Life in Bangalore

 Concentrate your mind on a subject for 90 minutes How to Live on 24 hours a day Arnold Bennett! I need to put 1 question for a day : Thinking , Researching and branching out the thoughts and Writing! As I run out of material , I need to do the same - Think research branch out and Write! Each day : for 90 minutes at a stretch!

 "Most people I do not meet them at all , for they do not seem to have time - they are busy about their beans?  Henry David Thoreau, Walden pg.87 People in Hurry cannot be patient ; People in Hurry cannot love   Eknath Eswaran Me and my wife once went to meet a doctor in Chennai for Consultation. The doctor, a lody , retired from government service and a very famous one  - suddenly opened up about her personal life -  She went on : "I spent way too much time on my work in my prime days and missed my time with my only daughter- now she is married off and living in United States - I am not sure if I should have worked so hard - at the cost of spending time with my only daughter. While in my own case , my own mother took care of me so much . " probably, Too little and a Too late realization for the Doc! People  in hurry cant love!

 Linear thinking = 8+8+8+8+8 = 40 Exponential thinking = 8*8*8*8*8 = 32768 The Psychology of Money - Morgan Housel   Earth on multiple occasions had been covered with Ice. How did that happen? Was it a sudden phenomenon? Sometime may be ; but mostly its due to incremental effects : for ex., a particular summer , never gets warm enough to melt previous summer's snow  the left-over ice base makes it easier for snow to accumulate the following winter, which increases the odds of snow sticking around in the following winter...the stickiness effect! This goes on and on - within a few hundred years , Ice age sets in! Bug message: A small starting base can lead to extraordinary results ! you dont need extraordinary effort for extra-ordinary results! ...the power of compounding that comes with stickiness to one thing! the secret here is time !   Are you willing to put yourself through one thing for a long enough time ? that how compounding works! Are you willing to Shut up and wait? Stick

  The ability to stick around for a long time - without wiping out or being forced to give up is what makes the biggest difference ; not growth , not brains ,not insight; This should be the cornerstone of your strategy , whether its investing or career or business of your own! pg.58 : The Psychology of Money - Morgan Housel   I am reminded of the quote : " Survival of fittest"  - in the Evolution theory by Charles Darwin :  the natural process by which organisms best adjusted to their environment are most successful in surviving and reproducing :  as you can see , its not the smartest, strongest or the most talented - its the fittest that survive - its the ones that can avoid the ruins! To be fit, you got to stay away from ruins - breakdown - and kaput - to sustain the song  To give the personal finance example, you need to have at least 6 months of cache in case you run into a paycheck issue - to stay fiscally fit! otherwise its going to be a meltdown! Charlie Munger says :

  Let no act be without purpose  Marcus Aurelius - pg.15 : Stoic 6 Pack Like a fire lays hold of what falls into it A small spark would have been extinguished  but when fire is strong , it soon appropriates itself to the matter that leaped on to it And consumes it,  and rises by thus very material Let no act be done without a purpose (make purpose the very fire within) and that shall make a material for itself out of which opposes it!   My note: Nassim Taleb says a similar thing in his book  Anti-Fragile Wind extinguishes a spark - timid flame but the same wind energizes a Wild fire such that the Fire shall make a material  out of the opposing force such as the Wind itself!

 Seneca - Letters from a Stoic - Pg.75 Choose a Guide  Who you will admire her more when you see act rather than you hear them speak Who teaches us by their lives Who tell us what we ought to do and prove then by practice Who tell us what to avoid and then are never caught doing that

 Things happen twice - once in the mind and then physically Arnold Bennett - The Human Machine Events occur in two stages: first in the mind and then in the physical world. The first stage involves the perception, interpretation, and processing of sensory information by the brain, which creates a mental representation of the event. The second stage involves the actual occurrence of the event in the physical world, which can be observed and experienced by others. Human Action Model: Universe <=> Senses <=> Mind (Impression)                              <=> Self                                                            ||                                                        Ego ("I")                                                           ||                                                      Intellect (Right / Wrong)                                                           ||                                             Memory ( Past Experiences)

