, we come across software applications that we didn’t know we needed. A few weeks back I sent you a letter titled: [Instantly search your whole PC using Everything Search](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/instantly-search-your-whole-pc-using-everything-search/) It focused on finding files and folders with matching names. But today, we will go a step deeper and talk about a free tool that has made my life easy for the past several years. It helps me **find words in text files**: MS Word, PDF, you name it! It’s called [SeekFast](https://seekfast.org/download-seekfast)​ And yes, it is available for MacOS if you want. ### The steps Once you download SeekFast, just follow these steps. Thanks to the tool’s help page, they have provided a concise visual help guide which I’m reproducing as it is: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/mFXwyBLB8M3JqcLvdh11iD) ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/3HmMuxsKUVi1qMm5M2qEaJ) ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/rEo5pbRaV26gVUCKSnxjD1) ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8gAW4Z4ToZoWCQcNh5rMjj) ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/5JKhMCJ4gx5EWRc4c62zZk) ### Free version limitation The free version is powerful enough to meet most of the normal search needs. A free version lets you search for 50 files at a time. So, what I do is, I search in individual folders where I suspect my desired files are. Most of the time, I just need a couple of attempts to save me from reworking something from scratch. I like how SeekFast integrates with our folder searches. All I need to do is right-click on the folder I suspect my desired files are and click the SeekFast icon. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/oGsRLS9VYYZooi6KmM6qo) By the way, did you try [Everything Search](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/instantly-search-your-whole-pc-using-everything-search/) which we discussed a few weeks back? How was your experience? **Hit Reply** and share with me similar tips, tools, and perspectives. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/p476R1k1rzpLSLbjK6CytH)](https://paulgraham.com/hwh.html) I love Paul’s essays. This one particularly is close to my heart. He rightly says that if you ask someone for advice on [how to do great work](https://paulgraham.com/greatwork.html) and the answer is “work hard”, it’s empty advice. Because hard work is the bare minimum requirement to do something worthwhile. There is no substitute. But that’s not the point of this essay, it is fun to go through his thought process on “how to” do the hard work. I hope you enjoy reading this one as much as I did. --- ### The Tyranny of Ideology URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/03/09/the-tyranny-of-ideology/ Date: 2024-03-09 Description: Ideology infiltrates organizations like Google. Check if your workplace serves people or pushes ideology. Self-diagnose now. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak What they say, even the atheists also believe in something. And they make that a religion. Because it is in the human nature to believe in something. We simply can’t help it. Belief maketh bread. This NEED to believe in something doesn’t have to be animalistic. We, the modern human beings, developed neocortex 2-3 million years back. We are literally blessed with higher-order (opposite of lower-order, animalistic) thinking. Our need to believe and act on something other than fear, food and mating has refined. But the NEED to believe in something cannot be eliminated. And I’m not proposing that we eliminate. So what do we do? Fill our brains with the most abundant, “unquestioned” beliefs of our time. That’s where enters the “ideology” — a term that originally meant “science of ideas”. Until it got captured by irrational mob. Every decade and century had their own irrational mobs. We have ours. The mobs of our time insist on being politically correct, not just correct. The mobs of our time insist on being inclusive, at the expense of being exclusive. The mobs of our time insist on being open, at the threat of being ostracized. The mobs of our time insist on diverse culture, by spreading monoculture . The mobs of our time insist on being equitable, at the expense of cutting our own limbs. The mobs of our time insist on being scientific, at the expense of science. The mobs of our time insist on shared future, at the expense of family. The mobs of our time insist on social cohesion, at the behest of social boycott. The mobs of our time insist on innovation, at the expense of free-thinkers. The mobs of our time revere group identity and sacrifice individual identity. That is exactly what happened at Google and several thousand other companies. But there is only one Google, so it’s visible when anything significant happens. In this article David says: The threat from AI will come less from “perpetuating existing biases in the world” and more from “injecting the biases and ideology of its overseers”. Find this and other related articles in the comments. But mainly, I want to talk about your organization. Look at your organization. It may not be Google, Apple or Meta. You may not be working on a laughing-stock-far-from-reality Gemini AI. But self-diagnose, whether your product, your people, your culture, is not mimicking what Google’s Gemini AI was doing. The outsiders may not know, because your product may not be generating some DEI-mandated AI Art. It may not be obvious: black and white. Have a hard look. Your organization, your product: do they reflect your best capacity? Your organization, your product: do they serve the people you claim to serve? Your organization, your product: are you really in charge? \[READ-1\] Google’s sad ideological capture was exactly what we were trying to avoid: https://world.hey.com/dhh/google-s-sad-ideological-capture-was-exactly-what-we-were-trying-to-avoid-67fad361 \[READ-2\] Google’s Culture of Fear: https://www.piratewires.com/p/google-culture-of-fear \[READ-3\] Gemini Generates Laughable Portrait of George Washington: https://twitter.com/Patworx/status/1760189582870536408 \[READ-4\] ‘Woke’ Google Gemini refuses to say pedophilia is wrong: https://nypost.com/2024/02/23/business/woke-google-gemini-refuses-to-say-pedophilia-is-wrong-after-diverse-historical-images-debacle-individuals-cannot-control-who-they-are-attracted-to/ \[LINK\] Get my Friday Newsletters: fridaynl.club --- ### TFN#43: 🪜How to use Eustress to delight people at work URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/03/08/how-to-use-eustress-to-delight-people-at-work/ Date: 2024-03-08 Description: Use eustress (positive stress) to help colleagues grow. Push people respectfully into their growth zone for fulfillment. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Recently, I published my idea of facilitation on LinkedIn: [We are all facilitators](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bhagyeshpathak_we-are-all-facilitators-i-dont-know-when-activity-7170751369690267649-qfbG?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop). Many readers and friends found it relatable. That got me thinking. What is a running theme of the people I enjoyed working with? What exactly is it that I cherish about some of the people I worked with over the years? Why do people want to work with those people? **In short, what is so special about their facilitation?** I don’t know. I couldn’t come up with any answer right away. But with enough thinking, I understood that they provide eustress (good stress) to their associates. Here, we don’t want to get into the classic “good stress” or “bad stress” comparison. Comparisons don’t get us anywhere. ### What do people say about them? What do people say about someone they enjoy working with? You will never hear them say “I love working with him/her because I don’t need to work at all!” No, but what you’re most likely to hear is “I just learn soo much while working with him/her. Sure, sometimes we work overtime, but it is fun.” This is a consistent theme. So, how can we evolve to become somebody with whom people want to associate? ### But before that, let’s understand eustress first If we ask anyone today, most people end up complaining about how depressive the world is getting, or how they’re yet to get their much-awaited promotion, and that keeps them up at night, etc. In general, stress levels are high. That is the kind of stress that makes people burn out, and not feel alive. ### That’s because we have eliminated eustress from our lives Eustress is also known as beneficial stress. Think about the joy that we get by doing something that we normally don’t get to do. Things like: - Fixing a leaking tap - Preparing dinner for 10 guests - Cleaning the home - Handwriting letters - Visiting bank - Waiting in a queue for our favorite restaurant - Shopping in a small market - Bargaining over grocery price tag - Waiting for an upcoming movie in the cinema hall If you’re getting to do many of the similar things, chances are, you’d be an optimistic, above-average fellow. But most modern people don’t need to indulge in these tasks due to the convenience of modernity. ### And in such a world, someone pushes you And…in such a boring, too-convenient world, someone at work pushes you. They know how much to push you. And they do it in such a respectful, ambitious manner that you can’t help but give in. That’s how you get into your growth zone as discussed a few weeks back in: [There are more comfort zones than you think, use them effectively](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9c-there-are-more-comfort-zones-than-you-think-use-them-effectively/)​ ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ifFM9eg8RmdgmKHeZRRXfw) When the work is complete, we feel thrilled. Joyed. ### Why wouldn’t we? I mean why wouldn’t we feel that thrill? That joy? Learning that you can push your boundaries and accomplish something, is one of the best thrilling experiences one can have. People talk about the IKEA effect, but it is not the IKEA effect alone. It is knowing that we assembled a tedious piece of furniture and did it with grace. Completed it beautifully. That joy is incredible. ### So, shall we start challenging people? Before we decide to challenge people around us, we have to develop an understanding of their personality, competence, strengths, and whatnot. Mere challenging someone doesn’t create eustress. It has to be well-planned, and well-intentioned. We shouldn’t look for challenging people. But to help them reach their next potential version in a way that aligns with them. I know today’s letter might be heavy with words, but what needs to be said, needs to be said. What are some of your memories of working with some amazing people? **Hit Reply** and share it with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** If you haven’t heard about Google’s latest Gemini scandal, it is okay. Most of the legacy media outlets have suppressed the story as if nothing happened. Google had programmed its Gemini AI to be “diverse” — which it has done with its search results for years. But now, with the AI, things become easily detectable. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/w8wDDCKLRHY8sm5h6iQhpf)Example of Google’s DEI-infected AI And that is what happened. Gemini AI was indoctrinated with the “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion” ideology, so much so that it didn’t generate a single Straight White Male image, even for historical reference. Thinking people saw this coming many years back. Here are two unmissable pieces on the entire Gemini Saga and what it means for users like us. [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4repnYnxWuHqk2fsNM9rAY)](https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1760271594679845272) Balaji has been the voice of free expression, and government-free governance for a long time. When he writes, I can’t help but read. ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/nXhNXBB2MZ5TtKJJ8S8jsy)](https://www.piratewires.com/p/google-culture-of-fear) I have shared Mike’s techno-ideologic pieces in the past too. This one is enlightening as the Pirate Wires team interviews Google staff to understand how they operate. One thing is clear, with the current leadership and the DEI hivemind, Google is never going to out-innovate other firms such as OpenAI or Tesla. What’s more, AI is going to eat up Google’s search ad revenue and it will begin falling in itself like a dying star. Unless. Unless there is leadership and wide-scale cleaning inside Google. --- ### TFN#42: 🪜Skill Cards: How to truly assess your skills and plan career path URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/03/01/skill-cards-how-to-truly-assess-your-skills-and-plan-career-path/ Date: 2024-03-01 Description: Use 100+ skill cards for honest self-assessment. Plan your career path by identifying skills to improve and focus on. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Every time, in my resume, when I had to choose what to write about my strengths, I used to feel claustrophobic. I felt as if I had just a handful of words that I knew, and beyond that…there was a dead end. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8B297vgNoXBa88GRcy6KEZ) Now imagine, what would happen when managers and their team members might be meeting once a year to discuss where they need improvement? I guess a complete disaster! Because it is so difficult to name the skills that apply to a knowledge worker. And in a conversation such as appraisal, if you can’t name something, it doesn’t exist. ### My obsession with self-appraisal If you have come across my [appraisal of appraisals](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/03/01/skill-cards-how-to-truly-assess-your-skills-and-plan-career-path/bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/appraisal-of-appraisals) article, you’d already be knowing my contentions with the entire appraisal process and my suggested solution: self-appraisal. During the same time when I had written “Appraisal of appraisals”, I had come across skill cards. They’re free soft copies of cards that you can use for self-appraisal. If you have a supportive manager or guide, even you can invite them to participate as well. ### 100+ Skill Cards These beautiful skill cards were developed by mobile.de and were made public for everyone’s use on the [Miro tool](https://miro.com/). (That’s a beautiful free tool on which I create most of the illustrations you see in my letters) Look at some of the card samples here: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/qgbSuZjDenB2iJXsSKsCPF) ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/pNpd8UKtfCjp3cPjQgUFvB) ### How to access these cards? All you need to do to access these cards is create an account on Miro if you don’t have one. And then head to this link: And hit “Use Template” That’s it. ### Self-appraisal using skill cards Though all instructions are provided in Miro’s skill cardboard, you can skip all the nitty-gritty and focus on only three things: **Non-focus cards:** sort out any cards that are irrelevant to your work **Good enough cards:** the skills that are good enough for your current or future work **To improve cards:** the skills that you need to work on to reach your future career path ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/v2nnqvMMyBE4SJ5pyRTsJG) ### Make it more interesting As mentioned earlier, you can invite your manager or guide on Miro and ask them to sort the cards in these buckets for you. What do they think about your skills? This would provide you with a better, personalized review of where you stand. Like the idea? **Hit Reply** tell me or share with me about how you used the skill cards. Or even better, tell me if any other technique works for you. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/2Hu9hRoTcUZ4kBioY2kMhg)](https://arcinstitute.org/) We are aware of how difficult it is to get independent research funded in this increasingly ideology-driven world. Because money guides the agenda. It makes the best of the minds to kneel and accept somebody else’s biases. In such an academically stagnated world, this just two-year-old institute serves as a beacon of hope. Possibly, the last land for a free and fair scientific inquiry. Curiosity. Exploration. And real Impact. So, when I learned about Arc Institute and its administrative setup, I couldn’t help but share it with you. Interested in learning more? Read their [about page](https://arcinstitute.org/about). --- ### TFN#41: 🪜 The easiest way to explain visually: Murder Maps URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/02/23/the-easiest-way-to-explain-visually-murder-maps/ Date: 2024-02-23 Description: Explain complex ideas visually using murder map style. Try Excalidraw to create relatable, clear visual explanations. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak If you’re a fan of suspense thriller movies like me, you’d have seen one of these [murder maps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence_board) in some scenes. (I didn’t know it is called that until now) ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tNypaTZPJbRVkxL4vejH9f) What I love about those boards is, how easy it is for a viewer to understand what is going on. No matter how complicated the movie storyline. Right? This leads to one of my favorite things: explaining things. I mean I just can’t let go of that instinct. And over the years, I have mostly used pen and paper. In recent years, I have tried flowcharting, cartooning, spreadsheeting, Jam-boarding, etc. But something has always been lacking. ### The murder map feeling When you try to explain your project, your work, or a problem to your colleague, or an audience of 50 people, if you can’t make them feel “click”, you would know that. I’m calling it a murder map feeling. Murder maps are so widespread due to movies that, people just get dragged into them. ### Consider this Which of the following depictions would interest you? ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/2BUyKU6D9tG3yN5WLo64fZ?ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/LY9QhmMWrKnfvQrqYVMw8?ar=16%3A9&fit=crop) It is natural to be drawn toward the image on the right-hand side. It has photos, non-distracting arrows, and a feeling. A feeling of relatability. ### So, murder maps for presentations? Of course not! But I have been tinkering with this free tool that has all the elements that make presenting complex information easy to depict. More real than standard flow charts or jam boards. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8PRnMScyhX3MDycgHAqCHe)It took me just 2 minutes to sketch all these elements Try this free tool by visiting https://excalidraw.com Ironically, I’m not providing any steps for this. It is quite self-explanatory and fun to play around. But if you hit a roadblock, let me know. Give it a try and let me know how you like it. If you are using any other tool, **Hit Reply** and share it with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/3qo2WtupQu6Pp8SwonUHu2) I have been reading these one-page comics nowadays. It is full of wit and touches the undercurrent of people. Visit the website and explore all comics: ​ --- ### TFN#40: 🪜 How to find out and paint your docs & ppts with your brand colours? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/02/16/how-to-find-out-and-paint-your-docs-ppts-with-your-brand-colours/ Date: 2024-02-16 Description: Extract brand colors from logos using Adobe Color. Paint your documents and presentations with consistent brand colors. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, if you’ve been on the internet for the past 10 years, you’d recognize TEDTalk and Conferences from a mile away. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6CiN1n7HF5gE1H1xqaAp2e) Most of the time, you would just “know” that a video, photo, or website is from TED! “Brand identity” your mind would tell you. You’re right. It is a matter of expert designers and I’m not one. Buuuuut, I want to walk you through the process of shipping impactful work. ### What’s wrong with pasting the Logo on every slide? Remember when we talked about how every one of us can be a designer in our letter [Like most people, do you also think you’re not a designer?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/like-most-people-do-you-also-think-youre-not-a-designer/)🤔 My argument is that we don’t need to go to a design school to know that pasting a logo on every slide is not “brand identity”. It is just a bad design. Bad aesthetics. And it is not a matter of taste. It is just bad. ### We can do better Instead, we can use our brand colours. Brand colours are combinations of the colours that your company’s logo uses. And you can use some of those colours as an accent in your documents. It is that simple. Now, you don’t need to ring your in-house graphic designer to get your “brand colours”. You can do it on your own. ### Using Adobe Color to extract brand colours Let’s find out TED’s brand colours to apply in our PPT. **Step-1:** Go to https://color.adobe.com/create/image **Step-2:** Get your company’s logo. Any image format would do. For example, I generated a TEDxIndia logo using this [logo generator](https://landing-pages.ted.com/tedx-logo-generator/index.html) provided by TED. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/mv9T4MuzejowSpiaB1E7X9) **Step-3:** Upload your image to the Adobe Color tool. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/toSzh8AHWCGjvvxD9ofCEb)​ **Step-4:** Almost done! The tool has extracted different colours from the image. See the Hex codes below the color swatches? They can be used to describe colors across different software. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6Zz8WHjBMQpUDxKey6kR6F) You can use your choice of color using the Hex codes in your choice of software. For example, if I want to add a thin strip of that dark reddish color on the left, I would enter its Hex value i.e. F20544 in the appropriate box in MS PowerPoint. In the screenshot below, you can see I have added a rectangle object and made it into a thin strip. When I look for options to change its color, there is a Hex value I can enter. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/qs6BahrBPpdfCPrTJ845ky) **Step-5:** That’s it! No more bulky logos on slides or documents. Just a hint of brand, in an elegant manner. ### Impactful designs work on the audience’s psyche This is just one of the many ways to improve your work by appealing to the psyche of your audience: whether it is a customer, colleague, reader, boss, or just a bunch of investors. So, next time when you’re watching a TED Talk or passing by McDonald’s or any other store, notice how many levels they reinforce their brand in the viewer’s mind. So, do you go the extra mile to format your documents? To make them slightly better? What thumb rules do you follow? **Hit Reply** and share with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/jYnV8RVzpM22tFxtg4hRru)](https://www.palladiummag.com/2023/06/01/complex-systems-wont-survive-the-competence-crisis/) In this essay, Harold Robertson argues what many of the meritocracy supporters have been talking about for quite some time now. Harold draws our attention to the recent small-to-big disasters and their link to the whole idea of pervasive Diversity hiring practices in most American workplaces and universities. India follows suit soon after the US. And the trend is easily palpable, catalyzed by the last pandemic. The overt DEI activism, the false narrative of victimhood, and the oppressed-oppressor narrative have made their way even in the most egalitarians of the workplace. In such a cultural scene, Harold’s words serve as a much-needed compass in introspecting the direction, pace, and ethics. --- ### TFN#39: 🪜 There are more comfort zones than you think, use them effectively URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/02/09/there-are-more-comfort-zones-than-you-think-use-them-effectively/ Date: 2024-02-09 Description: Beyond comfort zone: four zones (Comfort, Groan, Growth, Panic). Help people progress gradually to avoid burnout. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak *“He is a bright guy, but seems like he is in his comfort zone.”* *“She is great, but as soon as you ask her to step out and talk to the customer, she loses her shine.”* Reader, haven’t all of us either overheard or participated in similar conversations? In fact, for many of us, it is a part of work. As in, we have to know what makes people tick. And if it is a bad fit, we have to [give up on people](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/02/09/there-are-more-comfort-zones-than-you-think-use-them-effectively/bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/capacity-to-give-up-on-people). One of the keys to facilitating team members is understanding what makes them tick and exposing them to those things. Sloooowly. Not by shocking them! (On a side note, [this is how](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqobbcK0R-o) the ice bucket challenge started.) And still, we regularly put our team members in such untenable situations, because we think that we are helping them *“get out of their comfort zone”*. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/cfTvj673AY6CP8oWwxwUwt) The problem is that our understanding of our comfort zone is incomplete. ### Either you’re OUT or you’re IN We are led to believe that there are only two zones: outside comfort zone and inside comfort zone ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/bnvbfyNktfStR6eiCZh71c) And makes us push people. Burn them mentally. Or sometimes, give them a false sense of accomplishment. ### There are at least 4 zones Comfort, Groan, Growth, and Panic These are self-explanatory zones and you can stop reading beyond this. But if you’re still reading this, thank you. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/faaoJWqThtn3xZ6cwmKHqn) **Comfort zone:** our old self lives in this zone and we maintain our old patterns **Groan zone:** there’s a little familiarity, a little bit of anxiety, feels risky and we want to fall back to the comfort zone **Growth zone:** feeling confident, experiencing the integration of past knowledge with fresh knowledge, sense of fulfillment, peak performance **Panic zone:** fight, flight or freeze, learning stops ### So what? Okay, so what’s the big deal? Now we can talk in terms of 4 zones. But it is not that simple. We have to train ourselves to understand what makes people tick and what their incremental learning phases are. Also, we have the additional burden of keeping our [seductive urge to manage people](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/02/09/there-are-more-comfort-zones-than-you-think-use-them-effectively/bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/the-seductive-urge-to-manage-people) in check. ### We have a choice to make A choice to look at people around us in a binary of 0 and 1. OR A choice to look at people more humanely. So, as soon as we embrace the 4 zones, we can’t say: – “I’m pushing her out of her comfort zone” – “He’s just not ready to go out of his comfort zone” Because what do we mean by “out of comfort zone”? Groan? Growth? or Panic? See? There’s a nuance to people’s comfort zones. **For example**, you have a team member named Suresh. You noticed that when you ask Suresh to visit customers in their office and talk to them, he cannot make the sale. His performance becomes average. But on the telephone, he can sell anything to anyone. By pushing Suresh for in-person meetings, you may mistake thinking that you’re helping him. But you might be directly pushing him into the “panic” zone. It would be more beneficial to scaffold Suresh’s journey by: – Introducing the customer over a call – Sending Suresh with other sales staff to acclimatize on sales calls – Inviting the customer to meet Suresh at the office There are such 100s of possible ways to gently and incrementally push Suresh. In a way that is helpful to him. So, that’s how changing the way we look at things, indeed changes things. In this case, people. How did you find today’s letter? **Hit Reply** and share it with me. Feel free to share any of your pet theories, too. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/cD9cDzYjiQo8VMA1byqrne)](https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2024-ai-unlock-ancient-world-secrets/?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTcwNzE0MTk5MywiZXhwIjoxNzA3NzQ2NzkzLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJTOERZV0lUMEFGQjQwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiI5MTM4NzMzNDcyQkY0QjlGQTg0OTI3QTVBRjY1QzBCRiJ9.2YLiwKjMPV2UTnBJDAJSjcpwWTQQ-9YKaKnB1NIX7p0&sref=nPlhheXZ) Almost 2000 years back in Italy, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius destroyed and permanently preserved the city of Pompeii. It also preserved a library with thousands of scrolls in it. But we couldn’t open or read them. They’re charred and fried by the lava. But no more. Thanks to GitHub ex-CEO Nat Friedman, his Vesuvius Challenge has begun revealing the contents of the scrolls using AI and 3D modeling. --- ### TFN#38: 🪜 The secret sauce of delighting people, clients, investors or customers URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/02/02/the-secret-sauce-of-delighting-people-clients-investors-or-customers/ Date: 2024-02-02 Description: Delight clients by under-promising and over-delivering. Like Green Trends salon—the secret is exceeding expectations. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak In 2016, one of my friends introduced me to a Hair Salon chain named [Green Trends](https://www.mygreentrends.in/our-salons/). This is when I was residing in Hyderabad. Green Trends set a benchmark of what it means to delight someone. There were many things that they were doing right, but I will give you just one example. A tangible one. Usage of a neck ruffle roll. As you can see in the image below, it is a special “tissue paper” like material, slightly elastic. To be wrapped around the neck before beginning the haircut. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4eQUtTkScLX6bzfi8dfVQQ) The neck ruffle traps and prevents tiny hair pieces from entering the shirt. Also, prevents any rashes over the neck, which are sometimes caused by the nylon neck gown. I’m yet to find any salon — big or small — where using neck ruffles is the norm. And I say this when I’m a salon-hopper (that’s a separate story altogether). These neck ruffles cost at the most a rupee apiece. But the care, the thought, and the overall service made my visits to Green Trends a delightful experience. It is not about the cost. I mean, would I be delighted if the salon gave away 1 rupee toffee every time I got a haircut? Of course not. So, as a knowledge worker, a manager, a leader (I cringe at the word “leader”. If someone’s title has to state that they’re “leader”…well, I don’t know how to mend that) – how can we delight others? ### But wait…why the focus on delighting people? Delighting people, our co-workers, investors, or bosses is not people-pleasing. Delighting is a gift. If you’re going to deliver a 10-pager, then why make it boring? Why not make the recipient go “Aaha!”? Positive associations are the real incentives. You can’t pay your boss. But you can pay with dopamine. And that lasts long. ### The real reason Everything else aside, the real reason behind delighting the people that matter is: that you learn by going inwards. For example, the process of delighting someone at work involves you to: - listen to them - understanding their point of view - calibrate everyone’s expectations - differentiate between non-essentials and essentials - say NO to the non-essentials - say YES to the essentials You’ll see that it is a service to ourselves, an investment of learning. But then why do most people shy away from it? ### The problem of over-selling and under-delivering How many times have you seen your colleagues say “I have to revise the deadline” or “I thought I would be able to finish it, but I could not”? I have seen it so many times – done many times. That’s because the industrial ideas of quantity, quotas, and targets are still instilled in modern knowledge work. We are taught to think in terms of doing the work as if we are producing some steel utensils in a factory. When the manager asks, we think “If I stretch a few days, I will be able to achieve the target” and the manager will be delighted by our hard work! But that never happens. Because if you keep promising something beyond your capacity, you can’t deliver it consistently. So, most of the knowledge-workers oversell and underdeliver. What’s the solution? ### Under-sell and over-deliver Once you practice this, you’ll be blown away by its simplicity. First of all, under-selling doesn’t mean that you should lie about what you can deliver. But contrary to it, it means being realistic about your capacity. Being modest. By not promising stars to your customer, investor, or boss, you may look a bit less glamorous for the time being. But when you deliver your work, you can delight them by going the extra mile. This is exactly what Green Trends Salon did to its customers. They marketed themselves as just another mid-level salon chain. Charging a little more than small salons but over-delivering by a magnitude. And in return, customers like me still sing their praises after a decade. Nithin Kamath wrote something similar a year back on start-ups struggling to keep their investors happy. Especially the ones that had IPOed. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/jcC11HeF2Ftdnn7byXmRG2) ### What does it mean for you? Probably, you have no shareholders to answer to. You might be a small to mid-sized company CEO, employee, or consultant. How can you help but over-sell yourself? I mean if you don’t over-sell yourself, won’t a competitor, or another department snatch the rewards from you? In the short-term, maybe. But then, I can’t think of meaningful competition in knowledge work. Take the advertisement field for example. How long would you like to keep your agency hamster-wheeling? It is not only silly but also unsustainable. **Under-selling and over-delivering gives you the most scarce thing in the world: trust.** How do you look at this? Is there any particular thumb rule that you follow to delight others? Also, could you spare a moment to express whether you’d like to receive similar types of letters such as this in the future? You know the type where I talk about a process, a strategy, and not solely about tools or software. Thank you for your involvement. **Hit Reply** and share your thoughts with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** **Milei’s 2024 Davos Speech** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tTRZaU8fTC6Ac6Vt9v5dBc)](https://x.com/aphysicist/status/1747868626948907325?s=20) I thoroughly relished this AI-translated, dubbed, and lip-synced speech of Javier Milei in Davos last month. (And I don’t think WEF is going to invite him next time because of his excellent verbal slaps) This speech has been watched 100M+ times across different sources and languages. Milei is a great orator, but I don’t understand Spanish. So, when the AI dubs and lip-syncs the entire speech, it feels nothing less than a spectacle. Yes, the voice is Javier’s. But generated by AI. --- ### TFN#37: 🪜Instantly search your whole PC using Everything Search URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/01/26/instantly-search-your-whole-pc-using-everything-search/ Date: 2024-01-26 Description: Instant file search for Windows. Everything Search indexes your PC in seconds—find any file instantly. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Okay, so today’s letter is specifically for Windows users. Because anyone using a Mac, has been blessed with an in-built instant search. So, if you want to be as blessed as an average Mac user, read on. ### The day I stopped using the Windows Search box I don’t remember that day. But it was many years back. But I remember feeling utterly frustrated over many years. Until that day when I just stopped searching for files using the default Search Box. I’m sure you’d have also given up on it like me. See our villain in the red box. No, not the work. The search box! ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/hTPoUrY7N2YkDwdLFGhBcN) ### Then I tried Google Desktop In early 2008, I got my hands on Google Desktop. And it blew my mind. Imagine the power of Google algorithm for your PC files and folders. But alas, it was [killed by Google](https://killedbygoogle.com/) around 2012. On a side note, Google has killed around 293 products so far, as noted by killedbygoogle site. Visit it to stroll down the memory lane. ### Enters Everything Search One of my friends suggested Everything Search two years back. And it was everything that I needed. See that Magnifying Glass icon in my taskbar? That’s Everything Search. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/jwJ8TbBoaUwyyhDx6i1Zmq) ### This is how it works **Step-1:**[Download](https://www.voidtools.com/) and install Everything Search on your Windows machine. It’s free. **Step-2:** You don’t need to do in this step. But if I remember correctly, when you run the application for the first time, it will take 2-3 minutes to index all files and folders on your PC. Indexing means it creates a searchable directory for its library. **Step-3:** As you begin typing in the search box, it will instantly show the results. For example, I intended to search for “The Friday newsletter”, but I got the results as I was typing. (And oh by the way, [do you still look at the keyboard while typing?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/tfn9-do-you-look-at-the-keyboard-while-typing/)) ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/2gXq5jym868PF99aDp47Zv) That’s it. It is that easy. ### Other features that I love in Everything Search It has another bunch of features. I will cover two helpful features. **Feature-1: Searching for only specific file type** If you are looking for just a specific file type, say images, then you can apply that filter first. Makes the work faster. Go to the Search Menu and you can select which file type you are looking for. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/gRhLnuvQWnkWaJhm2SWLMQ) **Feature-2: Adding external drive or other folders** What if you want to search for something inside your 1TB external hard drive? Go to Tools > Options > Folders Add your preferred folder and search inside it. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/iF7YdMShukh89gRz93fCN) So, that’s what I use. Have you also felt the same Windows search struggle? **Hit Reply** and tell me about it. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/5XVEBfFmYFsaPB6u2BPiMa)](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/19/business/esg-funds-withdrawals.html) Don’t be fooled by two things: the term “ESG” and the second part of this headline “political heat”. If you’re investing your hard-earned money in Equity markets, you’d have been enamored by this new Environmental, Sustainability, and Governance barometer. Virtue-signalling cannot be a good business model. Most investors are realizing it now and pulling their money back. It’s not due to any political heat as the NYT is enunciating. I need to write a dedicated essay on it, but if you’re pouring your money into a stock that values “Diversity, equity, inclusion, environment, sustainability”, you need to think twice. Over the long term, the market is efficient and it can differentiate between what’s genuine and what’s a scam. I love seeing and investing in good businesses. Especially if they don’t tout themselves as DEI and ESG-compliant. Because they’re at least not wasting my money to fool me. All this reminds me of this quote from beloved **Ayn Rand**: **“Run for your life from any man who tells you that money is evil. That sentence is the leper’s bell of an approaching looter.”** --- ### TFN#36: 🪜 Five styles of responding to conflicts Which one is yours? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/01/19/five-styles-of-responding-to-conflicts-which-one-is-yours/ Date: 2024-01-19 Description: Five conflict response styles: Lion, Owl, Fox, Tortoise, Bear. Know your style to navigate workplace conflicts better. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak If you tell me you never had any conflict with anyone in your work, I won’t believe you. It is just impossible. By conflict, I don’t mean punching people in the face. Street-fighter style. Not that. But conflict means subtle disagreement in the team or a fiery debate on what should be the deadline. That sort of thing. ![386px-Rembrandt_Christ_in_the_Storm_on_the_Lake_of_Galilee.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/qW5seEdWvVnz4mnqgZp8br)The essence of life is in navigating through conflicts. Painting: [The Storm on the Sea of Galilee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Storm_on_the_Sea_of_Galilee)​ Workspace is the best self-actualization laboratory (probably after marriage??) in the world. If you remember, we had discussed [The triangle of conflict and how to break it](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9c-the-triangle-of-conflict-and-how-to-break-it/) a few weeks back. It was a good start and some of the readers have provided me with resonant feedback. I thank you for that. Instead of concentrating on an abstract model, today’s letter talks about understanding your style. **Your style of responding to a conflict**. CEO, Clerk, Typist, Artist, Coder, or Accountant: no matter what our job title might be, all of us have a few **predictable styles** when we are in the middle of a conflict. There are five styles. They were developed by Dr. Ronald Kraybill in the 1980s. It is also termed the [Kraybill Conflict Style Inventory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraybill_Conflict_Style_Inventory). I came across this a few years ago and I have found it useful since then. ### Who are you: Lion, Owl, Fox, Tortoise or Bear? Haha, not exact animals, but some of their qualities. For ease of understanding, the following images are taken from *Ronald Kraybill’s “Style Matters” by Riverhouse ePress Publication* Your style is dependent on two things: - How much do you focus on your agenda - How much do you focus on the relationship with whom you are working ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/fgvYaLFMXTKjawjuE8DX4h)![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6C18jY1EtUHM3Yv9r5LcMQ)![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/qMFX1yTR6yQdduUPtrvKrA)![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/rARg2S6Vo1ve42XNb4htx4)![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8pHGxvrL6WaDZreB5pHGc4) These are the basic styles developed by Kraybill. There is more to it than just these images. So, I hope you take it in that spirit. ### There is no ideal style If I told you I like mangoes but dislike strawberries. Or I like the Sony brand and not the Microsoft brand. You can’t judge my preferences. There is no ideal answer. Same thing with the conflict response style. We have one or two style preferences and that’s it. Can you imagine this guy shining as a diplomat? ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ayxyULn2nSXuDgQSXkF1oY) No right? He shouldn’t waste his talent in the wrong place. Knowing your conflict response style is the first step to making the most of it. The point is not to try to change it. ### Then what to do by knowing your style Two things: - To create circumstances that support your style - To identify people’s styles by observation That’s more than a lifetime’s work. But incredibly fulfilling work. ### Take the Conflict Response Style Test Kraybill’s Conflict Style Inventory is a work of psychology. It is difficult to look at the five styles and mumble “Ahmm..ahmm..that sounds like me.” Kraybill’s 5-page test with the interpretation is still not free to access. **I have its copy**, let me know if you’re interested and I will email it to you. (I know I know, I could have uploaded and linked it here. But **that will make me a public pirate**. Since this letter will live on the web forever.) By the way, you can also [purchase it here](https://www.riverhouseepress.com/index.php/en/order/as-user) for $49 from their official website. How do you deal with conflicts at work? Is there anything that has helped you in resolving your conflicts? **Hit Reply** and share it with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** ![7.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/b7qN5ZKYt2zkk5c4FYTfAc) The full thread is here: https://twitter.com/shekfu/status/1740523952362135662 Three weeks back, I came across this X Thread, and it is the best piece of reading I have had in a looong time. The small-time novelist named Devon teaches Emmett about how destructive his ideas could be. **If you don’t know who Emmett is**, you’re in for a surprise. OpenAI, the largest AI company, in the world had appointed Emmett Shear as the interim CEO when Sam Altman was fired during the high-voltage developments a few months back. (Remember around November 2023?) Whenever I come across this type of exchange, I realize that we need to pay some attention to the development of children who are ultra-wealthy and privileged. They don’t need to feel guilty for their fortune and they don’t need to play fair. Their function in society is to catalyze goodness, production, work opportunities, and technological progress. --- ### TFN#35: 🪜 I missed sharing this with you last week: The Paper Calendar URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/01/12/i-missed-sharing-this-with-you-last-week-the-paper-calendar/ Date: 2024-01-12 Description: Why paper calendars beat digital ones for important dates. Make your schedule visible and never miss a deadline. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, Tell me something. Have you ever sent a WhatsApp message and…felt an instant regret? In our case, I felt this regret a few days after sharing last week’s letter: [Finally! A free, clean, online PDF editor + password-lock](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9c-finally-a-free-clean-online-pdf-editor-password-lock/). Nothing was wrong with it. But I realized it would have been fun to begin this year’s letter by sharing what I had learned from “operational folks”: paper calendars. I realized it when I was setting up my wall calendar for the next two months — January and February 2024. See here: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/5Ngr4B3bq9YdutkTtgiazV)My 2024 has begun with this paper calendar As I said, I had learned this from operational people. ### What I learned from the “operational folks” There is a **special category of people** in many organizations: the operational people. I’m sure you have come across a few. You can’t work without their help. At the beginning of my career, I used to find them very inflexible. They would not budge from the processes. And sometimes, I felt they were red-taping trivial things. Later I realized that these were the same people who made sure the electricity bill was paid on time, and similar thousand little things. They were no less than a lifeline. **Silent support**. I noticed that a few of these staff members had simple, paper calendars pasted on their workbench softboards. Just A4 size printed papers. **How they used them?** They referred to the calendar or scribbled on it while talking on the phone or discussing with someone. If nothing, they used to **glimpse** at it once in a while. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4XB4Pipbg4cfeFaRHY7JSd) ### So I mimicked them I mean what’s the harm in trying things that others are already practicing? So, I began using these calendars a few years back. And I’m not going back! (You’d have already understood that.) It doesn’t mean I have ditched Google Calendar. It also doesn’t mean that I’m duplicating my scheduling on both of the calendars: physical and digital. ### The paper calendar has a very different purpose Google Calendar is **micro**: it allows you to make notes and schedule based on time slots. But paper calendars? They help you make quick notes or just have a rough idea of your schedule without using a Smartphone or a computer. I use the paper calendar to mark the most **important things** only. Things that I need to keep in mind and plan accordingly. For example, travel dates, important meeting dates, deadlines, etc. **Seeing important things on paper makes them more real.** As if they’re approaching me and I’m made aware of them every single day. And it takes care of “out of sight, out of mind” syndrome. Google Calendar is fine, and the reminders are fine. But I HAVE TO set the reminders. On the other hand, the paper calendar just shows me my upcoming trip dates as soon as I take a glimpse. **And this happens at least 50 times a day**. No chance I will forget any important thing. ### Make your own print-ready 2024 calendar So, do you want to give it a try? You don’t have to create a calendar from scratch. I use a free website called [calendarlabs.com](http://calendarlabs.com/) . They have 1000s of combinations of calendars available and in different sizes and designs. Everything for free. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/f4JB3xrkgzwLQ9XhtnozCG) Out of all the designs, [this simple](https://www.calendarlabs.com/2024-blank-calendar), distraction-free design works for me. If you don’t want to play with the website, you can download this 2024 calendar directly. [Download Print-ready 2024 Calendar](https://1drv.ms/w/s!AlS4SDhDMtMLgtUKS-AgXlLoZfIpNQ?e=O9J9my) Try it, it is the best investment you’ll make in 12 pieces of printed paper. ### But what about technology? I mean, we’re a quarter past the 21st century. Shouldn’t we be **embracing “paperless” and “digital’ technologies”**? One of the things, that I love about technology is that it makes things easy, simple, and frictionless. Anything that meets this criteria is a technology. So, paper is a product of technology. So is a pen. That reminds me, you can utilize digital calendars in a very different way by learning how to [Help people remember your event by generating ‘Add to Calendar’ links](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9c-help-people-remember-your-event-by-generating-add-to-calendar-links/). Digital calendars don’t even come close to what paper calendars can do. But again, their functions are different. Lastly, your sibling can’t paste a clay monster to mark your upcoming birthday on a Google Calendar. It is just impossible. 😄 ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/n5un1Wmiw6Rd27soYGseW7)The birthday monster on my calendar! You just can’t do that on Google Calendar So, do you use a printed calendar? OR something similar for your day-to-day business? If not, have you seen anyone follow any similar practice? What is the most challenging thing about scheduling things? **Hit Reply** and share your experience! * * * **Reads of the week:** [![4.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/uffMZDPtxRaACXBUbVH5vw)](https://paulgraham.com/superlinear.html) Another lovely essay by Paul Graham. Instead of sharing my thoughts, quoting one of the paragraphs that would show you the core of the essay: ”There are two ways work can compound. It can compound directly, in the sense that doing well in one cycle causes you to do better in the next. That happens for example when you’re building infrastructure, or growing an audience or brand. Or work can compound by teaching you, since learning compounds. This second case is an interesting one because you may feel you’re doing badly as it’s happening. You may be failing to achieve your immediate goal. But if you’re learning a lot, then you’re getting exponential growth nonetheless.” [![5.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/psMqh5fhpiFcnNeEQraDhT)](https://studio.ribbonfarm.com/p/against-waldenponding) You may not know, but in late 2020, I rented a small outhouse amid the lush greenery of Pune city. I named it “Walden”. Inspired by 19th-century American author Henry David Thoreau’s experiment of spending 2 years at a pond named “Walden” in Concord, Massachusetts. Though I hadn’t completely cut myself from the world and digital sphere, I practiced weekly unplugging from the internet. And I still crave to do it. In this beautiful article, Venkatesh argues against going hard mode “Waldenponding” (Haha, what a word he has coined!) After reading his article, I have changed my mind about going hard mode “Waldenponding”. He provides a better way to look at how we are connected to the world at large. --- ### TFN#34: 🪜 Finally! A free, clean, online PDF editor + password-lock URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/01/05/finally-a-free-clean-online-pdf-editor-password-lock/ Date: 2024-01-05 Description: Free, clean PDF editor without watermarks. Edit, add shapes, and password-protect PDFs online with pdfescape. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Yes, that’s what we are going to talk about today: PDF editor. But before that, I hope you kicked off your new year with renewed zeal. As for me, I have already explained [my absurd reason why I have stopped making New Year resolutions](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9c-the-absurd-reason-why-i-stopped-making-new-year-resolutions/). But one thing is sure, I wanted the first letter of 2024 to be as brief as possible. There are more than 360 days to write at length. This is where my favorite website comes in handy. You know sometimes you have to remove a few pages from the pdf, or add some, or make some text edit, or add some shape and colors. Just minor edits, but you give up. These features are hard to come by in a free PDF editor. ### That’s why pdfescape.com Escape from your troubles. I have been using it for more than 3 years now and it works like a charm. As soon as you go to [pdfescape.com](http://pdfescape.com/), the following screen appears. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/kg3GspcZQAaUV1V7ynGmxW) I haven’t tried their desktop version, just the browser-supported one. You don’t need to sign up or anything, just choose Free Online. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/dGSe16QYZ5ML4ctZCLFV1n) Choose whether you want to upload a document or create one and the rest will be taken care of. (Remember, the PDF file has to be <10 MB or less than 100 pages) I mostly upload the document, I don’t have any need to create a document from scratch. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/jpeQFCKiFBXMMSQMcmSLGZ) Once you have opened your PDF file, you will have a sidebar full of tools at your disposal. Most of the features are self-explanatory. But I want to mention one special feature: encrypting and locking a PDF. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/sxpwogWcxDbBHNxTdwDiqD) See the Lock icon? You can hit that icon and select “encrypt” to set a PDF password. This would help you password-protect a PDF file. Just remember, no amount of password protection is unbreakable, hence use it accordingly. It is good enough for most people, but power users can use different tools to remove password protection. ### What I like about this tool I like four things about this tool: - It is free - It is simple - It opens in browser-supported - It doesn’t leave a watermark That’s it. Didn’t I tell you I wanted to keep it brief today? **Try** this tool and **share** your review. Wait, do you already know a better alternative? **Hit Reply** and tell me about it! * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tsuZUx1TCUaESQAvNthqim)](https://www.benlcollins.com/spreadsheets/google-forms-ai-apps-script/) If you want to learn how to analyze huge chunks of data without complicated tools, read this article by Ben Collins. I’m a big fan of his weekly Google Sheet newsletter. A few weeks back, he sent a survey to all his subscribers. And later shared this behind the scenes in a blog post. Ben is a seasoned developer, and he is using free AI tools such as ChatGPT for day-to-day tasks. A lot to learn from him. --- ### TFN#33: 🪜 The absurd reason why I stopped making New Year resolutions URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/12/29/the-absurd-reason-why-i-stopped-making-new-year-resolutions/ Date: 2023-12-29 Description: The absurd reason I stopped New Year resolutions: Earth travels 100,000 km/hr through space. Any goal feels meaningless! Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Before I dive into explanations, wishing you a blockbuster **New Year!** I hope you get to fulfill your promises and resolutions by the end of 2024. And that allows me to share *my reason* ― which you will find absurd. My reason behind ditching the whole New Year resolution thing. If you’re making resolutions, by all means, please continue doing so. Didn’t I just tag my reason as absurd? A year is a convenient way to know that our Earth has completed one revolution around the Sun. 1 revolution = 1 year. So, our Earth moves at a relative velocity of ~1,00,000 km/hr !! And as we know, the Sun is not static. It is also moving. Approximately relative velocity of ~70,000 km/hr. It takes the Sun 225 million years to make one revolution around the center of the Milky Way. (I would call it an actual New Year. But then, I wouldn’t be there.) This means we are on a long journey where it will take 225 million years to return to the same spot in space. In short, we are doomed. I would rather enjoy the 1,00,000 km/hr bumpy ride than pressurize myself with abstract, unreachable, eccentric wishlists that I have to complete under 1 revolution. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/nZ7LDvYDRxW6Rnc5L6Xo5D)That’s Earth from 6 Billion km away, captured by Voyager-1 (1990) I hope you understand this is not the real reason. Because I don’t have any solid reason, not to have new year resolutions😄 It is just too difficult to follow through. **Cheers to 2024!** See you next year. --- ### TFN#32: 🪜 The triangle of conflict and how to break it URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/12/22/the-triangle-of-conflict-and-how-to-break-it/ Date: 2023-12-22 Description: Understand conflict using the triangle model—opinions, emotions, stakes. Break any side to resolve disputes effectively. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak If you remember, in my letter [From Conditioning to Consciousness: Why People Do What They Do](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9c-from-conditioning-to-conduct-why-people-do-what-they-do/), we discussed the circle of conditioning. Few of the readers expressed the usefulness of that discussion. So, thanks for the feedback. In that letter, this was the key image for our understanding of why people do what they do: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/rjDyrNmkdaa6BAYT9oewVh) The image **makes the abstract tangible**. Cuts through complex words. Using images is the most straightforward way we know to inculcate **interpersonal qualities** such as a sense of empathy, collaboration, active listening, boundaries, and whatnot. A sentiment beautifully conveyed in this short YouTube video [What is Art for?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn0bDD4gXrE)​ ​ On the same lines, let’s look at **what the conflict looks like**. ### The triangle of conflict ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/rpMrJVs7cssQLWhFjcz9ou) Yes, that’s a conflict in its material shape. Notice the shape. It is a triangle shape. The triangle shape is known to have these properties: - Structural stability - Equilibrium or tension - Resistance to change - Interconnectedness - Symmetry Aren’t these properties also present in a conflict? ### The three sides ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/k9xM864rJbjX85A7Ed3sA3) When a conflict arises, there are three sides to it: opposing opinions, strong emotions, and high stakes. The **funny thing** is that, if you see a conflict between two people, it will be very difficult to understand which of the triangle sides manifested first: the opposing opinions, strong emotions, or high stakes. There is no particular order. This triangle of conflict also showcases the **same properties** as the triangle shape: Structural stability, equilibrium or tension, resistance to change, interconnectedness, and symmetry. These properties make it difficult to solve any conflict. ### But there is a solution Most people tend to add more people, add more emotions, add more time, etc. And hope to resolve a conflict. When you want to resolve a conflict, you **don’t add** but **remove**. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/rcWmZjqFrgxT5Svg1vASZP) Our goal in conflict resolution is to **break the triangle**. How? We have to remove any one of the sides and the triangle is no more a triangle. The key is to identify which side is weak and work on it. ### How does it look like in action? ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/94MFGTRCzPJ7zqGQ2jWWf5) Imagine **your team** is working on an important project. And two of your team members disagree (opposing opinions) on the timeline of their work delivery, feel stressed (strong emotions), and worry that they will be made accountable (high stakes) when they’re unable to deliver on time. **Instead** of adding factors that intensify their opinions, heighten their emotions, or raise their stakes, a manager/coworker should identify which of their concerns can be fully nullified. All these tough tasks become easy by [developing an ear](http://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/developing-an-ear), inculcating our [capacity to give up on people](http://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/capacity-to-give-up-on-people), and understanding that [emotional labor is the secret ingredient](http://bhagyeshpathak.com/new-world-rules) to working in the new world. ### Is this practical? It is not a theory. **It will work if you do the work**. Naturally, it takes a little bit of self-awareness and practice for this understanding to translate into action. Try it and let me know how it worked for you. So, Reader, how did you find today’s letter? Did this conflict triangle reveal something about your past/present conflict? **Hit Reply** and share with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/knyLuDa826HYnEsbDncHMq)](http://www.wisdomofchopra.com/) What happens when you start using abstract words to show deep wisdom? This Deepak Chopra quote generator happens! Someone put together words from the famous motivational speaker Deepak Chopra’s tweets in a generator. The program selects random words together from his tweet and it uncannily sounds like Deepak Chopra himself. [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/w59vL86dJfE7DBgSQc8hot)](https://ciechanow.ski/naval-architecture/) I’m stunned by the simplicity and interactivity of this website. This particular piece walks us through simple principles in ship-building and the process is beautiful. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of seafaring and traveling via ships. The author of this website, Bartosz has also created other such explanations of everyday things. Must visit. --- ### TFN#31: 🪜 A Tiny Extension to Supercharge Copy-Paste Command URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/12/15/a-tiny-extension-to-supercharge-copy-paste-command/ Date: 2023-12-15 Description: Never lose copied content again. Clipboard History Pro saves every item you copy—so you can access past clips anytime. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Tell me Reader, do you know anyone who doesn’t use the Copy-Paste command? I can’t think of anyone who uses a computer and doesn’t use it. Copy-Paste command is: Ctrl+C, followed by Ctrl+V In case of Mac OS, it is Cmd+C, Cmd+V So, it is quite ubiquitous as we know. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro at using a computer, almost everyone uses these commands in the same manner. Same sequence. And many times, **hit the same problems**. I want to share an extension with you. Which will forever change the way you use Copy-Paste method. But before that, I want to share one **pain point** that this extension has permanently solved for me. ### Losing info during Copy-Paste Sometimes, I lose (actually overwrite) previously copied information. For example, while creating a fresh account on some websites (say Gmail), I generate a strong password. So it is not easily memorable. I intend to retain that password in the computer’s memory for a few minutes before I complete the account setup process. But by the time I set up the account, I would have overwritten the password by copying some other information in the computer’s memory. It becomes extremely difficult to recover the newly set password unless Google has saved it in its memory. ### That’s why [Clipboard History Pro](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/clipboard-history-pro-bes/ajiejmhbejpdgkkigpddefnjmgcbkenk)​ Don’t worry, this extension is not premium. You can use it without upgrading it to Pro. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4pe1PU7hXC6oQGhXGdJrHD) In essence, what this extension does is: it creates a log every time you hit Ctrl+C or Cmd+C. And you can see everything you have copied later on. ### How to use it **Step-1:** Install the extension by going to the [Chrome Webstore](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/clipboard-history-pro-bes/ajiejmhbejpdgkkigpddefnjmgcbkenk)​ **Step-2:** Pin the extension to your Chrome Toolbar ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/dtJu7A9u4wLbm7G2oKV8f4) **Step-3:** Copy a piece of text anywhere: either in your browser or your PC explorer. For our purpose, let me copy this sentence that I just typed. Done. **Step-4:** Click on the green clipboard history icon. For example, here it shows it has a list of 287 copied items right now. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/a1jbnGp5P5iXUgDmt6cf5Z) **Step-5:** After you click, you can see your full history. See some of the latest text I have copied. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/iU1Nk2EKhStb14QoB5AzZd) **Step-6:** Whichever entry you want to use, just click on it. It will get copied to the computer’s memory. **Step-7:** Hit Ctrl+V to paste wherever you want. That’s it! You’ve made it! ​ ### Innovative use cases Other than its utility in preventing the loss of copied data, I have used this extension in many different ways, sharing one use case here. **Copy First, Paste Later** A few months back, I had to sieve through a badly structured PDF for some data points. If I had gone old school, I would have had to switch between the PDF and Notepad with copy-paste commands. Thanks to this extension, I went through the whole PDF by selecting and hitting the Copy command. I knew the extension was collecting all the copied data. In the end, it took me less than 30 seconds to transfer all copied data to a Notepad. What other use cases can you think of? **Hit Reply** and tell me. If it is worth everyone’s read, I will include it in the next week’s newsletter. Fair? * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/dvxuxJAJ81uWHDHGJVeLxK)](https://open.spotify.com/episode/6E6kZoPEr0JlSjRM1msB3D?si=9xGJloq5RWqrWsoSpv9_LQ) I’m currently 2 hours into this podcast. Forget about the title, it is a sheer pleasure hearing these two gentlemen just talk about different aspects of life and work. [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/xontLFuXtcucpbYKkQDSUC)](https://fee.org/articles/when-equality-becomes-evil/) “Free people are not equal, and equal people are not free.” I see the repercussions of the disgusting equality mandates in all tiny aspects of academia, science, and work almost every day. If you have read George Orwell or Ayn Rand, you’d know what I’m talking about. The monoculture of equality of outcome not only irks me, but it strives to establish the *victimhood mindset* in the best of times that we live in. In any case, I liked this piece by Lawrence Reed, I hope you too find it enjoyable. --- ### TFN#30: 🪜 How to create a user persona? [Template Inside] URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/12/08/how-to-create-a-user-persona-template-inside/ Date: 2023-12-08 Description: Create powerful user personas with this free template. Understand your audience deeply and never target the wrong people again. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak The other day, my friend told me about the latest online scam tactic. In this tactic, the scammer poses as a police/CBI/Narcotics official and grills their victim for hours. Eventually, their victim pays some heavy amount of money and gets scammed. But this one never gets old: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/8oJUW1P7Ry6wpx51MxRedR) That’s one of the famous versions of the **Nigerian Prince Scam**. If you’re anything like me, and read all the versions of the Nigerian Prince Scam, you will laugh until your cheeks hurt. I mean why would people believe in such types of emails? They shouldn’t. But still, thousands of people believe such emails/calls every day. But why not you or me? ### Are we special? If you laughed after reading the Nigerian prince’s email, we know something for sure: You’re not the scammer’s ideal audience (*victim*). Because: - You’re not foolish to believe in such emails - You know online scams are real - You’re digitally literate - You noticed something fishy - You noticed that the email has a couple of typos - You’re not greedy - You don’t believe in get-rich-quick schemes ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tdMkbPRQEPCaJjgyVg4Kdc)Meanwhile, the Nigerian Prince…🤣 Still, as we know, every day thousands of people get scammed by Nigerian Prince tactic. That means the scammer’s ideal audience would: - Be naive and overly trusting - Have little or no idea of online scams - Be digitally inexperienced - Be off-the guard - Be too distracted to notice the typos and awkward phrasing - Be financially in trouble or naturally greedy - Believe in get-rich-quick schemes ### That’s called audience persona The Nigerian Prince scammers have an ideal type of audience in their minds. And we just outlined their audience’s characterization. That’s called audience persona. In this case, we can call it their **victim’s persona**. Now, I’m not going to say that all of us are like the Nigerian Prince in our work. But we certainly need to create some audience persona in our work. ### Let’s take an example. If you’re creating an online survey, you’d want to know a few things to make your survey as smooth as possible. You’d want to understand your user’s persona. **For example:** - Do they understand English? - Are they comfortable operating a smartphone? - Is there good internet connectivity? - When are they free to fill in your survey? - What is their reading level? ### List and Template There are several types of persona depending on your needs. Here, I’m sharing a looong list of parameters along with a filled template. You don’t need to use all the parameters, ideally 15-20 would work for most use cases. Click on the images below to access and copy the Google Docs. [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tXEgshcXSkpAsHESnhQAWa?ar=3%3A4&fit=crop)](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1beqZ_kFTlDHGnAbvbmx24PMTCmxGaM_3JLvEGq2gT-g)[![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/mUgCLePey84Xdt32LgGZYk?ar=3%3A4&fit=crop)](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ki8u1W6OVAfE4FO_LA_jT2ngP90JeeXXJ8kVJxKdDmM) So, have you ever received any Nigerian Prince’s email? What was your first reaction? **Hit Reply** and share it with me. Don’t worry, I answer all the emails because there are not that many emails to answer.😄 * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/bpWsotdYDt29E3hFtLczc9)](https://twitter.com/i/status/1731856304367411360) For this week, I had so many things to share. But this one takes the cake. What a script! What a performance! This man and the writers were TikTok before TikTok. --- ### TFN#29: 🪜 Simple 3-2-1 data backup strategy URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/12/01/simple-3-2-1-data-backup-strategy/ Date: 2023-12-01 Description: Never lose data again. Learn the simple 3-2-1 backup strategy: 3 copies, 2 media types, 1 offsite location for total protection. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Have you watched the 2012 superhit movie OMG — Oh My God? If you have, you’ll certainly remember this scene: ![OMG.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ngYqw8RkhaqMF3fAjo9vVg) Kanji is flaunting his Godrej Locker key in the aftermath of the earthquake. Because the locker had his insurance papers in it. There wouldn’t be any movie if he hadn’t kept his papers in a safe vault. Imagine what if there had been fire instead of an earthquake? He better have a few backup copies. In a way, most of us are Kanji. Except, he was struck by an act of God. We — the knowledge workers — may get struck by an act of Colleagues. Unintentional, but devastating sometimes. Just by a single delete command, your weeks of work can vanish. No recovery. OR a family member hits “delete all” on a Google Drive and all your memories go *poof!* ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/p8QnATUyQyRBy2gr18N8wn) ### That’s why the 3-2-1 backup strategy Now, I’m not talking about some software. But a strategy. A rule of thumb. The 3-2-1 strategy states that: you should have 3 copies of your data, on 2 different storage media with 1 backup piece offsite. ### Show me an example Of course, these numbers 3-2-1 are so confusing. So, let’s take an example. Suppose you have 100 GB of important work data. You should have 3 copies of this data: **1\. Copy-1:** You will use this copy as an everyday copy with which you will work. So it can stay on your computer. **2\. Copy-2:** This copy is a backup copy and you never touch it. It is somewhere on the office server. **3\. Copy-3:** This copy is also a backup copy and you never touch it. It will be on cloud storage that is not easily accessible. Since it is not physically present in the office, it is offsite. So, we ended up having 3 copies, 2 media types: solid state drives and cloud, and 1 offsite copy. ### Funny practice: backing up copies of bacteria Yes, this is real practice. At one point during my university education, everyone was working on isolating different types of bacteria. Throughout the yearlong research, as you progress, you have to back up your bacterial samples. (This also applies to viruses, fungi, and DNA samples) We would keep four copies. A working copy stays in the laboratory refrigerator. The second one at the research guide’s home refrigerator. The third one at the student’s home refrigerator and the fourth one with a trusted friend. And yes, updating each of these copies as a new milestone is achieved. (More like the digital backup we should carry out periodically) I used to find this funny until one day when the lab refrigerator broke down! When it comes to computer systems, I have always found it best to prepare for the worst and pray for the best. So Reader, have you ever lost an important piece of data ever? **Hit Reply** and share your lessons and tips. And oh, by the way, did I tell you that you can recover a great deal of deleted data from a hard drive using [Recuva](https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva)? It’s free. I have used it and it works like a charm. If you’re curious, I’d share about it in the future. * * * **Reads of the week:** ### **Gumroad + Flexile’s Public Board Meeting** There are very few private companies in the world that hold their quarterly reviews publicly. Sahil is an inspiration for people who want to build businesses with a strong foundation. Check out this 20-minute trimmed version. Sahil and the team present their financials, product updates, and future roadmap. All of this with freelance remote teams! Sahil is a great writer, check out [his blog](https://sahillavingia.com/) here. [![video preview](https://functions-js.convertkit.com/playbutton?play=%23324C85&accent=%23ffffff&thumbnailof=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DOY2PgZMR2cI&width=480&height=270&fit=contain)​](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY2PgZMR2cI) [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/upAWBJBLY8cUyoytQs82xd)](https://world.hey.com/jorge/don-t-block-yourself-a-remote-worker-super-power-7322c679) Jorge Manrubia works as a programmer at 37signals. So when he writes about problems and solutions of remote workers, it is from a quality experience. In this short piece, Jorge talks about how remote workers cannot move ahead because they need a go-ahead or advice from their peers. But their peers might be busy with other work or maybe in a different timezone. Whatever the case, Jorge argues that it is better to state what problem you’re facing and how you intend to move ahead. And then just move! Read this piece, it is so relatable. [![3.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/woXVKtfzTKBHadxw2xwcy3)](https://freshspectrum.com/dissemination/) So, you have done some research or data analysis work. And now it is time to share your results. How do you do that? How much do you share? How do you decide? That’s what Chris talks about in this post. If you look at the table he has created, you’d think to yourself *why didn’t I think of it before!* --- ### TFN#28: 🪜Why I’m convinced we can change our brain tissues URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/11/24/why-im-convinced-we-can-change-our-brain-tissues/ Date: 2023-11-24 Description: Neuroplasticity in action! Discover how your brain physically changes through practice, proven by the backwards bicycle experiment. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak So Reader, this really happened to me. And I’m not making it up. In 2016, I purchased a book named The Prophet. Mostly because I had heard a lot about the author [Kahlil Gibran](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahlil_Gibran). In fact, during my schooling, we had a Gujarati-translated prose from this book. So, I thought to myself *alright, now I’m fluent in English, let’s read the original.* ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/cZKpRE3C2NSkVNMXrcta4d) When Flipkart delivered the copy to me, I opened it. Andd, I just couldn’t understand what the author was saying.😖 It was one of those moments where the critics appreciated some movie, but you watch it and wonder what exactly they found worthy of acclaim. ⏩Fast forward to late 2020. Out of boredom, I picked up the same copy from my closet. And started flipping through it. Instantly, it became my Geeta. My heartwarming home to retire. And I seriously believe that the spirit of the Universe has spoken through Kahlil Gibran in The Prophet. But how did this happen? How did an incomprehensible piece of text transform into a sacred home for me? Someone who couldn’t even gather the meaning in 2016. ### Brain changed In the period of 4 years, due to constant practice and reading abstract topics in English, the composition of the brain changed. It changed to fit the abstract content and make sense of it. Now, that’s not my pet theory (though I have a hundred of such theories, this is not one of them) Let’s see what I mean. ### The Backwards Brain Bicycle 8 years ago Destin from the YouTube channel SmarterEveryday posted this incredible video of his brain transformation. Watch this video and come back. (Duration: 07 minutes 57 seconds) [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/iLxwT1yVToT8xjC1hFkf6o)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFzDaBzBlL0) If you don’t get to watch the video, here’s the summary (but hey, the video is much more fun than this): - Destin introduces a special kind of bicycle: a backward bicycle. Turning the handlebars left makes the wheel go right and vice versa - He fails to ride the bicycle no matter what technique he uses - But, after 8 months of practice, he can ride the backward bicycle - His 6-year-old son learns to ride in just 2 weeks! - When Destin tries to ride a normal bicycle, he can not. Although he eventually learns it in 20 minutes - Watch the fun video with people attempting to ride the backward bicycle ### Destin is right, it’s neuroplasticity When Destin and his son learned to ride the backwards cycle, they literally created new neural networks in their brain. This process is called neuroplasticity. This is the same process that makes us learn anything: from hard skills to soft skills. Let me share another great story where people have learned outstanding skills by literally shaping their brain. ### The **Polgár sisters: chess prodigies** The Polgár sisters were part of an educational experiment by their father László Polgár. Being an educational psychologist, he and his wife decided to test their belief that “Geniuses are made, not born”. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6b7A5J4sHb9f4Fg3P9pcXp) They married and provided their three daughters nothing but chess education. No Barbie dolls, toys, or other distractions. Just chess. Two sisters earned the title of Grand Master and the third one earned Woman Grand Master at a very young age. ### Of course, we don’t need to drop everything we are doing… …and become a chess grandmaster, or learn that weird backward bicycle. **​** **The point is…** **The point is….** The point is that we can change our brain tissues. We can learn anything. Literally, anything in the world. Remember my letter [Do you look at the keyboard while typing?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/tfn9-do-you-look-at-the-keyboard-while-typing/) I assure you, I have seen neuroplasticity in action. My fingers rhythming on the keyboard week after week, month after month, and now…just typing as I think. **Have you experienced the feeling of learning?** Anything, no matter how tiny or big. Learning cursive writing, or embroidering or a tiny software or coding or…just anything. **Hit Reply** and share it with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/ejf74aBLJhWnqH1uGSgWMk)](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/18/opinion/teenagers-mental-health-treatment.html) In this New York Times guest essay, clinical psychologist Dr. Saxbe argues that the wide-scale launch of mental health awareness and mitigation programs after Covid are not only unhelpful, but they’re damaging. Dr. Saxbe’s essay affirms my personal experience of dealing with people around me and my observations over the past three years. Teenagers are feeling triggered due to some of the most normal occurrences of life. The problem is the internet exposure. When you learn that so-and-so discomfort is called anxiety, you start labeling incidents that would have been otherwise labeled normal. That’s called the “hammer and nail” approach. To a man who is holding a hammer, everything else looks like a nail. Nowadays, most of the articles provide “TW” (Trigger Warning). I’m no exception. When I shared the draft of my May 2020 article [In for collateral damage? Anyone?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/in-for-collateral-damage-anyone/) One of my closest friends advised me to add a trigger warning. It is still there. But I don’t think that’s the best decision. --- ### TFN#27: 🪜 Help people remember your event by generating ‘Add to Calendar’ links URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/11/17/help-people-remember-your-event-by-generating-add-to-calendar-links/ Date: 2023-11-17 Description: Help attendees remember your event. Generate ‘Add to Calendar’ links for Google Calendar, Outlook, Yahoo, and Office 365. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, How many times have you heard “send me the calendar invite”? It is such a liberating feeling to invite other people and receive their acceptance. It is comforting and reassuring to know that they’re most likely to show up. But sometimes you would not be able to send an invite to your meeting/event. This happens when: - Your event/meeting is public and anyone can join it - You don’t know the email ID of your attendees (imagine some community event) - Your invitees are outside your organization When you’re running an event campaign inside or outside an organization, this may happen. ### But why the obsession to get on a calendar? Fair question. Couldn’t we direct the invitees to a webpage, a Google Form or directly share YouTube/Zoom links? We could and most people do that. But the problem is, none of these links lands you on your invitee’s calendar. An event on the calendar helps send notifications about upcoming events and increases our chances of making sure that the invitee indeed attends the event. Think of it in this way: Your announcement poster, email, or WhatsApp message has a limited amount of usable space i.e. real estate. And you want to offer one action. Just one action, that will make sure that your audience attends your event, without forgetting. If you play with this enough, you’ll find out that getting on people’s calendars, by their own choice, is a far better idea than leaving them some random hyperlink. ![0.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/vXYFXPcJi5dBNxDTyZSjAV) ​ ### Add to Calendar Links We can do this by using the free [Add to Calendar Links](https://www.labnol.org/calendar/) tool. This tool was developed by Google Developer Expert [Amit Aggarwal](https://www.labnol.org/about/). ![Screenshot 2023-11-15 161549.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/pZWXpQJPryyUndvfdNT1hf) ### Event Details An event can be anything: a celebration, a meeting, or a multi-day brainstorming session. To generate a Google Calendar event, you need to fill in the relevant fields: - Event Title - Event Location - Event Description - Timezone - Start Date/Time and End Date ### Getting the links Once you have added the details, just copy the Add to Calendar Link using the clipboard icon. For example, this is an example of a Google Calendar link. ![3.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/gcksyXwCD4FXfue8DJkyo) Using this method, I have created the following Add to Calendar Links: Add to my Calendar: If you’re sure that your audience mostly uses Google Calendar, you can provide only one option: Google Calendar. You can also hit the Preview Link to see how it will look to the invitee. My example Google Calendar link looks like this: ![4.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/tNJBqoTTJhpeno4ya1mVuP) ### Power of anonymity Anyone who clicks this Add to Calendar link, will see the exact same thing without seeing who created this event. This anonymity is the most powerful feature of this Add to Calendar link. Not everyone needs to know who the organizer is. So, do you know anyone who obsesses over adding events to the calendar? They’d probably go mad after this kind of tool. How would you use this tool in your work? **Hit Reply** and share it with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![5.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/2dbDamXN1C5UJwUgzVPVFT)](https://unherd.com/2023/11/why-i-am-now-a-christian/) Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a prominent Atheist author, is now a Christian. Ayaan was born a Muslim in Nairobi, Kenya. 20 years back, she left the religion for atheism. In this lengthy, rich essay she takes us to her journey as a Muslim under The Muslim Brotherhood. Ayaan has been vocal for women’s rights — in a way that is logical and goes beyond contemporary ideological dogma. I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I did. [![6.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/mZm2riyk3Xt1DVtgwhzsXS)](https://www.cmswire.com/digital-marketing/victorias-secret-rebrand-insights-lessons-from-a-billion-dollar-loss/) I have been vocal about the DEI scam for some time now. Especially, the non-profit space where I have earned my bread, makes my stand counterintuitive. But it is not. In any case, the way the once-respected feminine brand Victoria’s Secret has lost its way shows how people vote through their money. *You can fool people a few people for a short time, but not many people for a long time.* --- ### TFN#26: 🪜 Your Diwali Homework! URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/11/10/your-diwali-homework/ Date: 2023-11-10 Description: Your Diwali homework: Selected readings for the holiday season. Wishing you a happy, fulfilling Diwali filled with light. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, I don’t know about you, but I used to hate Diwali homework during my school life. Whoever invented it, must have a natural talent to suck joy out of leisure. My Diwali homework assignments used to carry things like “write the answers to the selected questions twice” or/and “prepare some list of mathematical formulas on a chart paper”. Constant anxiety-laden time. I hope they’re not torturing kids that way any longer. So, I thought to share a **selected list of readings** for the holiday season. But isn’t that just another Diwali homework for grownups? Nah, we’re just fine without the readings. Hence, I wish you a very **happy and fulfilling unwinding time this Diwali**. ![Om Asatoma.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/2cXxqWpAyTn8LwNwZfVy9N) *Meaning:* *Lead me from the unreal to the real,* *Lead me from darkness to light,* *Lead me from death to immortality.* ​ Regards, Bhagyesh --- ### TFN#25: 🪜 From Conditioning to Conduct: Why people do what they do? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/11/03/from-conditioning-to-conduct-why-people-do-what-they-do/ Date: 2023-11-03 Description: Discover how your conditioning shapes behavior and why micro background checks can transform workplace understanding and empathy. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Interesting question, isn’t it? Especially in the workplace, we ask this a lottt. *“Why is he like that?”* *“What does she think of herself?”* *“Why does he chicken out at the last minute!!”* Mostly, the answers are generic: “entitled” “power hungry” “rude” blah blah… A **better answer** lies in this circle: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/j3rYN8NcH7qX7NKcY9d4Nr) Before we get to the answer, a little bit of **context**. Many organizations run **background checks** before making a decision to hire someone. It is the usual routine of identity, work history, police records, etc. Once the new hire is onboard, there is no effort to know them better. *(“But what about those annual retreats?” If you still believe running a large-scale 3-day retreat/workshop is the answer, pls reconsider by observing around. Are you sure?)* ### Going Micro The background check at the entry point is a macro one. What helps, in the long run, is the micro one. On the lines of what I’ve talked about self-organizing units in [the seductive urge to manage people](http://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/the-seductive-urge-to-manage-people). Do people who work with one another get to understand each other better? Do they have a slight idea about how they grew up and what kind of background they come from? Not a guess, but a genuine conversation? This one-on-one, high-trust, small group conversation is the micro background check. Everyone knows who they’re dealing with. This kind of conversation provides an important piece of the puzzle: **their conditioning**. ### Conditioning → Conduct All of us run on autopilot. Programmed by our conditioning. In general, our conditioning includes: - Our upbringing - Our education and training - Our beliefs - Our sub-conscious ![1.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/7KCA9Jj9gKWn6Rdmdgm1Pr) **Conditioning directs our conduct.** That means how we show up in the world. How we talk, react, listen, walk, and whatnot. ### But there’s a catch We are not robots. We have **consciousness**. Kind of half-autopilot mode. Our consciousness filters out unnecessary effects of our conditioning and delivers the conduct in the outer world. That’s why you don’t want to laugh at an inappropriate time, you know you’re in office. ![2.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/fJwrrtzCeNc6rqtsotHSmq) ### Low and High Consciousness You’d have noticed two types of people. Low consciousness and high consciousness people. There’s a reason why we say that some people act without thinking. Because they indeed have under-developed consciousness = self-awareness. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/rvgDpb3tuKDPixCk6upSTP)A thin layer of consciousness barely filters unwanted elements of conditioning A thin layer of consciousness barely filters unwanted elements of conditioning ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/hfXU7zYmFmJ7UvEU36FEif)A thick layer of consciousness acts as a good filter for unwanted elements of conditioning A thick layer of consciousness acts as a good filter for unwanted elements of conditioning ### The Practical Use In the end, the question is: how do we use this conditioning → consciousness → conduct understanding? A few thoughts: - We have talked about cultivating the [capacity to give up on people](http://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/capacity-to-give-up-on-people), it provides a very useful barometer to **set our expectations**. If your colleague is repeatedly late on every occasion and you’ve understood his story, it is unlikely that any number of rewards or punishments will alter the behavior. - If a behavioral problem seems to be solvable, and the individual is willing to work on themselves, some form of self-reflection and repeated one-on-one mentoring **can do wonders**. - One practical use I have found is accepting that what we see is always a **filtered version of people**. And that’s okay. This saves us from idealizing people. Because we know, we truly understand that they have to work hard to filter so many of their flaws in public interactions. And they’re willing. In general, keeping this understanding helps in all aspects of life. **It makes us kind.** And kindness has all sorts of use in this world. Right? **So, Reader,** how does your organization enable people to know one another? Which strategies have helped you develop a better understanding of your colleagues? **Hit Reply** and share with me. Also, mention whether you want me to share it with the rest of the readers with your name. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/rFD3L7eaBkwhqYCtcVT1tm)](https://hbr.org/1989/09/managing-without-managers) 34 years back, Brazilian CEO Ricardo Semler wrote this article for Harvard Business Review. And it is still fresh. In fact, with the advent of the internet and real-time communication, Ricardo’s vision of creating a **managerless organization** is very much aligned with what I consider to be ​[New World Rules](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/new-world-rules/). While our culture celebrates Steve Jobs and Ambanis, it is too afraid to highlight Ricardo’s Maverick style. Probably, because there are no prescriptions. ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/eUTksLEEU2V2TAUjbMB5fY)](https://time.com/6329188/ukraine-volodymyr-zelensky-interview/) In this **candid and courageous** Time magazine article, Simon Shuster narrates his experience of accompanying Zelensky in and out of the US. As we already know and confirmed by the article, his Western puppeteers have left him, and there are no trained military-age men left to send to the Russian meat grinder. If TIME is publishing this story, that means the stage is set for Zelensky’s ousting and his vacation to the South Americas. --- ### TFN#24: 🪜 How I use wireframe.cc for quick ideation URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/10/27/how-i-use-wireframe-cc-for-quick-ideation/ Date: 2023-10-27 Description: Sketch ideas instantly with wireframe.cc—a free, minimal tool for creating wireframes without complex design software. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, Have you been in a situation where you want to quickly draw a couple of things on the computer and share them with your colleague or team? To give some idea of what the output should look like? Output such as: where to place elements in a poster, how to arrange a report dashboard, the seating arrangement for the event, or anything that requires some scribbling of shapes. But do you know what most people do? They get on a 30-minute-long group meeting trying to explain what they mean. They try to sketch using words. ### But why? Because who wants to waste time struggling in some design program to show their idea? And if you think about it, they’re right. Design tools are an overkill for most people. We need something simple. Free, fast, and minimalistic. ### We need a wireframing tool In simplest terms, a wireframe is an illustration. Illustration without many colors, styles, and graphics. It helps decide where different elements are placed, in what size, what would be their function, etc. For example, this illustration shows a wireframe of a mobile webpage: ![mobile-wireframe-@2x.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4ahV2euSvqoYtKSFS6oaAS) If you want to tell your website designer your idea of how your website should look like, you don’t need to sketch on a piece of paper. You can create a wireframe and discuss how you want to layout your website. The same goes for a poster, a dashboard, or an app! We don’t need to use Photoshop, Canva, or Paint program to do it. ### ​[wireframe.cc](http://wireframe.cc/) does the job I use this free and fast tool. You don’t even need to sign up. Just go to [wireframe.cc](http://wireframe.cc/) and start ideating. ![Screenshot 2023-10-26 195411.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/7Ays4SJmq51SnKJMCaiS8Y) ### What I like about this tool The in-built options. For example, if I’m creating a survey form in some software. And I want to ideate before I invest my time in the software. Within a few minutes, I can have the rough sketch like this: ![Screenshot 2023-10-26 200312.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/4VJfrBFHbHeME58C3zfeCA) Notice the following elements in the above screenshot: - A placeholder headline (dark grey) - A placeholder paragraph (light grey) - A text input box - A slider - A button - A scroll bar I didn’t have to “draw” them. They were already provided with right-click options. ![Right-click options for normal rectangle](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/wGbEamxU54gt17CTBWw3fy)Right-click options for normal rectangle And the right-click options change with what kind of rectangle we draw on the canvas. Look at this, when I draw a thin rectangle: ![Right-click options for thin rectangle](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/k4ebAazgH4EZEmskFP7SuP)Right-click options for thin rectangle ### Sharing with others Wireframes are not for personal use only. You may want to share it with others. This is how it is done: When the design is unsaved, the URL will remain unchanged: ![Screenshot 2023-10-26 201057.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/5yuaZ5fgepCuDE3tPjfVpu) **When you hit save**, you will receive a confirmation and your design will become accessible through the unique URL to anyone you share. ![Screenshot 2023-10-26 201224.