Life in Bangalore

By justin Welch  Shiny Outcome Syndrome means being distracted by someone else’s outcome and losing focus on why you’re doing what you’re doing. Don’t focus on someone else’s money or company size or follower count. We’re all running different races, and some of us started a long time ago. Instead, ground yourself in the  why. What is your mission? What are your values? Why do you get up each day and work on the things you work on? Why are you building the business you’re building? I got Shiny Outcome Syndrome in May of 2022 and got completely off track in what I was doing. Going for the bigger, the better, the grander, instead of just doing what I really want to do : run a profitable business that helps people and helps me spend my time with my family. Don’t try and be a better version of someone else. Be the best version of yourself. My notes: Run your own race!

Alain de Botton : The School of Life   Attain Wisdom: Philosophy teaches us to be Wise! Realism : The wise rarely expect anything to be wholly easy or to go entirely well. Appreciation : Wise people can know how to draw the full value from the peaceful and the sweet, whenever and wherever these arise. Folly : Whatever be the wisdom, Humans are never far from folly. They are unsurprised by the coexistence of deep immaturity and perversity alongside intelligence and morality. We are barely evolved apes.  Humor : Wise take the business of laughing at themselves and their conclusions. Politeness : Wise are aware that it is difficult to change people's minds. They will search for what people have common in them than for what seperates. (I am reminded of the Venn Diagram - 2-circle- one representing me - other representing the Other person - both of whom operating under the framework of system defined by the rectangle - I need to focus on overlapping zone - AnB-Zone!) Self-acceptanc

  The Happy Person! Seneca : pg.64 : Letters from a Stoic Teach us that Happy person is Not to whom the crowd deems happy Not in whose coffers mighty sums have flowed But whose possessions are all in his soul Who is upright , exalted , and spurns inconsistent Who sees no man with whom he wishes to change places Take nature for his Teacher No violence can deprive of his possessions Who may be moved by force but never to distraction; When even Fortune hurls his deadliest missile , May never wound!

  Convert Opinions into Facts Pg.69 : Seneca : Letters from a Stoic People trust and attach to opinion rather than looking into Facts; rather than testing out their opinions; Why? Because fact assessment takes guts ; Fact assessment takes effort. And when it comes to dealing with others , you can give out opinions but you cannot convince enough; If there is one take away from my MBA course: it is the following:   However good your opinion may sound – its not good enough – unless you test it out So I am proposing a opinion tester tool that the statisticians use : Take the opinion   Form Null and Alternate Hypothesis a.        Alternate Hypothesis : What you think is true? - Ex., I have to buy that Property due to it potential value increase in 5 years b. Null Hypothesis : Not enough data to prove Alternate Hypothesis  3. Collect Data 4.Do the experiments to verify  5.Prove / Fail to prove Alternate hypothesis Opinions are merely pet-peeves or quibbles , unless you test

The Power of First Principles!  By Ozan Varol Distil a system into its core ingredients and build it back-up in a different way Ex., Fuji Film Company: Leaders at Fuji asked themselves : "What are the first principles - core competencies of the company that can be repurposed in a different way - What other industries could benefit from what we can offer?" In case of the Fuji Film company, the same anti-oxidants that protected the photographic film from harmful UV Rays could do the same for the human skin - so Fuji , the photo film company diversified into cosmetics business! Now Ozan Varol's core-competency is story-telling!

 What then needs to be valued? Clapping of Hands ? No,No and No ! or Clapping of Tongues ? No, No and No!  "Reputation and glory - the most useless , worthless and counterfeit coins that circulates among us " Montaigne - On Solitude What will people say? It is the single most anxiety which is at the bottom of all that feeling of self-importance! "Look at deeply at people who may admire or criticize you - and their sources of motives and opinions. Analyze deep into that. Then you will not blame them when they offend you or will wish for their approval"   - Marcus Aurelius Aspire to Deeds Not to Fame Prefer to be first in Reality rather than in Name Cicero: Duties : 1.65 My Notes: Fame and Name are part of Finite game where the Games finish But players move on! rather play Infinite game Focusing on Deeds, and reality where the players are Finished, but the  game (of life ) moves on!  

Avoid Superfluities at all costs Montaigne - Desires                                             Necessity Luxury Superfluity Natural Air, Water, Food,Relationship  Artificial Clothing, Shelter, Learning, Employment Bungalow, Car, Position  Reputation, Glory, Rich, Power                    

 Seneca : Epistles : 59.15 Drunkenness pays for a single hour of hilarious madness with a long-lasting sickness (hangover!!!) Applause and Enthusiastic popularity and approval that are gained and atoned for: at cost of great mental disquietude!