 மதியால் விதியை ஆராய்ச்சி செய்யலாம்  ஆட்சி செய்ய முடியாது  -கண்ணதாசன்  Intellect can research , dissect and analyze Destiny but cannot rule over it -Tamil Poet Kannadasan The power of the intellect, my friend, is formidable indeed. With it, we can analyze, dissect, and research the workings of the universe, unraveling the mysteries of creation and the secrets of destiny. But even the most brilliant mind cannot claim mastery over destiny. For destiny is a force that transcends human understanding, a tapestry woven of countless threads, each strand bearing the imprint of a thousand lives. To try to rule over destiny is like trying to hold back the tide with a broom - a futile and ultimately self-defeating endeavor. Rather, let us humbly accept the hand fate deals us, and strive always to make the most of the opportunities presented to us. For it is in living fully and authentically in the present moment that we can hope to shape our own destiny, and make our mark upon the world. Destiny

ஆணவம் தலைமாட்டில் அமர்ந்தது அடக்கம் காலடியில் அமர்ந்தது -கண்ணதாசன் (Translation) Arrogance perches like a crown on the head, Humility, sits unobtrusively at the foot - Tamil Poet Kannadasan   In the hierarchy of virtues, my friend, arrogance and humility occupy vastly different positions. Arrogance perches like a crown on the head, puffing up the ego and distorting one's perspective. Humility, on the other hand, sits unobtrusively at the foot, grounding us in reality and fostering empathy for others. It is only by cultivating humility that we can truly understand and appreciate the world around us. Arrogance blinds us to our faults and limits our potential, while humility opens our hearts and minds to new possibilities. Friend, Be like the pressure cooker: Pressure on head, Fire below still whistle You will be relieved pressure! So let us strive always for the grace of humility, my friend, and walk humbly through this world.

 Cancel Culture Sovereign Financial @Twitter Cancel Debt by living within means - Frugality  Cancel gluttony by eating with intention - Detachment Cancel weakness by getting strong - Gym Cancel laziness by getting off your A**  - Practice All you need in life is Restraint - attained through Detachment and Practice!

Taste does not depend on the dish rather by the hunger that you possess. The flavor of a dish is not determined by the recipe, my friend, but rather by the depth of your hunger. A hearty appetite can transform even the simplest fare into a feast, while a lack of hunger can render the most sumptuous meal tasteless. So it is with life as well. The richness of experience is not dependent on external circumstances but on the passion and intensity of our desires. A hunger for knowledge, for adventure, for love, for meaning - these are the seasonings that give life its savor. So cultivate your hunger, my friend, and savor every moment of this precious existence.   Get Natural says Seneca...What this means is - Reduce yourself to a state of Hunger - through voluntary poverty - And then be ready to indulge - Then, even the basic of needs sound eclectic - heavenly!

 Such is the madness of ambition that  you will feel you have come in last if even one  is ahead of you Seneca : Epistles : 104.9 We see it in the Olympic Games - In Women Soccer, the Norway team came in 2nd place for Silver - and were receiving the medal in a state of sorrow - while the USA girls who came in 3rd position to receive the Bronze were more cheerful! why? The Bronze medalists could have gone empty-handed - but they won the Bronze - and all happy and cheerful! While the Silver medalist is still ruing the missed Gold! Classic case of Cup : Half-full or Half-Empty ? Most of smart people - end up looking the Half-Empty portion!  Naval Ravikant askes us this - If you are so smart, why are you not happy? Ambition makes us look one way only, forward, and not look-back .. .Seneca  

 If you are not in possession, get into position ...Ozan Varol The Puck goes where Gretzky is ! Gretzky, the Ice hockey star, anticipates where the puck will be and is in position ready for the possession of the puck. Be it Soccer or Cricket or Badminton , you anticipate and move nimbly to be position ! An amateur on the other hand, reacts , to the ball to come on to decide!  by that time, its too late if you wait for everything to fall in place and be 100% sure, you are too late and too slow. Same is true for life : Anticipate and assess risks and then move forward to take position! It is not enough to wait and react to what comes your way, my dear friend. You must take your position, anticipate potential outcomes, and prepare yourself for what lies ahead. As in sports, so in life: if you wish to possess the puck, you must move deftly and be where Gretzky is. And when you are faced with challenges, it is only by being proactive, assessing risks, and taking bold action that you may hop

 Maria Popova Blog If you want to find the secrets of Universe, think in terms of Energy, Frequency and Vibration"  Nikola Tesla When Yumi moves her bow across her Cello's strings or When Beyonce's  vocal chords vibrate as air moves though them When Gambian griot superstar , Sona Jobarteh plucks the strings of her Kora Those collisions move air particles producing soundwaves - vibrations - that move out into space Those vibrations hit your eardrums whose rhythmic vibrations move hairs on the cochlear membrane just as on the other side of the eardrum triggering neurochemical signals beginning in the auditory cortex on the side of oyur brain (Thus) soundwaves are transformed into a pattern of neuro-chemical activiation that moves from auditory cortex to anterior insular cortex which directly influences and receives input from your Heart, Lungs,  Vagus nerve, Sexual organs and Gut. .... .... We do listen to music with our bodies ,where musical feeling begins this neural repre