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/2any9TzJjkz8w9PXucArbX) You can actually go to this URL https://wireframe.cc/eXfUDq and access the design and edit it. ​ So, next time you need to scribble on paper to ideate, try this tool. And share with me your experience. Meanwhile, how do you communicate your ideas with your team? Is there any specific tool that you use? **Hit Reply** and share it with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![Screenshot 2023-10-26 203235.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/oSTkpZmxAvcx5tDwuxNDt8)](https://hbr.org/2021/03/persuading-the-unpersuadable) **How would you persuade somebody smart like Steve Jobs or Elon Musk to rethink their positions on ideas?** Adam himself is an accomplished academician, author, and researcher. I re-read this gem from him this week. Adam provides one example that you may find memorable. He tells the story of how the iPhone’s glass manufacturer had to persuade Steve Jobs to reconsider his idea of how the glass should be manufactured. In every workplace, we encounter people who are too stubborn, too smart, and too powerful to be persuaded. This article will provide a glimpse into how this can be done. --- ### TFN#23: 🪜Mastering “Form Follows Function” URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/10/20/mastering-form-follows-function/ Date: 2023-10-20 Description: Master form follows function—the design principle that shape should match purpose. Apply it to documents, emails, and meetings. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, if it was a matter of life and death to win a Formula-1 race, which car would you choose? ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/cWdhtXfazWotzaLk8ZNdd4?ar=1%3A1&fit=crop)![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/5sPSajbKXdyx48aE36uYbL?ar=1%3A1&fit=crop) Okay, what about choosing a gift for King Charles III if you were to pay him a visit? ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/myYeC1sGExLGbAmFobowk6?ar=1%3A1&fit=crop)![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/uMJojm5papbLk5MubtfvU1?ar=1%3A1&fit=crop) Both of us know each other’s choices. And the choices are the same. But why? Why would we end up selecting a regular F1 car for the race and this gorgeous faucet for a gift? ### **Because we know the functions** F1 car to win the race. Faucet to show our artistic taste to his highness. We know that the artistic-looking F1 car is not going to win us race. It is more of a showpiece. And we know King Charles is not looking for a faucet to wash his hands. It is merely a collectible. With a high degree of royal, artistic look. ### Form Follows Function “Form follows function” is a design principle that suggests the shape or design of an object should primarily be based on its **intended function** or **purpose**. When an object’s form doesn’t follow its function, people quickly notice it. Because bad design is loud. ### Why don’t we use this principle? If you remember, a few months back we had discussed in a letter that the problem lies in [not considering ourselves a designer](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/like-most-people-do-you-also-think-youre-not-a-designer/). ![Screenshot 2023-06-13 182215.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/cSFjwh76PjvNEJS8ngCCLh) If your work includes writing emails, WhatsApp messages, or managing a project, you are a designer. Not philosophically, practically. And it has real-life implications: on your work, your income, your status, and your satisfaction. ### *“But waiit. How to use this principle in my work?”* Fair question. I have been just rambling about “form follows function” until now. **But before that…a rant-cum-example 😄** Have you noticed your HR department sending some important announcements? They use at least **three communication channels**: 1. Mass Email 2. WhatsApp Group 3. Written Memo on paper 4. Notice Board *(this is bonus)* The funny thing is, that they copy-paste the same content for all communication channels. No modification. The function of each communication channel is different. This begs for modification of the content form. For example: 1. Mass email’s function is to convey generic, non-urgent, lengthy, formal communication 2. WhatsApp group’s function is to convey generic, urgent, concise, informal communication 3. Paper memo’s function is to convey specific, non-urgent, business, compliance-worthy communication 4. The notice board’s function is to advertise generic, non-urgent, public communications Don’t tell me you haven’t observed this. It is impossible to miss! ### So, how to use it in our work **Document Formatting** For example, in last week’s letter, we talked about [using text styles to format content](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/%f0%9f%aa%9c-google-docs-ms-words-simplicity-the-most-ignored-feature/). Or if you remember, we had covered the concept of [negative space/white space](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/tfn16-%f0%9f%aa%9c-negative-space-white-spacewhat-is-it/) a few weeks back. ![3.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/eWqLBEhMjSY8VnvDqU4oxE)​[Example of introducing white space from that letter](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/tfn16-%f0%9f%aa%9c-negative-space-white-spacewhat-is-it/)​ **Email inbox/Files Organization** Use appropriate tags, colors, and folder structure to keep your email inbox or filing cabinet clutter-free. **File Naming and Version Control** For example, files and folders could be named with the project name, date, and version number, in a particular sequence. This ensures that team members can quickly locate the most recent or relevant version. **Task and Project Management Tools** “Does it make sense to my organization/team with 30 people to use a software that Google with 100,000 staff uses?” — I wish more and more organizations asked this question to themselves before jumping on any trendy project management tools. **Data Visualization** There is a big difference between using a pie chart and using a bar chart. Even if the data is the same. Because the form matters. Refer to this article on [44 types of charts and their usage](https://visme.co/blog/types-of-graphs/). **Meetings** The purpose must decide a meeting’s form. Online, offline, scheduled, impromptu, one-on-one, one-to-many, many-to-many, short, long…..and you got the idea. And if you think about it, I could have just used a handwritten letter to communicate this. But it wouldn’t fulfill its purpose. So, have you knowingly or unknowingly applied this principle in your work? What about comic situations where people simply ignore the principle? **Hit Reply** and tell me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/up477N38TzgmuNsSgeBQef)](https://37signals.com/group-chat-problems) Group chat = group stress. The mass communication rant in this letter reminded me of this classic article by 37Signal’s team. If you still operate your work on group chat, think again. ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/fqi8oW7UBZfypVxfms8XPr) Imagine. In the early 70s, schools recruited staff to keep a watch on high schoolers’ mathematics homework notes. To double check if the calculations were manual or using a calculator. If you remember, we touched on this *non-issue* a few weeks back in [5 things Photoshop’s Firefly update tells us, even if we don’t use it](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/tfn12-%f0%9f%9f%a6-5-things-photoshops-firefly-update-tells-us-even-if-we-dont-use-it/). AI is here. We invented it and there is no going back. That’s also a part of my [new world rules](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/new-world-rules/). --- ### TFN#22: 🪜 Google Docs, MS Word’s simplicity: the most ignored feature URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/10/13/google-docs-ms-words-simplicity-the-most-ignored-feature/ Date: 2023-10-13 Description: Unlock Google Docs’ hidden power. Use text styles to auto-generate tables of contents and keep documents perfectly organized. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, If I start counting how many documents I have come across that have hand-made Table of Contents, it will take me a couple of days to finish counting. ![frustrated.gif](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/9rbbud5WeZU2NR7tyYfyQv) But it is not their fault. Because there is something inherently soo simple about text editors such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs that people take them for granted and use them for nothing but typing and styling the fonts. But it doesn’t have to be this way. ## Why it matters to me Anything that helps save time and effort is a yes-yes. When we start using tiny, no-brainer features such as “Text Styles” in Google Docs or MS Word, the following things happen. ### 1\. Our document starts self-organizing It is logical that Heading-1 encloses Heading-2. Heading-2 encloses Heading-3 and so on.. This gives rise to self-organizing documents. ### 2\. Noise cancellation When we start labeling headings and body text with appropriate styles, junk text can’t hide anywhere. ### 3\. Seamless ‘Table of Contents’ creation And then…With just a single click, we can create a Table of Contents. With hyperlinks and whatnot. If you change your content placement, no worries. Just update the Table of Contents. ## This Text Styles toolbar is our friend ![Screenshot 2023-10-11 095803.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/3rjRLvFgao9VNK3DAJo7Ws) Sure, the text styles look out of proportion. Not aesthetically pleasing. But we can change the styles as per our taste. I will spare you some time and you can directly watch the following video (runtime 3:45) ​ [![video preview](https://functions-js.convertkit.com/playbutton?play=%23324C85&accent=%23ffffff&thumbnailof=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DNeYItkzP8m0&width=480&height=270&fit=contain)​](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeYItkzP8m0) The point is to do smart work. Knowledge workers cannot afford to struggle with simple things such as Text Styling in text editors. **So Reader**, do you use text styling in your regular work? What is your observation about people using or not using such features? **Hit Reply** and tell me! * * * **Reads of the week:** ​ **This week, I watched (without skipping a second) this refreshing podcast from Peter Boghossian (runtime 44 minutes).** **I loved Dr. Dorian’s answers and found a new respect for the University of Chicago.** *Some background before you dive into it:* In 2021, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) [canceled](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/20/us/dorian-abbot-mit.html) a high-profile lecture by Dr. Dorian Abbot, a renowned geophysicist from the University of Chicago. The topic of the lecture was not the issue. Rather, Dorian was targeted by Social Justice activists because of his [critique](https://www.newsweek.com/diversity-problem-campus-opinion-1618419) of DEI ideology. MIT buckled to the demands of a handful of ideologues, inadvertently contributing to discussions about academic censorship. MIT did not expect the blowback it received for hobbling scientific inquiry in favor of ideological conformity. MIT alumni formed the [Free Speech Alliance](https://www.mitfreespeech.org/) and its faculty overwhelmingly voted to adopt a university [statement](https://facultygovernance.mit.edu/sites/default/files/reports/2022-09_Proposed_MIT_Statement_on_Freedom_of_Expression_and_Academic_Freedom.pdf) regarding freedom of expression. Since then, Dorian has become a leading figure in the fight for academic freedom of thought, speech, and inquiry. In this conversation, Peter Boghossian and Dorian discuss the MIT fiasco, the proper aim of academia, the immorality of DEI, speech as “violence,” University of Chicago’s commitment to academic freedom, finding meaning through religion and naturalism, Dorian’s rejection of tyrannical “equality” mandates, and much more. --- ### TFN#21: 🪜Getting insights: What? So What? Now What? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/10/06/getting-insights-what-so-what-now-what/ Date: 2023-10-06 Description: Turn any data into powerful insights with just three questions: What, So What, Now What? A simple framework used by expert analysts. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, did you know that you can derive pretty good insights from any data using just **three questions**: *What?* *So what?* *Now what?* Data can be anything. A fact. A conversation. An incident. A story Or A database! Data doesn’t have to always look something like this: ![1407938242wordpress-database.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/5Qr9HDa8Lw46QCqCTwPtQM) Data means information. Whenever we want to learn from the information, we have to process it. There is a processing funnel. ![Untitled](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/dzqhaDy8ngW3oCYYEnz5bn) The data passes through **three stages** in the funnel: ### 1\. What? This is a reflection stage. We identify key information and connect it with other information. It is important to know what is it that we are interested in processing. We can’t process all the information at once. Also, we identify the impact. ### 2\. So what? Once we have narrowed down and identified the impact of the information, we reach this stage. Here, we sum up what we have learned. We also look for applications of what we have learned. ### 3\. Now what? Just knowing our learnings is not enough. We have to commit to action. That’s where this last question comes in handy. Now what do we want to do? ### Example Let me illustrate this processing technique using an example. If you remember, in my [Data System Design Handbook](https://get.bhagyeshpathak.com/datasystem), I have used an example of 10,000 tablets distributed to schools. Suppose, during the annual review, we learned that 10% of the tablets were vandalized in a few schools by notorious students. This is how we can process this data: **What? (The review stage)** What exactly happened? Which schools have the highest number of vandalized tablets? **So what? (Sum up, apply)** How can we prevent this from re-occurring in the future? Is there anything peculiar about those schools? What is the cost of damage? **Now what? (Action)** Who is going to get in touch with those schools? What message will we be relaying to the affected schools? How will we recover the damage? So, those are the questions that I ask myself when trying to get insights from any data. What about you? **Hit Reply** and tell me. Also, if you want me to cover specific topics, **write back to me**. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/2j6HW3qrm3qbBxGvvpbBt3/email)](https://github.com/microsoft/prompts-for-edu) If you think AI applications such as ChatGPT are just question-answer machines, these prompts from Microsoft will stun you. They released fantastic prompts to use with GPT models such as ChatGPT for educators and students. I tried a few of them, and I was in awe! Especially, if you have **kids** or **students**, ask them to use them. --- ### TFN#20: 🪜 How to safely share confidential info like passwords using 1time? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/09/29/how-to-safely-share-confidential-info-like-passwords-using-1time/ Date: 2023-09-29 Description: Share passwords and sensitive data safely using 1time.app. Links self-destruct after viewing—no traces left behind anywhere. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I don’t know Reader, whether you got a chance to go through the **Golden Ratio** newsletter last week, but I want to share something that I always love sharing: a tool! A **tool for sharing confidential information** with one or more people. No, it’s not WhatsApp. Let me share with you a little **backstory first**. A few months back, I ran into some software problems. And I contacted customer support. The customer care professional was based in the Philippines. We were chatting through their built-in chat support. After 30 minutes of “try this and try that”, he understood that he would need my website credentials. To fix on his own. (If you’re wondering, no, he couldn’t fix the problem. Neither could his entire team. I had to figure it out on my own. Haha..) He asked me to share my credentials using [1time.app](https://1time.app/) with an expiration time of 48 hours. So that he could pass the credentials to his other team members if required in the next two days. I shared my credentials. It took me just one minute! No back-and-forth. I was reassured my credential link would expire in 48 hours and **wouldn’t live in anyone’s email system**. I have been using it since then for multiple things. Even for surprises. For example, there’s a joke in [**this link**](https://1time.app/secret/cyYVKdsiabrgyUuyc7nhYIvdlnv8UR6bNuY8gucT). The password is: **whocares123** And yes, the link will **self-destruct** in 48 hours. ![self destruct.gif](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/pAcWeNjn2s5UR9BhTq3VG) ## How to use it? Let me give you a quick walkthrough. ### 1\. Go to [1time.app](https://1time.app/)​ No login is required. ![1.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/mY97n62CaFbydkusoeGrAZ) ### 3\. Write your confidential message It can be anything from your credentials, important document links, address, contact info, or anything. Anything that you want to share with an expiration date on it. Also, modify the password and expiration time if you want to. Or else leave them as they are. ![2.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/bmjEmMbWsFmacdgJpAt8uG) ### 4\. Create the private link As soon as you hit the blue button to create a private link, the link will be generated and you can copy it. ![3.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/rrWbNay7wNTG1cbk5cRQ8o) Share the private link along with the password to whoever you want it to access. ## Fun use-cases **Anonymous Feedback**: Collect anonymous feedback using 1time.app links. **Birthday Surprise Hunt**: Create a series of 1time.app links for a birthday surprise. **Virtual Scavenger Hunt**: Organize a virtual scavenger hunt using 1time.app links. **Confidential Party Details**: Share confidential party details using 1time.app **Cryptic Messages**: Send mysterious messages via 1time.app **Escape Room Clues**: Design a virtual escape room with 1time.app When you discover some fun use cases, don’t forget to share them with me. Oh, already got one? **Hit Reply** and share it! * * * **Reads of the week:** [![Screenshot 2023-09-28 181013.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/5rfbqf7f4asWdkccP1EQQS)](https://37signals.com/how-we-communicate) Jason and David are great communicators. So, how do they communicate in their organization? Fascinating read. --- ### TFN#19 🪜How to beautify your work using Golden Ratio? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/09/22/how-to-beautify-your-work-using-golden-ratio/ Date: 2023-09-22 Description: Use the golden ratio (1.618) to instantly beautify any design. A timeless mathematical principle for compelling visual work. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Tell me something Reader, Do you believe that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder? I believe sometimes it is true, sometimes not. There are some natural laws that apply to everyone, across the globe. Since the beginning of the time. Laws of what we find beautiful and what not. I want to share with you one such law: **golden ratio**. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be good at math to use it. I have been using it for many years: in documents, presentations, photography, and designing. It always works like a charm. Look at these two slides: ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/9KefGdMesPBn5mn6tM4Rmd)Random slide-1 ![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/qUDnxDibwFyJU5jFydbrU2)Random slide-2 They look impactful, don’t they? Try a similar arrangement in your PowerPoint software. Play with the placement, font size, etc. Test it with your friends and colleagues and tell me what worked. These two slides are based on Golden ratio. ### 1.61803398875 That’s the Golden Ratio. We can use 1.618 for practical purposes. This ratio appears frequently in nature and has been used for millennia in art and architecture. But let’s see how it works in our context. ![This is a Golden Rectangle.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/bjMbCtW5se7b3yP29U7YVT) The ratio of its sides is **1618/1000 = 1.618** What if we change the dimension of one side? Let’s decrease the width from 1000 PX to 700 PX. ![This is Golden Rectangle (1).png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/46bPZoBeBn1zggwUXGcgbL) Now, this is no longer a golden ratio rectangle. The ratio of the second rectangle’s sides is **1618/700 = 2.311** It shows, huh? Now, why are we not keeping the text in the center? There’s a reason behind it. ### The Golden Spiral When we start dividing a golden rectangle’s sides, new golden rectangles start emerging. For example, let’s divide the rectangle’s length at 1000th PX. ![This is a Golden Rectangle (2).png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/itxJeVx1rcTTbxUXENucz1)Dividing a golden rectangle with 1000 px width When we do this enough, something like this happens: ![depositphotos_268904156_l-2015.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/vyYDyFsRbioSoPxDmkcyeW) You can create a spiral running through these dividing lines. ![golden-spiral.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/9roaKdMKMU1KYSReEznJ8n) It is called a **golden spiral.** The **eye of the spiral** as you can see, sits slightly away from the center. Slightly near the dividing line. That is where we can get the **maximum attention** of the audience/reader. It *feels* natural to look at it. That’s why, our main object of attention has to be placed around the eye of the golden spiral. Revisit the first slides I shared with you at the beginning, the titles are placed near the eye. ### Use in photography Rule of thumb: place the object near the spiral eye. Your photos will be enhanced instantly. We don’t look for symmetry, we look for balance in photos. A few examples from the internet: ![crop-with-golden-spiral.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/nypfnvXfshF5bJGLvuAUS3)The photograph becomes more impactful by cropping it by golden ratio ![depositphotos_109762514_l-2015.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/d2uRPH3Qn7XRrK96eCfXQt)Placement of object at the eye of the golden spiral ### Curious? If you want to understand more about the Golden Ratio and its usage, check out [this fun YouTube video](https://youtu.be/c8ccsE_IumM?si=ME4qgDFSIhMNjJeS). Want to look at its insane applications? Try this [Golden Ratio Typography Calculator](https://grtcalculator.com/). Pheww! Today’s letter contained the most number of images. I hope you found it helpful. Had you heard about the Golden ratio before? What other concepts do you use in your work? **Hit Reply** and tell me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/jQU3xBJFZQMd2bPuHuPz3v)](https://www.today.com/health/mom-chatgpt-diagnosis-pain-rcna101843?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email) The title is self-explanatory. There is no other way but to exert emotional labor to stand out in current times. Emotional labor is a key point in my [New World Rules](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/new-world-rules/), published a few years back. [![Screenshot 2023-09-21 181532.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/sMwZzDB6iSL4XET4yYdqpp)](https://www.theschooloflife.com/article/how-we-end-up-marrying-the-wrong-people) This ‘School of Life’ publication provides a much-needed pessimistic angle for the people who are already married or the ones who are yet to get married. I love their writing, something that all of us need to teach our kids. [![Screenshot 2023-09-21 181646.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/fZ5LYSPttcgA79ueTigjW8)](https://basecamp.com/articles/reconsider) David had penned down this post a decade ago. When everyone is hustling their way for the elusive thing called success and startup culture, he asks the reader to reconsider. So, would you reconsider?
*Written: September 19th, 2023Place: Ahmedabad*
--- ### TFN#18 🪜 When you talk to someone, there are always two tokens lying on the table URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/09/15/when-you-talk-to-someone-there-are-always-two-tokens-lying-on-the-table/ Date: 2023-09-15 Description: In every conversation, two tokens sit on the table. Master choosing your token wisely to transform difficult interactions. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Hi Reader, Festival season has already begun in India. So, I’m sure you won’t be able to read each of my weekly emails, but that’s fine. They’re already in your inbox, take your time and relish. One of the best things about the festive season is shopping and holidays. And that reminds me of several things, mainly: customer service. ### The two tokens analogy ![choice.gif](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/sDNisMYRqKkFYxxGSn4mcz) When it comes to customer service, there are two tokens lying on the table: “It’s not a big deal” and “It’s the end of the world!” We have a choice to pick either of them. When we pick one token, we force the other person to pick the one that is left. Interesting, right? ### This is how it plays Suppose you’re on a business trip, staying in a nice, comfortable hotel. You had reserved your room after confirming that they have a good Wi-Fi service in their rooms. Because you know you’ll need it for work. And it’s a deal-breaker. Soon after checking into the hotel room, you discover that the Wi-Fi is unavailable in your room. **Scenario-1** When you contact the reception desk, the guy at the reception responds with the usual excuses. Doesn’t provide as much weightage to your complaint and kind of shrugs it off. If you’re like me, you will quickly turn into the Incredible Hulk, furious with anger. But. But.. But… **Scenario-2** What if the reception guy responded to you in this manner: *“What!? You’re not getting the Wi-Fi signal?? This is unacceptable!! I’m soo sorry sir, let me send the IT staff and fix it. And while we do that, would you like a cup of coffee? It’s on us, a gesture of apology.”* What would you do? You’d probably stay calm and politely decline the free coffee. You would probably also say, it’s not a big deal, *just fix it by tonight. It’s not urgent.* ### Do you see the token dynamics here? **In the first scenario** The receptionist picked up the “It’s not a big deal” token Which forced you to pick up the “It’s the end of the world!” token (and turn into the Hulk) **In the second scenario** The receptionist picked up “It’s the end of the world!” token Which forced you to pick up the “It’s not a big deal” token ### What does it tell us? Whether you are dealing with a customer or your colleague, in important matters, it’s wise to pick up the “It’s the end of the world!” token every single time. You can force the other person to pick up the other token consciously. ### It’s not a trick Now, before you think that it’s a trick. Stop. Please stop. The simplicity of the token analogy is difficult to implement unless you genuinely care for the other party’s interests. You can’t fake it in a real-life scenario. But it’s a good reminder. So, which token do you normally pick up? **Hit Reply** and tell me. * * * **Reads of the week:** [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/fbiyiQSFiZLhNzPVwCjkQP)](https://t.co/uoNCvhGYJl) In this short podcast, [@nireyal](https://twitter.com/nireyal) author of “Hooked” and “Indistractable,” speaks on being Indistractable. I liked this new app Airchat. Nice concept. What occurred to me after listening to him is you can’t claim that you get distracted if you have no traction set in your calendar! I liked this argument. --- ### TFN#17: 🪜 Watch and learn fast: Easily change video speed URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/09/08/watch-and-learn-fast-easily-change-video-speed/ Date: 2023-09-08 Description: Watch and learn faster! Video Speed Controller lets you adjust YouTube, Coursera video speeds instantly with keyboard shortcuts. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Did you know YouTube releases a Culture and Trends report every year? I didn’t know. I recently read its [2023 report](https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod/documents/YouTube_Culture__Trends_Report_2023.pdf). Fascinating! Almost everyone who has an internet connection consumes some or the other type of video content. I learned that there are four major formats of videos: Long-form, short-form, live videos, and video podcasts. When I read it, I realized I mostly watch long-form content and podcasts. This reminded me of a tool that I have been using for the last 2 years. It has completely changed the way I watch any video. ## Especially learning videos Yes. I can’t tell you how useful it has been to watch a slow instructor explain something at 2x-3x speed on YouTube, Coursera, edX, or any other platform. Or slow down a speedy video presenter to match my speed. You get the idea. ## Doesn’t every platform provide speed controllers? They do. But how often do you use them? Not much, because it requires 4-5 clicks to adjust video speed. And by the time you do that, your interest vanishes. ## ​[Video Speed Controller](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/video-speed-controller/nffaoalbilbmmfgbnbgppjihopabppdk)​ ![Screenshot 2023-09-07 102621.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/neGaBCKLbXqi3QX87X7Hgt) This comes in handy as a Chrome extension. It runs in the background. When installed, it appears as a translucent tile within a video. ![Screenshot 2023-09-07 102650.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/sgEJnwpAYG5hoeeRMDqyy6) By default keyboard shortcuts: **V =** appear/disappear the control panel **Z =** 10 seconds backwards **X =** 10 seconds forwards **S =** Increase speed by 0.10x **D =** Decrease speed by 0.10x That’s it! ### But I use just two keys: G and R. **G =** jumps speed to 1.5x **R =** resets speed to 1x You can modify the settings in the extension through this window. ![Screenshot 2023-09-07 102713.png](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6HfktTwkgubCHpWGFowhHC) I have used this extension to digest 30-minute-long Coursera videos in 15-20 minutes. It is truly a life-saver tool. So Reader, do you use any tool that you’d like to share with me? I can share it with a larger audience in upcoming editions. **Hit Reply** and share it with me. * * * **Reads of the week:** ​ [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/obbXbTZ5FQxgn8aUufTRcW)](https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod/documents/YouTube_Culture__Trends_Report_2023.pdf) How does a report look like when tech-giant YouTube prepares a report? Apart from their analysis, it is interesting how they have laid out the whole report in an easily understandable format. They have included stories wherever applicable. [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/5vWXsN5kAE6buCUrm6XniB)](https://www.wired.com/story/ethics-children-parenting-family-biology) I couldn’t complete reading this sickening Wired article. Talking of culture, this is how low journalism has fallen. While it continues its fall in the Orwellian future, we need to recognize our values and solidify them. Every void gets filled with the next available matter. I think I need to begin writing on such topics in a dedicated newsletter publication. **What’s your opinion? Should I do it?** --- ### TFN#16: 🪜 Negative space, white space…what is it? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/09/01/tfn16-f09faa9c-negative-space-white-spacewhat-is-it/ Date: 2023-09-01 Description: Negative space is your secret weapon for powerful documents. Learn how white space engages audiences and makes your message impossible to ignore. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Hi dear reader, In my last letter, we saw the comparison of different online writing platforms. The internet is full of so many options that it is easy to get lost while deciding where to begin. I hope it has been useful. If you remember, two months back, we had talked on the topic: [Like most people, do you also think you’re not a designer?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/like-most-people-do-you-also-think-youre-not-a-designer/)​ * * * I want to talk on similar lines in this letter. As a knowledge worker, when you create a document, a report, or a presentation, what do you set out to accomplish? To change your boss’ mind. Or your team’s mind. Right? Most of the time, you can’t change someone’s mind by adding more to a document. In fact, you have to use “negative space” or “white space” to engage them. Once they’re engaged, their mind becomes receptive to what you want to say. We will see how to do that in a minute. But first, ## Let’s take an example Check out these two versions of the above section: ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-31-105602.png?resize=569%2C137&ssl=1)Version-1 ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-31-105459.png?resize=568%2C190&ssl=1)Version-2 ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/3.png?resize=518%2C171&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ezgif-2-3b31e6cc5a.gif?resize=573%2C338&ssl=1) [![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-31-114531.png?resize=355%2C49&ssl=1)](http://paulgraham.com/selfindulgence.html) [![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-31-114600.png?resize=585%2C118&ssl=1)](https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1696643892253466712?s=20) [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN#15: 🪜 Thinking of writing online? A quick comparison of platforms URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/08/25/tfn15-f09faa9c-thinking-of-writing-online-a-quick-comparison-of-platforms/ Date: 2023-08-25 Description: Thinking of writing online? Compare the best platforms side-by-side. Find the perfect home for your words and audience. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak What a great time last few days have been! I’m back to Ahmedabad after a week and ISRO successfully landed 🚀 Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon. What a time to be alive! Also, one of our readers Prachi pinpointed a dead link in one of my past letters. It was posted 2 months back [The Power of Outline + Early access to my mini handbook!](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/tfn7-the-power-of-outline-early-access-to-my-mini-handbook/)​ Apologies for the dead link. I have fixed it, find it here → [Data System Design](https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AErNHj%5Fikrj7fts&cid=0BD332433848B854&id=BD332433848B854%2138340&parId=BD332433848B854%2138315&o=OneUp)​ Trust me, it works now. I have double-checked it. No, triple-checked it. * * * Today, I want to address a small confusion that some of you might be having. Ever since I published the [Powerful Lean-mean Writing System for Anyone](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/powerful-lean-mean-writing-system/), my intention behind writing is two-fold: - To inspire people to write - To make them feel: “*Yes, I can”* Now, that agenda is no longer hidden. ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/hidden.gif?resize=221%2C221&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-23-212411.png?resize=409%2C372&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-23-210117.png?resize=429%2C115&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-23-210816.png?resize=659%2C89&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-23-211046.png?resize=317%2C67&ssl=1) [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN#14: 📚 My Swades movie moment and reading roundup URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/08/18/tfn14-f09f939a-my-swades-movie-moment-and-reading-roundup/ Date: 2023-08-18 Description: A personal Swades movie moment on a crowded bus. Plus my curated reading roundup from around the web this week. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak August 18, 2023 | 1 minutes to read I won’t lie, dear reader. 5 days back, I had thought I will write this week’s newsletter on the go. While traveling. I tried typing the first draft in a crowded local bus on my way to a project I recently undertook. After a very long time, I traveled in *this* crowded bus. Reminded me of Swades moment. ![sdd_1481967795_725x725.jpg](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tkwVjiL2WnM6sb9P2ZThes/6JGSq7PTXq8ZMyhvhkDwPX) [![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-17-194829.png?resize=601%2C103&ssl=1)](https://world.hey.com/dhh/360-degrees-of-phony-back-patting-ec915f47) [![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-17-194901.png?resize=399%2C49&ssl=1)](https://nealstephenson.com/why-i-am-a-bad-correspondent.html) [![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-17-194940.png?resize=678%2C286&ssl=1)](https://archive.ph/q1cGg#selection-81.0-81.72) [![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-17-195021.png?resize=633%2C152&ssl=1)](https://www.nishantmittal.in/post/why-uber-ola-drivers-cancel-trips-economic-analysis) [![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-17-194754.png?resize=779%2C104&ssl=1)](https://spectator.org/what-price-beauty/) [![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-17-195125.png?resize=453%2C154&ssl=1)](https://www.porchlightbooks.com/blog/changethis/2012/we-are-all-artists-now) [![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-17-195201.png?resize=511%2C159&ssl=1)](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/04/opinion/middlemarch-college-fame.html) [![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-17-195249.png?resize=606%2C67&ssl=1)](https://world.hey.com/dhh/actions-beat-arguments-2aa1da34) [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN#13: 🟩 Challenge by choice: inviting people to set their own mark URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/08/11/tfn13-f09f9fa9-challenge-by-choice-inviting-people-to-set-their-own-mark/ Date: 2023-08-11 Description: Learn the ‘challenge by choice’ method from Dead Poets Society. Discover how letting people set their own marks transforms motivation. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak August 11, 2023 | 1 minutes to read So dear reader, the last few days have been quite testing for me. I guess this is the season of flu and other diseases across the globe. I hope you and the people around you are well. Anyways, have you heard about this beautiful 1989 movie named Dead Poets Society? If you have, you would remember this scene: ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/1.png?resize=485%2C272&ssl=1) ![](https://i1.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2.1-1024x576.png?ssl=1)![](https://i1.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2.2-1024x576.png?ssl=1)![](https://i1.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2.3-1024x576.png?ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-08-08-114621.png?resize=509%2C452&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/artyoung_treesatnight7-3.jpg?resize=191%2C300&ssl=1) [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN#12: 🟦 5 things Photoshop’s Firefly update tells us, even if we don’t use it URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/08/04/tfn12-f09f9fa6-5-things-photoshops-firefly-update-tells-us-even-if-we-dont-use-it/ Date: 2023-08-04 Description: Photoshop’s Firefly AI reveals 5 crucial lessons: skill alone won’t matter—imagination and real-world understanding matter more. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak **Dear reader, can you carry out some “Find & Replace” in your head?** **In the headlines below, find the word “calculators” and replace it with “AI”.** *“Digital Calculators Threaten Traditional Math Skills!”* – The New York Times, 1972 *“Calculator Invasion: Will It Put Accountants Out of Work?”* – The Wall Street Journal, 1975 *“School Boards Divided: To Ban or Embrace Calculators in the Classroom?”* – Los Angeles Times, 1978 *“Human Error vs. Calculator Accuracy: Who Can You Trust?”* – Chicago Tribune, 1980 *“Are Hand-Held Calculators Dumbing Down the Next Generation?”* – The Guardian, 1983 *“Calculator Boom Fuels Concerns of Job Displacement in Accounting Sector”* – Financial Times, 1987 *“Calculators: A Blessing or a Curse for Small Businesses?”* – Entrepreneur Magazine, 1990 * * * Now they sound familiar, right? History has only one function: to repeat itself. While many things have been written about AI in the past few months, some significant developments have begun taking shape. And I think it is important to cover their meaning for the knowledge worker like you and me. ### Firefly update Two months back, Adobe released its Firefly update to Photoshop. See for yourself. Soon, people without any real Photoshop skills, started floating around their edits. See this one: > It took me 20 seconds to plop a hippopotamus next to the Golden Gate Bridge. Adobe has built its Firefly generative AI tool straight into Photoshop, and it’s a big deal. The beta is out today.[#AI](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#Adobe](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Adobe?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#Photoshop](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Photoshop?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#Generative](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Generative?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#hippo](https://twitter.com/hashtag/hippo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/QlKcglbcjs](https://t.co/QlKcglbcjs) > > — Stephen Shankland (@stshank) [May 23, 2023](https://twitter.com/stshank/status/1661004117337309186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Now, this is similar to DALL E-2, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, or that type of model. But what’s significant is, this: Adobe, the world’s one of the most prominent software developer companies, added an AI feature to their highest-sold proprietary software: Photoshop. The AI is to stay and provide value. Adobe’s Photoshop is not some startup offshoot or novel product. It’s not an experiment. It is an established enterprise software, used by millions of knowledge workers across the globe. So, when it gets an AI upgrade, we have to reflect. ### 5 takeaways **1\. Skill is no longer the lone, deciding factor** If there was any mathematics or law-related AI update, we wouldn’t be talking about it. Because it is not easy to relate to it. But this, Photoshop update is easy to access and relatable. We can see the changes in the demo video and understand what is going on. Similar updates are coming for every software we use: Microsoft Office, Google Docs, Video editors, and PC OS. Knowing how to operate software and mastering it used to be the only deciding factor until now. Other factors are added, as discussed in point-2 to 5. **2\. Getting out computer screens** If you looked closely at the demo video that I shared at the beginning, two interesting things happen. The Photoshop user selects the area where the changes are needed. If the user doesn’t know where the yellow stripes should be added or the red arrow, using the AI-enabled software is useless. Similar matter for any other AI-enabled software. It may help you write a good advertisement, but how do you know what theme, tone, and words to prompt in the software and choose the best draft? We have to get out of our computer screens and get in touch with the real world. And observe. The better your touch with reality, the better your work in any given field. **3\. Imagination is the *de facto* requirement** When I saw the Firefly update’s demo clip, I loved it how they added a red arrow in the alley. That’s imagination. I see more and more parents robbing their children of their imagination. To make them more scientific and rational, what they miss is: people shape their reality in their fondest imagination and manifest them. You have to let your imagination loose. The widely successful text to image generator Midjourney’s prompt code to generate the images starts with “Imagine/”. That’s not a coincidence. **4\. Intuitive understanding is more important than ever** Looking at something and grasping all the possibilities without any conscious processing, is highly important. This quality has guided humans until now. Inculcating this understanding is no longer optional. To produce remarkable work, the world will require value from our supercomputerish brains more than ever before. **5\. Succinct articulation in English** The growth and evolution of the internet in this part of the world have created a heavy dependence on the English language. If you are to play an effective role in your AI-enabled work, your chances are better if you hone your English language skills. Because the models are based on English language material, the more specific service you want from the AI models, the more specific your English writing has to be. The AI revolution is here and now it is consolidating its gains. Let’s wait and see how it changes our work. **NOW YOU.** What are your takeaways from Adobe’s Firefly update? **Hit Reply** and tell me. * * * **Reads of the week:** My past few days have been away from digital screens, hence only one recommendation for this week: [How To Think For Yourself](http://paulgraham.com/think.html): Paul talks about his ideas on independent-mindedness. What does it take to think without anyone’s influence? What drives that quality and how you too can inculcate it? Liked this? Stay tuned with The Friday Newsletter: [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN#11: Highlight and take notes from any website, like a pro⚡ URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/07/28/tfn11-highlight-and-take-notes-from-any-website-like-a-proe29aa1/ Date: 2023-07-28 Description: Take notes and highlight from any website like a pro. Discover the powerful Chrome extension that organizes all your online research. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Dear reader, for years, I have struggled to organize whatever I read online. There is no single app/software that can solve all of my reading material in one place. Now that I read a variety of things on a regular basis — especially on a PC — I needed a useful extension that would take care of most of my online reading. * * * I have been using a free highlighting and note-taking extension for half a year now. It is working like a charm, so I thought to share it with you. ### Important features When I’m reading on a PC, I look for these three important features in any note-taker: - Adding thoughts: Also called note-taking. While reading, I want to comment on a specific portion of the text. You know the way we write in the margins of the books. I have tried many different software, but the major flaw is that I have to switch to some other screen or make sure I’m logged in and all that hassle. That’s a dealbreaker. I can’t keep up that practice. I don’t want to leave my current reading screen. - Tagging: I think I have covered this problem a guide that I’m writing right now. What’s the point of all notes and highlights if you haven’t organized them properly? I want to easily categorize whatever I highlight and note in different tags. For example, #business #marketing #culture #tech #management #writing - Context recall: It is helpful if the original source is easily trackable for each highlight and note. Suppose, I have marked five sentences in a 1000 words article. When I read it one month later, it would be helpful if I can just click on a link and visit the source to read the whole paragraph to get the context. ### [Web Highlights Extension](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/web-highlights-pdf-web-hi/hldjnlbobkdkghfidgoecgmklcemanhm) This extension works on most websites: news, social media, pdfs, research journals etc. Similar to any Google Chrome extension, it runs in the background. ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/image-0.png?resize=434%2C144&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/image-1_.jpg?resize=298%2C430&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Video-1.gif?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/image-3.jpg?resize=719%2C47&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/image-4.png?resize=608%2C303&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/image-5.png?resize=319%2C425&ssl=1)Side panel close-up ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/image-6.jpg?resize=388%2C264&ssl=1) [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN#10: Change your mind about this and 💪🏻10x your judgment URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/07/21/tfn10-change-your-mind-about-this-and-f09f92aaf09f8fbb10x-your-judgment/ Date: 2023-07-21 Description: The 10th edition explores how changing your mind can 10x your judgment. Drawing insights from Atlas Shrugged to level up decisions. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Dear reader, thank you so much for sticking around and reading this letter week after week. This is the 10th edition of this letter. When I started, I didn’t know I will continue for even 10 days! But thanks to your support, looks like this will go on for a while. * * * 10th edition, 10x better decisions: That’s the theme. A few weeks back I finished reading a masterpiece named [Atlas Shrugged](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/reading-list-new/7/) by Ayn Rand. ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/59.jpeg?resize=166%2C250&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Screenshot-2023-07-19-180637.jpg?resize=520%2C181&ssl=1)A tiny, representative knowledge tree displaying few major categories of knowledge ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/dR5aQd7Vt8tg9gXXYqjr-1-e2loi.jpg?resize=223%2C223&ssl=1)Face generated using: ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Screenshot-2023-07-19-183704.jpg?resize=562%2C501&ssl=1) [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN#9: Do you look at the keyboard while typing? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/07/14/tfn9-do-you-look-at-the-keyboard-while-typing/ Date: 2023-07-14 Description: Do you stare at your keyboard while typing? Discover why touch typing matters and how keyboard bumps guide your fingers to speed. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak July 14, 2023 | 1 minutes to read Do you remember — the speed of your nod would reveal your age 😀— when there used to be courses on ‘typing’? Type classes, as they were known. Then we saw the personal computer revolution, so fast that ‘typing classes’ became a distant memory. In fact, film director Basu Chatterji had designed interesting opening credits for his 1975 movie ‘Chhoti si baat’. A typist lady working on a typewriter, typing out all the opening credits! ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Untitled-video.gif?resize=426%2C240&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/students-average-words-per-minute.png?resize=798%2C400&ssl=1)Reference: ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/keyboard-bumps-f-anf-j-1.jpg?resize=235%2C175&ssl=1)Reference: ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Screenshot-2023-07-11-182917.jpg?resize=559%2C296&ssl=1) [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN#8: The 7 sins we commit during Thrashing + Paul Graham’s essay that I loved URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/07/07/tfn8-the-7-sins-we-commit-during-thrashing-paul-grahams-essay-that-i-loved/ Date: 2023-07-07 Description: Discover the 7 deadly sins that ruin brainstorming sessions. From time constraints to idea hitchhikers, learn what kills team creativity. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak \[Dear reader\], have you been in a situation where you have to brainstorm with 4-5 other people? Even worse, a room full of people? It may have been related to anything. From organizing a workshop to designing a project. Yes? * * * Great, you will empathize with me on what I’m saying. There are situations where you need to become an idea machine. And same goes for your colleagues/friends. Somebody takes up all these people, put them in a room, and asks them to thrash for ideas. Initially, I used to enjoy this process, but soon, I realized it was not going anywhere. There is a pattern of sins to all planning phases in most work situations. Such as: 1. **Too less time** The group tries to conduct the thrashing session, and before they finish, their time is up. The day has ended. The group would feel, if we had *just little bit more time*, we would finish for the day. 2. **Need too much time (= too much complicated)** Similar to the point-1, but the group feels *“who thought we could do this in just a day? It would take at least a week!”* 3. **Urgency** This type of situations: *“We needed this solution yesterday, you have half a day to come up with the first draft.”* 4. **Idea repetition** When group members unintentionally repeat each other’s ideas with similar or same versions. 5. **Airtime Dracula** The group is hijacked by a Dracula whose sole purpose is to get maximum airtime. No meaningful contribution. 6. **Idea Hitchhikers** These hitchhikers rarely speak, and when they speak, they say something like: *“I agree with Akshay, I was thinking the same.”* They don’t contribute, just hitchhike their way to the end of the meeting with fake engagement. 7. **Futility** Where the group thinks *“but what’s the use of this thrashing sesssion? We know they won’t be realized.”* Of all the seven sin patterns, I believe the seventh one to be the most profound one. Because it is not linked to your team members’ temperament. But rather, the organization’s functioning. It is a symptom of something not being right. When would people in your organization start believing that “no matter what my idea, it doesn’t matter. It is futile to pitch.” In my experience, there may be a combination of different reasons: - People would have seen that their ideas will be **eventually overturned** by their seniors. - They know from their experience that six months into the execution of their collective ideas, some seniors would use a **wild card** to implement their own idea, discarding all the previous work. - Probably, they would have observed a pattern of not seeing their project living **beyond the ideation phase**. For whatever reasons. - The group would have been composed of **obsequious people**, with the sole agenda of pleasing someone. The thinking individual would find it futile to even try. - The group may find it futile not because their ideas won’t be implemented, but because they won’t receive **due credit**. Many sensitive individuals want to refrain from contributing in such an environment. ### So, what should we do? You already know the answers. Because they’re part of common sense to anyone. The difficult part: it is tough to implement in an organization. So, let me lay them out here because the importance of this common sense doesn’t decrease. 1. **Too less time** Plan for double the time than your estimated ideation time. Actual thrashing time = 2 x (estimated thrashing time) 2. **Need too much time (= too much complicated)** When it takes too much time for people to thrash, check two things: - Are you trying to ideate on a matter that is too complicated to complete in a single sitting? If yes, provide gap days with sufficient time for the creative process. - The matter under ideation may be easy, but it may have several pieces. Again, the solution is to distribute ideation over several days in small chunks. Same as people train in a gym: exercise – rest – exercise – rest – exercise 3. **Urgency** If the organization was in such an urgency, there won’t be any thrashing hour. So, is it urgent enough to have ideas produced, feasibility-tested and approved in a short time? Your answer to this question would tell you what to do. 4. **Idea repetition** This happens due to either of two reasons: - The participants are mentally absent and not registering that the idea has already been suggested. There is no general prescription to fight the attention deficit, however, not holding a thrashing session in the afternoon is useful. - The participants are unable to differentiate between similar ideas. This problem cannot be eliminated in its entirety, but you can cultivate clear thinking by promoting writing on a daily basis. Refer to the guide on [my powerful lean-mean writing system for anyone](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/powerful-lean-mean-writing-system/). 5. **Dracula** Airtime Dracula problem is combination of many different problems. Let’s call it a facilitation problem. Having a strong facilitator mostly solves this problem. 6. **Hitchhikers** You can deal with idea hitchhikers with a combination of facilitation strategy and accountability. I prefer interacting with such hitchhikers in a one-on-one session. Trying to understand their reasons behind low engagement. Sometimes, providing lone space or low pressure to highly introverted types helps getting useful input from them. 7. **Futility** Solution to this problem requires more work. But it is not impossible. - Check whether it is a perception problem. If it is a perception problem, track down the root from where the perception took its hold and work to nullify it. For example, if you find a couple of scattered incidents that have provided this perception that it is futile to contribute ideas, actively work to make it visible and erase the perception. - If it is not a perception problem, it may be cultural and group problem which requires “show, don’t tell” strategy. If you start announcing “we value ideas, please come forward”, it is ineffective because the reality is different. There is no choice but to mend your practices so that you don’t have to tell. The work would show itself. That’s a wrap for this topic. **NOW YOU.** What annoys you most during thrashing sessions? Do you want to share any secret tip that always works? **Hit Reply** and tell me. I will compile and share everyone’s tips to all readers. * * * **Reads of the week:** 1. [How To Do Great Work](http://paulgraham.com/greatwork.html) Paul is back with his peculiar long essay. It took me almost 2 hours to finish reading this essay. Of course, including note-making. 2. [We Are All Artists Now](https://www.porchlightbooks.com/blog/changethis/2012/we-are-all-artists-now) “This isn’t a manifesto for other people. This is a manifesto for you. It’s a manifesto for anyone who has been overlooked or brainwashed or seduced into being invisible.” 3. [Taking Affection Back](https://www.profgalloway.com/taking-affection-back/) Professor Galloway talks about today’s culture and the issue of we’re not bringing up enough economically and emotionally viable young men. What I liked was he outlines suggestions other than the trite “let men cry”. Such tokenism doesn’t change society for better. Found this helpful? Sign-up for The Friday Newsletter by clicking this button: [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN#7: The Power of Outline + Early access to my mini handbook! URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/06/30/tfn7-the-power-of-outline-early-access-to-my-mini-handbook/ Date: 2023-06-30 Description: The outline is your secret weapon to finish any project. Get early access to a mini handbook on data system design that actually works. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Finally dear reader, I finished working on a handbook that’s ~50 pages long. And now it is ready for download! So, I thought to cover the main technique of outline in today’s letter. This technique helps me complete all the projects that I take on hand. Also, as a token of our relationship, you’re getting early access to this mini handbook. It’s a gift. I hope you find it interesting. 🤫 And Shhhsssh! The rest of the world will get it next week. Click on the following image to download it, read it, and share it. [![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/The-Insiders-Notes-on-Data-System-Design_mockup-Bhagyesh-Pathak.png?resize=560%2C469&ssl=1)](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/06/30/tfn7-the-power-of-outline-early-access-to-my-mini-handbook/get.bhagyeshpathak.com/datasystem) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pexels-anete-lusina-4792491-Copy.png?resize=420%2C280&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Outline-1.jpg?resize=474%2C134&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Outline-2.jpg?resize=373%2C223&ssl=1) [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN #6: The surprising power of touch-point Maps + My fav retreat Video URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/06/23/the-surprising-power-of-touch-point-maps-my-fav-retreat-video/ Date: 2023-06-23 Description: Unlock touchpoint mapping—a simple technique used by top design firms to map every customer interaction and create better user experiences. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak So dear reader, I received voting from most of the readers on the Reads of the Week last week. Thank you so much for voting to keep the long-read suggestions on. I will keep sharing the long articles in that section. Thank you so much for voicing your opinion. * * * Last week, we discussed [why you should not shy away from considering yourself a designer](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/like-most-people-do-you-also-think-youre-not-a-designer/). In the span of a week, you’d have reflected on that idea. And if you’re still on the fence about it, today’s letter would bridge the gap in my communication. Today, I want to share a technique with you that most design firms use. Mind well, it is not a secret. But it is widely accepted that unless you have a thriving design studio, you shouldn’t bother using this technique. How stupid! ### The technique It is called Touchpoint Mapping. During the process of design, it is used: whether it is software, a mobile app, a campaign, or a workshop! The idea is to identify every touchpoint that your customer or a user comes in direct contact with. After identification, each touchpoint is discussed in detail for the planning and further design. Look at this basic framework. ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Touchpoint-Map_1.jpg?resize=1024%2C411&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Touchpoint-Map_2.jpg?resize=1024%2C403&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Touchpoint-Map-for-Exhibition-Event-1024x406.jpg?resize=1024%2C406&ssl=1) [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN #5: Like most people, do you also think you’re not a designer?🤔 URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/06/16/like-most-people-do-you-also-think-youre-not-a-designer/ Date: 2023-06-16 Description: Think you’re not a designer? Everyone designs every day. Discover why design thinking is for everyone, not just creatives. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak June 16, 2023 | 1 minutes to read I mean think about it, dear reader. If someone is working as a manager, engineer, or accountant. And we asked him for a list of 10 skills that he is proud to have. Would he include ‘design’? * * * What’s your guess? He would hand us some version of this: ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/image.png?resize=651%2C140&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/UI-job-description1.png?resize=452%2C163&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Mind-Maps-Frame-1.jpg?resize=558%2C274&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Screenshot-2023-06-13-182215.png?resize=403%2C136&ssl=1) [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN #4: Reading on social media is full of pain-InoReader URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/06/09/reading-on-social-media-is-full-of-pain-inoreader/ Date: 2023-06-09 Description: Social media is noisy with short content lifespan. Inoreader provides calm, distraction-free reading at your own pace. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Reader, do you also feel that social media — whether it is LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter — is hard to follow? I used to feel that. As I increased my engagement with social media. It is so difficult to keep up with a few of the gems that I like to read once in a while. * * * For example, I like to read [Jason Fried’s articles](https://world.hey.com/jason). I had read his books and watched his speeches, so naturally, I wanted to keep a tab on his articles. But the moment I started following him on LinkedIn, he was lost in the ocean of other few hundred voices. No matter what social media companies claim to be, their platforms are not designed to encourage reading at one’s own pace. The platforms thrive on ‘reactions’. If your article doesn’t receive X amount of engagement within Y minutes of publication, it is not good enough for their platform and is down-graded. In fact, different platforms have different content half-life, i.e. the amount of time it takes for a post to receive half of its total engagement. Look at the statistics below. Is it any wonder that your Instagram post or LinkedIn post is as good as useless after 20-24 hours? The platforms are designed to thrive on the reactions of people. And people react to newness, freshness, not stale things. At least, that’s the logic. ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/lifespan-half-life-of-social-media-posts-update-for-2023-lr-for-blg-1000x482-1.jpg?resize=697%2C336&ssl=1)A blog hosted on a website has a half-life of 2 years, while Snapchat has the least half-life ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Inoreader-rss-feed-reader.png?resize=899%2C425&ssl=1)All my reading sources are in a single window ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Inoreader-rss-feed-reader-individual-article.png?resize=1024%2C513&ssl=1)Distraction-free reading with tagging, highlighting, and sharing options [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### Life-changing method to improve decision-making URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/guide/2023/06/08/life-changing-method-to-improve-decision-making/ Date: 2023-06-08 Description: Transform your decisions with the Decision Diary method. Track choices, review outcomes, and continuously improve your judgment. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak ### Decision Frameworks Overload I’m tired of hearing about “decision models”, “frameworks”, “matrix” etc etc etc. “Charlie Munger’s secret. Do this. And boooom!” It doesn’t work. Because we’re being lazy. Mental models and frameworks don’t work on their own. The practitioner has to practice them. The way doctors have to “practice” for the rest of their lives. ### Input = Output Soo, let me set the expectation first: This method will work, if you work. This method will work, if you work. This method will work, if you work. This method will work, if you work. This method will work, if you work. ### We’re all decision-makers ## The Decision Diary \#### Click on the diary→ [![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1-724x1024.png?resize=724%2C1024&ssl=1)](https://get.bhagyeshpathak.com/decisiondiary) --- ### TFN #3: Using questions as tools URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/06/02/using-questions-as-tools/ Date: 2023-06-02 Description: Questions are tools for solving problems, not poems. Learn to use questions effectively to gain deeper understanding. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak ##### “Nooo..no..no..first, you answer me this!!” **If you were there Reader** , you’d have laughed your guts out. During a quarterly council meeting of the society, one of the uncles — you know the type who wears a tight T-shirt, heavy metal wrist-watch and a pair of sports shoes — was repeating himself “Noo…no..no..first, you answer me this!!” x 20 times. On repeat mode. I was wondering where’s the ‘off’ button on this iPod. * * * But nobody could find the ‘off’ button. And he walked out of the meeting. Furious and angry. I realized something. Whether it is this ‘trying-to-be-a-teenager’ uncle or us, we don’t use questions as effectively as we should. ### Questions as Tools If you think about it, what are ‘questions’? They’re not poems. They’re not paintings. They’re not answers. They’re tools! We invented questions. To solve our problems. To understand something with more depth. It was curiosity (*aka ‘*questions’) that prompted the man to invent the wheel and fire. ### Solving the maze But anyways, here is something that I enjoy in meetings: observing people’s questions. It is fun. Because different people use questions to get different things. Sometimes, to just get some air time. In the majority of meetings, people are trying to figure out some information. For example: if it is a sales meeting or project review meeting, people are trying to figure out how good or bad the situation is. If you’re designing a survey, your team is trying to get a set of information using questions. I had also written in the past about [a simple filter test to make your surveys meaningful](https://get.bhagyeshpathak.com/posts/bhagyeshpathak.com/a-simple-filter-test-to-make-your-surveys-meaningful)​ All this questioning is similar to solving a maze. ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Untitled-design-7.png?resize=324%2C324&ssl=1)*Generated using* [Subscribe](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### TFN #2: Nobody likes to eat ugly food OR ugly Fonts URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/05/26/nobody-likes-to-eat-ugly-food-or-ugly-fonts/ Date: 2023-05-26 Description: Think fonts don’t matter? Think again. Discover how typography shapes perception and why ugly fonts drive audiences away. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak **So, Reader**, in the **[last edition](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/a-knowledge-workers-secret-weapon-hemingway-app)** of The Friday Newsletter, we talked about how to use Hemingway App to write better. In this edition, I want to stress on the impact of right Font Type on your audience. * * * Just like most people, I used to think “What’s there in a font type? My strength is writing. I don’t need any glitter or tricks.” I was soo wrong. I will show you in a minute. ### Whom would you call? Imagine. You’re hiring a construction agency. For your office. Your assistant brings two business visiting cards for you. Look at the following cards. And in a split second, decide which one you would call first? ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Front-Revised.png?resize=300%2C177&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Front-Revised-1.png?resize=300%2C177&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/5.Sans-serif-fonts.jpg?resize=661%2C331&ssl=1)*Source:* ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Copy-of-LinkedIn-Feature-Section-Thumbnail.png?resize=300%2C157&ssl=1) ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Level-up-your-work-be-remarkable.png?resize=300%2C157&ssl=1) [Subscribe Now!](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### Powerful lean-mean writing system URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/guide/2023/05/19/powerful-lean-mean-writing-system/ Date: 2023-05-19 Description: Face a blank screen without fear. A lean writing system to help anyone write consistently without the paralysis of the blinking cursor. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak ### Imagine. There’s a gun on your head. You have to make a choice. “Time-travel to 26th April, 1984. Visit Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. And stare at its exploded core.” OR “Type out 5 pages on the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster. In 5 days.” What’s your choice? ### My choice? **Chernobyl.** I’d die staring at the Nuclear Core. But staring a **blank screen**? Noo! Wait. If I’m so afraid of blank-screens, how did I write this? Or how do I blog regularly? Luckily, I have a system. To write consistently. ### Lean-mean writing system That’s what I’m calling it. Helped my friends, family, and colleagues. Follow it. Never stare at blank screens again. ### **Step-1: Set up a platform** Unless you’re writing for your own eyes, you will need an online platform. No, don’t use [Medium.com](http://medium.com/) You don’t want a closed-system. Something that lets your writing breathe. Choose any of the following and commit: a. LinkedIn b. Substack c. WordPress Blog They are FREE. ### **Step-2: Papier extension** “out of sight, out of mind.” We are visual creatures. When you look at a delicious picture of pizza, you crave it. Apply the same rules here. [Papier extension](https://papier.app/) converts your New Tabs in Google Chrome to a blank writing space. Whatever ideas pop up in your mind throughout the day, note them. Later on, expand them in the same canvas. I complete my first draft in Papier. ### **Step-3: Hemingway app** Familiar with Ernest Hemingway’s work? No? Not an issue. Apart from being a literary genius, the world knows him as an extreme editor. [HemingwayApp](https://hemingwayapp.com/) helps you edit like Hemingway. Final draft takes place here. I aim for Grade-6 reading level. By simplifying sentences. Trimming them slim. No one likes big fat chunk of writing. ### **Step-4: Buffer** Now, this is optional. It is like schedule-send in Gmail. Write today. Send whenever, wherever. I use it because I publish on more than one platform. I create content in advance. And let Buffer push the content as per the set schedule. I do not recommend it for beginners. It will slow you down. ### **Step-5: Publish** Yes, this is a step. Getting swallowed by doubts is not new. It paralyzes me everytime I’m about to hit publish. But with time, I’ve grown used to it. Attacks are not as intense as before. **Just. Hit. Publish.** No one is going to judge you. Let me know when your first piece is out! I want to read it. Now…time for some tips. ### **Tips** - Whether it is LinkedIn, Substack or WordPress, keep your publishing platform open on your screen. All day, everyday. “Out of sight, out of mind” remember? - Write as you talk - Ignore your social media likes/comments etc. You will never win the validation game ### **More Tips** - Don’t commit to “500 words a day” type of feat. Doesn’t work like that. Write at your current capacity and slowly increase the pace - Don’t use AI tools for idea generation. Seriously. Capture your own ideas throughout the day. They don’t sound original? That’s okay What about motivation? That’s next. ### **Motivation** Once its fuel is burnt, NASA’s Saturn-V, the **most powerful rocket** in the world, loses its thrust. You too, will lose external motivation. Still, find your own little thrusters. Mine are Seth Godin’s words: “When we remove the pre (finding the pen, the paper, the notebook, the software) and the post (finding a way to publish it), it turns out that we write more often, and writing more often leads to writing better.” ### The trick is to START NOW. ## Like the guide? #### [Download this as a free PDF](https://1drv.ms/b/s!AlS4SDhDMtMLgqcBNCi-Aj7eXN0V9w?e=rHcPNM) And..while you do that, would you like to stay in the loop when similar free guides are available? Get on the list for The Friday Newsletter below. [Subscribe Now!](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc)[![powerful lean mean writing system for anyone beginner blogger copywriter tools techniques quick setup](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Powerful-lean-mean-writing-system-for-anyone.png?resize=600%2C600&ssl=1)](https://1drv.ms/b/s!AlS4SDhDMtMLgqcBNCi-Aj7eXN0V9w?e=rHcPNM) --- ### TFN #1: A knowledge worker’s secret weapon: Hemingway App URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/05/19/a-knowledge-workers-secret-weapon-hemingway-app/ Date: 2023-05-19 Description: Hemingway App makes writing clear and bold. Check readability scores, eliminate passive voice, and simplify complex sentences. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Earlier this week, I published a [Powerful lean-mean writing system for anyone](http://bhagyeshpathak.com/guides). Based on my readers’ overwhelming response, expanding more on the free Hemingway Tool I had covered under step-3 of the guide. * * * We’re all writers. Whether you write text messages, emails, presentations or business reports. You’re a writer. Writing is not natural. We learn to write. We acquire it. Which means, we can improve it. We don’t need dedicated teachers, software is just fine. One such software is [Hemingwayapp.com](http://hemingwayapp.com/) It is free and powerful. ### The Aim Your aim is to stop using side-wheels. What I mean is, writing with software is like having side-wheels when you learn to cycle. Over time, you gain balance and that’s it! ### How I use it Once my first draft is ready, I go to [hemingwayapp.com](http://hemingwayapp.com/) ​ ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Hemingway-app-home-screen.png?resize=1024%2C538&ssl=1)Hemingway App’s Default Home ScreenThen I copy-paste my draft in this window. I focus on three things: 1\. Reading level: Hemingway uses an algorithm to calculate how easy it is to read the text. The lower the grade, the easier it is to read. I aim for grade-6. That’s the level of most of my articles. The grade changes as you edit your text in Hemingway. The trick is to write simple and short sentences. 2\. Passive voice: I wish the school had taught us to minimize passive voice. No worries, that’s why the software. Passive voice makes our writing weak. 3\. Hard-to-read sentences: There are many reasons behind difficult sentences. When you’re not a native speaker, you may jumble things in your head. And come up with a difficult sentence. Hemingway will draw your attention. Avoid using ornamental words. Replace them with simple words. No one in the history of mankind has seemed “intelligent” by using difficult words. What’s the point if the message can’t reach people. ​​ ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Hemingway-app-readability-score-passive-voice-hard-to-read-sidebar.png?resize=187%2C441&ssl=1)Hemingway App’s Sidebar### Let’s try a sample Look at reading-level of [McKinsey’s 2021 year in review report](https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/featured%20insights/mckinsey%20global%20surveys/mckinsey-global-surveys-2021-a-year-in-review.pdf)’s intro paragraphs. ​ ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Hemingway-app-screen_sample-2_difficult-reading-level.png?resize=1024%2C538&ssl=1)McKinsey’s Introduction Readability Level: Post-graduateAnd now compare it with GrowthX’s founder Abhishek Patil’s recent LinkedIn post’s score. ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Hemingway-app-screen_sample-1_easy-reading-level.png?resize=1024%2C538&ssl=1)*Abhishek’s Readability Level: Grade-6*Abhishek understands that his audience requires easy-to-read text. It needs to be easy to access. While McKinsey & Company has a tiny audience that [appreciates jargons](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/jargon-guys-my-personal-algorithm/). They would find this difficult version just fine for them. Context matters. Always. That’s it for this week. Try this tool. See you next Friday. * * * **Reads of the week:** Two articles that I found interesting this week: 1\. [Actions beat arguments](https://world.hey.com/dhh/actions-beat-arguments-2aa1da34)​ 2\. [I want to lose every debate](https://sive.rs/led) Found this helpful? Sign-up for The Friday Newsletter by clicking this button: [Subscribe Now!](https://sisyphus-notes.ck.page/8a143eebbc) --- ### Peel those peas URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2023/03/01/peel-those-peas/ Date: 2023-03-01 Description: The dollar value of time mindset is robbing you of joy. Discover why peeling your own peas matters—and how to find balance. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak “The dollar value of my time.” I don’t remember exactly when I came across this thinking pattern. And somewhere I adopted it. Initially, not in my day-to-day life. But mostly on the work front. It helped me in setting my priorities. It still does. But something unexpected began to take place. It started percolating my other areas of life. Family, relationships, hobbies, etc. It also started affecting my purchasing behavior. For example, I would opt for frozen peas over fresh peas. Because peeling peas once in a while didn’t justify the dollar value of my time. My time was too precious. You can understand similar instances in my relationships. There are several problems with adopting this thinking pattern. We end up robbing ourselves of satisfaction, joy, and connection. A very simple act of eating is not just some routine exercise that we need to get over in minimal time. By saving a few minutes in vegetable preparation. Eating is a ritual that connects us with our physical selves. The machine that helps us exist. The pre and post of eating counts. The dollar-value thinking pollutes this ritual. No wonder we end up mentally unsatisfied with the tastiest of food options available at our fingertips. The peas don’t matter. Their freshness doesn’t matter. As much as the process of how we got them on our plate matters. So, yes peel those peas. Of course, I still believe in this thinking pattern when it comes to business and work. I still stand by my thoughts in these past posts: 1\. [A Thousand Dollar YES](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/a-thousand-dollar-yes/) 2\. [A Strange Paradox: Saying NO to say YES](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/a-strange-paradox-saying-no-to-say-yes/) 3\. [The Race Against Time](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/the-race-against-time/) 4\. [What Are Our One-Foot Leverage Points?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/what-are-our-one-foot-leverage-points/) Also, [here is Naval Ravikant talking about time’s value](https://youtube.com/shorts/-GOpG3eeyAM?feature=share). He is inspiring and an original thinker, but, I would pass on this one. Sorry. --- ### The death of uncertainty URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2023/01/31/the-death-of-uncertainty/ Date: 2023-01-31 Description: Our obsession with certainty is killing creativity and joy. Discover why embracing uncertainty leads to breakthrough ideas. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak It is funny how certain we feel when we promote a product on Facebook, Instagram, or Google. We think “hmmm, I have checked all the boxes and now the technology will do the work.” And indeed, technology does its work. Our expectation is met. Our love for certainty increases with each such experience. We hit “send” on WhatsApp and we know whether the message is delivered. The blue tick has done more harm than good. So, why this fascination for certainty? In essence, it is our attempt to control the pain around uncertainty. Even experiences such as leisure are planned to their micro details. Sucking out fun and the element of surprise from it. It is as if we are scared to confront the uncomfortable. The feelings of anxiety, euphoria, elation, or adrenalin seem to be overwhelming for us. We are in constant search for assurances of our decisions. Our every move. Whether in relationships or work, we are bombarded with the stress of getting it right. Not making a mistake. Getting that makeup, that recipe, or that workshop right. Planning, planning, and planning to death. We have taken the idea that man is the maker of his own destiny to an extreme. We have ruled out the role of a greater element of the unknown. “The invisible hand”, the variable that we can’t factor in. And yet, it is this invisible hand, that affects our results. While we work on creating perfect experiences for our tribe, it is a disservice to think of our models as the last truth. It is the spontaneity that gives rise to new ideas. No revolutionary idea was ever conceived through the tried-and-tested protocol. --- ### Why I don’t resort to Euphemisms URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/11/21/why-i-dont-resort-to-euphemisms/ Date: 2022-11-21 Description: Euphemisms create trust gaps and suppress truth, letting people shrug off responsibility. See why direct language builds stronger relationships. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak A year back, I wasn’t aware of this tendency of mine. But as we learn new terms, they give us ideas. So what’s a euphemism? It is a mild or pleasant word or phrase that we use instead of one that is unpleasant or offensive. Kind of a sugar-coated thing. Have you noticed your manager or your friend using the word “area of improvement” when they actually wanted to say “weakness”? OR Did you read the word “furlough” when companies started firing people during the Covid-19 pandemic? If you ask the people who use euphemisms, their common response is: “to soften the blow”. Soften the blow of what? Words? When we use euphemisms, we create a gap in trust. We leave the other person second-guessing even when we genuinely compliment them. I see the usage of euphemism as a failure on part of the speaker. It’s a sign that a healthy relationship is lacking. We have built our culture to throw off responsibility. The promotion of euphemism is nothing but freeing people from their efforts. I have to work hard to establish trust, transparency, and accountability. But sometimes, people resort to euphemisms for other purposes. Nancy Kleinbaum had written that the primary purpose of language is “to woo women”. That’s true. But an even more powerful purpose is to use it as a political tool. Euphemism is a political tool if you think about it. Otherwise, why would the media outlets use “furlough” during covid and the recent startup cost-cutting but use “fire” while describing Elon Musk’s cost-cutting at Twitter? The point is, euphemisms let people shrug off responsibility, suppress the truth, and make people helpless. All of which I see as detrimental effects when it comes to human connections. --- ### If you didn’t process it, it doesn’t count URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/10/05/if-you-didnt-process-it-it-doesnt-count/ Date: 2022-10-05 Description: If you didn’t process it, it doesn’t count. Structured reflection is essential for effective outcomes—experiences are incomplete without processing. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak How many times do we feel our efforts were not effective enough? For example, you conducted some activities with your students, employees, or the management team. People loved it. Or at least, that is what they said. And yet, you see the same patterns in their behaviour. No change. In another example, you had assembled a team for getting user feedback on your software. The team returns with a huge chunk of feedback data. Soon you struggle to find anything useful in it. Something solid that is worth converting into action. Or your organization wants to help its people grow. You hire an external consultant to design a training program and performance management. Two years into execution, your team can’t figure out why people do not want to be helped, retained or promoted. No matter what kind of industry you are in, you are always trying to be more effective than you were yesterday. When we find ourselves in the abyss of ineffectiveness, it makes us feel incompetent, unworthy and unsure of our capabilities. While those feelings are natural, the truth is that all of us are competent. Competent enough to improve over time. I come across such ineffectiveness in my and other people’s work regularly. One of the things that I have noticed lacking is processing. Yes, processing. A structured reflection. In experiential education, processing is an important part. An experience is incomplete, ineffective and subpar in meaning if it is not processed. Especially if the experience was designed to impart a specific set of outcomes. Processing is an intentional act. To help the learner we have to process what they have gone through. It requires a high degree of preparation and openness. In our case, the learner is a student, a user, a customer, a teammate, or an audience group. Simply put, if your team gathers a huge chunk of feedback data, but in absence of a processing framework, the data is not going to be much useful to you. In fact, the processing framework would guide the team on what to ask and look for in the first place. Processing may mean different things for different people. For different fields. Think of processing in terms of cooking. We have our recipe ready as the means to process raw vegetables and ingredients to prepare our meals. That’s processing. It is intentional. You have to plan out your ingredients and raw material BEFORE you start cooking. It means unplanned, spontaneous processing is less likely to be effective. And yet, so many organizations and individuals fail to process their efforts. When we deal with systems comprised of humans, adding more resources isn’t always the right answer. It increases complexity. The relationship between resources and effectiveness is not linear. Did you spend thousands per head for training your people? Good. That’s generous. Did you process different parts of the training with your people? – How did they feel? – Was it something they were looking for? – If they hadn’t asked for it, what made you choose for them? – What were their personal takeaways from the training? – Do they feel empowered after the training? – Which parts bored them to death? If your mental response to these processing questions was “who is going to tell me the truth, huh!?”, then you have deeper things to be concerned about. For other industries, replace the training example with your own effort example. The bottom line is this: if you didn’t process it, it doesn’t count. --- ### Not just another conversation URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/09/22/not-just-another-conversation/ Date: 2022-09-22 Description: A good diagnostic conversation uncovers problems before designing solutions. Hold bias-free conversations—focus on the process. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak In my previous piece, I talked about why I stopped presenting and started conversing. But what kind of conversation? Chit-chat? Small talk? Philosophical drag? NO. A diagnostic one. Unassuming. Bias-free conversation. A good medical practitioner doesn’t cut open a patient based on his instinct. Instead, the first step is talking to the patient. Understanding his problem. Corroborating his judgement with supporting evidence. And ultimately deciding the best approach forward. This is why we have to hold a conversation BEFORE we start designing a solution. So, how to hold an effective conversation? In my experience, these are good points to keep in mind: (1) It’s not about you: getting out of the equation should be the first step while holding a conversation. We are not there to assert our credentials and past knowledge. Every challenge is unique. (2) “Can you tell me more about it?”: this almost always works. You will be surprised by finding how much more people are willing to share when you ask this. You understand their challenges better. It is not a trick question. It shows your genuine interest. (3) Crazy focus on the process: the devil lies in the details of the process. Most of the problems have roots somewhere in the chain of process. The conversation is a tool to reach that tool. (4) “What’s your vision?”: an effective solution is useless if it doesn’t align with the vision. A wholesome conversation helps us translate the organization’s vision in our head, as it is. (5) Past failures: oftentimes, you may be not the first person to be onboarded to solve the challenge. It is always a good idea to ask about the past mistakes of different people. What they missed out on. Reinventing a wheel is in no one’s interest. If you carefully go through these pointers, you will realize none of these is practised during a presentation. Presentations are by-default, just presentations. The dominant corporate culture has failed to educate. Too much glamour and too little education lead to practices that are out of touch with reality. Conversations are here to stay. They’re in there for a long haul. And that PowerPoint we had made a year back? Well, whose life was changed by it? --- ### Why I stopped presenting and started conversing URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/09/16/why-i-stopped-presenting-and-started-conversing/ Date: 2022-09-16 Description: Presentations boost ego and render us opaque to feedback. Replace the big reveal with conversation to forge understanding. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Not because I got bored of presenting or because it was time-consuming. Like every other public speaker, I love presentations. Pitching a new idea. New solution. Getting the “Aha!” moment from the audience. It makes me feel accomplished. The growing anticipation, the next visual on the screen. The first look, you know. All that. I realized that the act of presenting boosts our ego makes us more attached to the work and renders ourselves opaque to feedback. Makes us deaf. Deaf to criticism. To improvement. To our customer. And this is not only true for public presentations. Private presentations too. When you pitch your idea to your boss or a colleague, it is also a presentation. The idea of withholding a development for someone else to see/validate until it is fully developed is fun. But in long term, it has more downsides than upsides. When you wait for the right day to reveal your idea, this happens: – You fantasize about the other person’s/audience’s reaction. – You miss out on spending enough time understanding the other party’s needs. – You over-invest yourself. – You get attached to the outcome. Letting go of the tendency of a hyped-up presentation serves us two purposes: – It teaches us to detach. – It forces us to focus on what matters. Sure, like a magician, it provides satisfaction reading the audience’s eyes full of surprise. It injects adrenaline in our blood. But, it is short-lived. Replacing the big reveal moments with conversation helps in forging relationships and understanding. Something that one-to-many communication fails to nurture. So how can you figure out if someone is playing for their own satisfaction? Before most meetings and presentations, I look for signs such as: – Had I opted to be a part of the audience group? – Have they shared a substantial pre-read or references? – Are they trying to protect their big reveal moment? If the answer to any of the questions is a resounding YES, it is likely that someone is going to lose sight of the mission for their self-interest. If we are working 50% of our wakeful time, work is a spiritual quest that should help us obliterate our ego and find meaning in our actions. We need more people who stress on the conversation to solve problems. Presentations and theatrics have their own time and space. More on conversations later. --- ### The monster inside us URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/08/03/the-monster-inside-us/ Date: 2022-08-03 Description: The resistance monster feels cute but is dangerous—it flatters when you switch from consumption to creation. Your creative biggest obstacle. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak “I know that I’m a bad person. I lie, cheat, and hurt people. I’m an absolute monster!” No, not that monster. In fact, that’s not even a monster. That’s a normal human being. I want to talk about the monster that feels cute when he presents himself. He flatters us. Cares for us (or so he claims). Soothes us. Reassures us that we made the right decision by snoozing the alarm. In fact, he tells us it is not a big deal. I mean why would it be a big deal when everyone is following the trend? He acts as a soundboard. A personal consigliere. A confidant. That’s the thing about the most dangerous elements in the human psyche. It is difficult to tell the good from the evil. When you were 12 years old. You signed up for an elocution competition. But what happened on D-day? You quit. You called in sick. You hid from the world. And you promised yourself “next year”. The next thing you realize, you’re 35. Hiding in your cubicle. Fencing yourself with your computer skills. Polishing it, shining it so you don’t have to stand up. You don’t have to lead. Shy away from confrontation. From taking a stand. From giving a meaningful damn. For some of you, it may not be the elocution competition. Probably, it might be as simple as raising your hand in the classroom, or not competing with your best friend to protect his ego. Whichever decisions encouraged you to dim your light. Your expression. Were eclipsed by a cute little monster. The resistance monster. No one gets resistance while binge-watching a Netflix sitcom. Or while gorging a bucket full of fruit ice cream. Or while scrolling their smartphone. Or while mental-cooking delicious YT recipes. But the resistance monster kicks in as soon as you switch from consumption to creation. Note that again: CONSUMPTION to CREATION. Consumption is not natural to a human being. If it were natural, there was no need for marketers, advertisers and the people in between. Creation is natural to the human being. You don’t need to convince a child that going on window shopping is more fun than making sand castles. All of us are in creative professions. Some of you might be creating educational content, some of you might be managing a project, and some of you might be repairing an electronic device. Whenever you decide to tap into your humanness, remember that the cute little resistance monster will raise his head and talk you out of it. In fact, it took me two weeks to finally beat the monster and put these words out here. My monster emphasizes being perfect. And your monster? What is his favourite tactic? --- ### Developing an ear URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/15/developing-an-ear/ Date: 2022-07-15 Description: Communication platforms gave us easy voice but we gave up listening. Developing a listening attitude is essential for managers and facilitators. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak No, we’re not talking about artificial ear creation from stem cells. But a metaphorical one. The thing is, communication platforms have made it easy to voice out your mind. But every progress asks for something in return. In this case, we have given up our ears. Our eyes. Our observation skills. That is why it is essential that we acknowledge the need to develop a listening attitude—an open heart. If you’re a manager, a facilitator, or a marketer, you need to pause once in a while. Listen to what the customer is saying. Which pain points they are voicing out. It is easy to mistake social media stats to take on their face value. Not all data says something. It is we who try to weave a story around it. If you want to improve your offering, listening to the customer is the single most powerful choice you can make. --- ### A thousand dollar YES URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/14/a-thousand-dollar-yes/ Date: 2022-07-14 Description: A thousand-dollar YES costs your client significantly. Saying NO to every whim is a disservice—choose conflict over heavy cost. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak It is a disservice to the client to say YES. For their every whim and wants. A client may come up with impromptu plans for a design change, a marketing tactic or the school administration comes up with a new student competition idea. As a designer, a marketer or a school principal, your one YES can cost a thousand dollars. Not to you, but to your client. To your organization. When we say YES, we need to think about how much it costs in money. Almost all resources can be converted into their equivalent money value. Give it a dollar value and see how much damage we cause on a regular basis. “But it’s not that easy to say NO”, you may shrug off. And that’s a choice you’re making. A little bit of conflict is better than heavy cost. --- ### You will disappoint people URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/13/you-will-disappoint-people/ Date: 2022-07-13 Description: You’ll disappoint people either because you changed or didn’t change. Choose which group to disappoint—it’s your choice. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak July 13, 2022 | 1 minutes to read But these people will have different reasons. Mainly two groups: A. Disappointed because you have changed. B. Disappointed because you have not changed. We have a choice to make here. Which group to disappoint is up to us. --- ### A powerful trick to improve decision-making skills URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/12/a-powerful-trick-to-improve-decision-making-skills/ Date: 2022-07-12 Description: A decision journal records your decision story to avoid cognitive biases and improve choices. Track your reasoning over time. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Did you know that every time we narrate an experience, it changes a little bit? Over the years, the story changes completely. “So what?” you may ask. Think about this. You are investing your hard-earned money in a small amount every month. The moment you decide to invest is a crucial moment. Two reasons: 1\. You’re telling a story about that investment to yourself. 2\. You won’t remember that story after 6 months. Because it will change with time. After 6 months, you may mistake your random decision for financial success or vice versa. Due to cognitive biases. How to circumvent this? Solution: decision journal. (Here’s my journal format: ) Every time you make an investment decision, record the story that you’re telling yourself. For example: “I’m purchasing 100 units of this stock as my stock-enthusiast friend recommended it with a 20% appreciation by Q-3 results.” You can review your decisions when you redeem your investments or while checking the progress. This is a powerful tool. Not only in the area of investments. But also important life events: such as a job change. \* Why you’re opting for this new job \* Which of your problems this new job will solve for you. In essence, this tool helps you improve your decision-making skills. --- ### The moment you realize it won’t work out URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/11/the-moment-you-realize-it-wont-work-out/ Date: 2022-07-11 Description: Every day we realize something won’t work out—the moment of realization matters less than what you choose to do next. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak That’s the moment all of us come across. Every day. No matter what kind of knowledge work we might be engaged in. You enrolled a student in your after-school classes, but you know it won’t work out. You agreed to run a social media campaign for a new client, but somewhere you know it won’t work out. The moment of realization is not that important. But what is more important: what you choose to do after the realization. Do you guide the child to a better-suited after-school course? Do you redraw the terms of service with the client? Do you take any action? --- ### Is it worthy of gossip? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/10/is-it-worthy-of-gossip/ Date: 2022-07-10 Description: Gossip is an intimate act for survival—whatever idea, product or business is worthy of gossip spreads organically. Ask: is it worth talking about? Author: Bhagyesh Pathak When in 2011, Yuval Noah Harari published his bestseller ‘The Sapiens’, along with many concepts, it reintroduced the importance of gossip in the human social circle. Its primary purpose: survival. Gossip is an intimate act among a close circle of individuals. It serves as the reservoir of knowledge. Whatever idea, product or business is worthy of gossip, it spreads. It spreads organically. Barring the fake news and bad gossip, as creative professionals, we need to ask ourselves, is it worth talking about? Is it worth making a remark in your absence? If it is not, do whatever needs to be done. Then, it will be called ‘word of mouth’. --- ### Leave the books incomplete URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/09/leave-the-books-incomplete/ Date: 2022-07-09 Description: If you force yourself to complete every book, you’ll give up reading. Leave books incomplete to discover what truly resonates. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak July 09, 2022 | 1 minutes to read If you force yourself to complete every book, two things will happen: 1\. Soon, you will give up reading 2\. It will take a long time to figure out what is your type That’s also true for work. --- ### A strange paradox: saying NO to say YES URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/08/a-strange-paradox-saying-no-to-say-yes/ Date: 2022-07-08 Description: Saying NO to say YES paradox—build capacity to refuse commands and propose better ROI. Great organizations reward those who can say NO. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Every one of us needs to build the capacity to say NO. Not for ourselves. But to serve better. A bit paradoxical, huh? See, you might be a teacher, a marketer, an investment banker or a CEO. No matter what, you want to serve your customer, and your organization better. Better than yesterday. The industrial era is on the decline. We no longer need people who wait for directions. The world needs people who are clear enough to say NO to commands. And propose a better ROI. For example, suppose you’re building a marketing strategy for your client. If you say YES to everything, there are three major reasons why you might be doing so: 1\. Fear of losing the client 2\. Having no expertise 3\. Having no other clients When you look closely at these reasons, developing your capability to say NO will do miracles. Not only for you but also for your client. Good organizations want competent people. This is not an assumption, it is a fact. A cheap organization will bargain at every little decision point: price, features, timelines, responsibilities, salary etc. A great organization helps you become the best in your class: an effective teacher, a better marketer, and an insightful investment banker. Don’t fall for the trap of budget and priorities. If I’m running an organization, I want the best people. Or at least the people who have options. People who can say NO but choose to work with me. A long schooling indoctrination has made it hieratical to develop an ability to say NO. While the opposite is true in the real world. In fact, society rewards it. So, what actions are you taking to develop your capacity to say NO? --- ### Is paper disruptive technology? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/07/is-paper-disruptive-technology/ Date: 2022-07-07 Description: Paper was disruptive 3000 years ago, not anymore. The goal isn’t disruption—focus on providing 5-10X better solutions, disruption follows. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak When startup/tech enthusiasts use the term ‘disruptive’, what they mean is a 10X better solution. Refined over a period of a few years. Earlier, a 10X better solution used to take a couple of decades to develop and refine. Even a millennium. When we develop a solution keeping ‘disruption’ in mind, we fail by our own standard. Paper was disruptive technology 3000 years ago, but not anymore. The goal is not to disrupt, it is to provide a 5X-10X better solution. Disruption will take place of its own accord. --- ### What does it make them feel? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/06/what-does-it-make-them-feelefbfbc/ Date: 2022-07-06 Description: What does it make them feel—hopeful, empowered, creative? Design with empathy for bookworms, patients, parents, and children. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak July 06, 2022 | 1 minutes to read When a bookworm walks into your small book cafe. When a patient enters your operation theatre. When a tired parent knocks on the headmaster’s door. When a new fearful child enters your classroom. When a farmer visits your organic startup webpage. When a veteran reads your company and job description. Does it make them feel hopeful, empowered, creative or any noteworthy positive feeling? Then you have done a good job. If not, you know which levers to shift. --- ### What is more accurate: a table or a ruler? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/05/what-is-more-accurate-a-table-or-a-ruler/ Date: 2022-07-05 Description: No rulers are equal or accurate—interviewers may know less than their experience suggests. Don’t let compliments define your worth. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak And still, we think the table is of the wrong size. How many times do we find our values appreciated or depreciated by someone? Sometimes during a simple presentation or sometimes during a job interview. If you’re a software developer candidate, how do you know the interviewer knows more than you do? Or knows better than you do? If your answer is the ‘number of years of experience’, you’re set for grave disappointment. There are so-called experts in the market with decades of experience with no real value to provide. Zero value. On a regular basis, I converse with recruiters and freshers. If only freshers understood that their interviewers are as good as their deadlines, they could show up in a world with more confidence. At the hiring end, acknowledging the fact that there is no certainty that the ruler is as accurate as of the table’s measurement, provides an opportunity to conduct a fair and comprehensive assessment of a candidate at your door. So, the next time someone provides you with a compliment or a criticism, don’t forget that no rulers are equal. Nor accurate. --- ### We’re all facilitators URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/04/were-all-facilitators/ Date: 2022-07-04 Description: We’re all facilitators—job titles are just hierarchy codes. True leaders seek to serve, see the big picture, and look for collaborators. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak When did we decide we are not? Facilitator. Teacher. Guide. I’m using the word facilitator. Someone who facilitates an interaction. Actively or passively. It is possible to self-limit with job titles such as “Vice President”, “CEO”, and “Junior clerk”. They’re useful codes to estimate where someone is placed in a hierarchy. Beyond it, it is difficult to come up with a reason why it is useful. The best people I have worked with and for have been great facilitators. Not letting their job title come in my way. If at all, they have exercised their job title to clear any roadblocks that might have interfered with my intended role. When we understand that our role is to facilitate, three mental shifts occur: \* We start seeing things as a part of a large picture \* We start attaching to the process, not the outcome \* We start looking for collaborators, not competitors If you look closely, these three mental shifts are equally valuable in personal relationships too. The better the facilitator you are, the better the interaction. The stronger the relationship. Imagine a world full of people who seek to facilitate. Seeks to serve. I don’t see any reason why we can’t lead a content life with seven billion facilitators. --- ### Your village and villagers URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/03/your-village-and-villagers/ Date: 2022-07-03 Description: It takes a village to raise a child—and success depends on choosing your village and villagers wisely in business. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak It takes a village to raise a child. And what about a business, a project or a service? It is good to assume that success is dependent on the village and villagers. The thing is, in the case of raising a child, the village plays a passive role and parents don’t get to choose their villages. But while building an organization, if we make a mistake in choosing the village and villagers, the business suffers. You need to decide which one is your village and who you want to be your villagers. Needless to say, so do your friends and mental consumption. Mental villagers. --- ### See that empty space? Let’s fill it URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/02/see-that-empty-space-lets-fill-it/ Date: 2022-07-02 Description: Technology liberates time and mind space to fill with entertainment or meaning. The choice is ours—what will you fill? Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Technology is not here to replace us. (Read Rule no.3 in my New World Rules [here](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/new-world-rules/)) It is here to liberate us. Liberate our time. Liberate our mind space. Why to liberate us? That’s a million-dollar question. \*Liberate us to fill with entertainment? \*Liberate us to fill with 10-second TikTok? \*Liberate us to fill with early evening Booze weekends? \*Liberate us to fill with junk work? \*Liberate us for working lunch? The impact of technology on our lives is still new. We’re learning. If we’re learning, can we set our intention to use the empty time and space to fill ourselves with: \*More time for self \*More time for our relationships \*More time for artistic expression \*More time for soul-searching \*More time for anything that increases our capacity to love The choice is ours. Every time. --- ### Our inherent need to be connected URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/01/our-inherent-need-to-be-connected/ Date: 2022-07-01 Description: We have an inherent need to be connected with the right beings—thrive in live cohort-based classes where tribes form. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Whether we identify ourselves as an introvert or an extrovert, we have this inherent need to be connected with other beings. Not all beings, just the right ones. In fact, we can see first-hand that we get bored with typical MOOC courses. Because in the end, the best interaction we get is forum-based. There is no real humane exchange. But, we can see this human-to-human connection and its effects in live cohort-based classes. The tribe is created and then the tribe creates its small pockets. So why is this important? It is important if you’re managing an organization or building a product. Incorporating this connecting effect by design can do wonders. Of course, you need to gauge its weightage in your context. But more or less, it is important enough to factor into. --- ### Dusting off the glass URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/30/dusting-off-the-glass/ Date: 2022-06-30 Description: Clarity is crystal clear glass—people see through noise and appreciate commitment. Keep your vision dust-free. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Last night, I attended Y Combinator’s session on Boom Supersonic jet startup. (Boom is building a commercial Supersonic jet that will travel two times faster than today’s commercial jets. You can read more about it [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boom_Technology).) Boom’s founder Blake was showing around their testing prototype XB-1 Baby Boom at their hanger. YC’s president Geoff Ralston was conversing with Blake on the model, its build, the technology etc. One thing during the live tour and the following interview that was apparent was Blake’s clarity about Boom’s vision. His clarity was reflected in the way he was weaving each of his explanations and answers. That’s the thing about clarity. If you have it, it’s like crystal clear glass. People can see through other noise and appreciate your commitment. Today’s knowledge worker, entrepreneur, teacher or software engineer’s job is to be as clear as possible. - Why are we doing what we are doing? - Why are we not doing what we are supposed to be doing? - Where can I add the highest value? - Where are we headed? These are important questions. Most of the folks try to keep the glass dusty. The dust keeps them feel safe and comfortable and most importantly, the dust allows us to aim low. No consequences. But, many times an inconsequential life turns out to be an unhelpful life. Which kills the meaning out of life. ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/2022-06-29-2-Copy.png?resize=1024%2C528&ssl=1)Boom founder Blake Scholl (Right) provides a tour to YC’s Geoff Ralston (Left) --- ### Will a single step count? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/29/will-a-single-step-count/ Date: 2022-06-29 Description: We praise walking the extra mile but dismiss a single step. Every gesture matters equally—low standards bar trust-building. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I know you have walked the extra mile for someone and so has someone for you. That extra mile would have strengthened your relationship, developed trust and set your intentions in order. What if someone can only afford to walk an extra step? Not a mile. See, the thing with doing anything a little bit extra contains a huge level of risk. An investment that we’re unsure of. In such a scenario, setting a very high standard for someone’s gift bars us from checking the possibility of trust. I used to hold a very high standard of someone’s gift where a step didn’t account for much. It had to be significant. But, that no longer makes sense. The importance of a single step is as much as a mile. What is your standard? --- ### Believing is being URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/28/believing-is-being/ Date: 2022-06-28 Description: Believing is being—we can’t wait for existence to manifest before believing. Visionaries paint the future so clearly people can see it. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Most of us tend to believe what we see. For us, being is believing. The problem occurs when we start working on large projects. We have to believe in the project, its outcomes and its eventual being. We cannot wait for the being, the existence to manifest to make us believe in it. If your team or your customers don’t believe in your future, it is unlikely that you will manifest that being. This is where the role of visionaries comes into play. These visionaries paint a picture of the future so clearly that the listener can see the future being. That turns the non-believers into believers. As an organization or an individual, we have to make sure that we are painting the right future. A future that people can see right now. A future that people anticipate. --- ### Creating hurdles to provide value URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/27/creating-hurdles-to-provide-value/ Date: 2022-06-27 Description: Gatekeeping as business is an illusion—commerce is value exchange. Roadblocking is blackmail—true value sustains. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak That’s an illusion. You may succeed in making a fortune in the short-term by gatekeeping, but not in the long term. One may argue it is their business model. But hey, isn’t that counterintuitive? The whole idea of commerce is to provide value in exchange for money. When did we normalize the idea of roadblocking as a business? That’s more or less similar to blackmail. If you look closely at such pro-hurdle businesses, the only offering they provide is ‘access’. Access to information. Information itself is not valuable. It may translate into value. The economic machine is a tried and tested model of value exchange. In the short term, we may think we’re gaming the machine, but any business with a foundation of gatekeeping does not sustain the winds of time. --- ### Reconnecting with your original WHY URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/26/reconnecting-with-your-original-why/ Date: 2022-06-26 Description: Feeling lost? Your WHY changes with time. Keep a decision journal to reconnect with your original purpose. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak All of us feel lost at some point in our lives and career. “Why did I choose this work?” “Why did I choose this partner?” “Why did I choose this product rollout strategy?” And so on… One thing that works for me is noting my WHY early on. Writing on a paper. Seems a bit weird and nerdy. Because it is. The thing is, our mental states change with time and so does the story that we tell ourselves. It helps to ground ourselves if we can recollect what our reasons were. This practice is similar to a decision journal. Check it out [here](https://fs.blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/decision-journal_draft3.pdf). And yes, I keep a decision journal too! Once you see the power of this practice, you can’t help it. --- ### How to suffer less: in life, work or marketing URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/25/how-to-suffer-less-in-life-work-or-marketing/ Date: 2022-06-25 Description: See reality as it is, not as you expected. Gap between expectation and reality IS suffering. Embrace what is. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak June 25, 2022 | 1 minutes to read The idea is simple: learn to see reality as it is. Were you expecting a different behaviour to happen? Did it happen? Why did or didn’t it happen? What part of your thesis was correct or incorrect? This may seem like a no-brainer, but how many of us deal with our realities in this manner? Once you boil it down to reality, embracing it becomes easy. This acceptance decreases the distance between your expectation and reality = reduced suffering. --- ### Going slow to go fast URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/24/going-slow-to-go-fast/ Date: 2022-06-24 Description: Going slow to go fast—thoughtful action always outperforms expedited ones. Mistakes increase with diluted attention. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak No matter what story you tell yourself about your work, it is always an almost a good idea to go slow. Deliberately. Unless you’re working on an assembly line, thoughtful action will always outperform an expedited one. It doesn’t have a philosophical basis, but a mathematical one. The probability of making mistakes increases with the dilution of attention, practice and the addition of fake urgency. I mean we can derive a mathematical equation if we want. But, that’s not the point. Going slow requires planning, intellectual investment and long-term vision. --- ### The Hubble Moment URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/23/the-hubble-moment/ Date: 2022-06-23 Description: Launch projects repeatedly. One will become the Hubble of your industry. Small bets increase chances of monumental impact. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I’m eagerly waiting for the first full-colour images from JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) scheduled to be publicized on July 12th. If you’re unaware of it, read the Wiki article [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Webb_Space_Telescope). But I’m not talking about JWST, nor about The Hubble Telescope. I’m talking about monumental projects. Upon its launch in 1996, The Hubble Telescope was a monumental project for the entire scientific community. Even the community knew that it was going to be a game-changer. That’s the thing about the Space industry. The projects are a bit predictable. In terms of competition. It is possible to know from the start that the project is going to be relevant and monumental. But it is difficult in other sectors. In energy, material, telecom, infotech, FMCG etc, a ten-year future prediction is impossible. So, what shall we do? The only choice we have is to work on our projects. Launch them. And work on the next one. And then the next one. This practice increases our chances of producing projects that might become The Hubble of the industry. And may affect the course of discussion. Which of your project bets is going to be the next Hubble moment? --- ### Perception is everything URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/22/perception-is-everything/ Date: 2022-06-22 Description: Perception gets your cold call answered, wins jobs, and begets votes. Our brains use mental shortcuts—master them or be manipulated. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Of course, not EVERYTHING. But important enough to talk about. Perception gets your cold call answered. Perception wins you a job. Perception begets you public’s vote. Check out two different versions of the cover image of the book ‘Seven Years in Tibet’. Which of the cover images make you think that the author might have been to Tibet? ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Seven-years.jpg?resize=1024%2C728&ssl=1)Of course the left one. You don’t even need to think about choosing the left-hand side book cover. Our brains use the shorthand. An algorithm. It decides which one seems genuine. The cover designer knew about our mental algorithm and was able to evoke the perception of genuineness. It is a mistake to think that perception is limited to the field of design. Consider this: you start walking with your chest straight and shoulders back. Yes, a tweak in your posture. People will perceive you as more dominant, confident, aggressive etc. Depending on your expressions. If you can control the perception about yourself using a small tweak in your body language, imagine what conscious and unconscious signals would be at play in forming a perception. Not only perception about you, but your product, competence, brand, quality and commitment. --- ### No, you didn’t have a design problem URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/21/no-you-didnt-have-a-design-problem/ Date: 2022-06-21 Description: No, you didn’t have a design problem—it was probably an accounting problem. Look closely at what you missed. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak It was probably an accounting problem. If you thought you had worked hard, put in your best effort, and still the output was disappointing. If you’re a music composer who composed melodious music that was only tested on a limited set of output settings, no wonder the music didn’t sound melodious when you played it on your friend’s speaker. Or if you’re building an application, tested only on a limited range of smartphones, of course, it is an accounting problem when the users flag your app with a low rating. Whether you’re a literal designer, programmer or a sales executive, most of your problems are accounting ones. Look closely, what did you miss accounting for? --- ### Waiting to pass out or to be dead URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/20/waiting-to-pass-out-or-to-be-dead/ Date: 2022-06-20 Description: Waiting for the right threshold is a delusion. Thresholds expand—waiting makes us old and weak. Replace waiting with urgent action. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Threshold is not a good measure. Probably not the right one too. If you decide ‘we will act if the problem crosses so and so threshold’, you are more likely to cross that threshold. Waiting until the system no longer works. Waiting until the addiction reaches a point of no return. Waiting until the climate changes irreversibly. Waiting until our inspiration, the fire in our belly diminishes. We wait because we think there is a threshold. Waiting itself is a threshold. Imaginary one. Ever-expanding. Making us old, weak and ultimately dead. The alternative is to replace waiting with something more tangible, more urgent. Something that keeps us away from wishful thinking. --- ### How not to blindside your audience URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/19/how-not-to-blindside-your-audience/ Date: 2022-06-19 Description: Stamp your logo everywhere and become invisible. Effective marketing presents itself with permission, not interruption. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak June 19, 2022 | 1 minutes to read If you stamp your logo everywhere, you’re setting yourself to become invisible. Invisible to the eye. Effective marketing effort doesn’t overwhelm their audience. They do not pop in front of the audience when they least expect them. Instead, the effective ones present themselves in an anticipated manner. With permission. Effective marketing does the opposite of what the ineffective one does: it opens the audience’s eyes. --- ### The volatility of our patience URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/18/the-volatility-of-our-patience/ Date: 2022-06-18 Description: Our patience is decreasing and volatile—US stock holding period dropped from 7 years in 1950s to 5-7 months. See the trend. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak A year back, I had written about the volatility of our decisions. I came across an even more [interesting read](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-short-termism-anal-idUSKBN24Z0XZ) sometime back. It showcases how our patience is decreasing. In fact, it is also volatile, with a downward trend. Look at the attached graph of the shrinking period of US stocks. ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/image.png?resize=1024%2C636&ssl=1)In 1950-60s: 7 years In 1990s: 1 year In 2020: 5-7 months There are more reasons than just patience behind this decreasing holding period: namely, high short-term gain, machine-enabled trading, and commission-free investments. In any case, the overall trend showcases the state of our hive mindset. --- ### Mind before software URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/17/mind-before-software/ Date: 2022-06-17 Description: Solve the problem in your mind first, then use software. Software automates—the approach must be figured out beforehand. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I love using software products. They make life so easy. Normally, my software exploration goes like this: \*I come across a situation. Mostly problems. \*I know the manual way is lengthy. That’s the last option. \*I explore the internet. Deep dive. And..mostly I get what I look for. I’m convinced of one truth: you need to solve the problem in your mind before you do it using a software. I don’t mean to calculate 19999923/93456 in the mind. I’m talking about the macro steps. The approach. That is what we need to have figured out. Software is just a tool. Allowing us to automate. The next time your organization is deciding to run some sort of new software training, be vigilante of the participants. Some people are more adept than others. It helps in formulating training groups. --- ### What will a true EdTech look like? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/16/what-will-a-true-edtech-look-like/ Date: 2022-06-16 Description: True EdTech goes beyond digital blackboards. Brain-computer interfaces, VR, and Metaverse will finally augment learning, not replace classrooms. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak The best Edtech we had for a hundred years was a blackboard and chalk. Then, we thought “alright, let’s scale the same experience using digital tools.” We failed. Many organizations tried to position themselves as the substitute for the traditional classroom. While the better idea was to be an augmentation for learning. We need a couple of more decades for the technology to catch up. What I mean by that: – In the next 50 years: A company such as Neuralink should be able to provide a safe computer-brain interface. It will detect the user’s reflexes to provide spatial and neuro-muscular data – In the meanwhile, the VR technology will be affordable and non-intrusive. The user will find it difficult to differentiate between reality and simulated reality – Also in the meanwhile, the Metaverse would be in the phase where Facebook was in the 2010s At a medium level of sophistication, these technologies will provide the students with what we call a true EdTech experience. --- ### No longer a grocery store URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/15/no-longer-a-grocery-store/ Date: 2022-06-15 Description: Physical proximity gave direct customer sense. Now data proxies replace senses—use WHY questions to deepen understanding. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak If you’re selling fruits and vegetables in a thriving city market, you will hear and see your customers directly. This is not true for most businesses though. The people you seek to serve are not in physical proximity. But we have to keep our eyes and ears open. Physical distance is no excuse for not listening to them. With modern businesses, our physical senses get replaced by several hundred other proxy senses in form of data: - Did the customer click on the button? - Did the customer raise a ticket? - Did the issue get resolved on time? - Did the customer make another purchase? - Did the customer refer to anyone? - Did the customer give up on our product? - Did the student understand the concept? - Did the student apply the concept? - Did the student earn the grades that he wanted to? - Did the yoga student continue the yoga exercises after leaving camp? - Did the yoga student inspire any of her family members? And these were binary questions. Yes or No. Our senses become high resolution with more why, what, how, when, and which questions. For example, add WHY to the questions. - Why did the customer click on the button? - Why did the customer raise a ticket? - Why did the issue get resolved on time? - Why did the customer make another purchase? - Why did the customer refer to someone? - Why did the customer give up on our product? - Why did the student understand the concept? - Why did the student apply the concept? - Why did the student earn the grades that he wanted to? - Why did the yoga student continue the yoga exercises after leaving camp? - Why did the yoga student inspire some of her family members? These are important questions. Our customers want to be heard and seen. It is easier than ever to make them feel heard and seen. But, first, we have to put in the work. We have to set systems that act as supernatural senses. Senses that are attuned to our customers’ inner conflicts. --- ### Jargon guys: my personal algorithm URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/14/jargon-guys-my-personal-algorithm/ Date: 2022-06-14 Description: Spot real experts from jargon-spewing pseudo-experts using this 3-step heuristic. Ask why, then ask for experience. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak This is my favourite bunch. Poetic, confident, incisive. We know them as “experts”. The problem crops up when you put them to the real-life test. Most of them underperform. Or better: they’re good theorists. Universities are producing a huge number of jargon-filled experts nowadays. So, how do you identify a potential expert from the rest? I use the following heuristic: Step-1: Listen to them without interruption. Look for jargon. Do they substitute jargon when a simple word could be used? Step-2: Ask them why questions. Socratic line of questioning. Step-3: If step-2 is satisfactory, ask for their personal experience. Experience that supports their reasoning. Outcome: You will know if you have a genuine expert or a jargon guy in front of you. If it’s a jargon guy, enjoy the poems. --- ### Team-building activities by Steve Jobs URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/13/team-building-activities-by-steve-jobs/ Date: 2022-06-13 Description: Steve Jobs never ran team-building exercises. He offered a vision worth pursuing for years. The rest is corporate theater. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak You’re set for a disappointment if you seriously thought Steve Jobs conducted any team-building activity. So what he did? Made an offer that a handful of crazy ones couldn’t resist. The non-believers didn’t believe and he didn’t care. Have you listened to [Sir Jonathan Ive’s interview](https://www.realisedesign.co.uk/uk-product-design-blog/apples-english-designer-jony-ive-the-future-of-design/)? He is the former Chief Design Officer of Apple Inc. As you carefully listen to him during this 50-minute long talk, you realize the team-building activity. There is none. He is not using such platitudes during the entire interview. So what’s on offer at Apple? An offer to make a difference, to have fun and manifest your vision. The individuals had to self-organize and leave their differences aside. They had to stick around long enough for years to manifest their vision. Team-building remained just a by-product in the grand scheme of things. If we look closely, team-building activities, trust-building activities, and empathy exercises are a part of a strategic product to be sold by a certain group of people. A group of people without any accountability. Because these things are hard to measure. If I can’t measure, I can’t hold you accountable. --- ### Stauts quo, Irrationality and Economics URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/12/stauts-quo-irrationality-and-economics/ Date: 2022-06-12 Description: Organizations aren’t children—they can’t grow infinitely. Journalists pushing YoY growth expectations create cheating cultures. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak How tall can your child grow? On average, a healthy child grows at 2.5 inches per year. By this logic, the child would grow into a 10 feet tall adult. Isn’t that insane? We know it’s not true. Our body doesn’t work that way. But we forget that organizations are also like complex bodies. It is not only unreasonable but also foolish to expect them to keep growing YoY. So-called business journalists have created an atmosphere where the only indicator of success is YoY growth. Nothing else matters. Check out Felix Ritcher’s [article](https://www.statista.com/chart/7677/netflix-subscriber-growth/) on Netflix’s decrease in subscribers. The phrases that he has used are “Netflix \*suffered\* its first subscriber drop” \[…\] “make things worse”. Our language shapes the culture. It sets the expectation. When we blame emerging startup founders for adopting a growth at cost mindset, we often forget what kind of expectations we have set for them. Expectations where cheating and shortcuts are the only way to qualify. The gate-keepers of the status quo need to be identified, educated and ignored to create a culture of healthy competition. --- ### Ideas that we own URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/11/ideas-that-we-own/ Date: 2022-06-11 Description: Can you abandon an idea if it fails? Separating original ideas from borrowed ones keeps you objective and ready to pivot. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak And the ideas that we don’t own. Will you hit the kill switch on your idea, if it doesn’t work? It is important to differentiate between which are ours and which are borrowed. There are multiple reasons why it is important to differentiate: - To control our attachment to the idea and stay objective - To get generous feedback on the idea and be receptive - To improve the idea and help it grow - To manifest the idea and gift it to others - To get help without vanity - And of course, to hit the kill switch Start tracing back and you will be shocked at how little original we are. --- ### The worst robbery we carry out URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/10/the-worst-robbery-we-carry-out/ Date: 2022-06-10 Description: We rob students, children, and mentees of learning experiences when we give ready-made answers. Even with good intentions. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak It is strange to think of ourselves as robbers. I mean most of my readers are intelligent, hardworking folks. Not robbers. I’m not talking about the robbing of attention. Your attention is a gift and I cherish it. I’m referring to the robbery of experience. Not deprivation. Robbery. When a teacher tells his students “the answer is on page-34”, the teacher has robbed his students of the experience of browsing through the pages. When a parent restricts her grown-up child from cycling on a wet road, she is robbing the child’s experience of handling the slippage on road. Possibly getting a little bit hurt in the process. When a mentor provides the readymade formula to his mentees so they can finish the project on time, he has robbed them of the experience of figuring out things on their own. The experience of sitting with the anxiety of not meeting the project deadline. The most important is the anxiety of failing. We are all guilty of this act. Because we care. Because we are concerned. The trick is to strike a balance between recklessness and over-cautiousness. Whether it is your student, a child or a friend, they should feel confident to go through the experience. Knowing that they’re taken care of, regardless of the outcome. --- ### The race against time URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/09/the-race-against-time/ Date: 2022-06-09 Description: We have limited time according to Deathclock. Live as if there is a tomorrow needing your legacy and gift. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak June 09, 2022 | 1 minutes to read According to [www.deathclock.com](http://www.deathclock.com/), I have 60 more years to live. To breathe. To enjoy the human experience. You can check yours. But the deathclock is not going to show infinity. Neither it is going to show 200 years. We have a choice to make here. Either to live as if there is no tomorrow, or as if there is tomorrow. A certain tomorrow. Which needs your generous contribution. Your legacy. Your impact. Your gift. --- ### Physicians that hoard X-ray reports URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/08/physicians-that-hoard-x-ray-reports/ Date: 2022-06-08 Description: Physicians analyze and prescribe from data. Organizations hoard data—then wonder why decisions fail. Data shared is data multiplied. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Have you heard of such a physician? Me neither. Because the physician knows the importance of analyzing the X-ray report and prescribing medicine. When it comes to data, most organizations suffer from two ailments: - Lack of data - Lack of dissemination of data due to data hoarding Data, like grains, is a commodity. Whoever controls the supply, controls the bargain. Unlike physical commodities, data is not finite. The more relevant stakeholders have it, the more valuable it can be. Not less. It is natural to get attached to something that may give us pride or a sense of value. But we are not a mathematical Zero which requires a prefix. --- ### Unintentional social engineering projects URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/07/unintentional-social-engineering-projects/ Date: 2022-06-07 Description: Every engineering project reshapes society: ATMs taught unsupervised queues. Intentional design beats accidental impact. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Probably the ATM machines taught people the possibility of an unsupervised queue. All engineering projects affect a lasting change. On the society. Of course, most of them are unintentional. Sometimes it takes us decades to realize this. Few examples: - Telecom projects: changed the society’s communication pattern - Infrastructure projects: changed the society’s demographics - Transportation projects: changed the society’s supply-chain - Social media projects: changed the society’s internal dialogue - Banking technology projects: changed the society’s currency transactions - Energy projects: changed the society’s living conditions - Education projects: changed the knowledge gap - Defence projects: changed the society’s toleration threshold - Agriculture tech projects: changed the society’s consumption pattern Imagine what we can accomplish if we undertake all engineering projects with an intentional inclusion or exclusion of the social engineering part. --- ### Body of work URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/06/body-of-work/ Date: 2022-06-06 Description: Think portfolio, not resume—produce a body of work so compelling you can’t be ignored. You’ll never need to pause. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Did Pandit Ravishankar have a resume? What about Richard Branson or Carl Sagan or Steven Spielberg? Could they make a large impact because they didn’t have a resume? Or was it a conscious choice? We don’t know the answer. But we do know these great personalities produced a body of work over the years. So compelling that you can’t ignore them. They concentrated on the projects at hand. One project finished, they shifted to another. They became prolific at what they were good at. One of the ways to be remarkable at what you do is to think in terms of a portfolio and not a resume. If you do, you will not need a resume. Also, you would not require to resume as you will never pause. --- ### Data is not important, but experience is URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/05/data-is-not-important-but-experience-is/ Date: 2022-06-05 Description: Statistics don’t change behavior—experiences do. A smoker knows the numbers but needs an emotional experience to quit. Data first fails. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Can I convince you to give up smoking by telling you every year eight million deaths are related to smoking-related diseases? If you’re hard-headed like me, you’d think “sorry, I won’t be among the next 8 million, the statistics don’t work out”. This is not a space to run an anti-smoking campaign. I’m talking about data-first ideology. As the world moves toward data-centric decisions. Or at least, they think so, there is a huge mismatch between the data and the actions. It is important to cultivate a generation that doesn’t succumb to their biases and selfish motives. At the same time, it is probably more than important to cultivate an understanding of human nature. On a yearly basis, we’re producing Business Analysts and Data Scientists. They’re job roles. Trained and expected to throw data. But depending on their counterparts to make sense of the data. The only thing that has the power to change our decisions in the long run, is our experience. This doesn’t mean scheduling a cancer hospital visit in order to prove a point for a smoker. It means providing a liberating experience in our interactions with the smoker. Interactions where the emotional part is gently touched and eventually nudged to reconsider. --- ### Here we enter the 18th year of the great deception URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/05/here-we-enter-the-18th-year-of-the-great-deception/ Date: 2022-06-05 Description: BP popularized carbon footprint in 2004 to shift blame to individuals. 92% of emissions come from corporations. Shift focus where action lacks. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak While some of us torment ourselves on the eve of world environment day, a little bit of fact-check is in order. As an individual, what should be our share of the blame for greenhouse gas emissions? : 100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%, 5%? In 2020, when the world was at a standstill, the world contributed approximately 8% fewer greenhouse emissions. Just an 8% decrease. Who contributed for the rest of 92%? We know who. British Petroleum (BP) is the world’s second-largest oil and gas production company. It popularised the concept of carbon footprint in 2004. Thanks to their powerful global PR campaign. BP convinced our teachers, our children, and our working class that it was we who were responsible for the emissions. We took the blame. Definitely, we should be mindful of our life choices. But, when Google Flights shows me that my round trip is going to produce 130 kg CO2, do we ask BP how many trillion kg of CO2 they’re going to dump for every new oil rig they’re sanctioned to drill? This individual responsibility deception prevents any actionable policy-level dialogue. If my company is in financial trouble, who will face the axe first? Of course, the ones who are drawing the most amount of money. It is more sensible to save several hundred thousand by axing 5 high salary ones than 50 low salary ones. BP and the entire industry are the high volume ones. I hope that as we enter the 18th year of carbon footprint deception, we truly mature and shift the focus where the real action is lacking. I hope you find some time to read [this article](https://in.mashable.com/science/15520/the-carbon-footprint-sham) by Mark Kaufman. --- ### Jobs that need euthanasia URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/04/jobs-that-need-euthanasia/ Date: 2022-06-04 Description: Some jobs trap youth with false hope. 10-minute delivery agents need mercy killing. We must create meaningful replacement jobs. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Yes, mercy killing. We should think about many jobs that need euthanasia. While chatting with my friend the other day, we stumbled upon the situation of 10-minute delivery agents. A lot has been written, discussed and criticized about this pervasive practice by wanna-be Unicorns. I have been guilty of being on the receiving end of their services. But, here is the take: When I’m hopeless, or in this case, job-less, I will cling to the thinnest branch of hope. And that’s what some of these job roles do to the youth. They didn’t choose to enrol for this job. We have provided them with such a choice matrix where the best choice they could make was to rent out their time for almost nothing. Their mistake: not having the right guidance, the right opportunity at the right time. Which is not event their mistake. My list of jobs that need mercy killing: - 10-minute delivery agent - Spam telecaller (Credit card, broadband, domain etc.) - Valet The argument that the job provides someone bread is full of fallacy. Sometimes hypocrisy. As a society, we need replacement jobs that provide meaning and better wages. --- ### Buying air URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/03/buying-air/ Date: 2022-06-03 Description: Education is like buying air—intangible and invisible. Evaluate what intangibles schools offer: healthy competition or winning at all costs? Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I came across the term ‘useful education’. So does useless education exist in the world? Not exactly, but there is a range. Range of intangibles on offer. Useful education lives on the sidelines. It is not glamorous. You cannot grab it or seek it. It is invisible. Intangible. Useful education provides exposure to local society, culture and values that are desirable. It is worth investing time and money into. More often than not, such kind of education isn’t hyped and hence, not pricey. While not-so-useful education requires high time and monetary investment without providing useful intangibles. Their main value proposition is not intangibles, they sell skills. A new hyped school in the neighbourhood might be offering robotics, programming and music classes. But we need to find out what intangibles are on offer? Healthy competition or winning at all costs? Bullying or empathy? Pride or humility? Educational investment is more like buying air. It is invisible. Breathe polluted air for a long enough time and the lungs will suffer irreversible damage. We need to subject the air to different tests before buying. --- ### Our definitions may not match URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/02/our-definitions-may-not-match/ Date: 2022-06-02 Description: Visit any handicrafts market and you’ll see art undersold. But we can all be artists by gifting work that makes recipients feel hopeful. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Recently, I visited a handicrafts market. Classic jute items, ceramics, soaps, embroidery. You get the idea. I felt as if I was underpaying for a ceramic mug. The price was too less for so much of their efforts. If I had crafted such a mug, I wouldn’t sell it at any price. And still, the artist detaches him/herself from their creations. They gift their art at a meagre price so that the world can become a little more bright, a little more joyful. The good news is that we don’t need to start learning embroidery or ceramic painting. Or we don’t need to start purchasing from a local shop. I mean that’s great if you choose to do so. But, we can become artists by gifting our work. Yes. A kind of work that makes the recipient feel: hopeful, optimistic and trustful. Our definition of art may not match, but hey, the outcome matches! --- ### The case of hit and run stars URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/01/the-case-of-hit-and-run-stars/ Date: 2022-06-01 Description: Serial entrepreneurs who start many projects but finish none are hit-and-run stars. Filter them out—they’re good starters, not finishers. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Whenever there is a hit and run case, our blood boils. That is the right thing to feel. But I’m not talking about the hit and run drivers. I’m talking about the hit and run stars. These are a special bunch of people. They’re celebrated to have started many projects, in some cases, many companies. More often than not, it is merely a number, not a company. There is no doubt that society at large benefits from more risk-takers and ventures. But the problem arises when getting a label of serial-XYZ becomes the end, not a mean. In pursuit of this goal, individuals hit and run. No accountability for the casualty at their hands. For any project that requires dedicated time and attention, it is a good idea to filter out hit and run fellows. They’re good starters, not finishers. It is a compatibility issue, nothing more. --- ### Wanted: A captain that goes down with the ship URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/05/31/wanted-a-captain-that-goes-down-with-the-ship/ Date: 2022-05-31 Description: Organizations need captains who go down with the ship. Focus on hiring the right personalities and making people feel valued. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak And that’s a maritime tradition. What about the ships in the form of organizations? It is a huge risk to board a ship. Especially, without knowing the ship’s health, the crew’s culture or the ship’s direction. And still, on a regular basis, new sailors, may I call freshers, are coerced to sign contracts to stay aboard. While starting up, I remember my responses. “How can I sign a contract for two years, if your first foot forward is that of a mistrust in your own culture?” “So, you want me to begin this relationship with you getting all the upside. Interesting.” Wouldn’t it be better if organizations focused on the factors under their control: - The Conscious decision of which type of personalities get hired - How much learning an individual gets - How valued an individual feels (No, not by distributing Dundies!) Still, some newbies will leave. They were, in any case, not destined to be your ship’s captain. --- ### How much money is a lot of money? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/05/30/how-much-money-is-a-lot-of-money/ Date: 2022-05-30 Description: Bob Marley said ‘how much money is a lot of money?’ We need to ask instead: how much hard work is enough? Author: Bhagyesh Pathak That was the [response](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GkyZr9VzPY) from Bob Marley. The interviewer had asked him “have you made a lot of money?” The question is timeless. Whether we question anyone on their face about their bank balance or not, we ask it in our heads. Constantly. We need a new question though. “Do you work hard?” and someday, I hope there will be someone who answers “how much hardwork is enough hardwork?” We need to define that. Once we define it, we can separate the wheat from the chaff. And probably, just probably, people may enjoy their lives the way they’re supposed to. --- ### Opposite of post-mortem: pre-mortem URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/05/09/opposite-of-post-mortem-pre-mortem/ Date: 2022-05-09 Description: Ask ‘what can go wrong?’ BEFORE failure strikes. Pre-mortem analysis helps course-correct projects, unlike post-mortems. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak This is the most discouraging question I ask at the end of every project planning session. “What can go wrong with this plan?” Asking “what went wrong?” is always an option. Most organizations do it. That’s post-mortem. It doesn’t compensate for the lost time and resources. Instead, pre-mortem helps us course-correct and provides actionable insights. Check this podcast by Capital Allocators from 35:00 minutes onwards. Whether you work in a startup, a government agency, or a non-profit, all of us can learn from this dialogue. --- ### Appraisal of appraisals URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/04/21/appraisal-of-appraisals/ Date: 2022-04-21 Description: Appraisal systems are optimized for masses, not individuals. Self-evaluate realistically—detach from third-party validation. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Appraisal season is here. The best time to publish this article was a year back. The second-best time is today. (I would rate myself 0 on a scale of 0-10 about the timeliness of this article. Poor time management.) Organizations are trying their best to catch up with the needs of their people. Their need to be recognized for their efforts. Their need to be heard. Their need to be guided. A very small number of people in organizations succeed in accomplishing this feat. No, they don’t succeed by following a once or twice a year process. They have an established culture of feedback on an individual level. A feedback that doesn’t sound like a feedback. Sadly, the dominant culture has equated feedback with criticism. But the real meaning of feedback is acknowledgment of an action. Verbal or non-verbal. These extraordinary individuals make conversation and care a part of their day-to-day work. They acknowledge. They willingly confront the challenges. Appraisals remain a formality of trying to objectify and quantify the unquantifiable. But even with the best intentions of organizations, it is a fact that appraisal system is optimized for the masses, not individuals. So, how do we take a stock of ourselves? Not objectively, but realistically. There is a difference. Objectivity is for the researchers who want to quantify everything. Or the designers who are scared to challenge the status quo. Or the showmen who want to graph numbers on a ppt deck, without any actual benefits for the individuals. So, how do we do that? It is difficult and simple. Difficult because it requires time, effort, and willingness from our side. Simple because it is simple. A brief summary of what it takes to prepare yourself for self-appraisal: – The detachment from third-party validation. This means believing yourself. Most of the third party has more to gain by making you feel inadequate and doubt your abilities. People have made a profession out of this. – Willingness to learn. Learning about self. About new industry trends. New courses, mental models. Anything that doesn’t offer participation certificates. Seriously. – Willingness to accept change. Change of work, friends and colleagues. – Cultivation of a few believable people. This is a necessity. To quote Ray Dalio, “Believable people are people who have 1) a record of at least three relevant successes and 2) have great explanations of their approach when probed.” I would add that the believable people should know you inside out. – Shipping your work regularly. No excuses. A lack of this ingredient is like a lack of salt in your recipe. Apart from these measures, a few questions worth considering: – What commitment are you going to give to yourself as a part of the appraisal? – What limiting beliefs are you going to identify and break this year? – Other than monetary, what other aspects are you going to push your organization to appraise you? The best time to self-evaluate was a year back, the second-best time is today. --- ### Intentional Hassle URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/04/15/intentional-hassle/ Date: 2022-04-15 Description: We trade time, attention, and relationships for convenience. Which hassles are worth retaining? Author: Bhagyesh Pathak The economic machine thrives upon consumption. The more we consume, the more we push the piston. Living in the most materially comfortable times, we’re getting rid of as many hassles as possible. Most of us are hooked on an increasingly hassle-free lifestyle. The question is “what degree of hassle-free lifestyle is optimum?” If you’re using a pair of wireless iPods, chances are you’d be plugging them in your ears longer than you’d have plugged the wired ones. The hassle-free nature of iPods or any Bluetooth headset makes it easy to consume content. This ease of consumption helps you consume more and generate more dollars for the creators, pushing the economy further. What do we trade when we choose to go for a wireless headset? Money. Our additional time to consume the content. Our auditory health. Our split attention. Of course, the split relationships. How many times you have tried to talk to your friend or colleague only to find out he/she is on a call. If you think that you’re one of the minorities who are yet to consume more content than their peers, take an example of video conferences. It may help you draw a parallel. The ease with which we can get most people on a video conference is unprecedented. A few years back, organizing video conferences were full of hassle. Technological challenges, people’s aversion. The organizer had to make sure that the video conference was worth the participants’ time. We have transitioned to the instant video conference culture in such a smooth manner that it seems as if it has always been a norm. Once again, what are we trading here? Not money, as most of the video conferences are free. Increased people’s time. Lessened per person brain-storming. One conference leads to another conference. Future debt of time. These are just a few examples of how our choice of living a hassle-free life affects multiple aspects of our lives. It is difficult to reach a conclusion whether the removal of small hassles by the industry is by design or it is an iterative result. Regardless, it is important to weigh which hassles are worth retaining in our lives. --- ### How powerful or powerless people are you looking for? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/03/28/how-powerful-or-powerless-people-are-you-looking-for/ Date: 2022-03-28 Description: Are you hiring followers or challenge-ers? Understanding power distance helps match jobs with candidates who thrive. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Of course, the question in the title is absurd. A more appropriate question will seek to answer a combination of inquiries: are you looking for someone who will follow your instructions? Are you looking for someone who will correct you when you’re mistaken? Are you looking for someone who will speak up when they know the ship is on a collision course with an iceberg? Are you looking for someone who will risk offending you at the moment for a better outcome? We can sum up all these inquiries in a single trait called Power Distance. The idea was first proposed by Dutch psychologist and professor Hofstede. The idea is that people from different cultures respond to a power dynamic according to their cultural conditioning and their own perceived and accepted position in a social hierarchy. To provide an example, an average interviewee in Israel will write to an interviewer with follow-up questions if required. But in India or the US, an average interviewee is more likely not to have direct access to the interviewer even after interacting once. What seems natural to the Israelite candidate, may seem like a cultural shock to others. This is in part due to the difference in cultural conditioning. This inherent sense of power, whether high or low, is termed as power distance: how distant the individual finds him/herself from power. More the power distance, the more subjugate the individual will be and vice versa. So, why is it important to write about? I read more than a dozen job listings on different platforms, all of them mention different parameters such as remote work, part-time, full-time, etc. Wouldn’t it be useful to provide an approximate expected scale of power distance? If such an option is provided, it comes with an added responsibility on the hiring organization’s part. The responsibility of figuring out what they’re looking for and then making a commitment to it, not changing it. While the individuals need to assess themselves when it comes to power dynamics and pursues relevant career opportunities. What seems like a small idea or a tweak in an option, such practice may help individuals to transcend their current power distance and decrease it if they wish to. The sense of power is a learned trait. It can be modified with deliberate practice and a supportive environment. Of course, implementation of such ideas isn’t without probable negative consequences. One of such negative effects may be the creation of dead-end cycles. An individual may keep seeking only those opportunities that meet his/her current power position, risking the individual to lose himself in a perpetual employment nightmare. Forever stalling the vertical growth. It is also possible that an organization may fail to correctly identify their power requirement, setting wrong expectations from the outset. Whatever the negative consequences may be, we must address this somewhere in our practices and then iterate our way up. Again, there is nothing wrong if you’re looking for someone who needs to follow the protocols of a sophisticated gas-chromatographer machine and analyze blood samples. Also, there is nothing heroic if you want to hire people who find it difficult to be compliant. In the range of such cases, we need to be aware of what kind of individual we are looking for. This will be helpful not only to us, as organizations, but also to individuals to find a more fulfilling career path. No matter how advanced our civilization becomes, the hierarchy of power will remain an integral part of the system. Better to learn about it and make the best use of the mechanics. --- ### When should you start your act? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/03/15/when-should-you-start-your-act/ Date: 2022-03-15 Description: Start living your act, not performing it as a mask. Cut the noise to find your temperament and live in harmony with your being. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak When you get on a stage? Or while walking on the road on a random Sunday afternoon? The successful showman in any show business starts his act as soon as he gets on a stage. But a legendary showman/woman does not need to *start their act* when they get on a stage. Their act is always on. Though most of us may not be in a typical show-business, then again, if you think about it, aren’t we all in a way part of some or the other type of show-business? Whether we’re selling insurance or some EdTech solution, or working for an IT firm as a trainee developer, we are all part of a business. Not a show-business, but a business that impacts the person on the other side. It is not much different from a theatrical act impacting its audience. So, when do you start your act? Never. The world will benefit the most when we start living our act. Not as a mask. Not as an additional layer. But, in complete harmony with our being. I don’t think it has anything to do with passion, but it has everything to do with temperament. Knowing our temperament is important. Unfortunately, the dominant culture and systems are not designed to encourage this critical self-discovery. This powerful idea was portrayed by Aldous Huxley in his dystopian novel Brave New World a hundred years back. The idea is simple: when we are constantly surrounded by people, we are deprived of solitude. It is in solitude that most revolutions originate. Because individual revolutions occurring within, ultimately reflect as a collective revolution. Our surroundings rarely seem to be encouraging this solitude, hence the lack of or low awareness of self. Does it mean understanding your own temperament is a distant dream? I don’t think so. It is much easier and effortless than it is generally touted to be. The solution is simple: cutting the noise. Simple doesn’t mean easy. When we have the sense of self, sense of our inclinations, the sense of the factors that lead to our best selves, we can easily live in harmony with the act. Without having to switch on our act. --- ### Trust is getting scarce, but old principles are here to stay URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/12/22/trust-is-getting-scarce-but-old-principles-are-here-to-stay/ Date: 2021-12-22 Description: Trust between brands and people is scarce. Word of mouth still works. Will people recommend you to friends? Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Not among people. But between the interaction of people and organizations. I’m not talking about the employer-employee relationship here. That’s secondary. The trust between a brand and people. Thanks to the past 30 years of cultural conditioning, we know there is going to be some caveat during our interaction with any business entity. Have you come across an enticing ad for a restaurant and thought, “wait, 50% off? There must be a catch.” In such a scenario, how do we find what works? One way is to think in terms of opposites. When do people blindly trust? When your friend recommends a restaurant, you’re more likely to visit it than by looking at its local ad. Same scenario in job hunting. If someone whom you know, recommends a job, you are more likely to consider it as an option. Even if you have to compromise on some aspects. Word of mouth is still powerful. No wonder Yelp and others have made a business out of it. In any case, this is important for two reasons. One, having funds for digital marketing is not going to solve your problems. Two, you have to treat your customers, employees, beneficiaries, and anyone in a manner where they will advocate for you. We have to ask ourselves, will this person recommend me or my business to his/her friends? Not an online review. To their friends. If the answer is not a confident “yes”, then we need to start working on converting it into one. Not for everyone, but most of them. It is impossible to please everyone. --- ### What’s common between a dog bite and a cold call? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/12/20/whats-common-between-a-dog-bite-and-a-cold-call/ Date: 2021-12-20 Description: Facing physical fears builds capacity for psychological fears. Determination transfers across all areas of life. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Most of us fear both. And these are not the only fears that we harbor. Consider a few examples: The fear of a cold shower vs the fear of presenting a ppt deck The fear of a knife cut vs the fear of your ideas being rejected The fear of falling off a cliff vs the fear of being vulnerable You get the idea. It may seem that the fears are unrelated. And they may be. But lately, I’m observing something interesting. The determination to face a physical fear is transferrable to psychological harm-based fears too. In essence, you can cultivate the strength to face fears. This observation has led me to an immediate realization: I can’t expect to fight anxiety before an important presentation if I’m not fighting my fear of a dog bite on a daily basis. Small things count. Until we learn to face our physical fears willingly, we can’t learn to face our psychological fears. That extra push of determination seeps through all of our decisions. This means, if you learn it in one area of life, you can instantly use it in another area. --- ### Changing the defaults in everything you do URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/12/18/changing-the-defaults-in-everything-you-do/ Date: 2021-12-18 Description: Don’t accept defaults in work engagements. Negotiate modifications. Your commitment is changeable, not set in stone. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak I dislike pre-installed applications on smartphones or computers. You can’t even remove some of them. The majority of them are ineffective at what they do. The fact that some of the third-party apps come pre-installed as a part of the deal is a signal that there are not many takers. For example, most of us do not use Microsoft’s by-default Internet Explorer. We know that it is slow and dated. What do we do? Google Chrome! We know what works for us and what is good for us. Similar to any gadget, when we get in a new work engagement or project commitment, we sign up for the whole, not the part. We say yes to the people, processes, and culture. Many people get it wrong past this line. The line of signing the contract. They think that the deal is set in stone. That their commitment is unchangeable. But, in reality, the deal is no different than purchasing a new gadget. The maker wants you to make amends as you find fit. There is always room for modification. We can always change the defaults. If the system doesn’t allow it, there are many other systems that would be requiring your time and contribution. If you study a newly signed-up project and come across some defaults, note them. Characterize them. Just because the defaults were set before you entered, doesn’t mean you have to accept them as they are. What you’re expected is to suggest a change. Stand up. Advocate. Or write a memo. But, not to accept the default setting. Especially, if the default setting does more harm than good. Every project and human interaction comes with many default settings. It is up to us to negotiate the modification. --- ### A simple filter test to make your surveys meaningful URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/12/14/a-simple-filter-test-to-make-your-surveys-meaningful/ Date: 2021-12-14 Description: Filter test for surveys: Would respondents answer these questions in person? Simple but requires thinking. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak At any stage of your work, do you design surveys? The ones with endless questions and options? Then we’re the same type. Or almost the same type. Working in the non-profit sector, we need to conduct surveys. The word *need* is both significant and deadly here. Many times when we think we need to conduct a survey, what we need is to get on a call with a handful of our beneficiaries or customers. And other times, we are plainly bored. But, when you are in real need of creating a survey and bombarding people with questions, this article may help in choosing what to ask. I love to read surveys. Yes, you read it right. I’m not saying I love to answer surveys. We’re in the same boat about that. What intrigues me is the way questions are worded and ordered. If you have ever created a survey, you would know it is challenging to narrow down on which questions to include. Or is it the other way around? On a closer look, you will realize it is not the question of growing but trimming. We struggle with trimming the questions. With a free survey tool such as Google Forms or similar tools, we’re not penalized for including useless questions. It is all free. In effect, the free tools are providing us free passes not to think. A survey with 10 questions or 100 questions costs us the same amount of money: ZERO. Imagine a world where the entry-level survey tool costs 10 bucks per question and 5 bucks per multiple-choice option. The world would be a different place. We would pay more attention, think twice before rolling out surveys or increasing the number of questions. In any case, we’re blessed with a world full of so many free survey tools. Do you know what is interesting? With so many varieties of survey tools, they share the same quality — they’re dull. Think about it. When was the last time you submitted a survey with a cheerful mind “wow, that was fun”. (If you did, please share it with me ASAP.) An average survey is a combination of some typical elements. Too many questions, generic questions, personal questions, out-of-context questions, or unorganized flow. Whatever the combination might be, the result is always the same: a bad survey. There is a filter to bypass mediocrity. A simple filter test: will the respondents answer the questions if you were going to ask them in person? That’s it. No fancy framework. Tweak the filter with different variations and you’re good to go. I’m not saying it is an easy task, it is a simple task that requires thinking. My favorite kind of bad survey is when the surveyor asks for personal information which I wouldn’t have otherwise answered in person. It is not only an example of a bad design but also a lack of thinking. For a long time, surveys have been effective tools to gather quantitative and qualitative data. Due to the advent of technology, what earlier seemed like a year’s work is being accomplished in a matter of weeks. This fact alone increases our responsibility to use surveys more effectively. A few years back, if you received an email with some reward points from your bank, you would have opened it and read it. But now? It has reached its saturation. It’s not even plateau. It’s a decline. The tool of email marketing doesn’t work anymore. In fact, there is a word for it: Spam. Let’s filter our surveys and make the world a brighter place. --- ### The seductive urge to manage people URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/12/13/the-seductive-urge-to-manage-people/ Date: 2021-12-13 Description: Rethinking managerial roles in knowledge work. Learn from Apple and Basecamp about self-organization and trust. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Recently, some realization dawned upon me and here I am. Could you imagine an organization without any managerial roles? Me neither. At least not until a few years back. For the past year, we have been working on a manager-less project. It is interesting that our colleagues haven’t noticed it yet. We have been able to inculcate self-organization across different units. These units take up their role, collaborate and make things happen as and when required. These units are tiny groups of people. Not robots, of course. People like you and me. They have been in the organization for some time. Also, we’re not talking about the illusive teamwork either. Self-organization is more agile than that. The question is: aren’t we supposed to work like that? We should, but it is difficult to achieve and maintain self-organization at scale. Small organizations struggle to maintain momentum as they scale. When you add more members to an organization, it seems a no-brainer to throw some managers into it. Like a binding glue. But, mostly it adds to the dead weight. Interestingly, the industry invented managerial roles to oversee progress across the assembly lines. A line manager (we still use this term in IT companies) would visit several assembly lines. Depending on the progress of different product parts, the manager would optimize the pace of selected assembly lines. In essence, the role of a manager was that of a messenger. As we transition from industrial work to knowledge work, organizations find it difficult to imagine a world without a manager. This is happening at a time when there are more communication tools than ever. Moreover, our culture rewards management graduates, over-valuing the role of a manager. No one wants to be the man in the arena. All this cultural debt has resulted in a pool of talented individuals who believe their job is to manage other people’s time. In colloquial language, ‘to manage’ is synonymous with writing jargon-filled documents, holding useless meetings, and making an overnight dash to a nearby city to present a five-year vision of a product. A man or a woman, who doesn’t have control over his or her five hours a day, presents a five-year future of their product. This is a waste of the potential of the people who are cast as managers. What is worse: they end up thinking that this is the only level of satisfaction that they can get from work. If the manager’s role is so useless, why haven’t we come up with an alternative strategy? The problem is multifaceted. The main bottleneck is to recognize, hire, and retain individuals that can create and contribute to a self-organizing unit. This is particularly difficult while scaling up. If your company is serving 10 schools with your learning aids, you can be selective in hiring. It is a whole another scenario to serve extra 90 schools. The urgency of delivering learning aid and other services is so pressing that sometimes you need someone to merely show up and do the work for the day. Another problem is the status quo. What would the world think? It is obvious you will feel insecure at a party when everyone except you enters the hall in formals. You are bound to question the choice of your dress. When others come up with managerial roles in their organization, it may heretical to focus on empowering people in your organization. We have to understand that manager is not a medicine to our underlying problems. We also need to understand that this is not a human resource department’s problem. This leads us to the realization that they’re incapable of fixing it and allows us to explore real solutions. So, is it a dead-end? No, there is hope. For example, Learn from Apple Inc. In his [interview](https://www.realisedesign.co.uk/uk-product-design-blog/apples-english-designer-jony-ive-the-future-of-design/), Apple’s ex-Chief Design Officer Jony Ive talks about the work culture that fueled innovation. He mentions how being close to one another helped them make an impact in the world of design. Again, no mention of a manager in the interview. But he mentions trust and familiarity. It is evident that trust among individuals is the prime facilitator of self-organizing units. It is possible that being a corporate behemoth, Apple may seem unrelatable. What about BaseCamp, the earlier 37signals company? This small group of people, working across different time zones, with autonomous working culture, have made their impact. Not to mention that they have grown from a few thousand dollars of valuation in 1999 to a hundred billion dollars in 2014 with the same work culture. They have done it for the last two decades. Look at one of their [manifesto points](https://37signals.com/02.html). You will get the story. The point is, it is impossible to manage human beings, not because humans are complex, but because they’re not designed to be managed. We need to rethink, reflect on our approach to growing knowledge work-related problems. If given a choice, most people would choose an autonomous culture over a manager-driven culture. Not only it is fun, but it is also economic. --- ### The Fastest Way to Lose at a Pitch/Work/Relationships URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/08/03/the-fastest-way-to-lose-at-a-pitch-work-relationships/ Date: 2021-08-03 Description: Operating from fear loses trust fastest. Transparent pricing builds relationships; hiding costs destroys them. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Yes, there is more than one. But there is a specific one, which is not only the fastest, but it also ensures the loss of the audience’s trust. Feeling of being deceived. I’m still not over one product pitch that I had recently attended. The product seemed straightforward, it was the curiosity about its pricing that had attracted a huge number of attendants. During the whole product walk-through, it was evident that people (mostly decision-makers in their own concerned organizations) were losing patience to understand the pricing. There was a reason why they had spared their time to attend a technical session because they were referred by trusted sources and what mattered to them was pricing for their own organization. At an arbitrary stage during the pitch, the presenter provided a glimpse of their platform’s variable pricing. But it was clear that they hadn’t made as much effort to clarify their pricing as they had to provide a walk-through. Their avoidance of providing a clear understanding of pricing was tangible among the audience. At the end of the pitch, a couple of attendees demanded to clarify the pricing, any overheads, and recurring costs. To my (and probably everyone’s) horror, upon multiple probing, the presenters provided some estimated costs for a sample number of users that were more than double what they had shown in their slide deck. The argument was that it was not charged by their platform, though one invariably needed to subscribe to several third-party vendors in order to use their platform. This was an interesting experience as not often do we sign up for a session to be deceived unless we’re attending any magic shows! The presenters’ tip-toeing around full pricing is understandable. They were guided by their fear and not malice. The fear of losing a potential client. The problem with operating with fear is paradoxical. The paradox is that the fear with which you operate leads you to the same consequences that you try to avoid. In this case, the presenters not only lost clients, but they lost our trust. This is important because no matter how useful a product you have made, it won’t see the light of the day if you cannot win people’s trust. The fear of losing clients leads to losing clients. The fear of flunking an interview leads to flunking an interview. Operating from fear is probably the fastest route to lose clients, relationships, and social value. --- ### The Need to be Forgotten or Becoming Invisible URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/08/02/the-need-to-be-forgotten-or-becoming-invisible/ Date: 2021-08-02 Description: Why being invisible during facilitation empowers learners. The art of Wu Wei in product design and customer experience. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak All we want to do is to be remembered, to leave a legacy. If not in the form of a celebrity, then in the form of a celebrated family member or in a social circle. The attraction for being remembered is real and humane. The same need to be remembered, to be recognized is felt by organizations and they go at length in their own style to be remembered. The inclination to garner visibility can be a part of long-term brand-building and a consistent marketing strategy. The problem arises when this strategy becomes a manifesto for all activities conducted by an organization. For example, if an organization is in the business of providing language training services through their smartphone application, their application is inundated with their logo, color branding, and unnecessary UI components. The very fact that the user has installed their application is indicative of the customer’s interest. Furthering the marketing strategy at a level where it comes in the user’s experience of the product is not only an ineffective strategy but also the one due to which customers leave the platform. There are times when a beneficiary wants to forget you. They do not want to be disturbed or be reminded of your presence. It is the exact opposite of marketing (but who said, it can’t be a part of your marketing strategy?) and they’re mutually exclusive. These moments are when the customer is a part of a group whom you are facilitating and another one is when the customer is interacting with your product-software or a physical one, it doesn’t matter. Being invisible during the facilitation of ideas is a skill and hence, it can be learned. The learner needs to feel that the task is accomplished by him/her. Lest we make the mistake of thinking that this denigrates your value. The opposite is true. The learner feels empowered. And a learner, who has felt a change within him/herself is not going to forget you. This is not a trick or a tactic. This is the fundamental law that governs learning and change in the world. The same law applies to the products and projects that you might be working on. The end-user doesn’t need us to accompany them to see their problems being solved. They need empowerment, the feeling that they’re able to do something wonderful on their own. When they get this feeling, they know whom to thank. It is tempting to seek glamour and slip once in a while. But, the goal is to change people from within, it doesn’t matter what field you’re working in or which kind of a social circle you are a part of. --- ### “It has always been like this” URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/30/it-has-always-been-like-this/ Date: 2021-07-30 Description: Breaking free from ‘it’s always been done this way’ thinking. When new recruits hear this, imagination gets limited. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Well, it might have. But the fact is, it has been like that since the time I have been around. I can’t say the same for the people who have been in my place before me. When we place too much reliability on our experience alone, we give rise to a disconnect. A disconnect between what could have been possible and what has been achieved. That is one of the reasons, when new recruits hear “this is how we have always done”, the space for imagination is unintentionally limited. A boundary is drawn. Every society and organization suffers from this worldview. Of course, not everything needs to be changed, but the real suffering is the drowning of opportunities of exploration for things and ideas that could change the world. If not the world, at least customer experience for a small organization, an ad campaign, or just the quality of food at a roadside restaurant. With all said and done, we have to cultivate the understanding that not all things need to be changed. In fact, the first rule of user experience is not to surprise the user. Not at once, from all fronts. --- ### No, You Can’t Convince Them URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/29/no-you-cant-convince-them/ Date: 2021-07-29 Description: Understand others’ problems before convincing them. Genuine offers create partnerships, not narrow goal-focused pitches. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Especially, if you’re narrowly focused on meeting your end goal. The customer, the user the donor sense it. They see through you. You have to work on what’s there for others. Not a made-up one, a genuine offer. Of course, there is never a win-win situation in business or life, but there is always a possibility for a happy bargain. And when you put that effort, when you try to understand what problems your solution, your product or your organization can solve for the person sitting across you, the sides change. Both parties miraculously sit side-by-side. And then, you can convince them. Or better, you may not need to convince them at all. You may get an enrollment, a partner in growth. --- ### Looming Bubbles & Booms: The Volatility of Our Decisions URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/28/looming-bubbles-booms-the-volatility-of-our-decisions/ Date: 2021-07-28 Description: Exploring how emotional volatility in decisions impacts our culture, from GameStop to Zomato IPOs. Time for conscious choices. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak When Albert Camu had said “Life is the sum of all our choices”, his proclamation was more right than wrong. The decisions that we make, shape our life, our society’s culture, and our relationships. The variables of different probabilities that we collectively refer to as ‘luck’ play their own role. Whether our business is prospering or we are feeling fulfilled in our relationships, all of it boils down to some degree to our decisions. We are irrational beings. The emotional part of our brain affects our decision-making. Hence, our decisions are prone to changes. Not once, but more than once. In essence, good decisions are central to well-being. Not only as an individual but also as an organization. This is not a new idea. But, our culture, our environment aren’t organized around supporting this idea. It is a common experience for the past few years, especially since the increased penetration of the internet and related technologies, to witness mass reactions to an otherwise ordinary event that had taken place in a remote corner of the world. Our primordial nervous system is not adapted to this level of constant connection, stimulation, and exposure. So what? The challenge for us, as a society, as organizations are to find out a way through which we can cultivate a generation of individuals who are grounded in the reality. The reality is that human suffering is real and the best mode of action is to cultivate an emotionally stable culture. A population that is not easily triggered and is able to feel their emotions, absorb the learning, and work on the solutions. Only such kind of population can leave a lasting value to the world. It is possible to turn a blind eye and act as if all is well. But in doing so, we would be committing a serious mistake which is better explained by the [tragedy of commons.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxC161GvMPc) We are all connected, more than ever. Our individual decisions impact all of us more than ever. This volatility of decisions of a group of people is going to impact every aspect of our lives. In fact, they’re already impacting. For example personal finance. All of us are well-versed with the GameStop saga that took place earlier this year. What does it showcase other than just tribalism and the power of the internet? The main lesson is how volatile our decisions can be. An entire generation has been cultivated which is idealistic, capable but lacks emotional stability. The internet giants have systematically disabled the users’ capacity to regulate their emotions. Emotions are keys to decisions. The recent public listing of tech-based firms such as Zomato and their over-valuation and fanaticism provides us a glimpse of what the future holds for us. We need to encourage the culture of consciousness. But then, the question is: if it is urgent and important, why aren’t we already talking about it with the same enthusiasm as we do for other issues? My assumption is that for most of its part, talking about it and taking an action doesn’t generate cash flow. There is no monetary or status gain for anyone: neither for businesses nor for non-profits or governments. It is unfortunate, but we have to think this through. There are things that we do for money and status. Also, there are things that we do because they’re necessary. It is time for us to make our decision. --- ### Stand Here for Dance Party URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/27/stand-here-for-dance-party/ Date: 2021-07-27 Description: Discover how to craft invitations that spark curiosity and enrollment, rather than forcing engagement. Learn the art of facilitation. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak This week, I came across a remarkable 4-minute long YouTube video, perhaps one of the best entertaining short videos that have provided food for thought. If you haven’t already watched the video, I strongly encourage you that you do before reading further as the article dives deeper into what happens during the video. In the video, the decorative sticker (decal) uses the omnipresent social-distancing sign. It is more than a sign, it is an invitation. An invitation to what? No one knows until someone tries to figure it out themselves. The choice of location, the invitation quote are important because, at some point, every organization and individual wants to engage their staff or teams at some level. And it is equally important in our personal relationships. We try to invite people every day. More often than not, the invitation is boring, it does not spark curiosity. The goal behind the invitation is enrollment. Because enrollment is likely to lead to engagement. The individual needs to opt-in him or herself. The message is clear: we cannot force a genuine enrollment. And still, we are guilty of forcing enrollment on paper. As we reflect upon the idea of enrollment, the role played by the impro-group comes to the forefront. It wasn’t about only pasting the sticker. It was about the design, the choice of location, time, and providing support. The group provided necessary contrivance for the participants who took the risk of standing on the sticker, who chose to enroll. Often we attend boring Zoom webinars where there is a lack of any effort from the facilitator’s side to support the enrollment of the willing participants. The onus of providing space to the participants has always been on the facilitator. We need to provide such facilitation to everyone we interact with that they get inspired to engage or at least enjoy the process. And what about the ones who don’t enroll even after all efforts? The video also provides an answer to this question: not everyone wants to dance. Not everyone wants to be engaged in a visible manner. We cannot deny the idea that the bystander sipping her coffee is also engaged during the moments when everyone else was dancing. Engagement is not always measurable. But, the consequences of engagement may provide some opportunity of indirect measurement. The question that we need to ponder upon every time we want to organize a conference or build a marketing strategy is: how can we invite people to the dance floor and hook the others as bystanders? --- ### Monotheism in business URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/26/monotheism-in-business/ Date: 2021-07-26 Description: Business has multiple stakeholders, not one god. Why ‘customer is king’ thinking fails and sustainable alternatives exist. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak “Customer is the god.” “Whatever you do, never lose money.” And there are more monotheistic ideas. They’re popular. It is a commonly observed trait that the ideas that preach power, seem to gain traction. But that’s just for popular media and op-eds. The reality is more convoluted. There are stakeholders. More than one. And that makes the monotheistic ideas lose their ground. For example, Apple and Amazon are aggressively customer-centric. We enjoy the products and services when we are at the receiving end of their relentless pursuit of customer satisfaction. But, what if we were to be hired to assemble an iPhone or work at an FBA warehouse? Our experience will change. So, what is the alternative? The indoctrination of the present generation with the seeds of monotheistic ideas in business needs to be replaced with something more sustainable and more humane than the current ‘growth at any cost mindset’. There is more than one god when it comes to running a business and all of them require their own deserving weightage. When we launch our next manifesto for our organization, we need to be cautious about what kind of philosophy we’re preaching. Faith in one idea comes with a conflict with the other ideas. Eventually, someone has to pay the price. --- ### The doer in the arena URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/22/the-doer-in-the-arena/ Date: 2021-07-22 Description: Value the doers in the arena, not the critics. Leadership cannot be assigned a value; it must be cultivated. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Any organization stands on its own with the help of a visible or invisible hierarchy. It matters little if someone accepts the existence of hierarchy or rejects it because its existence is versatile. Hierarchy assigns value to the nodes in the web of the organization. We have to understand that, modern organizations are more web-like in structure than a pyramid. No matter what kind of structure, value assignment is an automatic, inherent tendency of human beings. The values are a result of the person’s capacity, skills, and other more *subjective* parameters. These parameters derive their valuation from the dominant cultural narrative. Every culture recognizes those who resonate with their narrative and punishes those who fail to do so. This is interesting because the individual is assigned a value by the culture whether he/she agrees or not. These subjective values make up a good part of their node value in an organization. This subjective valuation results in a difference between the values of any two nodes. The more different the node, the greater the difference. There are two types of nodes that are at extremes: the doers and the critics. Doers nodes provide a place for the individuals who are talking to the customers, selling the product, getting feedback, and facing the heat. In general, these nodes, these spots in the organizations are placed little value than any of the other nodes or spots. One can argue that these nodes are in masses, hence they don’t get the same valuation as the scarcer nodes in the structure. That seems a fair argument until it doesn’t. The flaw in the argument is that the other scarce nodes survive due to the masses of nodes. If an organization is struggling for a long time, there is a good chance that the other kind of nodes, the critics, are not playing the role they should be playing well. These nodes have high perceived value and they’re the ones who are not in touch with customers. They’re not [the man in the arena](https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/Blog/Item/The%20Man%20in%20the%20Arena). They’re interested in computer simulations, spreadsheets, presentations, policies, and anything that keeps them from getting their hands dirty from doing the actual work. The increasing trend of providing lip service to the doers during annual events or interviews is not a sign of modesty if the words do not translate into actions. The chasm between the doers and the critics is not new. As long as the critics are able to bring the best of the doers by their humble words, actions, we progress, and other times, we struggle. The doers of our time need a cultural narrative that does not frown upon their work. Also, a cultural narrative that recognizes that leadership is an essential part of any organization; it matters the most, and it is invaluable. A leader cannot be assigned a value. We need more leaders than before and what better way than to expose the potential individuals to showcase their leadership and not limit them by assigning a value. When we provide lip service to people for the sake of it, they know it. And that makes it feel even worse. The alternative is to cultivate a genuine interest in the function of every individual, especially the nodes that are in masses, understand their perspective, equip them, and provide an environment where leaders bloom with their own tribe. --- ### “So what?” URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/21/so-what/ Date: 2021-07-21 Description: Use ‘So what?’ as a powerful noise filter for ideas and proposals. It motivates deeper thinking and clarity. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak We need to ask that question every time we come across a new idea, a product pitch, or just about anything that is creating some sort of wave among our peers. It is easy to take someone’s “so what?” as a sign of arrogance, but if we look deeper, they’re challenging our value proposition. They want us to cut to the point and get them on board. If we cannot, it is not a setback. If we have poured our best efforts, then, more often than not, it simply means that we’re not aligned and it is okay. But when we’re not at the receiving end of the “so what?”, we have a responsibility for ourselves, our organization and our people to shoot the “so what?” as many times as possible. As sincerely as possible. Because it is an excellent noise filter. In today’s world of excess information, we need to filter what is relevant for us at a given point in time. For example, do we really need to run a campaign using some recent Instagram trend? Or do we need to host a virtual event at some trending application endorsed by celebrities? Or do we need to replace our paper-based surveys with e-solutions? There are so many instances where “so what?” can save us enough time to keep progressing on the path that we have taken. Apart from filtering the noise, this powerful question motivates the individual at the receiving end to do better. To think more deeply. To understand us and our context and come up with a second pitch. It is possible to fear that our “so what?” attitude may keep us away from a possible future opportunity. This particular fear is empty because if we are shooting our “so what?” responsibly, with due homework, we will never miss out on what would have otherwise seemed like a lost opportunity. --- ### The Medium Matters URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/20/the-medium-matters/ Date: 2021-07-20 Description: Why choosing the right communication medium matters. Email vs instant messaging and respecting attention boundaries. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak The world has changed due to several technological advances, especially the communication technologies. The way interfaces are designed, it is easy for the boundaries between the different types of media to get blurred. If we categorize all possible media that intends to deliver a message to the recipient, they can be categorized into high attention requirement medium and low attention requirement medium. Think about this for a minute. There are platforms so designed that they ask the user to pledge a high or low amount of their attention. For example email applications require high attention from the users, hence the density of information, structure, and formalities. Contrast the email applications with instant messaging applications. The term *instant message* inherently carries the assumption that the user is not required to pay more of his precious attention. Just a glimpse. Nothing more. But urgent. The recipients need to ask themselves why they use one medium over the other. The major reason is where our sender is located. Because that decides from which medium we can expect to receive the anticipated message. All of us are recipients as well as senders. We need to make this choice every day when we choose to write an email or an instant message, or perhaps choose a publication medium such as YouTube or Instagram or Twitter. The clarity about the attention requirement mixed with time horizon (urgent or normal) provides us a good judgement about which medium we should use. The recipients’ location is little important. The reason behind requirement of this consciousness of choice is clear: it affects how readily the recipient will grasp our message and if required, act on it. It is not the only reason though. With the increasing instant messaging culture, the boundary between *professional* and *personal time* are getting blurred. In such a scenario, as a sender and recipient of communication pieces, we have a responsibility to let people relish their leisure time. The so-called leisure time is indeed not a leisure time for a typical knowledge worker because the mind is never switched off. We have a responsibility to be conscious about how our choice of medium makes people feel about our intended message and also feels about their boundaries. Convenience of a medium for us should not be the sole factor behind our choice of a medium. --- ### Dream of a million steps perhaps? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/19/dream-of-a-million-steps-perhaps/ Date: 2021-07-19 Description: Walking extra miles creates culture change. Small steps leave lasting impressions. Extra effort transforms expectations. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak There are several projects in the world aiming to spread a million or a billion smiles. Not metaphorical smiles, but real ones. The exact number of smiles is not important but the spirit is. The underlying assumption behind such projects is simple: by spreading smiles on the faces of a significantly huge number of people, there is a good chance that some of these individuals will spread smiles to the people in their vicinity and will probably result in a happier world or a little bit less agonized world for a moment. It is an exciting dream to work for. On similar lines, what if we focused on steps, extra miles? How our world would change if we aimed to create a culture that motivates people to walk an extra mile, a few more steps than what is generally expected of them. All of us have come across individuals who walk extra steps. They are the ones whom we never forget and that experience is not as fleeting as a smile. When a local grocer helps us find fresh vegetables from a mixed lot or a pharmacist who helps us in figuring out a low-cost but equally effective medicine, these experiences change us. The world needs such small extra steps, extra miles. When we promote such a culture, the bar of expectation is raised and a few generations later, it becomes a norm. Whether we know it or not, we’re constantly in a process of normalizing something or the other. A little bit of self-awareness and collective consciousness helps in creating the future we appreciate. And what about the smiles? Well, aren’t the extra steps going to create satisfaction, belonging, and smiles? --- ### Which side of the table? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/17/which-side-of-the-table/ Date: 2021-07-17 Description: The power of sitting on the same side of the table in marketing and relationships. Choose your side wisely. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak We make this choice every day, every moment. In our daily conversations, which side of the table do we choose to sit? I attended one webinar recently. The organizers expected to sell their products and services through the demonstration. One thing that awkwardly stood out was the host’s usage of *you* and *your*. The host would respond to a pricing query in this manner: “If *you* want to opt for this feature, *you* will require a budget of around $500 per month.” That *you* created an invisible line that separated *them* and *us*. What does this cost to the seller, marketer? One client? Two? No. The number is larger. Everyone. Everyone that saw him/her draw a line. Compare the alternative response: “If *we* want to think about opting for this feature, *we* will require a budget of approximately around $500 per month.” The rule of thumb as a marketer, as a facilitator is to choose to sit on the same side of the table. And as you might have already figured out, it does not limit only to marketing or business. It is a practice. A conscious practice exercised in our relationships and with ourselves. People want a human connection. Proximity. Sharing their fears. The possibility of being understood. Let’s choose the more effective side of the table. Because if we’re going to show up, why not make it worthwhile? --- ### A spark: An absolute pre-requisite URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/06/05/a-spark-an-absolute-pre-requisite/ Date: 2021-06-05 Description: A spark initiates learning, not certificates or prerequisites. The emotional urge to see something happen matters. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak A spark is an absolute prerequisite for an engine to start, but this post is not about a car engine. We’re talking about engines that drive our life, work and culture. When we sign up for a course, a degree, a discussion, or an uncomfortable routine, we inherently hope to learn something. Any badge, any piece of certificate is just a symbol. A symbol, a shred of evidence. But they do not guarantee that learning has happened. To enroll for any of such situations, a list of prerequisite knowledge or skill is required. As commonly encountered, mere meeting prerequisites is not enough. The problem with such compliance-driven culture is that it makes everything part of compliance. Learning happens when something creates a spark in the learner’s mind. No, the spark is not limited to being curious. The spark is an emotional urge to see something happen: something in their own life or someone for whom they’re working. If a learner is exposed to something that creates a spark in his/her mind that serves his/her best interests or the world’s, the learning is initiated. Yes, initiated. It doesn’t happen. If it happens, it ends. That’s why it is initiated. It never ends. --- ### The Replication Problem URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/06/04/the-replication-problem/ Date: 2021-06-04 Description: Why one-size-fits-all solutions fail. The trap of replication and the need for personalization in everything. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak It is a trap. It is tempting to think that what worked for 10 people might work for 100 or vice versa. It is equally tempting to think what worked for 10 people in one city may work for 10 people in another city. Great designers know this well. The industrial age has bombarded us with products and services where they have efficiently identified the lowest common denominator population segment who can happily use their products and services. This has led us to a false sense of belief that a general solution is possible for every problem for everyone every time. It is difficult to deny that a solution that can be replicated for all is the best one in terms of resources. But the pursuit of scaling by thoughtless replication doesn’t work. How often does this happen: we create a training module for a specific group of people and complete it with a great feedback from every participant. The next week, we use the same module for another group of people from the same organization. And we struggle. We struggle to get them onboard. We struggle to pass our word. We struggle to understand their worldview. The trick is to take a pause when we’re about to jump at the idea of replication. During the pause, we can contemplate the following questions: - Are the fundamental qualities of recipients of two groups identical? - If they’re not identical, do they share any qualities? In what aspects are they similar? - What changes do you need to make within the solution to adjust for the differences? - If you provided the same solution to the original recipients after some time, will they appreciate the solution any more or any less? - Is replication a demand of the audience or an easy way for you? No matter how hard the dominant culture tries to convince that one size fits all, the increasing progress in science, technology, medicine, and psychology are pointing towards a personalized future. A future that is more granular than what we are led to believe. We need to break free from the rut of replication and start thinking about personalization. --- ### A rewarding way of using frameworks, or at least the one that is effective URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/06/03/a-rewarding-way-of-using-frameworks-or-at-least-the-one-that-is-effective/ Date: 2021-06-03 Description: Stop starting with frameworks on paper. Learn to imbibe mental models deeply for effective problem-solving and decision-making. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak “Let’s put this into a framework, it may work”, and the meaning is lost. We live in a complex world. In business and life, we constantly encounter problems. Some types of problems bother us frequently. As a result, we develop a tried and tested series of steps to encounter them. These series of steps become our go-to solutions. Or to say go-to frameworks. This works mostly well in day to day life. For example, you hear a mosquito buzzing, your immediate response might be to grab a newspaper and swat at it. And as a precaution, you may close the windows of the home. That’s the drill. But, in our business and work, when we’re faced with challenges different than mosquito bites, we need to utilize some mental frameworks or models. There are hundreds of them. In business and other areas of university education, some of the complex frameworks are already being taught and it is a good introduction to meta-cognition. Meta-cognition is a skill that any knowledge worker should have, especially if the field of work requires important decision-making. The real problem arises when the practitioners try to find a solution by going through a prescribed list of frameworks on paper. They might have learnt them during their grad school or a business class or any other channel. Staring at a freshly Googled web page and deciding which models to try is a waste. Waste of time. Waste of resources. Waste of education. One of the main functions of education is to equip the learners with the capacity to grasp, formulate and combine different frameworks to find a solution. The sign of successful grasping of a framework is not in the learner’s ability of putting it in a document, it is in his/her understanding of the framework. Understanding is existential. We need to approach the problems from the root and in the process, a combination of frameworks may come in handy. But, we need to stop beginning with frameworks on paper or in a word processor. A more rewarding approach is to learn about different frameworks, reflect upon them, imbibe them in our thinking over a long period of time. And that takes perseverance, effort, willingness and time. --- ### What are our One-foot Leverage Points? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/06/01/what-are-our-one-foot-leverage-points/ Date: 2021-06-01 Description: Find small changes with big impact. One-foot leverage points: minor adjustments for significant outcome improvements. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Organizations want to make an impact over a period of time. It is achieved by implementing different models. Experimenting with different parts of the entire change-making process: from ideation, recruitment, training, execution to feedback. They’re not wrong when they try to do that. In a world full of uncertainty, there is no sure-shot way to get it right every time. But, there is hope. A few months back, I traveled via a luxurious bus that had a track record of being on time. Given the culture of being late by several minutes to hours in this service industry, it is an achievement. One significant change this service provider had made was regarding their luggage storage facility. Generally, such bus has a huge side cargo compartment that stores passenger luggage. Every time a passenger carries heavy luggage, his luggage needs to be stored by opening the mammoth cargo compartment. And, that’s a huge waste of time. The most amount of time is consumed during luggage management exercise during picking up passengers from different locations in the city. Once, all passengers picked up from different spots, the bus hits the highway for the ultimate location. The same deboarding exercise follows upon arrival. Anyone can point out that the luggage storage is the main culprit. The bus manufacturer had modified sleeping beds with a height of one foot blank space beneath them for luggage storage. As a result, most of the passengers didn’t require to request the helper staff to open the cargo storage of the bus. They could carry the bags and could directly walk into the bus, arrange their own luggage, and bingo! I call these kind of solutions ‘one-foot leverage’ points. These leverage points increase the desired outcome or decrease the undesired outcome with just a little fine-tuning. We’re not talking about something for nothing. We are talking about focusing on the areas that aren’t shining as well as they could. A little dusting here and there and that’s it! While formulating the next product or service expansion strategy, or marketing strategy, or just increasing the impact of the project for the next 3 years, the question that we should be asking is: what are our one-foot leverage points? --- ### No Excuses = Remarkable URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/05/31/no-excuses-remarkable/ Date: 2021-05-31 Description: No excuses means remarkable. How commitment, courage, and practice lead to exceptional outcomes in work and life. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak And that’s remarkable. I recently switched to Bluehost’s one of the products and needed to call them multiple times for initial setup. No customer-care call queues, no excuse about covid-crisis. The customer representatives were patient, unassuming and solved every problem that I could throw at them. To the uninitiated, Bluehost is one of the largest web hosting companies available today. Hence, one may argue about their financial might behind such customer service. It may be. But, that’s an easy answer. We need to dig deeper and not satisfy ourselves with overly simplistic explanations and mono-causal reasoning. While money is required to hire someone who is skilled at what they’re supposed to do, but it proves an ineffective motivator for genuine care, ownership, and responsibility. And, more often than not, these are the things that translate to remarkability. Throughout the human history, ‘being remarkable’ has been important and there is no reason to think it does not matter now. Commitment to be remarkable takes work. It takes willingness to fail, to be a fool. It takes practice. If you have committed to showing up at 10 o’clock on Monday morning meeting and if you do, it is remarkable. When you ship your work on time with the quality that was agreed upon, that too is remarkable. In essence, being remarkable takes courage. It is worth aiming for. --- ### Begin with a pencil sketch URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/25/begin-with-a-pencil-sketch/ Date: 2021-02-25 Description: Start with pencil and paper before digital tools. No app replaces human spirit, priorities, and genuine connection. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak But we want to begin with digital sketch on a high-end iPad Pro device, and call it a day. The attachment to traditional pencil and paper as tools is not romantic or nostalgic one. It is about understanding all the different nuances of the sketch, the friction of the lead with paper, the instant feedback and the fine-tuning of hand muscles etc. The transition from a wooden pencil to a digital pencil is a process. A worthwhile one. An artist who has had gone through the pencil and paper process is sure to have an edge over the one who has never gone through. On our work front, all of us are guilty of skipping the line. We purchase and install tens of productivity apps on our devices. Track our work and pray it will help increasing productivity or collaboration. The problem is, we are looking for a technological solution. While the challenge is humane. Technology can not provide answers to how to manage our time, our priorities or when to drop that “I heard about your loss, we are all with you” note to a grieving colleague. This does not mean technology cannot help in managing our day. It already is. The problem arises when we outsource our responsibility to a to-do list tracking application. There is no alternative to human spirit. Let’s begin with a pencil and a paper. Always. --- ### How does it sound? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/24/how-does-it-sound/ Date: 2021-02-24 Description: Use ‘Undo send’ wisely. Ask ‘How does it sound?’ before hitting send. Empathy starts with rephrasing. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Gmail offers upto thirty seconds of ‘Undo send’ and WhatsApp offers upto one hour to ‘Delete for everyone’. Why do they provide this feature? A mistaken text/email to the wrong person at the wrong time? Probably yes. But that is narrow. The function of communication technologies is to change the culture. Make the written or spoken word more effective than it was before its advent. There is one question that we are not asking ourselves as often as we should. Technologies are pointing and nudging us to ask ourselves: *How does it sound?* If the ‘sent’ words sound blaming, disrespectful, needy, cribbing, contempful, or just out of context, we have a few seconds to change our mind and rephrase them. We have this choice every single time we hit ‘send’. But how often do we change our mind? If it sounds empathetic, authentic, understanding, concernful, accommodating, self-less or zealous, we would no longer require any communication classes. Hit the ‘Undo send’ as many times as you feel like. Practice it enough that you can make do without that feature for the rest of your life. --- ### The invisible dance during virtual meets URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/22/the-invisible-dance-during-virtual-meets/ Date: 2021-02-22 Description: Discover hidden dynamics in virtual meetings that reveal team connections. Learn to read subtle cues for better design. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Most of the virtual meets are boring. Sustained boredom breeds entertainment. This entertainment can lead to insights. One of the most widely adopted zoom etiquette is to stay on mute until absolutely necessary. When you have a sufficiently large number of group size, this etiquette provides some entertainment with insights. The invisible dance is among the individuals. It is interesting to note that some individuals engage in discussion with only specific individuals. This behavior is not only limited to engaging in discussions but also being either highly supportive or critical for different people. It is pure pleasure to watch two or more individuals dance in this synchronicity. One interesting behavior is un-muting followed by an immediate muting. This can be due to many factors, but it provides with insights about the soft-voices that normally do not take part in the discussion. The insights derived from such behaviors are valuable while designing an online or blended-workshop. The insights help us answer the following questions: - Who is comfortable with whom? - Which members need to be tackled skillfully? - Which members require space and support to speak up? - Which members are men/women of few words? - How to formulate balanced sub-group for assignments or other tasks? The goal is not to make everyone dance, it is to make the dance vibrant. --- ### Capacity to give up on people URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/20/capacity-to-give-up-on-people/ Date: 2021-02-20 Description: Explore why managers must balance persistence with the capacity to let go. Learn when giving up fosters both success and fulfillment. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak This is important. The conventional wisdom stresses on not giving up on people. It talks about giving chance after chance. If one way doesn’t work, offer another. Course correct. When it comes to managing people, there is a limit to the trial and error process. If the manager is clear about what s/he is looking for in a person, it becomes even more cumbersome. Humans have a natural instinct to maintain their inertia. It is phrased normally as ‘people don’t change much’. Yes, they don’t, but we don’t operate from this premise in our relationships. The tiny hope of change in a person hampers our decision making. This hope and conventional wisdom *lessens our capacity to give up on people*. A manager’s less capacity of giving up on people results in mediocrity, or worse: rewarding mediocrity. Organizations need to have people who are clear about what they’re looking for in people. A clarity linked with a *high capacity to give up on people* serves two purposes: organization prospers and the individuals find their work fulfilling. And what about the ill-suited individuals?: they do not self-sabotage and find something that suites them. --- ### Circumstances: If they can’t find them, make them URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/19/circumstances-if-they-cant-find-them-make-them/ Date: 2021-02-19 Description: Learn how one delivery agent turned routine drops into a networking opportunity. Discover how to create your own circumstances. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak > I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them. > > George Bernard Shaw The internet has increased the social media reach. Especially to market the products or services. The conversion of a potential customer to a paying customer is uncertain. That’s where we play by statistics and hope for the best. One thing that internet cannot help with is word of mouth. The small businesses aren’t well-equipped with a social media marketing strategy and more often than not, they do not require. For example: a local dry cleaning shop has to rely on word of mouth and customer loyalty. I came across a recent incident which exemplifies what Shaw had once said. A food-delivery agent showcased this extra-ordinary trait when he handed over his home appliances repair business card. Turns out that he was using the opportunity provided by the food-delivery company to come in contact with customers living in 5 km radius. This is an ingenious idea. The delivery agent has identified the opportunity to build relations and spread the word in organic manner. The world is full of people who push the boundaries to create the circumstances and make the magic happen. --- ### How to steal a wallet? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/18/how-to-steal-a-wallet/ Date: 2021-02-18 Description: Unlock the art of gaining attention, trust, and commitment through skilled facilitation. Learn to engage people without resistance. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak We are all trying to do it. More often than not, we fail at it. Repeatedly. We throw our hands in air, concluding not everyone has a talent of sleight of hand. The truth is, sleight of hand is a skill. Learnable and transferable. Of course, the wallet in the question here is not an actual wallet. But more valuable than a wallet. We try to gain attention, trust, commitment or care. Either for us or for people working together. When we tell people that we’re going to steal their wallets. What happens? Resistance arises. This resistance is the hindrance. The key is to make them comfortable, give them space and let the sleight of hand work its magic. It works. Every time. --- ### Being part of the wave, not the wave itself URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/17/being-part-of-the-wave-not-the-wave-itself/ Date: 2021-02-17 Description: Discover why chasing KPIs traps organizations in mediocrity. Learn why commitment to mission, not metrics, drives genuine results. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Organizations like to know where they stand. How far they have come. How fast they’re going. Where they’re lagging and where they can improve. The goal is to get better results. Then we introduce Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Then we chase KPIs. Our target changes from getting actual *results* to getting *KPIs* done. And we feel trapped. Not only because KPIs are solely objective in nature. The problem goes deeper than that. KPIs are similar to bullet points of a story. The story has nuances. We miss out on the nuances by only focusing on bullet points. But, that is not the real problem. The real problem is the premise of commitment. To create great products, services or interventions we need committed people. People who are committed to the mission, not the KPIs. When our people are committed to the mission, they care. That changes everything. For better. The following illustration shows that the red spots are just outlines. The outlines that *we generally focus* on. The dark area is where the nuances lie. The ones where *we should focus* on. ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/kpis-continuum.png?resize=1366%2C768&ssl=1)We need to understand we’re part of the wave, not the wave. --- ### The many shades of upskilling URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/17/the-many-shades-of-upskilling/ Date: 2021-02-17 Description: Discover why generic upskilling programs fail most employees. Learn to match learning styles with content for real growth. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak More and more organizations are rushing towards upskilling their employees. While the intention is good, the expectations are misplaced. It is fair to expect the individuals to gain skills at the end of the campaign, but in many cases, it is unrealistic. This is where we get it wrong. Generally, any upskilling course has two elements: learning of a new tool/method and learning a mental model/thinking process. Depending on the subject at hand, the composition of these two elements vary. For example: a course on ‘Design thinking for problem solution’ may constitute 20% of tools and 80% of mental models or a course on ‘Adobe Creative Suit’ may constitute 70% of tools and 30% of mental models. The expected outcome of the employee upskilling is rendered unrealistic when we sign the incompatible individuals for an upskilling course. This does not mean that everyone cannot learn everything. What this means is the pace at which some individuals learn is different from others. Also, some individuals respond better to a particular type of combination of tools and mental model courses than others. Signing these incompatible individuals for an incompatible paced and constituted course results in disappointment. Not only for organizations but also for the individuals. Organizations see little to no effect of the upskilling campaign in the results. Individuals beat themselves up thinking they’re not smart enough to get the most of the opportunity provided by the organizations. The truth is, both of the entities are incorrect in their judgement. One way to deal with this situation is to study and understand the individual learning style of the staff. Before recommending them to a particular course, enough homework needs to be done on the content of the course and the compatibility of the course for different individuals. Of course, all of this requires time, commitment and intention. But then, which impactful work doesn’t requires these ingredients? The point is to do more of the work that matters, for the people who care. --- ### Show, don’t tell URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/16/show-dont-tell/ Date: 2021-02-16 Description: Move beyond empty words to inspire real vulnerability and engagement. Learn why actions speak louder than statements. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak “Please treat this space as a safe space, you can be vulnerable here”, said the facilitator of the online workshop. Though well-intentioned, it doesn’t inspire action. Despite knowing it doesn’t work that way, we resort to it. We repeatedly say it and make it uninspiring. Stating a fact is not the key to inspiration. The key to inspiration is emotion. Engage your target’s emotion. This applies everywhere: relationships, marketing, interviews or design. And how can we engage emotions? Create a stable environment reflecting your intention. Get everyone onboard. Don’t tell your intention. Manifest the presence of your intention through your actions. If required, coordinate the initial actions for building the momentum. Then step back. It’s not easy, but worth the effort. --- ### In for collateral damage? Anyone? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2020/05/21/in-for-collateral-damage-anyone/ Date: 2020-05-21 Description: During COVID-19, we are all collateral damage. But we can choose our response. Understand the war and find your part. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak ***Trigger Warning****:\*\* Mental health first. If you are feeling slightest of mental health related turbulence due to extended lockdown such as: anxiety, phobia, anger, melancholy or OCD, please do not proceed further. It is likely that it will aggravate your emotions and prove to be counter-productive. You can always come back to the article later. For those who choose to proceed further, please keep in mind, I do not have a crystal ball and like any other medium, I use the written word to communicate my concerns and opinions.* It has been more than three months now since the COVID-19 virus took over the entire world and especially India. Much has been said, written and discussed how the time we are living in is an unprecedented one. Unprecedented, because the virus caught us off-guard when we thought we were at the peak of our civilization. To understand the condition in which we are right now, one should watch the first episode of the British television drama series Black Mirror. In this episode, the fictional Prime Minister Michael Callow faces a huge and shocking dilemma when Princess Susannah, a much-loved member of the Royal Family, is kidnapped. As a ransom, the kidnapper has asked him to do something so horrifying that he vows not to fulfil this ransom. > Upon hearing about the ransom, taken aback, PM Callow asks his advisors: > > “So what now? What’s the playbook?” > > “This is virgin territory, Prime Minister. There’s no playbook.” Each of us including our state-heads, scientists and economists are Black Mirror’s Prime Minister Michael Callow. There is no playbook. Like him, we have no idea as to what to do with this, how to deal with it. We lack any experience of dealing with something like this on such a grand scale: the virus, the entire social-economic fabric, international economy, basically everything under the Sun. We cannot solve a quantum computational problem with knowledge of school-level mathematics. Reading so far sounds so much full of pessimism. In a way, yes. But, when my loved one will be lying alone on a deathbed in the hospital, I will know that the reality has knocked on my door. What most of the countries have tried to do is: flatten the curve. We have seen enough of such graphs by now where it is hard to judge fact from fiction. What most of the people overlook is the meaning of the phrase-‘flatten the curve’. In its purest form, it means to inhibit the number of new infections (and that’s why deaths) due to COVID-19 at any given time so that the healthcare facility can better prepare themselves for the incoming volume of the patients. Taking one day at a time. So, we are trying to buy time, a simple bargain. Whether India has flattened the curve or not is of little interest to me because that requires a separate dedicated article on it. My interest lies in communicating and reiterating the naked truth: the truth that *we are part of collateral damage*. Yes, collateral damage in the war against COVID-19. As the government machinery is preparing to ease the restrictions in most parts of India, we need to make a decision. A decision whether we want to be collateral damage or not. ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/flatten-the-curve-5.jpg?resize=459%2C257&ssl=1)What exactly flattening the curve means? ![](https://i0.wp.com/bhagyeshpathak.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/hamster-in-wheel.gif?resize=480%2C270&ssl=1)Hamster in a wheel. A zero sum-up game. --- ### WFH: How much ‘worth’ from home? URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2020/03/31/wfh-how-much-worth-from-home/ Date: 2020-03-31 Description: Two weeks of WFH revealed hidden productivity truths. Learn to measure real value, prioritize tasks, and decline worthless meetings. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak Let’ get this clear: this is not one of those articles targeted to ride on the coronavirus outbreak wave. This post is a reflection on my two weeks of dedicated WFH (Work From Home) experience. I am confident that it will help you. An experience lived without processing is just living, but when it is appropriately processed, it results in *thriving*. Processing experience is an essential part as it strengthens our experience, stimulates us to reflect and helps us come up with something beneficial. More often than not, sound processing works by asking questions. Good questions. One question that I was pondering upon day-in-day-out was: > How much value am I able to generate during this period? Often, working in the development sector, it is a challenging task to gauge the value of any given task. There are no set standards, and hence the only compass which can help you navigate is your conscientiousness. Self-rating is a good practice. Most of the individuals are not prepared to work from home and hence; this self-rating should be kind to yourself. It is okay if you think you are unable to generate as much value as you could during the office work. The exciting part is when you make yourself accountable and let your conscientiousness guide you, something magical happens. You strive to get better and push a little hard every day. Well, that’s magic. How often do people try to account for themselves on their own? Scarcely. We should think in terms of how many hours of distraction-free work we are pouring and how much value we are producing. If it doesn’t match your expectations, you know what you should be doing: only prioritizing more valuable tasks without putting extra hours of WFH—working elongated hours aren’t equal to producing value. Don’t confuse time with value. Another question that lingered in my thoughts: > To which con-calls should have I said ‘NO’? It wouldn’t be an understatement to say: *There is not only a coronavirus outbreak, but also a con-call virus outbreak.* According to analysts [Bernstein Research](https://www.wired.co.uk/article/zoom-work-communication), by the end of February 2020, the popular web-conferencing interface provider Zoom had added 2.22 million monthly active users, beating the 1.99 million a month it averaged in the whole of 2019. Fundamentally, there is nothing wrong with the leap of users in this service. Zoom is a reliable, efficient, lowest downtime provider. *The question is: are we able to utilize these services to the fullest?* There is reasonable doubt. My reason stems from my experience, and I’m sure that you will resonate. I attended plenty of conference calls in the last two weeks, where the participant size ranged from anywhere between 4 to 12. After a range of disappointments with the way they were facilitated or rather mal-facilitated, it pressed the pedestal of my thoughts to consider saying ‘NO’ to any con-call that was likely to be of zero value serving. Coming back to the original question, I would consider saying ‘NO’ to any con-call which has a history of not having any combination of the following characteristics. Please note, these characteristics are immensely demanding for a reason. - A thoughtful, all-encompassing agenda shared at least 24 hours in advance - Sharing of a written introduction of any new participant scheduled to join the call - Sharing of a set of *updated* documents to refer to before the call - An excellent opening to the con-call by the host: if this is a follow-up call, the host should invest at least 10% of the total con-call time in recapping and updating where we had left on the previous call - Proper closing of the con-call by the host: recapping the call, action points marked, next approximate schedule of call - A con-call where all participants need to listen to intently (if most of your con-call can do while you finish your lunch, you should know something is wrong) - A con-call where all participants are needed to be heard by everyone (if the only time you unmute your mic is to say ‘Hi’ and ‘Bye’, you know what I’m talking about) - A con-call which is followed by an email that briefly outlines the discussed points with a special section on the future action points (at least within 24 hours) It is entirely natural if one finds this demanding. It certainly is. The reason is the amount of time invested (or wasted) during a completely unorganized con-call. A 60-minute long unorganized con-call with five participants is spending 300 minutes in total, which is 5 hours of the working hour. It is bizarre. What a waste. If the practice persists (and it often does), it becomes just another sign of busyness for all of the participants. A ritual, a house-party. There is a reason for them being demanding because, *if a host fails to follow most of the bullet check-lists, the idea of a con-call should be kept on hold. The host is merely unprepared to justify the sacrifice of all participants’ time, energy and attention.* If knowingly or unknowingly your hosting role lacks any of the bullet check-lists, it is a great idea to work on them and improve. So, what was this? Ranting? Not really. The whole point is as participants if we get conscious of these trenches, we would be able to choose how and where to provide our attention. When participants take charge, the host will need to reconsider the practice. Another question occupying my mind in the last few weeks has been: > How has the WFH experience affected the way I look at my productivity? I self-rate myself as a highly productive individual at work. It is interesting how a couple of weeks working from home changes your perspective. I’m consciously accounting for my time spent after each task working from home. Remember, being at home, I do not have a reason to stroll from one cubicle to another to quickly chat with my colleagues or occupy the conference hall for an impromptu team catch-up. This observation brings a crucial truth to my notice. The truth is evident: these activities were unnecessary and not helping my productivity. I’m able to work better, finish tasks in a shorter duration of time than I used to do at the office. > What would I like to do about this insight after the lock-down is over? The insight about productivity is excellent, but how can one utilize it when the lock-down situation is over? One way that I’m certainly looking at it is in the form of *revision of my work priorities* or *even to the extent of revising the nature of my work engagement*. I’m sure that I will come up with the tasks that sound the most important to me, and I would like to dedicate my time only to those particular tasks. The remaining time, I can focus on other work or a side project that would serve my long term goal and provide me with satisfaction. I’m a probable optimist. No matter how difficult the current situation looks like, no matter how long it prevails, the probability of the case getting better than its present form is higher than it seems. One thing is clear: the post-coronavirus outbreak world is going to be completely different than it used to be. ‘A better world’ if I may dare say. Organizations are forced to reconsider the way they look at work and human capital. The coronavirus is going to squeeze out leaders who will change the workspace scenario forever and for better. Any organization not catching up will have to bear a deadly blow of this changing time and of course, new leaders. This time is a time of renaissance. So, what value are you serving from home? --- ### Redirecting… URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/5-mistakes-i-avoid-while-designing-my-dashboards/ [Click here if you are not redirected.](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/04/12/5-mistakes-i-avoid-while-designing-my-dashboards/) --- ### Redirecting… URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/a-knowledge-workers-secret-weapon-hemingway-app/ [Click here if you are not redirected.](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2023/05/19/a-knowledge-workers-secret-weapon-hemingway-app/) --- ### Redirecting… URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/a-powerful-trick-to-improve-decision-making-skills/ [Click here if you are not redirected.](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/12/a-powerful-trick-to-improve-decision-making-skills/) --- ### Redirecting… URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/a-rewarding-way-of-using-frameworks-or-at-least-the-one-that-is-effective/ [Click here if you are not 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Read my latest blog posts. Author: Bhagyesh Pathak September 02, 2026 ## [How to make AI conversations effective?