Life is but a journey filled with unexpected challenges and adversities. For many, these experiences serve as defining moments that shape who they become. For me, such a moment came during the first Gulf War when I was just a kid in Kuwait. The war forced our family to leave behind everything I knew - my memories, friends, toys, and home. However, this harrowing experience instilled invaluable life lessons that continue to shape my perspective even decades later. In this recollection, I will ...

Life is but a journey filled with unexpected challenges and adversities. For many, these experiences serve as defining moments that shape who they become. For me, such a moment came during the first Gulf War when I was just a kid in Kuwait. The war forced our family to leave behind everything I knew - my memories, friends, toys, and home. However, this harrowing experience instilled invaluable life lessons that continue to shape my perspective even decades later. In this recollection, I will ...

Visualization is a powerful technique. Not just in meditation but almost anything you want to put your mind to. I applied this to my running for the first time today. The running coach instructed over my AirPods - “Imagine you are at the start line of a race that you ran well at. What made you run it well? How did you start?” That’s all that was needed. My mind went to some of my best races back in 2013. Especially the ones that I did not even think I would run. It was akin to pushing someone...

Visualization is a powerful technique. Not just in meditation but almost anything you want to put your mind to. I applied this to my running for the first time today. The running coach instructed over my AirPods - “Imagine you are at the start line of a race that you ran well at. What made you run it well? How did you start?” That’s all that was needed. My mind went to some of my best races back in 2013. Especially the ones that I did not even think I would run. It was akin to pushing someone...

A common theme in super hit Tom Cruise movies is that he is a maverick. He is one that does not follow the rules, does not win any big accolades, does not bother about politics or bureaucracy much. He has a god father that supports him and gives him air cover, brings him in when needed on a mission. Only he can even attempt that mission, no guarantees on whether he will succeed, most certainly he will have setbacks, have to work with challenging people, overcome his own fears and ghosts from ...

A common theme in super hit Tom Cruise movies is that he is a maverick. He is one that does not follow the rules, does not win any big accolades, does not bother about politics or bureaucracy much. He has a god father that supports him and gives him air cover, brings him in when needed on a mission. Only he can even attempt that mission, no guarantees on whether he will succeed, most certainly he will have setbacks, have to work with challenging people, overcome his own fears and ghosts from ...

No one can defeat the spirit of my grandma. No arm twist is going to bring her down. Praying for her speedy recovery. With time and each decade that passes, you wonder if her resolve to live on decreases. But so far we have been proven wrong each time. This time, it is a physical injury. She has sustained far too many for anyone to count. She has always held on for some thing she wishes to see, some unfulfilled desire that seems close to being fulfilled, some one that she wants to meet or som...

No one can defeat the spirit of my grandma. No arm twist is going to bring her down. Praying for her speedy recovery. With time and each decade that passes, you wonder if her resolve to live on decreases. But so far we have been proven wrong each time. This time, it is a physical injury. She has sustained far too many for anyone to count. She has always held on for some thing she wishes to see, some unfulfilled desire that seems close to being fulfilled, some one that she wants to meet or som...

It is no surprise that in a capitalist country like the United States, everything is influenced by capitalism. In layman’s terms, everything is business, and the treatment you get is proportional to what you give. When a business serves customers, surely the top tier customers get much better service and treatment than the bottom feeders or worse, those who redeem free coupons or sneak in with friends. This is mostly acceptable by society for most situations. After all, haven’t we given a nod...

It is no surprise that in a capitalist country like the United States, everything is influenced by capitalism. In layman’s terms, everything is business, and the treatment you get is proportional to what you give. When a business serves customers, surely the top tier customers get much better service and treatment than the bottom feeders or worse, those who redeem free coupons or sneak in with friends. This is mostly acceptable by society for most situations. After all, haven’t we given a nod...

There’s nothing really you can control, is there? You have the illusion of control and being on top, but are you? If you are a CEO of a F-500 you are in control of your teams because of your authority over them, but you are answerable and at the mercy of your investors, your board, your advisors, and above all, your destiny. If you are a student, you can control how you spend your time, how prepared you can be. But you don’t really control anything beyond that. You don’t control the outcome b...

There’s nothing really you can control, is there? You have the illusion of control and being on top, but are you? If you are a CEO of a F-500 you are in control of your teams because of your authority over them, but you are answerable and at the mercy of your investors, your board, your advisors, and above all, your destiny. If you are a student, you can control how you spend your time, how prepared you can be. But you don’t really control anything beyond that. You don’t control the outcome b...