  "I can't begin  to tell you the things, I discovered while I was looking for something else" Motley Fool Research- to collect stories and data to marshal your argument  Now you.may not get enough in that topic But as you research- it leads to byways - and Side- tracks and parallel roads that Give you enough information to share; Ryan Holiday blog

 @ShreyasDoshi Everything seems simpler than it truly is When you are not the one working  it. Everything seems complex  than it truly is When you are  the one working  it!!!

 What others think of me seem to be the most prominent  thought running in most of us - Approval and Criticism pg.185: The Practicing Stoic - Ward Farnsworth Stoics instead suggest this : "Instead of chasing the mob's opinion, develop a greater respect for one's own opinions - and practice valuing things for what they are rather than what anyone else thinks about them According to stoics, others opinions are Externals both approval and criticism - we cant control -  According to Stoic Principle - Dont worry about things outside your control What you can control is your deeds - determined by your Reason Always work according to Reason - not according to Pattern "I have never worked to satisfy the crowd; for what I know they do not approve; and what they approve, I do not know" Seneca "As an Orator, write a good speech, commit to memory, and deliver well - what else do you expect? Praise by audience? Avoidance of blame? Do you know what they truly involve?  Ep

Dave Chappelle, the American Comedian,  recounts the below story of greed and how one needs to guard against it! "I watched one of these Nature shows one time, and they were talking about how a Bushman entraps a Baboon," "And they do what's called a salt trap . I didn't know this, apparently baboons love salt. So they put a lump of salt in the hole and they wait for a baboon. The baboon comes, sticks his hand in the hole, grabs the salt, the lump of salt makes his hand bigger and he's trapped, can't get his hand out." "The baboon could let go of the salt easily and take his hand out - and - find an escape out of being trapped...but he does not and gets trapped" What a beautiful lesson here for all of us! What you think?

  Everything in moderation and nothing to the extremes! Epictetus : Enchiridion 15: Behave in life as you would behave in a banquet suppose something is passed around and is across from you. reach out your hands and take some politely. it passes by. don't hold it back. dont stretch to reach it. let it come to you! behave this way towards Life, Children and Wealth you will be worthy to be a fellow banqueteer of Gods!

 Ask yourself this :  How will you enjoy when you are possessing it? and time afterwards! Epictetus : Enchiridion 34 Don't just be carried by pleasures - just as other impressions Take care that the charming pleasure and attraction do not overcome you! Say, you hold a position - Guard yourself - of the pride , charm, pleasure and attraction - of that position ; Imagine the day that you may not have it you need to ensure that your identity does not merge with what can be taken away by fortune! rather your identity must merge with something that cannot be taken away - like being a coach, mentor , teacher; Hold only to things that cannot be snatched away by Lady Luck!

Adam Smith : Theory of Moral Sentiments   Pyrrhus, The King of Epirus, was consulting with his advisor Cineas about the conquests that he proposed to undertake Cineas : "What does your Majesty propose to do then?" Pyrrhus : "I propose to enjoy with my friends , and endeavor to be good company over a bottle" Cineas : "What hinders your Majesty from doing so now? " From Pyrrhus, comes the expression : Pyrrhic Victory : A victory not worth winning - because of its cost ie., the cost does not justify the benefits Cineas :Whom do you want to conquer : Persians, Romans and Macedonians? Why don't you conquer instead: Avarice, Ambition, Fear of Death?

Looking forward to the New Year, the year end reflections -Past Year Review (PYR) - are  much better than New year resolutions merely because its more personal and actionable!  @AdiVerma has written a fantastic post in Twitter  on his 2022 reflections: Here is my summary of it:  Mistake 1: Try to do too much – Quantity over Quality Lesson : Do Less , Do better Mistake 2 : Focus on repetition , and not iteration – not following on feedback Lesson : Iterate more through- Listening, Reflecting and Correcting   Mistake 3 : Jumping around a lot- Shifting projects / investments midway! Lesson : Shut up and Be Patient! (@MorganHousel – The Psychology of Money)   Mistake 4 : Procrastinating – not converting the ‘spark’ quick enough – that they got doused by Time Lesson : Increase speed!   Mistake 5 : Comparing myself to others! Lesson : Rather learn from others who are better than me! – How do they do create this magic?   Mistake 6 : Avoid Failure – to avoid looking stupid! Lesson   : Mes

  Value the  people according to their character , not according to their duties  Seneca , Letters from a stoic He is a fool  That purchases an horse For its saddle and bridles  And not for its strength and speed He is a fool that values a person For her clothes or ranks And not the character!!!

 The Practicing stoic  Ward Farnsworth  How to deal with wealth and pleasure? Through moderation and detachment  Everything in moderation and nothing to the extremes ...Robert Schuller Detachment: holding things lightly,  without clutching at it or grasping at it; Patanjali Yoga Sutra AbyasaVairagyabhyan TanNiroddah Restraint comes from detachment and  Practice.

  Plutarch - on  the tranquility of mind How desirable is health to the sick Peace for those In wars Friends and acquisition of reputation,  to the unknown stranger in city For then we realize The importance of things we already possess That we otherwise take for granted ! (Think this way and develop gratitude!!!) We should sometimes look upon our possessions in the light in which they would appear if we had lost them Schopenhauer: on relation to ourselves  Dont spoil what's here By longing for what's not here Realize that These too were things to be prayed for! Epicurus , Vatican Sayings

 Solving the equation this way, from Right Hand Side( RHS), rather than the left is the standard stoic procedure. Pg.139 practicing stoic, Ward Farnsworth  Standard way: I have a desire ( LHS) -> attaining it will change my happiness     (RHS) Stoic way: question the RHS Do you actually need the desire? How can you learn to leave without it? How can you learn to live with what you have today? Seneca also talks about this in Bookkeeping: Are you worried about how many are ahead of you? Just think- how many are behind you? See back ; look back; observe; Tamil poet kannadasan talks about this : வேண்டுமென்ற மனம் விரிவடைந்து கொண்டே போகிறது  போதுமென்ற மனம் சாகும்வரை வருவதில்லை There are no limits to desire Lack of contentment even at life's brink ஆசை நின்றவுடன் சுயதரிசனம்   சுயதரிசனம் பூர்த்தியானவுடன் ஆண்டவன் தரிசனம் Self awareness shows up at end of desire Godliness shows up at completion of self awareness 

 Marcus Aurelius  Meditations  Desires can be addressed in two ways One to go after them Another to work on your judgment that This desire will not make you more happy My notes: Work on your opinion that Desire is required Remove the desire from the list; Instead of chasing the next million, think how to live with the current riches  Instead of fearing about job loss, think of how not to be afraid of losing your job Instead of the next promotion,  think of how to be contented with your current This is what is called Turn your prayers this way!

 Avarice overrates difference between poverty and Riches Ambition overrates difference between private and public statuses Vain Glory overrates difference between obscurity and Reputation  Leading to only more miserableness in life While all we need is A well-defined mind Equally calm, Equally cheerful , Equally contented!!! Adam Smith Theory of Moral Sentiments

  David Bowie If you feel safe in the area that  You're are working on You are not working in the right area; Go a little further into the water  than you are capable of being in Go a little bit out of your depth  and when you dont feel that, Your feet are quite touching the bottom,  You are just about the right place  To do something exciting; David Bowie

 1. Write a bad version 1.0 as fast add you can 2. Rewrite- over and over ( writing is rewriting!) 3. Cut out everything unnecessary😎 4. Write in conversational tone 5.  Use Footnotes to contain digressions 6. Read aloud what you have written 7. Accumulate notes for topics you plan to cover 8. Write for the reader who won't read as carefully as you do  9. Print out drafts and read 10. Conclude with a surprise!

 (Source basecamp.com ryan singer) 5 Ingredients  Problem: what motivates us to work on this? Appetite: how much time we want to spend on this and how it constraints the solution  -this is the conc ept of Return on Effort Solution: The core elements we came up with  presented in a form that's easy for people to understand (fat marker sketches) Rabbit holes: details about the solution worth calling out to avoid the problems (patch out rabbit holes) No gos: anything specifically  excluded from  concept : intentionally fit the appetites or make the problem more tractable 

  Slow is smooth Smooth is fast ...Navy Seal Motto Dont hurry, Be quick! I am resonating smooth with friction.  Friction happens when body interacts with environment... Reduce the speed first Be slow - to be smooth Slowly smoothen out the sharp points  And then move fast!!!

  World of senses  -World beyond senses Changing                       - Changeless Finite                               - Infinite  Manifest                           - Unmanifest Bound                               - Unbound Form                                 - Formless Tangible                            - Intangible  Material                             - Spiritual  Scarce                                 - Abundance  Seperate                            - Unite Divisible                           - Indivisible  Part                                     - Whole Unconscious                     -Conscious 

 The world of senses is just  a base camp The wider field of consciousness is our native land; we are not cabin-dwellers born to live cramped and confined- We are meant to explore, to seek, to push the limits of potential as Human Beings- (by exploring the topography of consciousness) dictated through sacred texts - Upanishads, Bible or the Koran The Upanishads Eknath Eswaran

  The Upanishads focus on the medium of knowing 'Mind' Sages of Upanishads - show a unique pre-occupation  with states of consciousness- Since consciousness - is the field of all human activity outward as well as Inner- Experience, Action, Imagination, Love, Knowledge  a science of consciousness holds out promises of central principle that unifies all of Life! The Upanishads pg.22 BrahmaVidya - Supreme Science

  "What is that by knowing which we can know the nature of everything else? "  Answer is Consciousness You study consciousness through 'Brahmavidya' - Supreme Science Brahmavidya is not an intellectual study but a 'lab science' where the mind is both : "An object and Laboratory"  Attention is trained inward  through a discipline called - 'Nidhidyasana' - Meditation pg.22 The Upanishad Eknath Eswaran

  The Child looks at the toy elephant carved from wood The kid sees only the elephant; not the wood A carpenter, on other hand, looks at the toy elephant  And notices only the quality of the wood and not  the figure carved We ignorant children are aware of only Five constituent elements and not the Lord who has manifested the world - A Jnani  (Saint)  - sees only God in everything unaware of the material world as we see it!!! Thirumanthiram by  Thirumoolar  (Tamil Literature)

  Materialism leads us to loose awareness of our Inner life- which is bad enough- But to be hypnotized by our own feeling - and sensations and forget about others and the world around us is worse!!! My Notes: Materialism reinforces - the "paradigm of scarcity" ; we are doomed to fight one another for ever-diminishing resources) Spiritual economics begins not from assumed scarcity of matter but from verifiable infinitude of consciousness - "Then the well spoke to me It said : " Abundance is scooped from abundance-                         yet abundance remains"                              -  Anne Sexton

  The body is the first of many layers - of the Human Personality You are not the Body You are not your mind - any more than you are not the physical body You are not "I" - (Ego!) You are the Self - Undifferentiated Consciousness The Upanishads Eknath Eswaran

  "The faculty of voluntarily bringing back a wandering  attention over and over again is  the very root of judgment, character and will - An Education that should include this faculty would be  the education par excellence !" William James Training the mind and mastering the life - have pivotal connection- This education par excellence - is what is called "BrahmaVidya" pg. 28 The Upanishads  Eknath Eswaran

  Meditation is not reflection - or any other kind of discursive thinking- It is pure concentration: training of the mind to dwell on an Interior focus without wandering  until it becomes absorbed in the object of its contemplation The object being : consciousness itself , which means all the senses close down-  and as the concentration deepens- a state of intense inner wakefulness- Insights emerge!!! pg.25 : The Upanishads  Eknath Eswaran

 Tolstoy scrutinizes his own blind spot as he considers the mutual blindness of the reconcilable fact of our materiality and our hunger for meaning. " Normally, people (myself included) who recognize the spiritual life as the basis of life - deny the reality, the necessity, the importance of studying the physical life, which evidently cannot lead to any conclusive results. In just the same way, those who only recognize the physical life completely deny the spiritual life and all deductions based on it- deny, as they say, metaphysics. But it is  now absolutely clear to me that both are wrong , and both forms of knowledge - materialistic and metaphysical - have their one importance; if only, one does not wish to make inappropriate discussion from the other.  From materialistic knowledge - based on observations of external phenomena- one can deduce scientific data- generalization about phenomena - but one should not deduce any guiding principle for people's lives - as materialist

 I hope there are days when Your coffee tastes like magic Your playlist makes you dance Strangers make you smile and The night sky touches your soul. I hope you fall in love with Being alive again.

 Control the senses Purify the mind In a pure mind There is constant awareness of the Self Freedom ends bondage Joy ends sorrow  Chandogya Upanishad  Eknath Eswaran 

 Upanishads state that there are 3 states of consciousness  Waking, Dreaming and Dreamless states Like a fish swimming between the banks of river, human moves between the states of waking and dreaming  Atlast,  like a tired eagle returning to its nest at last,  We find our true home in the eternal self The source of all awareness! Self enters  state of Dreamless sleep- Where one is freed from all desires! The Upanishads  Eknath Eswaran 

 The universe is founded on two principles  1.Rita - Law,Order or regularity             Without it no moral or scientific discovery is possible 2.Yajna- Sacrifice  Universe runs on renunciation  The sacrifice of personal gain  For sake of something holier and higher If Rita is the moral law      Yajna is the human response to live in accordance with the Law Chandogya Upanishad 

 "Let us meditate on Om, the imperishable The beginning of Prayer" Chandogya Upanishad 

  As bees suck nectar from many a flower And make their Honey So that no drop can say "I am from this flower or that" All creatures, though one, know not that are that One There is nothing that does not come from him! Of everything he is innermost Self! He is the Truth! He is the Self-supreme! Chandogya Upanishad 

A person is what his deep desire is It is our deepest desires in this life That shapes the life to come! So let's direct our deepest desires To realize the Self! The Upanishads 

  Purpose Headline ideas Brain dump Resources Tags Draft Rewrite  source: medium ; Ellen W