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/09/02/how-to-make-ai-conversations-effective/) For most of us now, some of the most important conversations happen inside ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Grok websites. (I wanted to talk about the privacy and everything, but some other day.) Most of us treat these interfaces as chat. Even when we use them for serious work. When we’re... September 01, 2026 ## [What will happen to Razorpay?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/09/01/what-will-happen-to-razorpay/) I had noted this experience in mid-January this year. I have used Razorpay for implementing subscriptions product in one of my clients’ projects. The amount of hoops I had to jump through to get my subscription do what I intended to do was painful. I was testing several things with... April 01, 2026 ## [Scaling LLMs at the Edge: A journey through distillation, routers, and embeddings](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/04/01/scaling-llms-at-the-edge/) I have extensively edited this article after an LLM agent combed through my codebase and prepared the initial draft. Originally published at Sisyphus Consulting blog At Sisyphus Consulting, We recently launched a unique product in the market: physical facilitation cards + digital tools for virtual facilitation. They’re named Wu Wei... March 30, 2026 ## [You can just do things](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/03/30/you-can-just-do-things/) A few days into writing this essay, I realized that this essay is for men. So, if you’re a woman, you’re welcome to read, just be mindful that it is based largely on a man’s experience of the world and adapts a specific set of masculine premises on life, world... March 27, 2026 ## [Wu Wei cards are live!](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/03/27/wu-wei-cards-are-live/) Finally, wuwei.cards is live. I first came across processing cards a few years ago. And their effect hasn’t left me since then, so much so that I’m going over so much trouble to provide the same experience to others. Crazy. Wu Wei is an ancient Chinese philosophy, which loosely translates... March 13, 2026 ## [Barbarians at the gate](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/03/13/barbarians-at-the-gate-book-review/) For some strange reasons, I came across this marvellous piece just a few months back. Once I had my hands on it, I just couldn’t stop reading it. One of the best piece of writing on financial transactions, board meetings, mis-management, ambition, greed..and above all, The Wall Street. I didn’t... January 12, 2026 ## [The pleasure of experimenting](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2026/01/12/the-pleasure-of-experimenting/) I looove experiments. My childhood was full of hardware experiments and then I switched to software. For FEEDHAMMER–the product I’m going to release for Sisyphus Consulting Pvt. Ltd., one of the key questions was this: What is Google Calendar’s frequency of checking for new changes? Now, as usual, I “researched”... December 30, 2025 ## [Following through](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2025/12/30/following-through/) As we wrap up the outgoing year, we tend to promise to better ourselves next year. And there are a ton of things we can promise ourselves about: exercise, meditation, nutrition, social life..etc. And when it comes to work, there are many must-have skills touted by different people. Sometimes, the... July 14, 2025 ## [Why people hide AI usage at work?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2025/07/14/why-people-hide-AI-usage-at-work/) Essay Outline The reasons The AI-stigma Organic vs Inorganic Role of shame The efficiency trap AI and doping in sports Fear of job loss To exaggerate their contribution value AI acts as a lever “Shadow AI” usage Before and After comparison Response to “what do you bring to the table?”... September 02, 2024 ## [AI in session planning-2](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/09/02/ai-in-session-planning-2/) Is AI going to replace all of us? No, I don’t think so. Is AI going to equip all of us? Yes, If we ask for help. In this walkthrough, you can see the usage of AI in creating Atal Tinkering Lab sessions. This could be anything: a science class,... August 29, 2024 ## [AI in session planning-1](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/08/29/ai-in-session-planning-1/) Shipping work is hard. Making it public is even harder. For past few months, I have been tinkering with something. And if you remember, a few weeks back, I shared an essay “To AI or Not To AI” too.\[1\] How to make the best of the technology without making it... August 06, 2024 ## [To AI or not to AI?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/08/06/to-ai-or-not-to-ai/) That’s no longer the question now. The real question is… Actually, it is not a single question. There are questions: – What to AI? – When to AI? – Where to AI? – Who will AI? – How much to AI? These are reasonable questions, but we are not there... June 17, 2024 ## [Can EVMs be REALLY hacked?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/06/17/can-evms-be-really-hacked/) I have been tinkering with microcontrollers since childhood and I can see the gap in the communication here. Between Rajeev and Musk. This is a huge sweeping generalization statement that implies no one can build secure digital hardware. Wrong. @elonmusk ‘s view may apply to US n other places –... June 12, 2024 ## [“Our app doesn’t have AI” is the new differentiator now](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/06/12/our-app-doesnt-have-ai-is-the-new-differentiator-now/) I love LLMs (Large Language Models) tools aka AI tools, they’ve changed the way I work, what I work and how I envisage my future. If you’ve been using it, you know what I mean. And so, it is natural for companies to ride the AI wave. “We are the... May 31, 2024 ## [Independent Thinking](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/05/31/independent-thinking/) I woke up to some irritating news today. I felt the urge to rage-write about the death of democracy, the EU’s climate madness, so-and-so forth. But then, what’s the point? Cognitive dissonance is such a powerful mechanism, that nothing can go through zealots. So instead, I thought to talk about... May 13, 2024 ## [A year of Friday Letters](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/05/13/a-year-of-friday-letters/) Last week was the 52nd week of me sending Friday letters to the readers. One of the beauty of email newsletters is: it is not social media. It is not noisy. There are no likes, comments, shares. The reader can read on their own फुर्सत. If the reader didn’t have... April 23, 2024 ## [Dashboard managers](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/04/23/dashboard-managers/) Have you noticed there is a birth of a whole new job role? It is called Dashboard Managers. The old school managers used to know what they’re talking about. With whom they’re dealing. All with little help from dashboards. But this new variety is different. And what do they do?... March 27, 2024 ## [Our organization is flat](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/03/27/our-organization-is-flat/) The gimmick of “we are a flat organization” got perpetuated when Facebook in 2015 began its operations with probably the largest open office floor plan in the world. Many of the tech-giants followed the suite. It’s not that open offices didn’t exist before 21st century. But I’m more interested in... March 09, 2024 ## [The Tyranny of Ideology](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2024/03/09/the-tyranny-of-ideology/) What they say, even the atheists also believe in something. And they make that a religion. Because it is in the human nature to believe in something. We simply can’t help it. Belief maketh bread. This NEED to believe in something doesn’t have to be animalistic. We, the modern human... June 08, 2023 ## [Life-changing method to improve decision-making](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/guide/2023/06/08/life-changing-method-to-improve-decision-making/) Decision Frameworks Overload I’m tired of hearing about “decision models”, “frameworks”, “matrix” etc etc etc. “Charlie Munger’s secret. Do this. And boooom!” It doesn’t work. Because we’re being lazy. Mental models and frameworks don’t work on their own. The practitioner has to practice them. The way doctors have to “practice”... May 19, 2023 ## [Powerful lean-mean writing system](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/guide/2023/05/19/powerful-lean-mean-writing-system/) Imagine. There’s a gun on your head. You have to make a choice. “Time-travel to 26th April, 1984. Visit Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. And stare at its exploded core.” OR “Type out 5 pages on the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster. In 5 days.” What’s your choice? My choice? Chernobyl. I’d die... March 01, 2023 ## [Peel those peas](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2023/03/01/peel-those-peas/) “The dollar value of my time.” I don’t remember exactly when I came across this thinking pattern. And somewhere I adopted it. Initially, not in my day-to-day life. But mostly on the work front. It helped me in setting my priorities. It still does. But something unexpected began to take... January 31, 2023 ## [The death of uncertainty](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2023/01/31/the-death-of-uncertainty/) It is funny how certain we feel when we promote a product on Facebook, Instagram, or Google. We think “hmmm, I have checked all the boxes and now the technology will do the work.” And indeed, technology does its work. Our expectation is met. Our love for certainty increases with... November 21, 2022 ## [Why I don’t resort to Euphemisms](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/11/21/why-i-dont-resort-to-euphemisms/) A year back, I wasn’t aware of this tendency of mine. But as we learn new terms, they give us ideas. So what’s a euphemism? It is a mild or pleasant word or phrase that we use instead of one that is unpleasant or offensive. Kind of a sugar-coated thing.... October 05, 2022 ## [If you didn’t process it, it doesn’t count](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/10/05/if-you-didnt-process-it-it-doesnt-count/) How many times do we feel our efforts were not effective enough? For example, you conducted some activities with your students, employees, or the management team. People loved it. Or at least, that is what they said. And yet, you see the same patterns in their behaviour. No change. In... September 22, 2022 ## [Not just another conversation](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/09/22/not-just-another-conversation/) In my previous piece, I talked about why I stopped presenting and started conversing. But what kind of conversation? Chit-chat? Small talk? Philosophical drag? NO. A diagnostic one. Unassuming. Bias-free conversation. A good medical practitioner doesn’t cut open a patient based on his instinct. Instead, the first step is talking... September 16, 2022 ## [Why I stopped presenting and started conversing](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/09/16/why-i-stopped-presenting-and-started-conversing/) Not because I got bored of presenting or because it was time-consuming. Like every other public speaker, I love presentations. Pitching a new idea. New solution. Getting the “Aha!” moment from the audience. It makes me feel accomplished. The growing anticipation, the next visual on the screen. The first look,... August 03, 2022 ## [The monster inside us](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/08/03/the-monster-inside-us/) “I know that I’m a bad person. I lie, cheat, and hurt people. I’m an absolute monster!” No, not that monster. In fact, that’s not even a monster. That’s a normal human being. I want to talk about the monster that feels cute when he presents himself. He flatters us.... July 15, 2022 ## [Developing an ear](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/15/developing-an-ear/) No, we’re not talking about artificial ear creation from stem cells. But a metaphorical one. The thing is, communication platforms have made it easy to voice out your mind. But every progress asks for something in return. In this case, we have given up our ears. Our eyes. Our observation... July 14, 2022 ## [A thousand dollar YES](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/14/a-thousand-dollar-yes/) It is a disservice to the client to say YES. For their every whim and wants. A client may come up with impromptu plans for a design change, a marketing tactic or the school administration comes up with a new student competition idea. As a designer, a marketer or a... July 13, 2022 ## [You will disappoint people](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/13/you-will-disappoint-people/) But these people will have different reasons. Mainly two groups: A. Disappointed because you have changed. B. Disappointed because you have not changed. We have a choice to make here. Which group to disappoint is up to us. July 12, 2022 ## [A powerful trick to improve decision-making skills](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/12/a-powerful-trick-to-improve-decision-making-skills/) Did you know that every time we narrate an experience, it changes a little bit? Over the years, the story changes completely. “So what?” you may ask. Think about this. You are investing your hard-earned money in a small amount every month. The moment you decide to invest is a... July 11, 2022 ## [The moment you realize it won’t work out](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/11/the-moment-you-realize-it-wont-work-out/) That’s the moment all of us come across. Every day. No matter what kind of knowledge work we might be engaged in. You enrolled a student in your after-school classes, but you know it won’t work out. You agreed to run a social media campaign for a new client, but... July 10, 2022 ## [Is it worthy of gossip?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/10/is-it-worthy-of-gossip/) When in 2011, Yuval Noah Harari published his bestseller ‘The Sapiens’, along with many concepts, it reintroduced the importance of gossip in the human social circle. Its primary purpose: survival. Gossip is an intimate act among a close circle of individuals. It serves as the reservoir of knowledge. Whatever idea,... July 09, 2022 ## [Leave the books incomplete](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/09/leave-the-books-incomplete/) If you force yourself to complete every book, two things will happen: 1. Soon, you will give up reading 2. It will take a long time to figure out what is your type That’s also true for work. July 08, 2022 ## [A strange paradox: saying NO to say YES](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/08/a-strange-paradox-saying-no-to-say-yes/) Every one of us needs to build the capacity to say NO. Not for ourselves. But to serve better. A bit paradoxical, huh? See, you might be a teacher, a marketer, an investment banker or a CEO. No matter what, you want to serve your customer, and your organization better.... July 07, 2022 ## [Is paper disruptive technology?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/07/is-paper-disruptive-technology/) When startup/tech enthusiasts use the term ‘disruptive’, what they mean is a 10X better solution. Refined over a period of a few years. Earlier, a 10X better solution used to take a couple of decades to develop and refine. Even a millennium. When we develop a solution keeping ‘disruption’ in... July 06, 2022 ## [What does it make them feel?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/06/what-does-it-make-them-feelefbfbc/) When a bookworm walks into your small book cafe. When a patient enters your operation theatre. When a tired parent knocks on the headmaster’s door. When a new fearful child enters your classroom. When a farmer visits your organic startup webpage. When a veteran reads your company and job description.... July 05, 2022 ## [What is more accurate: a table or a ruler?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/05/what-is-more-accurate-a-table-or-a-ruler/) And still, we think the table is of the wrong size. How many times do we find our values appreciated or depreciated by someone? Sometimes during a simple presentation or sometimes during a job interview. If you’re a software developer candidate, how do you know the interviewer knows more than... July 04, 2022 ## [We’re all facilitators](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/04/were-all-facilitators/) When did we decide we are not? Facilitator. Teacher. Guide. I’m using the word facilitator. Someone who facilitates an interaction. Actively or passively. It is possible to self-limit with job titles such as “Vice President”, “CEO”, and “Junior clerk”. They’re useful codes to estimate where someone is placed in a... July 03, 2022 ## [Your village and villagers](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/03/your-village-and-villagers/) It takes a village to raise a child. And what about a business, a project or a service? It is good to assume that success is dependent on the village and villagers. The thing is, in the case of raising a child, the village plays a passive role and parents... July 02, 2022 ## [See that empty space? Let’s fill it](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/02/see-that-empty-space-lets-fill-it/) Technology is not here to replace us. (Read Rule no.3 in my New World Rules here) It is here to liberate us. Liberate our time. Liberate our mind space. Why to liberate us? That’s a million-dollar question. \*Liberate us to fill with entertainment? \*Liberate us to fill with 10-second TikTok?... July 01, 2022 ## [Our inherent need to be connected](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/01/our-inherent-need-to-be-connected/) Whether we identify ourselves as an introvert or an extrovert, we have this inherent need to be connected with other beings. Not all beings, just the right ones. In fact, we can see first-hand that we get bored with typical MOOC courses. Because in the end, the best interaction we... June 30, 2022 ## [Dusting off the glass](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/30/dusting-off-the-glass/) Last night, I attended Y Combinator’s session on Boom Supersonic jet startup. (Boom is building a commercial Supersonic jet that will travel two times faster than today’s commercial jets. You can read more about it here.) Boom’s founder Blake was showing around their testing prototype XB-1 Baby Boom at their... June 29, 2022 ## [Will a single step count?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/29/will-a-single-step-count/) I know you have walked the extra mile for someone and so has someone for you. That extra mile would have strengthened your relationship, developed trust and set your intentions in order. What if someone can only afford to walk an extra step? Not a mile. See, the thing with... June 28, 2022 ## [Believing is being](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/28/believing-is-being/) Most of us tend to believe what we see. For us, being is believing. The problem occurs when we start working on large projects. We have to believe in the project, its outcomes and its eventual being. We cannot wait for the being, the existence to manifest to make us... June 27, 2022 ## [Creating hurdles to provide value](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/27/creating-hurdles-to-provide-value/) That’s an illusion. You may succeed in making a fortune in the short-term by gatekeeping, but not in the long term. One may argue it is their business model. But hey, isn’t that counterintuitive? The whole idea of commerce is to provide value in exchange for money. When did we... June 26, 2022 ## [Reconnecting with your original WHY](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/26/reconnecting-with-your-original-why/) All of us feel lost at some point in our lives and career. “Why did I choose this work?” “Why did I choose this partner?” “Why did I choose this product rollout strategy?” And so on… One thing that works for me is noting my WHY early on. Writing on... June 25, 2022 ## [How to suffer less: in life, work or marketing](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/25/how-to-suffer-less-in-life-work-or-marketing/) The idea is simple: learn to see reality as it is. Were you expecting a different behaviour to happen? Did it happen? Why did or didn’t it happen? What part of your thesis was correct or incorrect? This may seem like a no-brainer, but how many of us deal with... June 24, 2022 ## [Going slow to go fast](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/24/going-slow-to-go-fast/) No matter what story you tell yourself about your work, it is always an almost a good idea to go slow. Deliberately. Unless you’re working on an assembly line, thoughtful action will always outperform an expedited one. It doesn’t have a philosophical basis, but a mathematical one. The probability of... June 23, 2022 ## [The Hubble Moment](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/23/the-hubble-moment/) I’m eagerly waiting for the first full-colour images from JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) scheduled to be publicized on July 12th. If you’re unaware of it, read the Wiki article here. But I’m not talking about JWST, nor about The Hubble Telescope. I’m talking about monumental projects. Upon its launch... June 22, 2022 ## [Perception is everything](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/22/perception-is-everything/) Of course, not EVERYTHING. But important enough to talk about. Perception gets your cold call answered. Perception wins you a job. Perception begets you public’s vote. Check out two different versions of the cover image of the book ‘Seven Years in Tibet’. Which of the cover images make you think... June 21, 2022 ## [No, you didn’t have a design problem](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/21/no-you-didnt-have-a-design-problem/) It was probably an accounting problem. If you thought you had worked hard, put in your best effort, and still the output was disappointing. If you’re a music composer who composed melodious music that was only tested on a limited set of output settings, no wonder the music didn’t sound... June 20, 2022 ## [Waiting to pass out or to be dead](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/20/waiting-to-pass-out-or-to-be-dead/) Threshold is not a good measure. Probably not the right one too. If you decide ‘we will act if the problem crosses so and so threshold’, you are more likely to cross that threshold. Waiting until the system no longer works. Waiting until the addiction reaches a point of no... June 19, 2022 ## [How not to blindside your audience](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/19/how-not-to-blindside-your-audience/) If you stamp your logo everywhere, you’re setting yourself to become invisible. Invisible to the eye. Effective marketing effort doesn’t overwhelm their audience. They do not pop in front of the audience when they least expect them. Instead, the effective ones present themselves in an anticipated manner. With permission. Effective... June 18, 2022 ## [The volatility of our patience](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/18/the-volatility-of-our-patience/) A year back, I had written about the volatility of our decisions. I came across an even more interesting read sometime back. It showcases how our patience is decreasing. In fact, it is also volatile, with a downward trend. Look at the attached graph of the shrinking period of US... June 17, 2022 ## [Mind before software](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/17/mind-before-software/) I love using software products. They make life so easy. Normally, my software exploration goes like this: \*I come across a situation. Mostly problems. \*I know the manual way is lengthy. That’s the last option. \*I explore the internet. Deep dive. And..mostly I get what I look for. I’m convinced... June 16, 2022 ## [What will a true EdTech look like?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/16/what-will-a-true-edtech-look-like/) The best Edtech we had for a hundred years was a blackboard and chalk. Then, we thought “alright, let’s scale the same experience using digital tools.” We failed. Many organizations tried to position themselves as the substitute for the traditional classroom. While the better idea was to be an augmentation... June 15, 2022 ## [No longer a grocery store](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/15/no-longer-a-grocery-store/) If you’re selling fruits and vegetables in a thriving city market, you will hear and see your customers directly. This is not true for most businesses though. The people you seek to serve are not in physical proximity. But we have to keep our eyes and ears open. Physical distance... June 14, 2022 ## [Jargon guys: my personal algorithm](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/14/jargon-guys-my-personal-algorithm/) This is my favourite bunch. Poetic, confident, incisive. We know them as “experts”. The problem crops up when you put them to the real-life test. Most of them underperform. Or better: they’re good theorists. Universities are producing a huge number of jargon-filled experts nowadays. So, how do you identify a... June 13, 2022 ## [Team-building activities by Steve Jobs](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/13/team-building-activities-by-steve-jobs/) You’re set for a disappointment if you seriously thought Steve Jobs conducted any team-building activity. So what he did? Made an offer that a handful of crazy ones couldn’t resist. The non-believers didn’t believe and he didn’t care. Have you listened to Sir Jonathan Ive’s interview? He is the former... June 12, 2022 ## [Stauts quo, Irrationality and Economics](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/12/stauts-quo-irrationality-and-economics/) How tall can your child grow? On average, a healthy child grows at 2.5 inches per year. By this logic, the child would grow into a 10 feet tall adult. Isn’t that insane? We know it’s not true. Our body doesn’t work that way. But we forget that organizations are... June 11, 2022 ## [Ideas that we own](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/11/ideas-that-we-own/) And the ideas that we don’t own. Will you hit the kill switch on your idea, if it doesn’t work? It is important to differentiate between which are ours and which are borrowed. There are multiple reasons why it is important to differentiate: To control our attachment to the idea... June 10, 2022 ## [The worst robbery we carry out](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/10/the-worst-robbery-we-carry-out/) It is strange to think of ourselves as robbers. I mean most of my readers are intelligent, hardworking folks. Not robbers. I’m not talking about the robbing of attention. Your attention is a gift and I cherish it. I’m referring to the robbery of experience. Not deprivation. Robbery. When a... June 09, 2022 ## [The race against time](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/09/the-race-against-time/) According to www.deathclock.com, I have 60 more years to live. To breathe. To enjoy the human experience. You can check yours. But the deathclock is not going to show infinity. Neither it is going to show 200 years. We have a choice to make here. Either to live as if... June 08, 2022 ## [Physicians that hoard X-ray reports](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/08/physicians-that-hoard-x-ray-reports/) Have you heard of such a physician? Me neither. Because the physician knows the importance of analyzing the X-ray report and prescribing medicine. When it comes to data, most organizations suffer from two ailments: Lack of data Lack of dissemination of data due to data hoarding Data, like grains, is... June 07, 2022 ## [Unintentional social engineering projects](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/07/unintentional-social-engineering-projects/) Probably the ATM machines taught people the possibility of an unsupervised queue. All engineering projects affect a lasting change. On the society. Of course, most of them are unintentional. Sometimes it takes us decades to realize this. Few examples: Telecom projects: changed the society’s communication pattern Infrastructure projects: changed the... June 06, 2022 ## [Body of work](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/06/body-of-work/) Did Pandit Ravishankar have a resume? What about Richard Branson or Carl Sagan or Steven Spielberg? Could they make a large impact because they didn’t have a resume? Or was it a conscious choice? We don’t know the answer. But we do know these great personalities produced a body of... June 05, 2022 ## [Here we enter the 18th year of the great deception](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/05/here-we-enter-the-18th-year-of-the-great-deception/) While some of us torment ourselves on the eve of world environment day, a little bit of fact-check is in order. As an individual, what should be our share of the blame for greenhouse gas emissions? : 100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%, 5%? In 2020, when the world was at... June 05, 2022 ## [Data is not important, but experience is](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/05/data-is-not-important-but-experience-is/) Can I convince you to give up smoking by telling you every year eight million deaths are related to smoking-related diseases? If you’re hard-headed like me, you’d think “sorry, I won’t be among the next 8 million, the statistics don’t work out”. This is not a space to run an... June 04, 2022 ## [Jobs that need euthanasia](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/04/jobs-that-need-euthanasia/) Yes, mercy killing. We should think about many jobs that need euthanasia. While chatting with my friend the other day, we stumbled upon the situation of 10-minute delivery agents. A lot has been written, discussed and criticized about this pervasive practice by wanna-be Unicorns. I have been guilty of being... June 03, 2022 ## [Buying air](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/03/buying-air/) I came across the term ‘useful education’. So does useless education exist in the world? Not exactly, but there is a range. Range of intangibles on offer. Useful education lives on the sidelines. It is not glamorous. You cannot grab it or seek it. It is invisible. Intangible. Useful education... June 02, 2022 ## [Our definitions may not match](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/02/our-definitions-may-not-match/) Recently, I visited a handicrafts market. Classic jute items, ceramics, soaps, embroidery. You get the idea. I felt as if I was underpaying for a ceramic mug. The price was too less for so much of their efforts. If I had crafted such a mug, I wouldn’t sell it at... June 01, 2022 ## [The case of hit and run stars](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/06/01/the-case-of-hit-and-run-stars/) Whenever there is a hit and run case, our blood boils. That is the right thing to feel. But I’m not talking about the hit and run drivers. I’m talking about the hit and run stars. These are a special bunch of people. They’re celebrated to have started many projects,... May 31, 2022 ## [Wanted: A captain that goes down with the ship](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/05/31/wanted-a-captain-that-goes-down-with-the-ship/) And that’s a maritime tradition. What about the ships in the form of organizations? It is a huge risk to board a ship. Especially, without knowing the ship’s health, the crew’s culture or the ship’s direction. And still, on a regular basis, new sailors, may I call freshers, are coerced... May 30, 2022 ## [How much money is a lot of money?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/05/30/how-much-money-is-a-lot-of-money/) That was the response from Bob Marley. The interviewer had asked him “have you made a lot of money?” The question is timeless. Whether we question anyone on their face about their bank balance or not, we ask it in our heads. Constantly. We need a new question though. “Do... May 09, 2022 ## [Opposite of post-mortem: pre-mortem](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/05/09/opposite-of-post-mortem-pre-mortem/) This is the most discouraging question I ask at the end of every project planning session. “What can go wrong with this plan?” Asking “what went wrong?” is always an option. Most organizations do it. That’s post-mortem. It doesn’t compensate for the lost time and resources. Instead, pre-mortem helps us... April 21, 2022 ## [Appraisal of appraisals](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/04/21/appraisal-of-appraisals/) Appraisal season is here. The best time to publish this article was a year back. The second-best time is today. (I would rate myself 0 on a scale of 0-10 about the timeliness of this article. Poor time management.) Organizations are trying their best to catch up with the needs... April 15, 2022 ## [Intentional Hassle](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/04/15/intentional-hassle/) The economic machine thrives upon consumption. The more we consume, the more we push the piston. Living in the most materially comfortable times, we’re getting rid of as many hassles as possible. Most of us are hooked on an increasingly hassle-free lifestyle. The question is “what degree of hassle-free lifestyle... March 28, 2022 ## [How powerful or powerless people are you looking for?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/03/28/how-powerful-or-powerless-people-are-you-looking-for/) Of course, the question in the title is absurd. A more appropriate question will seek to answer a combination of inquiries: are you looking for someone who will follow your instructions? Are you looking for someone who will correct you when you’re mistaken? Are you looking for someone who will... March 15, 2022 ## [When should you start your act?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/03/15/when-should-you-start-your-act/) When you get on a stage? Or while walking on the road on a random Sunday afternoon? The successful showman in any show business starts his act as soon as he gets on a stage. But a legendary showman/woman does not need to start their act when they get on... December 22, 2021 ## [Trust is getting scarce, but old principles are here to stay](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/12/22/trust-is-getting-scarce-but-old-principles-are-here-to-stay/) Not among people. But between the interaction of people and organizations. I’m not talking about the employer-employee relationship here. That’s secondary. The trust between a brand and people. Thanks to the past 30 years of cultural conditioning, we know there is going to be some caveat during our interaction with... December 20, 2021 ## [What’s common between a dog bite and a cold call?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/12/20/whats-common-between-a-dog-bite-and-a-cold-call/) Most of us fear both. And these are not the only fears that we harbor. Consider a few examples: The fear of a cold shower vs the fear of presenting a ppt deck The fear of a knife cut vs the fear of your ideas being rejected The fear of... December 18, 2021 ## [Changing the defaults in everything you do](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/12/18/changing-the-defaults-in-everything-you-do/) I dislike pre-installed applications on smartphones or computers. You can’t even remove some of them. The majority of them are ineffective at what they do. The fact that some of the third-party apps come pre-installed as a part of the deal is a signal that there are not many takers.... December 14, 2021 ## [A simple filter test to make your surveys meaningful](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/12/14/a-simple-filter-test-to-make-your-surveys-meaningful/) At any stage of your work, do you design surveys? The ones with endless questions and options? Then we’re the same type. Or almost the same type. Working in the non-profit sector, we need to conduct surveys. The word need is both significant and deadly here. Many times when we... December 13, 2021 ## [The seductive urge to manage people](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/12/13/the-seductive-urge-to-manage-people/) Recently, some realization dawned upon me and here I am. Could you imagine an organization without any managerial roles? Me neither. At least not until a few years back. For the past year, we have been working on a manager-less project. It is interesting that our colleagues haven’t noticed it... August 03, 2021 ## [The Fastest Way to Lose at a Pitch/Work/Relationships](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/08/03/the-fastest-way-to-lose-at-a-pitch-work-relationships/) Yes, there is more than one. But there is a specific one, which is not only the fastest, but it also ensures the loss of the audience’s trust. Feeling of being deceived. I’m still not over one product pitch that I had recently attended. The product seemed straightforward, it was... August 02, 2021 ## [The Need to be Forgotten or Becoming Invisible](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/08/02/the-need-to-be-forgotten-or-becoming-invisible/) All we want to do is to be remembered, to leave a legacy. If not in the form of a celebrity, then in the form of a celebrated family member or in a social circle. The attraction for being remembered is real and humane. The same need to be remembered,... July 30, 2021 ## [“It has always been like this”](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/30/it-has-always-been-like-this/) Well, it might have. But the fact is, it has been like that since the time I have been around. I can’t say the same for the people who have been in my place before me. When we place too much reliability on our experience alone, we give rise to... July 29, 2021 ## [No, You Can’t Convince Them](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/29/no-you-cant-convince-them/) Especially, if you’re narrowly focused on meeting your end goal. The customer, the user the donor sense it. They see through you. You have to work on what’s there for others. Not a made-up one, a genuine offer. Of course, there is never a win-win situation in business or life,... July 28, 2021 ## [Looming Bubbles & Booms: The Volatility of Our Decisions](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/28/looming-bubbles-booms-the-volatility-of-our-decisions/) When Albert Camu had said “Life is the sum of all our choices”, his proclamation was more right than wrong. The decisions that we make, shape our life, our society’s culture, and our relationships. The variables of different probabilities that we collectively refer to as ‘luck’ play their own role.... July 27, 2021 ## [Stand Here for Dance Party](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/27/stand-here-for-dance-party/) This week, I came across a remarkable 4-minute long YouTube video, perhaps one of the best entertaining short videos that have provided food for thought. If you haven’t already watched the video, I strongly encourage you that you do before reading further as the article dives deeper into what happens... July 26, 2021 ## [Monotheism in business](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/26/monotheism-in-business/) “Customer is the god.” “Whatever you do, never lose money.” And there are more monotheistic ideas. They’re popular. It is a commonly observed trait that the ideas that preach power, seem to gain traction. But that’s just for popular media and op-eds. The reality is more convoluted. There are stakeholders.... July 22, 2021 ## [The doer in the arena](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/22/the-doer-in-the-arena/) Any organization stands on its own with the help of a visible or invisible hierarchy. It matters little if someone accepts the existence of hierarchy or rejects it because its existence is versatile. Hierarchy assigns value to the nodes in the web of the organization. We have to understand that,... July 21, 2021 ## [“So what?”](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/21/so-what/) We need to ask that question every time we come across a new idea, a product pitch, or just about anything that is creating some sort of wave among our peers. It is easy to take someone’s “so what?” as a sign of arrogance, but if we look deeper, they’re... July 20, 2021 ## [The Medium Matters](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/20/the-medium-matters/) The world has changed due to several technological advances, especially the communication technologies. The way interfaces are designed, it is easy for the boundaries between the different types of media to get blurred. If we categorize all possible media that intends to deliver a message to the recipient, they can... July 19, 2021 ## [Dream of a million steps perhaps?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/19/dream-of-a-million-steps-perhaps/) There are several projects in the world aiming to spread a million or a billion smiles. Not metaphorical smiles, but real ones. The exact number of smiles is not important but the spirit is. The underlying assumption behind such projects is simple: by spreading smiles on the faces of a... July 17, 2021 ## [Which side of the table?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/07/17/which-side-of-the-table/) We make this choice every day, every moment. In our daily conversations, which side of the table do we choose to sit? I attended one webinar recently. The organizers expected to sell their products and services through the demonstration. One thing that awkwardly stood out was the host’s usage of... June 05, 2021 ## [A spark: An absolute pre-requisite](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/06/05/a-spark-an-absolute-pre-requisite/) A spark is an absolute prerequisite for an engine to start, but this post is not about a car engine. We’re talking about engines that drive our life, work and culture. When we sign up for a course, a degree, a discussion, or an uncomfortable routine, we inherently hope to... June 04, 2021 ## [The Replication Problem](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/06/04/the-replication-problem/) It is a trap. It is tempting to think that what worked for 10 people might work for 100 or vice versa. It is equally tempting to think what worked for 10 people in one city may work for 10 people in another city. Great designers know this well. The... June 03, 2021 ## [A rewarding way of using frameworks, or at least the one that is effective](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/06/03/a-rewarding-way-of-using-frameworks-or-at-least-the-one-that-is-effective/) “Let’s put this into a framework, it may work”, and the meaning is lost. We live in a complex world. In business and life, we constantly encounter problems. Some types of problems bother us frequently. As a result, we develop a tried and tested series of steps to encounter them.... June 01, 2021 ## [What are our One-foot Leverage Points?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/06/01/what-are-our-one-foot-leverage-points/) Organizations want to make an impact over a period of time. It is achieved by implementing different models. Experimenting with different parts of the entire change-making process: from ideation, recruitment, training, execution to feedback. They’re not wrong when they try to do that. In a world full of uncertainty, there... May 31, 2021 ## [No Excuses = Remarkable](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/05/31/no-excuses-remarkable/) And that’s remarkable. I recently switched to Bluehost’s one of the products and needed to call them multiple times for initial setup. No customer-care call queues, no excuse about covid-crisis. The customer representatives were patient, unassuming and solved every problem that I could throw at them. To the uninitiated, Bluehost... February 25, 2021 ## [Begin with a pencil sketch](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/25/begin-with-a-pencil-sketch/) But we want to begin with digital sketch on a high-end iPad Pro device, and call it a day. The attachment to traditional pencil and paper as tools is not romantic or nostalgic one. It is about understanding all the different nuances of the sketch, the friction of the lead... February 24, 2021 ## [How does it sound?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/24/how-does-it-sound/) Gmail offers upto thirty seconds of ‘Undo send’ and WhatsApp offers upto one hour to ‘Delete for everyone’. Why do they provide this feature? A mistaken text/email to the wrong person at the wrong time? Probably yes. But that is narrow. The function of communication technologies is to change the... February 22, 2021 ## [The invisible dance during virtual meets](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/22/the-invisible-dance-during-virtual-meets/) Most of the virtual meets are boring. Sustained boredom breeds entertainment. This entertainment can lead to insights. One of the most widely adopted zoom etiquette is to stay on mute until absolutely necessary. When you have a sufficiently large number of group size, this etiquette provides some entertainment with insights.... February 20, 2021 ## [Capacity to give up on people](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/20/capacity-to-give-up-on-people/) This is important. The conventional wisdom stresses on not giving up on people. It talks about giving chance after chance. If one way doesn’t work, offer another. Course correct. When it comes to managing people, there is a limit to the trial and error process. If the manager is clear... February 19, 2021 ## [Circumstances: If they can’t find them, make them](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/19/circumstances-if-they-cant-find-them-make-them/) I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them. George Bernard Shaw The internet has increased the social media reach. Especially to market the products... February 18, 2021 ## [How to steal a wallet?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/18/how-to-steal-a-wallet/) We are all trying to do it. More often than not, we fail at it. Repeatedly. We throw our hands in air, concluding not everyone has a talent of sleight of hand. The truth is, sleight of hand is a skill. Learnable and transferable. Of course, the wallet in the... February 17, 2021 ## [The many shades of upskilling](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/17/the-many-shades-of-upskilling/) More and more organizations are rushing towards upskilling their employees. While the intention is good, the expectations are misplaced. It is fair to expect the individuals to gain skills at the end of the campaign, but in many cases, it is unrealistic. This is where we get it wrong. Generally,... February 17, 2021 ## [Being part of the wave, not the wave itself](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/17/being-part-of-the-wave-not-the-wave-itself/) Organizations like to know where they stand. How far they have come. How fast they’re going. Where they’re lagging and where they can improve. The goal is to get better results. Then we introduce Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Then we chase KPIs. Our target changes from getting actual results to... February 16, 2021 ## [Show, don’t tell](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2021/02/16/show-dont-tell/) “Please treat this space as a safe space, you can be vulnerable here”, said the facilitator of the online workshop. Though well-intentioned, it doesn’t inspire action. Despite knowing it doesn’t work that way, we resort to it. We repeatedly say it and make it uninspiring. Stating a fact is not... May 21, 2020 ## [In for collateral damage? Anyone?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2020/05/21/in-for-collateral-damage-anyone/) Trigger Warning:\*\* Mental health first. If you are feeling slightest of mental health related turbulence due to extended lockdown such as: anxiety, phobia, anger, melancholy or OCD, please do not proceed further. It is likely that it will aggravate your emotions and prove to be counter-productive. You can always come... March 31, 2020 ## [WFH: How much ‘worth’ from home?](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2020/03/31/wfh-how-much-worth-from-home/) Let’ get this clear: this is not one of those articles targeted to ride on the coronavirus outbreak wave. This post is a reflection on my two weeks of dedicated WFH (Work From Home) experience. I am confident that it will help you. An experience lived without processing is just... --- ### Redirecting… URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/instant-use-and-throw-email-id-using-10minutemail/ [Click here if you are not redirected.](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/05/24/instant-use-and-throw-email-id-using-10minutemail/) --- ### Redirecting… URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/instantly-search-your-whole-pc-using-everything-search/ [Click here if you are not redirected.](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/newsletter/2024/01/26/instantly-search-your-whole-pc-using-everything-search/) --- ### Redirecting… URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/intentional-hassle/ [Click here if you are not redirected.](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/04/15/intentional-hassle/) --- ### Redirecting… URL: https://bhagyeshpathak.com/blog/is-it-worthy-of-gossip/ [Click here if you are not redirected.](https://bhagyeshpathak.com/uncategorized/2022/07/10/is-it-worthy-of-gossip/) --- ### Redirecting… URL: 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