You know what comes after the first step?The NEXT step.There is essential insight into this. Don’t look too far, you have taken one step, time for the next. That’s all there is to know sometimes. Especially when the destination or goal is too far, all you need to do is know where you are going, then take one step after another. This is what you tell yourself in a marathon. This is what an Elephant herd in Africa does and this is what gets you to the destination ultimately. If you miss a step,...

You know what comes after the first step?The NEXT step.There is essential insight into this. Don’t look too far, you have taken one step, time for the next. That’s all there is to know sometimes. Especially when the destination or goal is too far, all you need to do is know where you are going, then take one step after another. This is what you tell yourself in a marathon. This is what an Elephant herd in Africa does and this is what gets you to the destination ultimately. If you miss a step,...

It is all about the Recovery. Recovery defines Resiliency. How quickly, strongly do you bounce back? Today was about the recovery, the rebound. It is energizing, fulfilling and feels like a reward for the effort. The result itself is immaterial, what it yields is an opportunity to learn, to come back, to feel the joy after the pain. Here’s what ChatGPT had to say about it.. In a storm of life's trials and strife, Recovery danced through the night, With resilience so bright, They faced ea...

It is all about the Recovery. Recovery defines Resiliency. How quickly, strongly do you bounce back? Today was about the recovery, the rebound. It is energizing, fulfilling and feels like a reward for the effort. The result itself is immaterial, what it yields is an opportunity to learn, to come back, to feel the joy after the pain. Here’s what ChatGPT had to say about it.. In a storm of life's trials and strife, Recovery danced through the night, With resilience so bright, They faced ea...

Have said this a few times in my runner career which is far from illustrious. Having completed 9 full marathons, I am no douchebag either. But only 1/3 of these can I say that I have truly run strong. One of those was in Chicago and the other at Big Sur, the third at Sacramento, and maybe a fourth at San Francisco. But the other 5 have been gasps to the finish line or barely even a finish. Take the one in LA, which ended in Santa Monica, or the one which took me through a steep uphill finish ...

Have said this a few times in my runner career which is far from illustrious. Having completed 9 full marathons, I am no douchebag either. But only 1/3 of these can I say that I have truly run strong. One of those was in Chicago and the other at Big Sur, the third at Sacramento, and maybe a fourth at San Francisco. But the other 5 have been gasps to the finish line or barely even a finish. Take the one in LA, which ended in Santa Monica, or the one which took me through a steep uphill finish ...

The tallest tree in our neighborhood has fallen. The tower at the end of the street, a WW II veteran, someone who endeared us with his stories, his indomitable spirit, his impeccable sense of humor, and above all his kindness. Life takes its course and comes to take back what it gives, that is a given. But to live a complete life, almost entirely on our own terms is a gift for a select few. Some of that depends on us being ready to accept the gift, os even if it is offered to a few, even fewe...

The tallest tree in our neighborhood has fallen. The tower at the end of the street, a WW II veteran, someone who endeared us with his stories, his indomitable spirit, his impeccable sense of humor, and above all his kindness. Life takes its course and comes to take back what it gives, that is a given. But to live a complete life, almost entirely on our own terms is a gift for a select few. Some of that depends on us being ready to accept the gift, os even if it is offered to a few, even fewe...

The character of Hangman in Top Gun Maverick resonated very strongly with me today. It is a character that is just sheer talent but with a little bit of an edge. That edge is at odds with a team. A team requires people to suppress their ego, to contribute, lead or follow. It cannot have heroes. Ask the Indian cricket team or Portugal why they can’t win more world cups. It is heroism. But there are days when you play a strong team player, are sheer talent, and yet get dropped for inexplicable ...

The character of Hangman in Top Gun Maverick resonated very strongly with me today. It is a character that is just sheer talent but with a little bit of an edge. That edge is at odds with a team. A team requires people to suppress their ego, to contribute, lead or follow. It cannot have heroes. Ask the Indian cricket team or Portugal why they can’t win more world cups. It is heroism. But there are days when you play a strong team player, are sheer talent, and yet get dropped for inexplicable ...

Not the Surya Sivakumar movie, but it has been 24 years since I landed in the US for the first time at Chicago O’Hare international airport. Not my first time traveling out of India by any means, but my first time striking it out to make my own name and find a living. Too many stories glorify the coming to the US as an immigrant with 2 suitcases and some denomination of greenback currency obtained at a foreign exchange desk prior to boarding, whether a week or a month ago. No, my story isn’t ...

Not the Surya Sivakumar movie, but it has been 24 years since I landed in the US for the first time at Chicago O’Hare international airport. Not my first time traveling out of India by any means, but my first time striking it out to make my own name and find a living. Too many stories glorify the coming to the US as an immigrant with 2 suitcases and some denomination of greenback currency obtained at a foreign exchange desk prior to boarding, whether a week or a month ago. No, my story isn’t ...