Have you known deep down inside that reading is a good habit to cultivate but struggle to find a book that inspires you to continue reading? Are you among those who have lost your rhythm somewhere along your life’s laborious expedition? Do feel unsettled despite knowing that you are settled but unable to discover that one thing that is unsettling? In his seminal work “Stillness is the Key”, Ryan takes us on an inward journey into the limitless ocean of our mysterious minds. In doing so, he reveals the profound and symbiotic relationship between our emotional, spiritual, and physical experiences.

What do we do if our education ceases to exert any impact 5 years from now? What do we do if the industry that we are a part of, is wiped out within the next decade? Can we develop a range of transferable skills that transcends a fleeting industry or lasts a lifetime? Ravi is the Chairman of The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) launched with the objective of accelerating investments in renewable energy solutions. A single page summary wouldn’t do justice to the wealth of experience Ravi has shared in this timeless classic. Nonetheless, here’s an attempt to cover the paramount principles. In his latest memoir, the former Chairman of Microsoft India persuades us to ask deep & life-altering questions that haunt each one of us in today’s turbulent times. Through his anecdotal experiences, he argues that we are at the cusp of a radical change, where industries, markets and solutions are likely to become amorphous & transient in nature. Unless we acquire the agility to adapt, the curiosity to discover and the tenacity to thrive, the rapidly shifting landscape beneath our feet is likely to engulf the better of us.

We have all had several encounters in college, some of them humorous while some, nerve wracking. But all of them have taught us something important for our personal growth, haven't they? Here, I share some of my lessons gathered from my epic encounters in college.

This is a special episode where I share my lessons along the journey in going from being an engineer to becoming a rookie salesman.

We have all had mentors who have encouraged us, highlighted our blind spots, urged us to explore the unknowns, guarded us from intrusion, and in some cases, even inspired us, quietly. They have become such an integral part of our lives that it becomes hard to imagine navigating this world, without them. Sometimes, their mere presence is enough to reinforce our conviction for executing epic endeavours; while on other occasions their foresight suffices to steer us through murky waters wisely. These torchbearers have so many remarkable qualities, that leave us feeling invigorated. I was fortunate to have witnessed some, who seamlessly adapted from playing a tough coach during my highs; to that of a compassionate parent, during my vulnerable moments. Here is a tribute to all those leaders who helped us tap into that side of our personality that we did not know, even existed.

Haven’t we all felt discontented while struggling to eliminate our shortcomings? Haven’t we all felt lost or lacking a purpose at some point during our life’s journey? At dark times such as these, where do we seek comfort, when trying to find a deeper meaning to existence? Your Erroneous Zones is Dr. Wayne Dyer's very first self-help saga that was originally published in 1976. From his career as a psychiatrist, Dr. Wayne distils many years of his experience with people, into prescribing 11 key insights that help us look inwards.  Without any religious bias or thrust, Dyer evokes the fundamental questions that we need to be asking ourselves, in our journey of seeking fulfilment.

This weekend, I stumbled upon an intriguing autobiography of Sanjay Grover called Decision Dil Se. Like the name suggests, the book is a heartfelt rendition of Sanjay’s anecdotal life experiences. His writing is simple, sincere and draws on interesting parallels from India’s ancient scriptures. Through the ten stories, his vivid illustrations bring out the antagonistic personalities of Ravana such as anger, intellect, jealousy, pride, ambition and more. The stories have been seamlessly integrated to form a beautiful anthology of lessons that can serve as a ready reckoner for our muddled youth. This album takes us back to their graduate lives in a hostel bringing back a roller coaster of emotions while reminiscing the ups and downs of academia.

Beneath every product that triggers a sale, are numerous hours that have gone into creating it. These efforts from the support teams, who studied the market, analysed the consumer behavior, gleaned insights, developed the product, and delivered the service to the customer, often go unnoticed. It is our support teams and lab teams, who work tirelessly to put us on the field. Kudos! To these teams who burn the midnight oil put us on the forefont. Here’s a tribute to our unsung heroes, who brought many such wins home.

Haven’t we all had regrets about rushing in to accept the first offer that was made to us?  Haven’t we all heard “NO” during a high stakes negotiation only to discover, that our competitor clinched the deal? Do we have the option of taking NO for an answer if our life depended on it? Here, we review “Never Split the Difference” by Christopher Voss. Chris is the CEO & Founder of The Black Swan Group. After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, he served as the lead negotiator for the FBI, where he came face-to-face with bank robbers, gang leaders and terrorists. Never Split the Difference provides an inside view into his experiences, revealing nine key principles that he gleaned from many such high- stakes negotiations.

A few months ago, a colleague opened, “I am worried. It appears that I might not meet my numbers this year. We have the sales review presentation with the head of our division next month.” There was a palpable sense of diffidence in her body language. Upon enquiring about why she felt that way, I discovered that one of her clients who had committed to offering a huge volume of business, was filing for bankruptcy. Now there was a gaping hole peeping back at her from the account books.   Let’s face it. Aren’t we likely to feel trapped by our own insecurities when the outcomes are not in our favour? Aren’t we all anchored to some extent to extrinsic outcomes, that in many cases are beyond our control? What if there was a way to draw energy from our intrinsic drive to continue hustling for new opportunities? When a situation like above arises, what if we asked ourselves a few questions? “How do I bridge this sales gap?” instead of being side-tracked by our fear of not meeting expectations. Having acknowledged the problem, we can now move on to the next question, “What opportunities can I convert from my pipeline within the defined time frame?”. The next question is shouting at us, “What resources do I need to fulfil this requirement?”. The last but not the least question “Who can help me obtain these resources?” Dan Millman in “The Art of the Peaceful Warrior” recommends the one thing that we need to let go is control. If we remain fluid to the outcomes that are thrown at us, don’t we have a better chance at navigating change?