 Creativity ...Maria Popova Creativity is a process that requires great strength and patience for it asks of us to quiet the din of the demand and break free from the straight-jacket of habit in order to make audible the inner voice whispered from depths of life, wild and free- "The most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work who felt their own creative power restive and uprsiing and gave it neither power nor time " Mary Oliver

  How to produce an advertisement that sells? By David Ogilvy 10 rules: (My note: while these rules were written by Mr.Ogilvy in the context of advertising, it holds good for any creative work!!!!) #1. Do your homework: Study the product that you plan to advertise. The more you know about it, the more you are likely to come up with a big idea for selling it. Else you run the risk of 'the slippery slope of irrelevant brilliance #2. Positioning: ' what the product does? ' Who is it for? #3. Brand image : people don't choose products. people choose its image #4. 'What's the big idea?' Big idea comes from the unconscious! Stuff your conscious mind with information. Then unhook your rational thought process Go for a long walk! Suddenly the telephone line from the Sub-conscious is open - ' A Big Idea wells up within you #5. Make the product the Hero: There are no dull products. Only dull writers! #6. 'The positively good' Convince customers

 Question III Kausalya : "Master, from what source does this Prana come from?" Sage Pippalada :  "Prana is born of Self As a man casts a shadow, the Self casts Prana into the Body, at the time of birth, so that the mind's desires are fulfilled. As a king appoints officers to do his work in the villages, So Prana works with four other Pranas to carry out the different functions of the Body!" 5 Types of Pranas: 1. Prana : Dwells in eye, ear,nose,mouth - represents Sun - light to the Eyes  2. Apana: Downward Force : Organs of Sex and Excretion - Earth - Draws the lower force 3. Samana : Equaling force in middle : Digests food, Kindles 7 Fires - Space - 4. Vyana: Distributor of Energy : Radiates from Heart - moves through myriad vital currents - Moving Air 5. Udana : Leads ladder of evolution : Selfless : Up; Selfish : Down - Fire- When fire goes out -Senses are drawn back into mind and person is ready for rebirth

“What a story is ‘about’ is to be found in the curiosity it creates in us, which is a form of caring.” George Saunders... A swim in the pond in the rain A story is a linear temporal phenomenon. It proceeds and charms us (or doesn't) , one at a time. A story is a system for the transfer of energy. Energy, hopefully, gets made in the early pages and the trick in later pages is to use that energy.  The true beauty of a story is not in its apparent conclusion, but in the alteration in the mind of the reader that has occurred along the way. A story is a series of incremental pulses: each of which does something to us: and puts us in a new place, relative to where we were. The story should always be escalating; Escalating means refusing to repeat the beat. fundamental change in character's condition - we don't get to exact that change again. There should be a rhythm to the story: one beat leading to the next!  -Maria Popova 

The Path to mastery is tough;  Take the example of writing a great piece of article.  you find a topic;  you research ; research and research;  compile ; write; write; write; write Frustration ; going no where ; dead-end;  but the persistence is there; the focus is there;  allowing the sub-conscious mind to work in the background; then you get a telephone call from the subconscious -  Serendipity strikes -  Eureka moment !!! Voila, the story clicks !!! Everything seems to fall in place! 

The road to Mastery  In the end, however, the most satisfying and powerful way to feel this  connection to reality is through  "Creative Activity" There are always greater geniuses than yourself. Luck certainly played a role, as did your mentor, and all those in the past who paved the way. What must ultimately motivate you is the work itself and the process! You pick a project. Work on with focus. you hit a roadblock, frustration, at breaking point - nowhere going kinda feeling - Let go - Brain loosens - Finds its synthesis- forms its own solution!

 Stoic 6 Pack! Epictetus pg.94 First Part :  Fear nothing that shall come to pass!  possess nothing except which are your own! Second part :  Free from passion and pertubration (Vrtti in Yoga) Grudges no pain in pursuit of poetry and philosophy! what I desire to know is my duty to  Gods,Parents,Brothers and Strangers! Third Part: Stand firm and unshaken as firm when elated  as in despondency and dejection! Man! If you done your act in above three parts, you are verily a God!

 Just like a low resting heart-rate is the by-product of intense exercise, low anxieties is the by-product of intense self-examination @Naval Ravikant Spend time daily - Reading, Reflecting and Writing! Writing about your wins, Writing About  tensions and the  gratitudes that you owe!  Set your brain straight thus and the  world shall be a better place for you and others!

 I write this not for the many, but for you, each of us is enough of an audience for the other. Seneca : Letters from a Stoic. pg.8  I am reminded of the article by William Zinnser - in his book - On Writing Well -  "Who are you writing for? you are writing for yourself- An audience of one!  you have to write ,create - for the pleasure that you may have - with earnestness , pride, quality - to satisfy yourself!  then the product will be good - and World if it may, appreciate - if it likes! - you should be inward looking when it comes to creativity!" I wrote my first document on "The Upanishads" in LinkedIn and it kinda went viral! Then buoyed by that success, I went on to the next one - rushed - and posted the second document - it barely created a ripple! Why? The first one I created for my joy! the second one for popularity! Cricketer Ravi Ashwin says this : "Nobody will pull you up! you got to pull yourself up! " Well I have to create , create and create

 From GE blog:   Shortly after he joined GE Aerospace in 1984 as a materials engineer in Evendale, Ohio, Glenn Culbertson received some blunt advice from a senior colleague. “A lot of people will tell you that they’re your customer: your boss, your boss’s boss, the CEO,” the co-worker told him. “They’re all wrong. The customer is the engine. If you do right by the engine, you’ll do right by everybody else.” Your customer is the product! Above statement echoes the words of Edward Deming , the Quality guru: Most folks think the aim of business is to make money  , rather, the aim of business should be to become the world's most efficient provider of product or service it offers- once it continues to offer good products- profits follow!

  Lessons from the book Tuesdays with Morrie …by Mitch Albom This is a book based on real-life happening, where the retired professor Morrie (Morrie Schwarz) on his deathbed teaches his former student , the author, Mitch Albom .  subject : “Meaning of Life” .   the class timing :   once a week on Tuesdays after breakfast ,  Location : by  a window in the professor’s house. No assessments  A funeral was held in lieu of graduation . Here are the lessons I noted from book Pg.43 : Lesson 1 : How to find purpose and meaning? So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep even when doing busy things they think are important. This is because they are chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to lovingothers, devote yourself to community around you and devote yourself to  creating something that gives you meaning and purpose. Pg.43 :Lesson 2:  Don’t fool yourself with self-importance (The author who was a cel

 Even if you win the rat race, you are still a Rat! I am in the rat race !  Citius, Altius, Fortius - faster, Higher, Stronger they exhort!  And this manifests in the short-run and long-run IN the long run, I want to become this or that Becoming - Someone! Having - Something! By Doing - Something! -just to answer the question- Are you Keeping busy?  All this long-run stuff manifests in short-run as well -  Quick Quick Quick - Hurry Hurry and Hurry translating into multi-tasking! Driving fast! flying fast! Sleeping less!  Running in a treadmill that keeps increasing in speed  So what shall I do?  As Jiddu Krishnamurti says in The Book of Life -  Start observing What is rather than projecting your desires into the future of What could be The rat race is about striving for success, but even if you win, you're still just a rat. The call to be faster, higher, and stronger is unrelenting, in both the short and long run. In the long run, we strive to become someone, to have something, an

  Ants are much more than reflex machines They are self-acting creatures guided by memories of the past individual (ontogenic) experience  Charles Henry Turner  Ants, Bees, and Wasps learn,  remember, and recognize landmarks to get home Rather than move by mindless 'instinct' as previously thought  Galley spiders: an instinctive impulse prompts them to weave galley webs  But the details of the construction are products of intelligent action. Instinct can induce an idea but Intelligent action is needed to create and produce outcomes! Outcome = Idea * Execution = Instinct * Intelligence

  The breathe of life Bhargava: "Master, what powers support this body?" Sage Pippalada :  " the powers are space,air,fire,water,earth Speech,mind,vision and hearing All these boasted - we support this body But prana ,  vital energy , supreme over them all said ' dont deceive yourself  It is I dividing fourfold  Who hold this body together ' Like when queen bee , goes out, all the bees Go out, and when she returns all return  So returned Speech,mind,vision and hearing When prana returns '