An ancient proverb says, ‘Everyone looks normal until you get to know them better.’ And the reverse is also true, and that is, ‘Everyone looks abnormal until you get to know them better.’ On our planet, a large percentage of people exhibit characteristics of being tough, highly independent, stubborn, impossible to please, restless, perfectionists, etc., and they continue to lead their entire lives like that. Practically, everyone would have experienced or heard true stories of such horrid people, inside and outside the workplace, who drive others nuts through their irrational behaviors. The traditional methods of diplomatic interaction that work for normal or sweet people just don’t work for them. So, how do you deal with such tough and cranky nuts?

The simple answer is that you cannot deal with them easily, as they are obsessed with getting their own way. Secondly, they are more interested in winning the argument than being right or apologizing if they are wrong. However, instead of taking such human bulls by their own horns and injuring yourself, take a step back and research such behaviors. The real reason why you can’t blame such persons for acting irrationally is that there is a scientific reason for such behavior. And that reason is biological, as we humans are not a uniformly programmed species, like animals and birds. As you would have observed, animals and birds of a species behave in the same manner. For example, a sheep has been biologically programmed by Mother Nature to be a timid creature, while a tiger has been programmed to be ferocious. You don’t see tigers give up their ferocious nature even if you breed and train them in captivity. And a sheep cannot be trained to become a ferocious creature. But no such rules apply to human beings. Humans are not uniform in their behavior, and each person is unique in his or her inborn ways.

For example, even in the case of identical twins, one can exhibit a rough nature while another can be sweet. This is why it’s rarely possible to effectively lead people unless you use some unconventional methods. Or it’s better to gain the specific knowledge that teaches you how to understand why people act cranky. Coming back to the original discussion, people who are restless, impatient, irritable, tough, perfectionists, demanding, etc., normally belong to a category called Type-A personality, or in some cases can be a higher version called Type-A+, the kind you see in dictators or extremely tough and dangerous people.

In fact, a Type-A/A+ personality develops right from childhood, and this is why we see many kids who are difficult to handle. It’s in their manufacturing design. So, it’s not easy to deal with Type-A/A+ people for the simple reason that you could be one yourself. Most people don’t know they are Type-A unless a doctor or psychologist tells them. It is this lack of knowledge that causes a great deal of grief both ways when dealing with such people. Nevertheless, it’s important to recognize that a mysterious feature called a Type-A/A+ personality exists in many humans and to learn some ways to deal with it effectively. Given below is a layman’s guide to understanding the characteristics of Type-A and Type-A+ people.

Type-A people suffer from an exaggerated sense of urgency for everything. For example, they hate being late or being kept waiting. They can’t take no for an answer. They periodically experience bouts of anger, restlessness, irritability, impatience, and general hostility toward everything. Due to this, they get angry and explode for simple or even trivial reasons without realizing why.

Such people don’t know how and when to relax and are always in an endless state of internal turmoil, often uncontrolled and unknowingly. Their thinking and thoughts will normally be very intense. They are usually very independent and direct to the point. For example, they don’t take insults or criticism lightly.

They will always be on the lookout for perfection (by their definition) in everything they do. Such people demand perfection even from others and want everyone to rise to their level of thinking and working. They expect others to read their mind and act accordingly, thereby making others uncomfortable and often exhibiting dictatorial behaviors.

Facial calmness is different from internal turmoil. Internally, they will experience enormous amounts of personal stress that they cannot release easily or share their problems with others. Such people don’t realize their effect on others as they simply do not see the ugly picture they portray to others.

Type-A people also experience higher degrees of heart trouble than others. Now, let us look at some solutions.

If you are a Type-A person yourself

The most important knowledge in life is to constantly be aware of your own behaviors. Before criticizing or grumbling about the qualities of others, it’s important to test whether you belong to a Type-A/A+ personality yourself. For this, you need a candid discussion with yourself or perhaps a doctor to see if you have any of the qualities mentioned above. Secondly, there are some psychological tests available for free on the internet that can determine if you are a Type-A/A+, provided you answer the questions honestly. If you discover you are a Type-A/A+, then you should take immediate steps to create an internal calmness program before you go bust. The change will not happen overnight, but now that you know a beast exists inside you, it’s time to take charge of your behaviors and not let them run amok. For example, the next time you start getting impatient when waiting for someone or something, you can realize the nasty agitation that is brewing inside you is because you have a Type-A personality. Then you can start calming down and stop getting further agitated.

Gradually, you will understand why you are stressed, why you are always agitated, why you blow your fuse, why you can’t relax, and so on. Soon, for every irrational behavior you exhibit, you can have immediate self-realization gently thumping you on the head to steer you to calmer behavior. Armed with this knowledge, you can now gradually learn to relax, be lazy, cultivate the power to let go, and enjoy life better.

If you are dealing with a Type-A person

Except for a genuine mental illness and certain types of personal problems, it’s usually the intense biological forces of Type-A/A+ that make people act cranky about anything and everything. But if you are knowledgeable about the characteristics of a Type-A/A+ person, it’s easy to understand the irrational behavior of others. So, if a person is acting impatiently or fussily, you now know exactly why they do that. Instead of agitating the person further, you can think of ways to help him or her if possible. And you can also educate them to realize they are a Type-A/A+ person so that it enlightens them and others.

There is another personality called a Type-B personality, or a socializer type, who has the following characteristics.

They are relaxed and have a cool attitude.

They are friendly, patient, easy to deal with, and generally content with life.

They will be at peace and harmony within themselves, look at life positively, and will not be too concerned about losing.

Finally, your objective is to gradually become a Type-B person in your behaviors, while retaining the Type-A behaviors in areas where it’s necessary. Take your time. It’s not easy to make the jump from A/A+ to B and may take several months of conscious effort, but it’s possible if you take small sustained steps toward it. The key is to pause and remember why you are getting agitated, ask if it’s really necessary to jump up and down or explode, and then calm down. Calming down can be done by taking a walk in the park, sleeping, washing your face, taking a bath, drinking water, breathing deeply, reading an inspirational quote or joke, watering the garden, etc. And, most importantly, resist the urge to say or write something nasty that can backfire badly.

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About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

Artificial Intelligence is now the most talked-about topic and an important part of the world around you. Whether you know it or not, you are already encountering and using AI in workplaces, businesses, education, communication, creative tools, and many other areas of everyday life. However, when you try to learn about AI through books or online stuff, you will only come across content written or explained by techies using technical terms, complicated explanations, advanced mathematics, and programming concepts. This can make AI appear more difficult than it really is. The good news is that you do not need to be a programmer, mathematician, scientist, or computer science expert to understand the basic ideas behind Artificial Intelligence.

To make AI easier to understand, I have written and published a 7-Volume Encyclopedia on Artificial Intelligence using simple, easy-to-understand English, clear explanations, colorful illustrations, and real-world examples. This encyclopedia set can help you explore AI without getting overwhelmed by technical complexity. You can learn the important concepts step by step with simple examples that you can see in your everyday life.

The seven volumes cover different areas of Artificial Intelligence.

Volume 1 covers the Foundations of AI - helps you understand the basic concepts and terminology.

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Volume 6 covers AI Ethics, Society and Future - helps you understand the wider impact of AI.

Finally, Volume 7, AI in the Real World, shows how AI is changing the world around you and becoming part of everyday life and work for everyone.

You don’t have to read all seven volumes in a sequence. You can choose any volume based on your interests, or you can explore the complete series to get a helicopter view of AI. The encyclopedia is mainly intended for students, professionals, business leaders, curious learners, elderly folks, and anyone who wants to understand AI without dealing with unnecessary technical complexity.

Now you may ask, why should I learn about AI if I am not planning to become an AI engineer? The answer is simple. Just like you gradually learnt how to use email, a word processor, search the web, use social media, etc., AI is increasingly influencing the way you work, learn, communicate, create, and make decisions. You don’t need to build an AI system, but understanding the basic concepts of AI helps you make better sense of this amazing technology you encounter every day. Once you understand the various commonly used terminology and concepts, AI will become less scary, less mysterious, and easier to discuss and use.

That is the main purpose of my encyclopedia: to make Artificial Intelligence easier for you to understand. Whether you are an interested student, a professional trying to understand the technology, a business leader looking for a broader perspective, or simply someone curious about AI, you can use my books as a simple introduction and reference. Besides, all the concepts discussed are evergreen. So you don’t have to worry if the series will become obsolete in a couple of years.

The encyclopedia is available in full-color paperback and eBook formats. You can get the series on Amazon in both Paperback and Kindle, and as an eBook on other major bookstores, including Apple, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HF39GBTW

Please feel free to share this article with your colleagues, students, friends, or anyone in your professional and academic network who wants to learn about AI without technical complexity. And recommend a set for your office, college, or university library.

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He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

Some time back, I was watching a TV program on a business channel where a bunch of reputed CEOs, CFOs, COOs, etc., were the judges for a young business entrepreneur program. Each young participant was expected to present a business case for the winning entry. However, the program was going nowhere as the judges weren’t allowing any participant to complete their presentation or go beyond a couple of sentences and would constantly bombard them with question after question.

The judges were even firing tough questions at each other and answering every question with another question. Every young participant, half their age, was being ripped to pieces with their incessant and often cynical questions. Finally, one of the participants was awarded a ceramic pot of an undefinable shape with something inscribed on it, while the others walked out dazed and gasping for breath. Mercifully, the program ended soon.

What the above incident teaches you is that the world today is full of people who love to ask tough questions. Interviews, talk shows, corporate seminars, meetings, vendor discussions, business strategies, IT support, journalism, service level agreements, etc., all love bombarding someone with truckloads of smart- and intelligent-sounding questions. Today, asking questions that others cannot answer is a favorite hobby for many people. Hence, many executives nowadays take great pride in asking complicated and smart questions that can make others squirm, shut their mouths, or run away from the scene.

Also, many people believe that just asking a tough question settles the matter without the need to get involved in solving the issue. Secondly, a large percentage of people ask tough questions just for the heck of it, especially in meetings. Typical examples are: Describe yourself in three words, What’s your elevator pitch? Why should I hire you? What makes you unique? What can you do for us that others can’t? Are you living your dreams? And many other rubbish questions. Now, who can read the mind of that person and give a cool answer that he/she is looking for? Isn’t it a good thing that our mediocre forefathers quietly built the nation and all the mega industries like heavy electricals, dams, aerospace, highways, transport, railways, shipping, roadways, etc., before such ‘whom shall I impress today’ executives invaded the workplace? Had such jargon-loving executives existed earlier, we would still be searching for talent.

Anyway, the basic reason why many people ask tough questions is mainly to satisfy their ego by making others uncomfortable, covering up their lack of knowledge, or just to impress others. For example, most discussions and arguments you may have observed are all about how someone outsmarted someone else by firing a smart question. Watching someone squirm gives a self-congratulatory, sadistic pleasure to many people, such as, ‘Hah, you should have seen that bozo’s face when I asked him that tricky question at that sales meeting. The blood drained from his face.’ But it doesn’t mean people will be using tough and rude questions with everyone; they will definitely not miss an opportunity to fire one at someone they can afford to be rude to. Anyway, nowadays, with the amount of information overload, it’s very easy to ask plenty of good, bad, tough, smart, rude, tricky, vague, stupid, dumb, and rubbish questions. And a large percentage of those questions just don’t have answers.

However, the habit of asking questions is not a bad habit, but deliberately asking questions that you or others cannot answer is dumb. You can keep asking such questions for eternity, but you will not get any correct answers or solutions. Rude and rubbish questions, even smart-sounding ones, often create a lot of problems. Very often, people ask tough questions because they think a tough question will get the necessary answer. But the fact is that people avoid people who ask tough questions. Bombarding anyone with tough questions is a futile exercise because you will never get the right answers. It only makes people avoid you or give you evasive, defensive, and incorrect answers. Besides, a shoot-the-messenger approach will make people tell lies and cover up bad news to prevent their heads from being chewed off.

Secondly, rough and tough questions simply create stress, anxiety, and fear in a lot of people. Such questions make people commit more mistakes because the brain goes numb with fear. Toughness prevents the truth from being said, and people will invent excuses. And the list can go on and on. Maybe rough and tough questions are useful in police interrogations, but are rarely necessary in business life. As Bob Parsons said, ‘Every business everywhere is staffed with imperfect human beings and exists by providing a product or service to other imperfect human beings.’ So, if you are a sensible person, you will understand the limitations of our species.

To get correct answers or solutions from others, you need to ask approachable questions. Now, you may ask what an approachable question is and how you ask one. But an approachable question cannot be exactly defined, nor is it possible to give you a specific list of approachable questions that can be used in every situation. However, an approachable question can be described in many ways. Here are a few ways to learn how to ask approachable questions.

An approachable question doesn’t have any toxicity, cynicism, or tricky content in it. It’s a question that does not trap people or put them in an awkward position. An approachable question can be a straightforward question, but it’s asked in a non-threatening or non-intimidating way.

An approachable question doesn’t hurt sentiments, make people defensive, or point fingers at them in an accusatory manner. People make mistakes and will continue to make many mistakes in their lifetime. It’s quite possible for someone to have completely goofed up something, lost a major account, or done something really stupid. Except in rare cases, there will always be a valid reason for it.

Approachable questions create pleasantness and collaboration. They remove fear and help extract the right answers, even if the answer is bad news. Successful managers know how to get the right answers from employees by not being intimidating in their approach. Their objective is to solve an issue or a problem, and not to get mischievous pleasure from making people uncomfortable. Approachable questions help you achieve that.

Approachable questions don’t have a ‘shoot the messenger’ approach. If you develop the habit of asking approachable questions, then people will approach you openly for help and advice, instead of thinking, ‘Here comes the demon to chew our heads off.’

People who know how to ask approachable questions don’t thump their fists on tables, demand an explanation immediately, or try to find a scapegoat.

Finally, to summarize, the challenge for each one of us is to frequently pause and observe ourselves to see if we are asking the right questions. And we can conclude this article with a quote from Dorothy Nevill, who said, ‘The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing in the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.’

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About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

If you have the habit of reading popular business magazines, management books, or articles, you will definitely encounter countless references or case studies about various top performers (hyper-efficient employees) who exist in various organizations, departments, teams, etc. Of course, the definition of a top performer is a subjective term that can vary from manager to manager or from company to company and can be quite varied based on personal experiences.

However, the typical examples of a top performer can range from someone who is super fast at their job, a noisy person, a flamboyant person, a know-it-all cynic, management’s blue-eyed boy, a jargon radio, a go-to person, or even a workplace slave who comes to the office early and leaves late, and so on. Or, going by the job advertisements of organizations today, a top performer is someone who meets (or claims to meet) the fancy criteria below (based on real sentences picked from some job advertisements).

1. We are looking for high-value employees dedicated to delivering innovation to assist our clients in high-performance delivery. The employee must be in a class of his or her own and raise their sights above the horizon. We are looking for top-efficient leaders who have the challenge to outdo themselves and be a winner all the way.

2. We are looking for a person to lead, motivate, and create a high-performance team capable of continuous innovation and excellence in working for a global leader.

3. We are looking for candidates who are bubbling, energetic, and invigorating to join a sales team of a global winner who can swim in an ocean of opportunities.

Every manager will unquestionably agree that having a gang of such top performers in their teams would be a great thing. However, you may be surprised to know that they can (either quickly or gradually) become your worst nightmare. Over time, and often unknown to you, they can do more harm than good, and can slowly curdle or ruin an entire team consisting of normal to good performers. What I am claiming may sound ridiculous, but wait till you hear me out. Some of the top hidden reasons why a top performer can turn a team into a snake pit rather than a collaborating team are as follows.

While being top-efficient is not a crime, a hyper performer can often make other team members (who work quietly without fanfare) look bad and inefficient, either intentionally or unintentionally. To understand this, just go back to your school and college days. Remember in school where a couple of smart kids would quickly shout answers before the other kids (or you) could even understand the teacher’s question? They were the class know-it-all heroes. And slowly those speedy kids would become the teacher’s pets and the rest of the students would constantly be compared with them, leading to icy jealousy. Similarly, a top performer in a team can corrode the manager’s opinion of others as they will invariably be compared to the team’s hero. But people hate being compared with others as it will make them look inferior and dull. This kills teamwork and collaboration and can lead to various internal politics.

Many may argue that having a top performer in a team can be a great source of inspiration for other team members. But the reality is far from this assumption. Constant success is a guaranteed way to gain unpopularity. Just like the omnipresent sibling rivalry among kids, a top performer in a team of co-workers will soon be viewed as someone who is hogging all the limelight and the manager’s attention or affection, while they are automatically viewed as morons who are unable to do the work as efficiently as the top performer. Apart from the usual feelings of envy, it can also lead to fear among coworkers. So, team members will start viewing the top performer as a danger to their survival rather than an inspirational soul.

Managers will intentionally (or unintentionally) start diverting all the juicy jobs to the top performers and the routine/mundane work to the others, thereby depriving them of the opportunity to get ahead or get involved. Other team members will start feeling they are getting unequal amounts of a manager’s attention and responses.

Appreciation can be intoxicating and addictive. Once a peak performer gets continuous attention and appreciation, the natural tendency is to seek activities/tasks that can earn them more and more limelight or rewards. So, they will start invading other team members’ territories by finding fault in the way others work, showing off how they could handle the same job better, start giving smarter suggestions, etc., thereby making the other team members look stupid. And in many cases, top performers in their desire to remain at the top will start grabbing or even stealing good ideas and pieces of work (or even entire work) from others, thereby depriving others of their rightful share of the workload, rewards, or maybe even make them lose their jobs.

Like a child that gets bored with every toy within hours or days and expects its parents to buy a new toy, top performers by nature are restless individuals constantly seeking new activities that will excite them. But a manager or an organization cannot find or invent exciting work perpetually to keep their top performers happy. And because of the halo surrounding them and the holy throne they sit on, they will be unwilling to do any ordinary and mundane work that is essential in any department. Hence, top performers will refuse, avoid, or quietly offload such dull activities to their coworkers as they start believing such menial activities are to be done only by the lesser mortals and peasants in their team. This can lead to various workload conflicts.

So, as you can see from the above points, you have as much to fear about top performers as you have to fear about inefficient and troublesome workers. And such things could be happening right under your nose just waiting to explode at the most inconvenient time. Do some quiet detective work, and you will see the proof for the above examples. However, if you can recognize the toxic smoke signals and apply the necessary brakes firmly and periodically, then you can ensure that everyone in the team can contribute to their strengths and weaknesses without stepping on each other’s toes. Finally, at the end of the day, one should understand that top performers can shine and bloom only because normal and good performers exist around them. And we can conclude this article with a quote that says, ‘Either top competence or top incompetence may be offensive to an establishment.’?

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About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

As soon as the words ‘bad boss’ are mentioned, most people start imagining the image of a wicked person, a crook, a tyrant, a scheming, backstabbing individual, a selfish ogre, etc. And the typical textbook definition of a bad boss is one who screams, threatens, intimidates, grabs credit, fires people, throttles people’s necks, and so on. While such gory imaginations could be true in a few cases, they are not so in a large percentage of cases. Actually, it’s not necessary to be a wicked person at all to be called a bad boss. Ironically, a good-natured or normal person can also fall into the category of a bad boss without exhibiting any boorish behavior. To understand how, let us look at a few common mistakes that good people make to slowly transform themselves into bad bosses.

Lack of Knowledge: A good person can become a manager of a department for various reasons, but may have no knowledge necessary to run the department. Often, many employees get promoted to stratospheric levels too fast, but without the required knowledge, maturity, or skills to run a bunch of diverse departments. And this is unavoidable in many cases, as modern managers often have to swim in uncharted waters in today’s chaotic business world. However, this can become a catastrophe not only for the manager but also for all their peers and team members who look to them for guidance, help, or coaching. If managers lack the required knowledge and advisory skills to coach, mentor, and supervise their department, they can agitate their team members to death.

In addition to stressing their team members daily, managers will also stress themselves more, as they will be unable to lead effectively. For example, a good person can be a car service supervisor but can never effectively manage their mechanics if they do not have some prior experience in servicing a car or at least a generous dose of the practical hardships of it. Their lack of knowledge can often lead to conflicts, as they may make unrealistic demands on their mechanics, commit to impractical requests by customers, overload their mechanics, etc. Soon, it will become an ego conflict between the ‘Knowledgeable and the Clueless.’

Avoiding Learning: Understandably, a manager cannot be expected to have accurate knowledge from day one. To gain knowledge, one must get into the deep water to understand the nitty-gritty of a new department’s work, irrespective of one’s earlier experience. And no matter which department you manage, there will be some amount of new learning every day to keep abreast of the latest trends and happenings related to that particular industry. But too many managers avoid doing this and don’t make any effort to learn the work hands-on or at least an essential percentage of it. They never bother to understand the ‘Nuts and Bolts’ or roll up their sleeves to get involved.

Instead, they run their departments from a high level by viewing the world through status reports, metrics, statistical gymnastics, asking tough questions, etc., and soon become an object of ridicule. Very soon, this will lead to problems like inaccurate estimation, procrastination, being unable to take independent decisions, workload issues, staff shortages, endless meetings, email wars, improper budgeting, and various daily conflicts. By refusing to learn or get involved, they distance themselves from understanding any practical issues and difficulties of a department. Instead of being in a position of confidently saying, ‘Let me show you how**,** or this is how you do it,’ they will start covering their lack of knowledge through devious means as they become insecure and incompetent. Obviously, that means entering into dirty waters like indulging in cheap politics, surrounding themselves with yes-men/yes-women, shooting the messenger, and finding scapegoats.

Unable to Shield Their Team: Often, for many managers, maintaining the status of a good and diplomatic person who will not antagonize customers and clients becomes more important than being right. So, they may not be able to shield their team from hostile situations, unfair accusations, or demands. They will start saying yes to every demand and put their team members under excessive workloads. Also, they cannot take the heat for their team when required. Very soon, team members will stop going to them for help. As Jeff Rich, the CEO of ACS, says, ‘I think the day that your people stop bringing their problems to you is the day you stop leading. They’ve either concluded that you don’t care about their problems or that you cannot help them. And leaders have to be in a position to help.’ For example, continuing the example of a mechanic, the manager will often not be able to shield the mechanics from aggressive and impatient customers who pressurize them with unreasonable demands, invent faults, or expect unrealistic services.

Distorted View: Customers and clients don’t appreciate a plain exhibition of good nature. Just because a person is good, customers will not take things easily or dilute their demands. They need value for their money, solutions, answers, guidance, etc., to solve their problems. And if a person cannot provide that, they automatically become a bad manager. Good nature and lots of smiles cannot be used as a shield for delivering bad results.

For example, will you go to a doctor who is very friendly but is unable to diagnose your fever or prescribe the right medicines? Will junior surgeons depend on a friendly senior surgeon who cannot teach or oversee complicated and delicate surgeries? Would you go to a lawyer who talks well but gives you bad legal advice? Would you go to or recommend a tax consultant who talks well but can’t give you proper tax advice? Similarly, a good-natured person who is unable to help customers, clients, and team members can get into trouble by being branded as a bad manager, as their credibility will take a nosedive.

Finally, we can conclude this article with a quote from Thomas Arnold: ‘Real knowledge, like everything else of value, is not to be obtained easily. It must be worked for, studied for, thought for, and, more than all, must be prayed for.’

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He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

A general dictionary defines a recession in many ways: “A period of economic contraction, an extended decline in business activity, a general global slump that will last several months or years,” and so on. This is a nasty time when economic disasters start, stock markets go haywire, mighty organizations develop feet of clay, thousands of jobs get cut worldwide, best practices become worst practices, and so on.

Not to be left behind, the media and management gurus also go high-pitched with their fancy theories of why things failed, whose heads should roll, who should be lynched, spray statistical gymnastics, unleash witch hunts, etc. During such times, you may ask, why on earth do the so-called best practices of businesses that gave abundance and happiness until recently suddenly become the worst practices now?

For this, people may say it’s because the universe is a random, chaotic dance of meaningless happenings. This may seem true because we see several personal and singular disasters that just don’t make sense. But on a larger scale, beneath all the chaotic occurrences, there are hidden reasons and purposes behind many of the things that happen around us.

Coming back to the main topic, though economists, business leaders, and rationalists often believe the creation (and elimination) of recessions and global business downturns are completely under human control, it’s not true. There is actually a higher supernatural power in charge. And it’s necessary to understand the hidden spiritual reason why humankind goes through phases of feast and famine.

Though rationalists and scientists may chew your head off for attempting such a nonscientific explanation, it’s also not possible to dismiss it entirely. Modern folks fear turning towards religion and spirituality for answers because it attracts ridicule. But refusing to believe in the supernatural doesn’t make it a lie. Besides, supernatural stuff does not require the approval of humans to exist or exhibit its behaviors. However, if one is willing to set rational logic aside for the moment and look at any plausible option that will give some answers, then one will get some explanations.

Science and rationalism may somehow explain how disasters happen in the universe, but they cannot explain why they happen. And that ‘why’ reason is well documented in most religious books, but not easily available in most management or economic books. Almost all religious books from centuries have explained why mankind goes through troubling times and disasters, but perhaps the best explanation of how and why a recession occurs is given in Jainism, a religion that is more than 2000 years old. According to Jain mythology, the world goes through relentless cycles of positive and negative phases called Sushama and Dushama and their combinations. These phases can be used to understand a recession.

The good phases are of two types called Sushama (Happiness) and Sushama-Sushama (Extreme Happiness). These phases have the following characteristics,

• This is the phase of a pleasant atmosphere that brings hope and confidence. Businesses easily talk about fashionable things like the sky being the limit, firing on all cylinders, nerves of steel, etc., and keep doing things at a reckless pace.

• In this phase, businesses believe they’re invincible, organizations make good to enormous profits, customers are in plenty demanding better and better goods, and are willing to pay a premium for good services, etc.

• Businesses start believing they’re capable of everything and start mergers, hostile takeovers, diversification, initiating mega projects, etc. Frequent success in one field also gives them false confidence to try their hand in areas they’re not experienced with.

• Businesses and the public also start believing that if one puts in enough money, then anyone can become successful in any business. So, organizations start developing many tentacles in the name of diversification to give an end-to-end service or have a stake in every stage of the value chain.

• The mantra is growth, growth, and growth in any direction, ignoring their core competencies.

Slowly, without anyone realizing it, a small tilt occurs, and things enter into a phase called Sushama-Dushama (Happiness with some Unhappiness).

• This starts because when things go higher and higher, common sense and moderation take a backseat, and greed takes over, causing the bubble to expand beyond what it should. This is a phase when businesses slowly start feeling the pinch with revenues going down, and entering into a phase of slowness.

Very soon, it enters into the bad phases of Dushama (Unhappiness) and Dushama-Dushama (Extreme Unhappiness) when the bubble finally bursts and everything starts going bad, a period which we call recession or depression.

• This is a phase where everything that was considered good earlier will now seem bad. Businesses will now experience the might of the Higher Power that lies beyond their PowerPoint Slides and Power Lunches.

• Fear will rear its scary head and make the future appear bleak. The very methods that were bringing success earlier will now bring failures. Best practices will now seem like worst practices, and everything will now appear jinxed. Even the best B-school brains cannot do anything when the cosmic vice tightens. Suddenly, every safe investment and practice becomes risky.

• The best will go bust now. The very foundations of every business thought and practice that worked so well earlier will now get ridiculed, questioned, and insulted. All business heroism will suddenly vaporize, and people will enter into a state of panic, leading to abrupt cost-cutting by putting the brakes on everything.

• The mantra now is freeze, freeze, and freeze, which starts choking everything in its path. This, in turn, will lead to a situation like a car pileup on a highway due to an accident.

• Mighty businesses will fall like nine pins, and billionaires will get wiped out for inexplicable reasons. Like a tiny spark in the kitchen or a cigarette butt setting fire to a massive building, the triggers for this phase will start in mysterious and unpredictable ways, like a mega terrorist attack, mammoth financial scandals, bankruptcies, a dot-com bust, a stock market crash, a subprime crisis, or some deadly virus outbreak that no human couldn’t have imagined or prevented.

Slowly, after some agonizing months or years, it enters a phase called Dushama-Sushama (Unhappiness with some Happiness) where rays of hope will start appearing again, and things start getting better. It’s like being stuck in traffic for hours and then experiencing the joy of seeing a free highway again. Eventually, things improve to the good old days of Sushama-Sushama, but only for a limited time. And the cycle starts again, as it’s an eternal, never-ending process, a law of nature that every human should accept.

There is no escaping from this mighty circle. It is nature’s way of moderating things, of letting the steam out or throwing a spanner in the works when it feels necessary to do so. If you observe closely, such feast and famine cycles are already visible and in progress all around us. For example, flowering trees go into full bloom and then slowly lose all their leaves and flowers, only to start all over again. And no amount of watering, better fertilizers, or hiring an expert gardener will ensure that the flowers remain intact all year round. Similarly, there are daily sunrises and sunsets, the yearly seasons, rivers drying up and restarting, forest fires destroying everything and blooming again, sleep, biorhythms, mood swings, etc., that seem to go round and round in never-ending cycles. Similarly, people have to learn to endure periodic positive and negative phases in business, no matter how hard we try to avoid the negative phase.

Quotes by Famous People

When humans are too happy, even the gods are jealous - Old jungle saying.

Life is like a camera: focus on the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don’t work out, take another shot - Unknown

For a long time, it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - Real Life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something that had to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, and a debt to be paid. Then my real life would begin. At last, it dawned on me that those obstacles were my real life. - Alfred D Souza

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When was the last time that you thought about ants? Ants? Yes, ants. Remember those tiny crawling creatures in your garden or elsewhere who always have spare time to invade your picnic spot in hordes? If you observe them closely, they are always busy and furiously working, carrying food on their backs, dragging some leaf, building an anthill, fighting over food, and so on.

While most people may dismiss ants as irritating creatures that need to be tolerated, they can also teach you a valuable life lesson. Now you may ask how an insignificant creature like an ant can teach you something. The answer is simple.

We normally tend to look at only famous people and their big achievements for lessons on how to get better, improve, and learn their secrets to success. But sometimes the biggest life lessons can come from the smallest things and tiny creatures around us. And the lesson ants can teach you is survival because they are great survivors.

Do you know how? This is because they have a four-part process for their success as discovered by Jim Rohn, a motivational guru, who called it the Ant Philosophy. Here are the four lessons that he observed from ants.

Lesson-1: Ants never quit. And they also don’t know how to quit. If you observe ants marching somewhere and try to stop them, they will immediately look for another way. They will climb over, or they will climb under, or they will climb around. They won’t stop and will keep looking for another way. They never give up.

No matter how many times you destroy their anthill, they will build it again. No matter how many times you remove them from your food, they will come back. Basically, the lesson here is never to quit and keep looking for a new way to get where you are supposed to go.

Lesson-2: Ants think about the impending winter all summer. They know summer will not last forever. So, they gather their winter food in the middle of summer. Basically, they are storing as much food as possible to tide them over during the winter. The lesson here is to think ahead, knowing that the current good times won’t last forever. They make their hay while the sun shines.

Lesson-3: Ants think about the upcoming summer all winter. During the winter, when they are holed up in their dark, miserable holes, ants remind themselves, “This won’t last long; we’ll soon be out of here.” Basically, during the winter, they stay positive and patiently wait for the miserable times to get over. And immediately on the first warm day, the ants are out in the thousands, joyfully celebrating the end of the cold misery.

Lesson-4: Gather all you possibly can. How much do ants gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All they can possibly collect. Ants don’t have any limits or “this is enough” kind of thinking. They don’t gather a certain amount of food and then take a vacation or start resting. If an ant can gather more, it will collect it even if it has to work two extra hours to gather it.

This is because they know that whatever amount of food they collect may still get destroyed or snatched away by their enemies, like big insects, lizards, and other creatures ever willing to invade their anthills. So, they collect as much as they can and store it in many places. This is similar to diversifying your investments in many places.

Summary - The Ant Philosophy can be applied to your everyday life. If you never give up, always look ahead, stay positive, and do all that you can do, then you will succeed in life. Average people think of getting out of work, while successful people constantly look forward to getting on with it.

Once you make the jump from wanting to quit to wanting to continue, you can transform your life and do something extraordinary every day. So, always remember to make your hay while the sun shines. Good times never last long enough, and bad times also will not last forever. Just keep going; it doesn’t matter if you are going slowly. Life is like driving in a city. You cannot always go at the same speed on every road.

If you are going through hell, keep going. If you have to fully stop due to some misfortune, then put your plans on the back burner without going into agony and restart them once you get the time and energy back.

Some Famous Quotes

“Most people who succeed in the face of seemingly impossible conditions are people who simply don’t know how to quit.” — Robert Schuller

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” — Dale Carnegie

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” — Confucius

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” — Harriet Beecher Stowe

“Fall seven times, stand up eight.” — Japanese Proverb

“Never assume that you’re stuck with the way things are. Life changes, and so can you.”

“If you quit once, it becomes a habit. Never quit.” — Michael Jordan

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About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

Have you ever observed that you feel bubbly and full of energy on certain days, and feel exactly the opposite, or are in a dull phase on some days? You recall doing an astonishing amount of work when you are feeling high, but observe that you don’t feel like doing the same productive work when you are dull, even though you are not sick or really tired. And you may have also observed that these high and low feelings can last inside you for several days.

So, what is this cycle of highs and lows that you experience periodically? And how come you see many people and leadership gurus claim to be always energetic, excited, and passionate about everything, every minute and every hour, while you feel lazy and unenergetic periodically? What is their superhuman secret that you are unaware of?

Secondly, with all the energetic individuals around, how can you honestly blurt out that you don’t feel excited about yet one more boring meeting on customer satisfaction when you are feeling low? Now, how do you prove to everyone that you can also be excited, energetic, and passionate like them about everything every day? Will special vitamin tablets, daily exercise, power lunches, or even some workplace productivity and enthusiasm-enhancing drugs help? Or is there some other magic to always be active?

If you are eagerly expecting me to share some golden solutions to eliminate your low productivity days, then you are going to be disappointed. What I am going to tell you is to do nothing and simply learn to live with your highs and lows. Many would normally disagree with my above suggestion and proudly claim that they are always able to maintain peak physical, mental, and emotional condition every day. But the unfortunate truth is, no matter what you do, the rich food you eat, the books you read, or the calories you pump out, you cannot remain excited, enthusiastic, or energetic every day.

Mother Nature has programmed everyone to undergo an endless cycle of active and passive periods in their physical, emotional, and mental states. Whether you believe it or not, you will feel highly energetic and enthusiastic on certain days (active phase) and feel bored, exhausted, weak, irritable, and uninterested in anything on certain days (passive phase). And this cycle of high and low days will happen throughout your lifetime.

The answer to why you feel high or low lies in a relatively unknown and often dismissed concept called biorhythms. At the beginning of the last century, a certain Dr. Wilhelm Fliess noticed identical rhythms in the case histories of his patients. He observed active and passive phases (curves) in the physical, emotional, and mental rhythms of his patients. Based on his observations, he derived the principle of biorhythms and observed that the physical curve spanned 23 days, the emotional curve 28 days, and the mental curve 33 days.

And Hermann Swoboda, a professor of psychology at the University of Vienna, while researching periodic variations in fevers, looked into the possibility of rhythmic changes in the moods and health of people. Based on the data he collected in areas like pain, traffic accidents, outbreaks of fevers, illnesses, heart attacks, and recurrent dreams, he concluded that there was a 23-day physical cycle and a 28-day emotional cycle. These curves are usually plotted as sine waves similar to alternating current that we studied in high school.

A cycle is said to be in a positive phase when above the zero line and in a negative phase when below the zero line. And there are also some mathematical formulas and free online tools that can plot the curves for you based on your birth date and other inputs. However, the core idea behind this chapter is not to make you become some sort of wizard in plotting your biorhythms. Instead, this article is to teach you how you can successfully exploit your highs and lows.

High Days: Assuming that you are not suffering from any serious health problems or other personal headaches that can make you feel low, the trick is to utilize both your active and passive phases to your advantage. You need to become like an ant when you are feeling active. So, you should aim to do the maximum amount of important work (official and personal) on the days you feel great.

This could be anything like finishing off a report that is not due for weeks, attacking all pending workplace issues, organizing your finances, trimming the garden, repairing the roof, cleaning the garage, eliminating the clutter in your house and workplace, and anything that you have been putting off for weeks. On such days, you can multitask to do an extraordinary amount of work and still be energetic. The challenge will be to avoid wasting such days on ‘nice to do’ things like picnics or sports, or simply wasting them by doing things that don’t help you in a true sense.

The question you should ask yourself is, “When you are feeling your best, where should you first direct that energy?” For example, do you use that phase to properly organize all your messed-up finances by visiting a financial consultant, or use this time for picnics, ball games, beach trips, and other ‘nice to do’ stuff, rather than tackling ‘must do’ stuff?

Low Days: If you have entered your low phase, you may feel guilty because you are wasting precious time without doing anything meaningful. And you may ask why you are unable to concentrate on any work now, when just a few days ago you felt great and did a lot of meaningful work.

But now your mind and body are simply refusing to pump out that vibrant energy juice you need to get things done. And for every effort to do some meaningful work, you feel some invisible force pushing you back. You start making minor and major mistakes, ordinary things will seem like drudgery, and the simplest of tasks will seem Herculean.

However, the key to tackling your low days lies in what you do during your high days. If you have done your best during your high days, then you should simply “take it easy” during your low days. Just do only the things that you cannot postpone, avoid all critical activities if possible, and don’t worry about not having a productive day.

On your low days, you are better off listening to signals and resistance from your body and mind that tell you that you are running on low batteries rather than fighting with them. For example, it’s believed that some doctors plan their work around their highs and lows, and don’t tackle critical surgeries when they are feeling low. And there have been some studies and evidence to prove that drivers meet with accidents more often when they are in their low phase rather than their high phase.

So, if you are regularly experiencing high and low productive days, now you know the hidden reason and need not feel guilty or worried at all. You are actually in good shape, and your biological machinery is in perfect condition. You can proudly say you are a normal human being and not act artificially like many people do to impress others. The question is whether you can honestly admit that you are feeling low when you are indeed feeling low. To summarize, your biological batteries need to continuously charge and discharge. So, get used to accepting your highs and lows and use them to your advantage.

Some Famous Quotes

“Our biological rhythms are the symphony of the cosmos, music embedded deep within us to which we dance, even when we can’t name the tune.” — Deepak Chopra

“Men have mood swings. Women have mood leaps, mood swirls, mood loop-de-loops.” — Bill Pronzini.

“Your low days are not necessarily signs of weakness. They may simply be nature’s way of asking you to recharge.”

“Success belongs not only to those who work hard, but also to those who understand when to accelerate and when to slow down.”

“The secret of productivity is not to eliminate your low phases, but to learn how to use both your highs and lows wisely.”

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About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

Most people think celebrities like top movie stars, sportspersons, and pop stars don’t have to worry about money or frugality like common people, as they would have earned tons of money when they were at the peak of their careers. But is it true? Are you sure that all those famous and yesteryear celebrities are still leading a lavish lifestyle even today?

Why do you no longer hear any news about them? Or why do you hear the shocking news of some famous celebrities now being bankrupt or suffering from depression, drug abuse, or even committing suicide? For example, look at the rise and fall of some famous celebrities whose names you may have now forgotten:

Michael Jackson was a famous pop star who earned tons of money. But did you know that he was $400 million in debt when he suddenly died in 2009? He also had to foreclose on his famous Neverland home. He could not even pay the salaries of his employees. Reckless spending made him take loans, many of which he never paid back. MJ’s money problems got worse once he got involved in numerous expensive lawsuits.

Nicolas Cage was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars who was earning millions at the peak of his career. But he was also one of its biggest spenders. He recklessly purchased many homes, automobiles, and rare artifacts. The tax department fined him more than $6 million for failing to pay his 2007 tax bill. Cage’s risky financial situation made him sell many of his personal belongings, including a treasured comic book.

Mike Tyson was a heavyweight champion who earned hundreds of millions of dollars when he was at the peak of his career, but ended up with a $23 million debt. He declared bankruptcy, had to go to jail, and went through rehab before he again reached financial stability. By 2003, he owed tons of money to the IRS, British tax authorities, lawyers, personal trainers, financial managers, music producers, and several others.

A. K. Hangal was a famous actor in India. He had acted in 200+ films and was a well-known face of Indian cinema. However, even his fame couldn’t keep the hard times at bay. Late in his life, he went bankrupt and couldn’t even pay his basic medical bills. Similarly, there are many celebrities in sports, films, etc., worldwide who have met the same fate.

Were you shocked by reading these examples? Now, why did such top celebrities fall so badly even though they earned tons of money? What did they do (or not do) to enter such misery? Let us investigate. For example, we often read articles or see documentaries about how some street singers or actors became rich and famous due to their perseverance, luck, or the difficulties they faced before they became famous. But such information is just one side of their story. We never get to hear the second side of their story. Now, what is this second side? Let us explore.

The Success Mountain

Any success guru can give tons of advice on how to climb the difficult mountain called success. And depending on how you use their advice, you may reach various levels of success. But very few success gurus can advise you on how to protect yourself from the mighty, treacherous winds that blow at various levels on that mountain. If you don’t have a strong grip at every step, those winds will easily push you down.

Or, to look at it from a different angle, the mountain called success has two staircases. The first staircase is called rags-to-riches, and climbing this is difficult and tiresome. But after climbing this, you will see another steep and enticing staircase called riches-to-rags. This staircase is a super salesman that keeps tempting and challenging climbers to enter it. It’s like a pied piper who attracts your fat purse and credit cards.

The key to remaining successful is not to succumb to its temptations and challenges and consciously stay away from this wretched staircase, which is a slope of no return. But very few people know how to stay away from this, and the main reason why many celebrities fell down badly is that they, knowingly or unknowingly, entered the second staircase, often to show off to others. And once you enter this, it’s almost impossible to go back. Now, the reason why those celebrities failed after they entered the second staircase is described below.

Age 20 Years: Annual income – Five million dollars, luxurious lifestyle, fancy cars, mansions, advertisements, sponsorships, name, and fame.

Age 22 Years: Annual income – Four million dollars, dip in popularity starts.

Age 24 Years: Annual income – One million dollars, rapid reduction in fan base, fame, and new opportunities.

Age 26+ Years: Out of the limelight, forgotten by the media and public, sporadic income, high debts, unable to maintain the lifestyle, bankruptcy, depression, drugs, domestic violence, etc.

This is how many celebrities in every country enter poverty.

Takeaways from Their Examples

Now, let us look at some takeaways from their stories. When top celebrities who earned millions can collapse, it’s easy for normal people also to fall similarly. The game is the same. They lose millions, and ordinary people lose thousands. The proportion is the same. This is why one should learn the art of frugality. If you don’t learn frugality, you will enter poverty very soon.

Many people, especially salaried employees, make the mistake of drastically increasing their standard of living once they start earning more. Or they think that financial disasters, suicides, etc., only happen to some other careless people but not to them. This is because they assume that their credentials, knowledge, friends, and good deeds will keep them employed forever. But this is dangerous thinking. In today’s wild economy, you will never know when the axe will fall on your head. Today’s unpredictable economy, workplace headaches, travel, productivity nuisances, health, family issues, etc., can make even the most qualified employee unemployed. What if one door closes and another doesn’t open?

The problem is that when income starts increasing, people gradually increase their standard of living to keep up with the Joneses. But to maintain that higher standard of living, we must constantly earn more and more money, which may not be possible for years and decades. So, ask yourself some tough questions about how you can afford a higher lifestyle for years and decades.

Ask where the money is going to come from. Ask whether you will have the same health and energy to earn more and more for the next 5, 10, or 15 years. If the answers shock you, then start practicing frugality now and cultivate a simple lifestyle that you can afford to live with for the rest of your life. You will never know when and how the wind will change direction in a couple of years. Remember, even mighty rivers and lakes dry up in some summers and don’t revive for years.

Save money for the future. Even if you suddenly get a lot of money due to a promotion or a stock market boom, don’t increase your standard of living based on a temporary financial windfall. Think long-term, very long-term, and then start the status climb.

Experienced financial consultants say you should always have enough money saved to cover at least six to nine months’ worth of expenses in case you lose a job or cannot work for any reason. Suppose you are earning $5,000 per month and your monthly expenditure for the absolute essentials is $3,000. Then, you should make it a habit to save the remaining $2,000 every month. This way, if you save for a year, you will have $24,000 with you. Suppose you lose your job. Then this $24,000 will help you cover your monthly expenses for eight months while you can look for another job without going crazy.

Another mistake many salaried executives make is thinking that retirement is far away and that they need not worry about it until they cross fifty years of age. So, they lead a lavish life of purchases, vacations, eating out, etc., when they are young and earning well. But this is a dangerous mistake because time travels fast, and retirement can hit you hard.

For example, have you ever imagined what it is like to be old, retired, or to have your monthly income drop to one-fifth or less of what you earn today? Will you still be able to maintain the lifestyle to which you were accustomed for many years? Do you or your family have the courage to instantly downgrade your life? But with frugality, you can get ready and be prepared for retirement many years in advance.

Similarly, think of ways to save costs and create a lifestyle that you can afford to live with for the rest of your life.

Quotes by Famous People

“Never spend your money before you have it.” — Thomas Jefferson

“Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.” — Warren Buffett

“If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free. If our wealth commands us, we are poor indeed.” — Edmund Burke

“Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.” — Benjamin Franklin

“He who knows how to be poor knows everything.” — Jules Michelet.

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About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

Picard who? Before I introduce him, let me first tell you that most leadership case studies use examples of real people like Churchill, Lincoln, Steve Jobs, Peter Drucker, etc. As you are aware, tons of articles and books have been written on these people’s leadership styles, along with case studies. But very rarely will you see leadership examples of fictional characters from a TV series.

Picard is one such fictional character from the popular TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is the captain of the spaceship, the USS Enterprise. As soon as the words Star Trek are mentioned, most people only imagine aliens, interplanetary travel, great spaceships with fantastic technology, quirky acting by some characters, and so on. Very rarely will viewers observe or scrutinize the leadership styles of the characters in a TV series. But Star Trek: The Next Generation is a rare TV series. In addition to the usual aliens and space technology, nearly 50% of each episode is about examples of management and leadership demonstrated by Picard and his direct reports.

There is a wealth of leadership knowledge that you can gain from this series, not only from the captain but also from all the characters in the show. By studying his (and his team’s) leadership style, you can also implement it in your own life or workplace. But in this article, I will describe only the leadership of the captain, known as Jean-Luc Picard, who is the head of the starship USS Enterprise. Let us start.

Picard’s Leadership Skills

1. Picard is a firm and decisive leader who can successfully manage and lead a diverse set of humans and non-humans employed on his spaceship who vary widely in culture and behavior. This can be compared to a lighter version of a business leader managing citizens of different nationalities on our planet who have different cultures, languages, customs, and behaviors. Though he can be stubborn sometimes, he won’t hesitate to immediately switch off his stubbornness if he realizes his idea is wrong. Though he always appears tough and non-jovial, he is also a kind person and even exhibits a childlike innocence when required.

2. He varies his leadership intensity and the tone of his voice depending on whom he is dealing with. For example, he will give a tough order to one of his team members to do an activity, and at the same time kindly request another member to do some other activity. This is because he knows that one size or one tone doesn’t fit all his diverse team members.

3. He rarely hesitates to ask for help from anyone, including teenagers and young children, if necessary, as shown in some episodes. All important decisions are taken only after discussing and debating them with his team members.

4. He is fond of classical music and an avid reader of history and literature. Whenever he is faced with a difficult situation, he tries to use examples from history or great quotes from historical figures to see if they can be applied to the current situation.

5. He doesn’t hesitate to throw his own ideas out of the window if there is a better suggestion from anyone. This means he doesn’t believe that he alone has the best ideas just because he has the topmost title.

6. Though he appears firm, he does not insult or scold anyone openly for any mistakes. Even private rebukes are non-threatening or hostile. This makes him an approachable manager whose door can be knocked on at any time by anyone.

7. Managing a gigantic spaceship is a complicated and dangerous task. So, he expects his team members to keep him apprised of every small issue, technical or non-technical, that may pose a threat to the ship or its crew later. He does not care if it’s bad news and does not shoot the messenger.

8. He documents all minor to major activities and decisions taken on the spaceship. This information is constantly relayed to his superiors so that they know what’s happening, and it can also be used to analyze or solve some future problem.

9. Though he can be impatient during an emergency, he also has the skill to be extraordinarily patient if there is a necessity or no immediate solution at hand. Though he is a team player, he also isolates himself in his room to do some quiet thinking for any tough decisions required. He also does not hesitate to take the entire blame on himself for any injury, loss of life, or damage to equipment due to his wrong decisions. This means he does not look for a scapegoat to blame and escape.

10. He keeps a formal distance from the team and is not too chummy with anyone. This means he does not go out for a drink with them, indulge in idle chat or wild parties, get drunk, smoke, talk dirty, or put his arms around his team members’ shoulders, etc. This ensures that his team members respect the hierarchy and don’t assume he is their beer pal who can be taken for granted.

11. Picard is ethical, honest, and can be trusted. He does not betray anyone or stab them in the back to get ahead. He does not hesitate to put his career on the line if he believes he is doing the right thing. He also has the ability to empathize with and understand the people he works with.

12. He is a hands-on leader and does not practice leadership at a high level or just via status reports. He also knows how to operate most of the features of the ship, and even the weapons, except for complicated engineering aspects, where he accepts the suggestions of his engineering team. This means he gets involved to assist his team and also participates in dangerous missions with weapons if necessary.

13. He refuses to do the wrong thing even though that is the easiest thing to do in that situation. This means he sometimes refuses to do what his high command orders him to do if he believes it’s wrong, unethical, or criminal. He does not hesitate to take on or argue with the starship’s top management to protect someone who has been wronged or unfairly targeted.

14. To summarize, Picard is an example of an ideal leader whose leadership has plenty of takeaways that you can implement in your own personal or corporate life.

Some Quotes on Leadership

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” — John C. Maxwell

“Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.” — Publilius Syrus

“When I give a minister an order, I leave it to him to find the means to carry it out.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

“A good general not only sees the way to victory; he also knows when victory is impossible.” — Polybius

“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” — Thomas Jefferson

“Leadership is not just about giving energy… it’s unleashing other people’s energy.” — Paul Polman

“He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.” — Aristotle

“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.” — Jim Rohn

“Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily, even if you had no title or position.” — Brian Tracy

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About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

No manager or leader can succeed in their business goals if they don’t have a team that obeys clear orders or instructions. In today’s times, team members don’t need to behave like obedient slaves, but it’s still necessary for them to respect the orders or instructions of their manager.

Often, junior team members may not understand why the manager is asking for certain detailed reports, cutting budgets, instructing them to help a customer beyond what is normally done, or doing some other activity that may seem senseless. But the manager will know why that’s needed, especially if he or she is a qualified, experienced, and knowledgeable person.

However, if the team members start arguing or refusing to do such work, then it will become difficult for the manager, department, or company to succeed. For example, a bunch of 25-year-old brash youngsters must not become so overconfident and rebellious that they refuse or criticize the decisions of a 40-year-old experienced manager.

Hence, managers must establish their command and authority as soon as they take over. If they take it easy, are too flexible, and let the team members do whatever they want to appear too collaborative, then the manager will lose control and credibility. And it will not be possible to control them later. This is not a new management concept, and such authority was exercised with brutal methods for centuries.

One such example is the leadership style of Sun Tzu, a Chinese military general, philosopher, strategist, and writer who lived during the Eastern Zhou period between the 7th and 4th centuries BC. Sun Tzu is the author of The Art of War, an influential work on military strategy and thinking. He is revered in China and East Asia as a legendary historical and military figure.

That was a period of severe conflicts between various warlords, all seeking to control China. A certain king named Ho Lu wanted to test Sun Tzu’s skills. He jokingly asked Sun Tzu if he could train his mistresses into soldiers to fight and protect his kingdom in case of war.

Sun Tzu said it was possible and asked for all the mistresses to be brought to the courtyard for training. He then divided them into two groups and placed one of the King’s favorite mistresses as the leader of each group. He then ordered them to take spears in their hands and addressed them as follows:

“I assume you all know the difference between front and back, right hand and left hand, right?”

The mistresses replied yes in chorus.

Then Sun Tzu gave another instruction.

“When I say eyes front, you must look straight ahead. When I say left turn, you must turn towards your left. When I say right turn, you must turn towards your right. When I say about turn, you must face towards your back.”

The mistresses again agreed.

Having given such instructions, he sounded the drum and ordered a right turn. But instead of turning right, all the mistresses burst out laughing.

Sun Tzu then said, “If the words of the general are not clear and distinct, or if the orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame.”

So, he started the drill again and now ordered them to turn left. Again, the mistresses burst out laughing.

Once again, Sun Tzu said, “If the words of command are not clear and distinct, or if the orders are not understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders are clear, and the soldiers still disobey, then it is the fault of their officers.”

After saying this, he ordered the leaders of the two groups to be beheaded. Shocked at this order, the king, who was watching from the balcony, rushed down to stop the execution, stating that he was satisfied with Sun Tzu’s abilities. But Sun Tzu refused and said, “Having once received His Majesty’s approval to be the general of his forces, there are certain commands of His Majesty which, acting in that capacity, I am unable to accept.”

So, refusing to accept the king’s orders, Sun Tzu went ahead and had the two leaders beheaded and immediately installed the next pair as leaders in their place. Then the drum was sounded for the drill once more. Now the mistresses obeyed all further orders perfectly without any laughter or murmur.

Then Sun Tzu turned to the king and said, “Your soldiers are now properly drilled and disciplined. They are now ready for Your Majesty’s inspection and can be put to any use that you may desire. You can bid them go through fire and water, and they will not disobey.”

But the king, who was shocked and also amazed, replied that Sun Tzu should stop the drill and return to camp. The king said he had no wish to come down and inspect the troops. To this, Sun Tzu said, “The King is only fond of words and cannot translate them into deeds.”

After that, King Ho Lu saw that Sun Tzu was the perfect person who knew how to handle an army and appointed him as his general.

Takeaways from This Story

Now, let us see the takeaways from this story. In today’s world, it’s not possible to behead, flog, or physically harm employees to make them obey orders. However, this concept is useful for any manager who wants a disciplined team. New managers must professionally establish their authority as soon as they take over. This is because no manager should tolerate a team that laughs, disobeys, or refuses to follow orders or instructions.

But establishing authority doesn’t mean dictatorship, and refusing to listen to or accept team members’ points of view or suggestions that may be better than what the manager decided. This just means that the team members must clearly know what is acceptable and unacceptable henceforth. This also means that the boundaries must be clearly established regarding who is authorized to do what.

For example, a junior team member should not make financial decisions or commit to unrealistic services for customers without consulting the manager or company policies. Let me give a real example. Decades ago, when I was working in a computer manufacturing firm, a rebellious salesperson, who was a seasoned liar, confidently committed to providing free licensed software to a government customer without approval from the management just to clinch a hardware order.

Later, when the hardware was supplied, the software was not. But in the sales quote, the free software was clearly mentioned, and the customer did not release the payment until the expensive software was supplied, resulting in a huge loss to the company on that order. Soon, it was discovered that he had made such blatant commitments that could not be fulfilled to many customers, and he was eventually fired from the company.

However, managers should not expect their team to read their minds. Hence, before making unilateral changes, managers must clearly and non-threateningly communicate their vision, mission, do’s and don’ts, etc., so that the team is aware of their expectations.

It doesn’t matter how their earlier manager was managing the team. A new manager will have a new style of functioning that the team must now accept. For example, if you read business news, it’s quite common to read about some high-level exits whenever a new CEO takes over a company. They may or may not have been fired, but what is generally understood is that they may not like the new CEO’s style of functioning.

Finally, the leader should have firm control over his team, like a horseman holding the reins, not too tightly to immobilize the horse and not too loosely to let it run haywire.

Some Famous Quotes

He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander - Aristotle

Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm - Publilius Syrus

He who has learned how to obey will know how to command - Solon

The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly - Jim Rohn

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About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

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The Biggest Technology Investment in History

Artificial Intelligence is currently the hottest technology in the world. All major companies, technology giants, governments, startups, and hopeful investors are spending (and also spent) gigantic sums of money building massive AI data centers filled with powerful and expensive computer chips. The belief is that AI will transform almost every industry and generate huge profits in the future.

Companies are also downsizing employees recklessly, claiming that one AI agent software can easily do the job of 25 employees. However, some experts are beginning to question whether the uncontrolled money being spent today can ever be recovered through actual AI sales and services. And whether an AI robot can successfully and eternally replace human employees in every department in every organization. Also, if millions get downsized worldwide by AI, then where will unemployed people have the money to afford any AI-related products and services?

Experts Are Starting to Worry

The concern is not about whether AI is useful. Most people agree that AI can write content, generate images, answer questions, analyze data, and automate many tasks. The real question is whether all customers will pay enough AI subscription money forever to justify the trillions of dollars currently being invested in AI infrastructure. Some industry leaders are warning that companies may be building far more capacity than the market actually needs.

Spending Trillions Is Easy, Earning It Back Is Hard

To understand the concern, imagine opening a fancy restaurant. Suppose you spend US$10 million building a luxurious building, buying expensive equipment, and hiring staff. However, after opening, you notice that only a few customers visit each day. Even if your restaurant food and services are excellent, your business will struggle because the money spent is far greater than the income earned.

The same principle applies to AI. A company may spend 100 billion dollars building data centers and buying advanced computer chips. But if customers purchase only 10 billion dollars worth of AI services each year, it could take forever to recover the investment. During that time, the company must also pay salaries, electricity bills, maintenance expenses, interest costs, and meet shareholder expectations. In fact, they will never recover that investment.

The Shocking Electricity Bill

Building an AI data center is only the beginning. Once it is operational, the owner must pay enormous electricity bills to power thousands of computer chips around the clock. In addition, cooling systems are required to prevent the equipment from overheating. This means the costs continue every day, whether customers are using the service or not. If revenue does not grow fast enough, these ongoing expenses can quickly become a burden.

The Risk of Idle Capacity

Imagine building a 500-room hotel and finding that only 50 rooms are occupied most of the year. The building still requires maintenance, security, electricity, and staff. The same problem can occur with AI infrastructure. If companies build far more computing capacity than customers actually need, expensive servers may sit idle while still bleeding costs. An empty data center is just as unprofitable as an empty hotel.

Technology Changes Very Quickly

Another risk is that AI technology is evolving at an astonishing pace. A company may spend billions of dollars building facilities filled with today’s most advanced chips, only to discover that a new generation of chips becomes available a couple of years later that is faster, cheaper, and more efficient. This can cause expensive infrastructure to become outdated much sooner than expected. So, will you spend money to upgrade or run with older chips?

Lessons from Earlier Technology Booms

History provides several examples of this problem. During the dot-com boom of the late 1990s, companies spent huge sums building websites and internet businesses for everything based on the assumption that future demand would be enormous, and everything would become an online business only. While the internet eventually became a huge success, many early companies and individuals went bankrupt because they spent money much faster than they earned it.

Similar excitement surrounded blockchain technology and the metaverse. Companies invested billions of dollars expecting rapid adoption, but the actual demand turned out to be much smaller than expected. As a result, many projects were quietly abandoned or significantly reduced in scale.

The Difference Between Hope and Profit

According to some critics, building AI infrastructure today is mainly based on hope rather than proven demand and guaranteed return on investment (ROI). Supporters believe businesses and consumers will eventually use AI in almost every aspect of daily life. Skeptics argue that business adoption remains slow, many companies are still experimenting, and consumers are not yet spending enough money to support the enormous investments being made.

One estimate suggests that if the industry spends several trillion dollars building AI infrastructure, it will eventually need hundreds of billions of dollars in guaranteed annual profits just to justify those investments. That is a very large ROI target that may take years or even decades to achieve.

Will AI Become a Success Story or a Bubble?

Supporters of AI believe the technology will eventually justify the spending because it can improve productivity, reduce costs, and create entirely new industries. Skeptics, however, argue that AI adoption may not grow quickly enough to support the massive infrastructure being built today. If that happens, some companies may be forced to write off investments, cancel projects, or scale back their ambitions.

The lesson is simple. Building a gigantic infrastructure is only the first step. The real challenge is finding enough paying customers to generate returns on the money invested. Just as an expensive shopping mall is useless without shoppers and a luxury hotel is useless without guests, an AI data center is useful only if people are willing to pay enough for the services it provides.

Whether the current AI boom becomes a spectacular success or another technology bubble will depend not on how much money is spent, but on how much money eventually comes back. If there is no profit and ROI, even the world’s best technology cannot be sustained.

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About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

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The corporate world today puts excessive emphasis on meetings and collaboration. This is because teamwork is praised as the best and most guaranteed method for success in many industries. But choosing collaboration as the solution for anything and everything is a nuisance. Secondly, employees and managers don’t encourage or openly talk about it to avoid becoming outcasts. However, some of the obvious irritants of teamwork are:

Conflicts and Communication Issues - When working with multiple people, a lot of time is wasted ensuring that everyone is on the same page and avoiding misunderstandings.

Lack of Autonomy - In a team environment, no one will have autonomy other than the most senior or powerful person in the room. And, obviously, his or her suggestions become the group decision, claimed to be happily agreed upon by everyone. Junior members won’t be able to override the decision even if they have a superior suggestion.

Inefficient Processes and Decision-Making - Working in a team also leads to inefficient processes and decision-making. When too many people are involved in a project, it’s difficult to make decisions quickly and efficiently.

Unequal Contribution and Accountability - Certain team members may contribute more to a project than others. But when the cake is shared equally among everyone, it creates resentment toward those team members whose contributions are not rewarded proportionately.

Groupthink - Another hassle is conforming to groupthink. This means team members have to conform to the opinions of the majority, rather than thinking critically and independently. This results in individual ideas being dismissed or ignored in favor of the group consensus.

Escape Route – When stressful meetings go on for a long time, and your bladders are full, the natural tendency is to just agree to whatever crap ideas are suggested, just to get out of the meeting. So, teamwork will not always result in the best ideas being selected.

Although collaboration and teamwork are important in many fields, there are enormous benefits to working alone. Working in a team may seem good when you are a junior employee, but once you have the necessary age, experience, and knowledge, working alone can bring a multitude of benefits that can significantly impact your life and career. Some people think being alone is bad behavior. The common assumption is that you are antisocial, criminal, secretive, selfish, incompatible, or have some other problem dealing with people. This is because we have been taught that humans are social animals and always need other humans by our side. However, being alone isn’t always a bad thing. Here are a bunch of benefits that you will notice once you learn to embrace solitude.

Freedom to Control Your Own Schedule - When you work alone, you have the freedom to create your own schedule and work when you are most productive. You don’t have to worry about office politics or dealing with difficult coworkers. You can avoid distractions that come with working in a team environment. This can help you maintain a healthy work-life balance and allow you to prioritize your personal life.

You Can Recharge – When you spend all your time with others, you are expending a lot of energy. Interacting with people involves making them happy, making them laugh, soothing their egos, controlling your thoughts, reading their minds, avoiding conflicts, and all of the other hassles that come along with regular interaction. But if you are alone, then you can direct that energy to your self-improvement.

Ability to Focus - Working alone can help you maintain focus and increase productivity. When you are not distracted by coworkers or office noise, you can concentrate on your tasks and get more work done in less time. This also helps you avoid the stress of multitasking and allows you to give your full attention to the task at hand.

Opportunity for Creative Freedom - Working alone also provides the opportunity for creative freedom. When you are the sole decision-maker, you can pursue projects that you are passionate about and use your skills and creativity to their fullest potential. This can help you develop a unique voice and style that sets you apart from others in your field.

No Need for Approval - When you work alone, you don’t have to seek approval from others. This means that you can make decisions quickly and efficiently, without worrying about the opinions or approval of others. This can help you be more confident in your work and allow you to take risks that might not be possible in a team environment.

Reduced Stress and Anxiety - Working alone can also reduce stress and anxiety. When you are not constantly surrounded by coworkers and distractions, you can create a peaceful and calming work environment that helps you stay focused and productive. This can also reduce the stress of commuting, as you can work from anywhere and avoid rush-hour traffic.

Creativity – Without distractions from other people, your artistic mind crawls out. It’s like colorful and rare birds coming out when you are watching them quietly in a forest. Being alone also allows you to be occupied with your own thoughts and discover your own voice. It’s only in solitude that you discover your true identity and means of expression. You are free from any interruptions or outside opinions. You will feel the amazing power of silence.

You Learn Self-Reflection - When life is always moving at a crazily fast pace, you will have no time for self-reflection. But being alone and quiet gives you the perfect opportunity for a little self-reflection and to focus inward. This will also enable your spiritual and philosophical side.

Increased Autonomy - Working alone provides increased autonomy, which means that you can shape your career and work on projects that align with your personal values and goals. This can lead to a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in your work, as you can create your own path and make your own decisions.

You Will Become Productive - Being in the company of other people can be entertaining, but it can also affect your productivity. The constant company of other people is a distraction from getting your work done. For example, you cannot sit and read a book, write an article, or enjoy your hobbies peacefully when you are in the company of others. But when you are alone, you have the freedom to do what you want without others breathing down your neck. Time spent alone can enhance your productivity because there are fewer distractions and you can concentrate fully on your work.

You Will Become Independent – When you are in the company of others, you are not fully independent. Also, they may be handling many tasks and responsibilities that you may never bother to learn. But if you are alone, you will have to do everything yourself. So you must learn every task necessary in advance to survive alone.

Restore Your Health - Solitude also gives you a chance to relax and recover from stress. People don’t realize the toll a hectic day may take on them. For example, your daily commute, sleep routines, distractions, irritating people, and so on all have an invisible impact on your life. Over time, this can cause serious mental health issues. But if you can be alone, you can discharge that stress, sleep more, have less noise, etc., and regain your health.

No Apology or Validation - When you enjoy being alone, you don’t have to apologize for what you’ve done. When you are in the company of other people, you have to constantly watch what you say or do to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. But when you are alone, you don’t have to apologize for anything. And that takes a lot of pressure out of most situations. You can stop second-guessing everything you say or do because someone is going to be offended or angered. Another issue is validation. Often, we feel the need to get acceptance from our friends, family, or team before we take many actions. You constantly look to other people for advice on what you should do next. But when you are alone, you will stop looking for validation.

Quotes by Famous People

Be alone. That is the secret of invention: be alone, that is when ideas are born - Nikola Tesla

Without great solitude, no serious work is possible - Pablo Picasso

The best thinking has been done in solitude - Thomas A. Edison

Solitude isn’t loneliness. Solitude is when the entire serene universe seems to surround and hold you quietly - Victoria Erickson

Solitude is the attribute of the strong. The weak are always found in the crowd - Unknown

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About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

✅ - Want to publish or translate a book? Visit www.thejendra.in for details.

✅ - Bookstore - Visit his multi-language bookstore at The Web Cave

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Have you ever read a book, especially a nonfiction book, a technical guide, or a textbook, and felt that you are just reading the words and sentences, but no meaningful information is going into your head? Probably yes. Every college student or corporate employee who manages technology would have encountered this. Such books are known as useless books.

My definition of a useless book is the one that causes grief to readers; let me explain what I mean. For example, when I was in college in the 1980s, there was a physics textbook written by a famous and intelligent professor at our college. The book release was announced several weeks beforehand, with a lot of fanfare and advance bookings. Based on the professor’s reputation for knowledge, practically everyone in our class and other colleges paid the full amount and eagerly waited for the book.

When we finally had the book in our hands, we were in for a shock. We observed that the theory explained in this book was quick and short. Each chapter also had a few easy and simple solved problems. But at the end of each chapter, there were heaps of awfully complicated problems that no student could solve by reading the theory and examples provided in the same chapter.

To make matters worse, only the odd-numbered problems had the answers (without the solution steps) printed at the end of the book. To make matters even worse, the professor would not solve those tough problems even in the classroom and expected the students to brainstorm and solve them on their own. So, the professor’s method was to help students solve simple and easy problems, but let the students tackle the tough ones without any clue on how to solve them.

Secondly, due to his ferocious short temper, no student would approach him for any assistance. Remember, in the 1980s, we had no internet or alternative modes of learning like online courses, Google Search, AI, etc. Our only sources of knowledge to pass exams were our physical textbooks and handwritten notes containing solved problems painstakingly collected from various sources. Now, if the textbook that we have doesn’t help us solve the problems that we may face in the exam, then what’s the use of such a textbook?

To summarize the story, it was a bad textbook written by an intelligent professor who was unable and unwilling to realize that he was a bad author, as he was not interested in helping his readers. What’s the use of printing heaps of complicated questions at the end of the chapter when there was no method explained to solve those problems in the same chapter? Soon, every student realized they could not pass the exam if they studied only that tough textbook. In short, we wasted our money and fell into the trap of a fancy promotion and the esteemed status of the author.

The reputation of this book was so bad that we could not even sell it to junior students or second-hand shops that dealt with college textbooks. Fortunately, there was another textbook written by some other professor containing detailed theory and fully solved problems explained beautifully, which every student would quietly buy to pass exams, and the earlier tough textbook would just remain as an ornamental piece.

Now imagine if this wonderful textbook were not available and students had to depend only on that tough textbook. Eighty percent of the students would have failed the exams. The students and their parents would have invaded the principal’s and professor’s cabins to protest, and the college’s reputation would have nosedived if the media got involved. A large number of students failing can become a major public image crisis for any college.

What the above lesson teaches is that, as a non-fiction author, you should avoid writing such books. You may get the personal satisfaction of having written a complicated book. But what will you gain if readers or students reject and classify your book as useless?

Secondly, in today’s online world, unknown customers will write nasty comments on Amazon and other platforms, causing your book ratings to nosedive. You can’t prevent them from writing bad reviews and giving one-star ratings. In addition, your author brand and reputation will also go down if your book has lots of nasty reviews and low ratings. Publishers will also refuse to publish your future books.

So, ask yourself for whom you are writing a book. Did you write it for your self-admiration or for readers to understand what you have written? If your book does not add value or is not easy for the reader, then it’s of no use to them, and their reactions can be toxic. This is why hundreds of books lie rotting in libraries and bookstores. Just visit any library, pick up some thick textbooks, and read a chapter.

If you are just reading the words and no meaningful information is going into your head, then that’s an example of a useless book. So, if you are planning to write a non-fiction book, put yourself in the shoes of an ordinary reader and write in a manner that he or she can understand. That is the writing level you should attempt if you want your book to become acceptable and popular with the audience for whom it is written. However, if your target audience is only experts like top professors, then you can write a book to match their knowledge and complexity level.

Finally, we shall end this article with: Never judge a book by its cover, the esteemed status of the author, or its fancy promotion.

Featured Book

The Joy of Not Going Anywhere

About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

✅ - Want to publish or translate a book? Visit www.thejendra.in for details.

✅ - Bookstore - Visit his multi-language bookstore at The Web Cave

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There are several commonly known methods to reduce stress. But did you know that having a pet can also reduce your stress? Yes, it is a fact. Owning a pet can positively impact your health and lifestyle. Nothing compares to the delight of coming home to a loyal companion waiting eagerly for you.

Whether you own a dog, cat, bird, or any other creature, pet ownership is a wonderful adventure. Here are a bunch of reasons why you need a pet in your life.

Health Benefits

Pets can decrease stress, improve heart health, lower blood pressure, and even help children develop their emotional and social skills. Pet owners are also more likely to interact with and get to know other people in the neighborhood who own pets. Having a pet at home helps children learn empathy and responsibility toward animals.

Better Social Life and Stress Relief

Pets can improve your social life. Your pet could be the perfect conversation starter when you go for a walk or have an online call with your friends and co-workers. For example, showing off your pet can enhance work-from-home video meetings. Pets can also help you unwind after a long, stressful day at work. Stroking your cat or dog, or simply watching fish swim around in a tank, can make your worries melt away.

Mood Improvement and Emotional Bonding

According to scientific studies, spending time with your pet triggers an increased level of oxytocin, also known as the love hormone. This chemical creates a feeling of closeness and stronger bonding with your pet. It can also improve your overall mood.

Companionship

If you are living alone or do not want to live with other people, having a pet can provide companionship. Another advantage is that you cannot get into arguments with your pet.

Increased Social Interactions

Pets can also encourage social interactions. A dog is naturally curious about its environment, including other dogs and neighbors. This can become a conversation starter for meeting new people. If you own a fancy or special breed of dog, you may even find strangers approaching you to learn more about it.

Pets can also help you make online friends. For example, if you post pictures of your cats and dogs online, other people may find them interesting and start conversations with you.

Security for Adults and Kids

Owning a pet, such as a dog, can make you feel more secure. Large and strong dogs like German Shepherds and Rottweilers can protect you from attackers and muggers when you are on a walk and can also guard your house when you are away. Burglars are less likely to target a house that has a dog.

Helps Children Develop Confidence and Creativity

Pets can also increase a child’s sense of security. For example, having a pet in a child’s room can make them feel safer than sleeping alone. Having a pet can boost a child’s confidence and empathy levels. Children often feel more comfortable talking to a pet than to their parents. Pets can also inspire creativity. For example, children can teach a dog to obey commands, shake hands, roll over, and perform other tricks to keep themselves entertained and impress their friends.

Encourages Exercise and Physical Activity

Owning a pet like a dog also gives you an opportunity to exercise through walking, running, and playing with it. Indirectly, you become more physically active. A dog is possibly the best free personal trainer you could get.

Financial Opportunities

Though maintaining a pet involves expenses, it can also create opportunities to make money. For example, owners may sell high-breed puppies, kittens, and birds for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Pets can also be entered into exhibitions and competitions to win prizes.

Fun and Entertainment

Finally, pets are a great source of entertainment. Dogs can be taught a variety of tricks, while birds such as parrots can mimic the human voice. Pets bring joy, companionship, and fun into everyday life.

These headings are specific, parallel in style, and make the article easier to scan. The weakest existing heading is “Pets Increase Social Interactions” because it covers only one small benefit, while earlier sections without headings actually contain larger themes such as health, stress relief, mood improvement, and companionship.

Famous Quotes on Pets

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.” — Josh Billings

“Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail.” — Kinky Friedman

“Pets are humanizing. They remind us we have an obligation and responsibility to preserve and nurture and care for all life.” — James Cromwell

“In ancient times, cats were worshiped as gods. They have not forgotten this.” — Terry Pratchett

Watch the Article Video Here

Featured Book

The Joy of Not Going Anywhere

About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

✅ - Want to publish or translate a book? Visit www.thejendra.in for details.

✅ - Bookstore - Visit his multi-language bookstore at The Web Cave

Download the Entire Book Catalog

Book Catalog

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✅ - Become an Author Course - If you dream of becoming an Author, then take this simple self-paced video course - Author Journey

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✅ - Donate - Subscription is not enabled on this newsletter due to Stripe restrictions in India. However, if you have any excess wealth stashed away in Swiss bank accounts, spare jewels, precious gems, Spanish gold bars, priceless paintings, rare dinosaur bones, asteroid pieces, unused Rolls-Royces, private jets, or even an exotic island or kingdom somewhere, feel free to donate them to me along with all applicable taxes.

Many people will have an old desktop or laptop sitting in a cupboard or attic, gathering dust. Perhaps it is five to ten years old. Perhaps its Windows OS has become slow. Maybe it takes several minutes to start up and struggles to open even a web browser.

The usual solution is to buy a new computer. But what if your old computer is still working perfectly well for most general usage? For many everyday tasks, if its hardware is working, you can give that old computer a second life by replacing Windows with a free, lightweight operating system called Zorin OS.

With Zorin, your old computer will become a surprisingly fast and usable computer for general web browsing, email, writing documents, reading PDFs, online banking, YouTube, social media, video calls, and many other common activities. So, if you can locate that old computer, wipe the dust and start these steps.

What You Need

Before you begin, you will need:

• Your old unused computer

• A working desktop or laptop

• A couple of blank USB flash drives of at least 8 GB

• An internet connection

• About one hour of time

Step 1: Back Up Your Files

If there is anything important on the old computer, copy it to:

• An external hard drive

• A USB drive

• Cloud storage

Once you start the installation process, everything on the old computer will be deleted.

Step 2: Download Zorin OS

Visit the Zorin website and download the latest free (or paid version) of Zorin OS. The file will be a 4 GB ISO file.

Zorin is based on Linux and is designed to be friendly for people who are used to Windows. Its interface feels familiar, making the transition much easier.

Step 3: Create a Bootable USB Drive

Download a free tool called Rufus.

Insert your USB drive in your working computer and open Rufus (double click).

Select:

• Your blank 8 GB USB drive

• The Zorin ISO file you downloaded

• FAT32 file system

Click Start.

Rufus will format and create a bootable Zorin installation on that 8GB USB drive.

Watch the Installation Video or Continue Reading Step 4

Step 4: Start the OLD Computer from the USB Drive

Insert the bootable Zorin USB into the old computer (NOT ON YOUR WORKING COMPUTER) and restart it.

During startup, immediately repeatedly press the boot menu key. On many Dell computers, this is F12. Other brands may use a different key. Find out which F key opens the boot menu for your old computer model.

Choose the USB drive from the boot menu. The old computer will start Zorin OS directly from the USB stick.

Step 5: Erase the Entire Hard Drive

When the installer starts, choose the option to erase the disk and install Zorin OS. The installer will automatically prepare the hard drive and create the necessary partitions. This is the simplest option for most people.

Step 6: Complete the Installation

Follow the on-screen instructions.

You will be asked for:

• Your name

• Username

• Password

• Time zone

• Keyboard layout

Click Install and wait.

The installation usually takes between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on the old computer. When finished, remove the USB drive and restart.

Step 7: Connect to the Internet

Before installing updates or additional software, connect your old computer to the Internet.

Option 1: Using Wi-Fi

Look for the network icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Click it and select your Wi-Fi network. Enter your Wi-Fi password and click Connect. Within a few seconds, you should be online.

Option 2: Using an Ethernet Cable

If your computer is near your router, simply plug an Ethernet cable into the old computer and the router. In most cases, Zorin will automatically connect to the Internet without any additional setup.

Step 8: Update the System

Once Zorin starts for the first time, open the Software Updater and install any available updates. This ensures you have the latest security fixes and improvements.

Step 9: Install Essential Software

Most people only need a few programs to make their old computer useful.

Firefox Browser

Firefox is usually already installed.

It is a fast, secure web browser suitable for:

• Email

• Banking

• Shopping

• YouTube

• Social media

Libre Office

Most recent versions of Zorin OS come with LibreOffice pre-installed. That means immediately after installation, you will already have:

LibreOffice Writer (similar to Microsoft Word)

LibreOffice Calc (similar to Excel)

LibreOffice Impress (similar to PowerPoint)

For many users, that’s all they need.

OPTIONAL: Install WPS Office

If you frequently exchange documents with Microsoft Office users and want a higher Microsoft Office-like interface, you can install WPS Office from the Software Store available on the Zorin desktop. Many users find that WPS Office offers better compatibility with complex Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. For simple home use, however, the included LibreOffice suite is usually more than adequate.

PDF Reader

Zorin includes PDF viewing software, allowing you to:

• Read books

• Open manuals

• View invoices

• Fill forms

No extra software is usually required.

What Can You Do With This Old Computer?

Many people assume an older computer is useless. In reality, an old desktop or laptop running Zorin OS can comfortably handle:

• Web browsing

• Email

• Word processing

• PDF reading

• Online learning

• YouTube videos

• Video calls

• Social media

• Basic photo editing

• Personal finance

• Writing and self-publishing

For these everyday tasks, you may not notice much difference compared with a much newer computer.

The Hidden Benefit

Reusing old hardware saves money. It also reduces electronic waste. Every computer that gets a second life is one less machine ending up in a landfill. Many people are surprised to discover that a computer they considered obsolete becomes fast, responsive, and enjoyable to use again after installing a lightweight operating system.

Before you spend hundreds of dollars on a replacement, consider giving your old desktop or laptop one more chance. You may already own a perfectly good computer. YouTube has plenty of videos on how to operate Zorin, install new apps, change settings, etc. So, there is nothing to worry about.

Featured Book

The Extreme Minimalist teaches the powerful life skill of Minimalism — also called Voluntary Frugality — a mindset that no school, college, or workplace ever teaches. The book shows how simplifying your lifestyle helps you regain control, reduce stress, manage uncertainty, and protect yourself and your family in an unpredictable world.

Amazon Link - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0825Q1HHC

About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

✅ - Want to publish or translate a book? Visit www.thejendra.in for details.

✅ - Bookstore - Visit his multi-language bookstore at The Web Cave

Download Entire Book Catalog

Book Catalog

2.58MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

Download a Free Magazine

Personal Development Magazine

6.19MB ∙ PDF file

Download

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✅ - Become an Author Course - If you dream of becoming an Author, then take this simple self-paced video course - Author Journey

✅ - Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or mentally drained? - Then take this 20-minute stress reduction program and regain control - Stress Reduction

✅ - Donate - Subscription is not enabled on this newsletter due to Stripe restrictions in India. However, if you have any excess wealth stashed away in Swiss bank accounts, spare jewels, precious gems, Spanish gold bars, priceless paintings, rare dinosaur bones, asteroid pieces, unused Rolls-Royces, private jets, or even an exotic island or kingdom somewhere, feel free to donate them to me along with all applicable taxes.

British politician Violet Asquith once made an interesting observation about Winston Churchill. She said that when you first meet him, you notice all his faults, but over time, you gradually discover his strengths and virtues. The same idea can also work in reverse. Sometimes when you first see a person, you notice only their impressive qualities, confidence, energy, and ideas. Later, after spending more time observing them, you slowly begin noticing their weaknesses, failures, and limitations.

This happens frequently in life. You may strongly believe somebody is the perfect person for an important job, leadership role, or political position because they sound intelligent, energetic, visionary, and confident. However, once they actually enter that powerful position, they may fail badly. Their grand promises may collapse, and their impressive ideas may not work at all. They arrive looking like saviors but eventually leave as disappointments.

You can see similar situations everywhere. A sports coach who was highly praised may fail completely with a new team. A business executive successful in one company may perform poorly in another organization. A politician who speaks brilliantly may become an ineffective minister. Even you may sometimes believe you can easily handle a particular responsibility because of your experience or knowledge, only to discover the reality is far more difficult than expected.

This raises an important question. Why do intelligent, experienced, and confident people sometimes fail when given real responsibility? Why do impressive ideas often collapse in practice? One hidden reason is that confidence and assumptions are very different from actual ground realities. To understand this better, you need to understand a concept called “the view from the hot seat.”

A famous story from ancient Greece explains this idea well. Dionysius, a ruler of Syracuse, once overheard a man named Damocles speaking enviously about how wonderful and easy it must be to rule a kingdom with unlimited power and wealth. Damocles believed he, too, could easily govern successfully if he had the same opportunities.

Dionysius decided to teach him a lesson. He allowed Damocles to enjoy the privileges of kingship for one day. Damocles was treated with royal respect and allowed to sit on the throne during a luxurious feast. While enjoying the experience, Damocles suddenly looked upward and saw a sharp sword hanging directly above his head, suspended only by a thin horsehair.

The terrifying sight immediately destroyed his excitement. Dionysius then explained the meaning behind the sword. As a ruler who had gained power through violence, he constantly faced enemies, danger, betrayal, and uncertainty. His life was under continuous threat. The sword symbolized the fear and pressure that came with power and responsibility.

Only after sitting on the throne did Damocles finally understand that ruling was not as easy or glamorous as he had imagined earlier. The reality became clear only when he occupied the hot seat himself.

You can observe a similar experience while learning to drive a vehicle for the first time. Before sitting behind the steering wheel, driving may appear simple and effortless. However, once you actually sit in the driver’s seat and face traffic, pressure, responsibility, and possible danger, your confidence may suddenly weaken. