Connecting with thoughts - My thoughts and Me

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“You look quite different.”

The other day, while standing in line at a voting booth, the person verifying my documents paused and said, “You look quite different from your ID proof.” I smiled and replied, “That ID was issued 10 years ago. Ten years is a long time.” We both laughed, but the remark stayed with me. It made me reflect on how often we look at people, situations, and even ourselves through old lenses—without realizing how much has changed. We search for familiarity. We expect sameness. And when we don’t find it, we say, “You’ve changed.” But change is inevitable. Time changes. The environment changes. People around us change. And whether we like it or not, we change too . Our experiences shape us. Our struggles mature us. Our learnings soften or strengthen us. And all of this shows—on our faces, in our choices, and in the way we see the world. Yet, many times, we are judged using versions of us from years ago. If you look at me through a lens from 10 years back, of course I’ll look differen...

How Many Things Do You Do in an Hour?

How Many Things Do You Do in an Hour? Not finish, do. It’s different. Doing has nothing to do with finishing. Neither am I talking about productivity. I’m just asking — what do you do? Let’s see... You walk into the office. Grab a cup of coffee — if your office provides one. Sit down, open your inbox. You start typing a reply — But a word in that email triggers a memory. Oh, that call! The one you forgot to make. You pull out your phone. Dial. Done. Except… now that call adds a new task to your to-do list. (If you keep one.) Before you hang up, a colleague stops by. You end the call. You listen. It’s about that meeting you missed. Because you were in another meeting. A more important one. Apparently. You nod, thank them. Just then — your phone rings. It’s your manager. "Update me on the meeting you attended. And I hope you got the heads-up on the one you didn’t. Meet me in five minutes." You say yes. You turn back to the email — But remember: You had asked someone...

A Lesson I Never Forgot

It was early in my career. I was swamped with work — something important my Director had asked me to complete. In the middle of that rush, a few candidates had arrived for their interviews. I kept them waiting. My Director walked in, looked around, and asked gently, “Why are the candidates waiting?” I explained, a little defensively, “I’m working on the task you gave me… it’ll take me another half an hour or so.” He nodded, then said something I carry with me to this day. “Never keep candidates waiting. It’s our need — we called them here. It’s our responsibility to honour their time. Never make them wait — not for the interview, not for the outcome. Internal work can wait. A bad candidate experience? That leaves a scar. They may never come back.” He wasn’t angry. Just... clear. And right. That day, something shifted in me. Since then, I’ve followed that lesson to the T. Today, when I see posts asking candidates to "be patient," "be understanding," or "trust th...

Back when mobile phones were rare... and so were streetlights.

कभी किसी रोज़ उस मोड़ से गुज़रता हूँ यादों का एक झरोखा-सा खुल जाता है। और वो बीते लम्हे याद आते हैं, जो सम्भाल के रखे थे... शायद ऐसे पलों के लिए या कहो तो तन्हाइयों के आलम के लिए। मानो बीते लम्हों की महफ़िल ही सजी हो, फिर भी चेहरे पर एक मुस्कान-सी आ जाती है। थोड़ी-सी नादानियाँ हमने भी की थीं, शरारत भरी गुस्ताखियाँ — जाने-अनजाने, हमसे भी तो हुई थीं। आज जब उन्हें याद करता हूँ, तो लगता है — वो दिन भी क्या दिन थे! हम ज़िंदगी क्या ख़ूब जिए थे। मशरूफ़ पलों को यादगार बनाने में अनजाने में दोस्त भी जुड़ गए थे। जब किसी रोज़ उस मोड़ से गुज़रता हूँ, तो बीते लम्हे फिर याद आ जाते हैं। There’s a story behind this one. It happened in the mid-nineties—an era when mobile phones hadn’t yet become an extension of our palms, and streetlights were more wish than guarantee. Back then, borrowing a friend’s bike for a quick ride wasn’t odd. It was friendship 101. Every week, we’d gather at Girij ( a place in Vasai) —a quiet little place in Vasai—for our Diocesan Youth Council meet. One such evening, with time ...

Emotions in Business - Fear: The Good Side

Fear is often painted as the villain in the business world—the force that holds us back from taking risks, making bold decisions, or stepping into uncharted territory. But what if we’ve misunderstood fear all along? Fear, when harnessed correctly, is not a weakness; it’s a powerful signal. It tells us what matters, sharpens our instincts, and forces us to prepare better. From startups to Fortune 500 companies, understanding fear can be the difference between reckless decisions and calculated risks. Fear and Decision-Making Fear plays a crucial role in business decisions. A CEO contemplating an acquisition fears overpaying or making a wrong strategic move. An entrepreneur fears market rejection. A salesperson fears losing a big deal. But these fears, when analyzed, can guide better decision-making. Instead of dismissing fear, we must ask: What is this fear telling me? Is it highlighting a blind spot? Is it pushing me to prepare better? Successful leaders don’t eliminate f...

The Trap of Who vs. The Power of What

In any conversation, debate, or discussion, we often find ourselves fixated on who is speaking rather than on what is being said. The easiest response is to judge the messenger, dismissing their words based on our perception of them—their biases, history, or even our own prejudices. This reflexive focus on 'who' rather than 'what' creates barriers to understanding and blinds us to the essence of the message. The Judgmental Trap When we become obsessed with the speaker rather than their words, we risk falling into a judgmental trap. We start assessing their intent rather than engaging with their argument. We question their credibility, label them based on past interactions, and dismiss their perspective outright. In doing so, we fail to listen. Every speaker, no matter how well-intentioned or knowledgeable, is inherently flawed—just as every argument, no matter how sound, carries its own set of assumptions and imperfections. But if we allow our perception ...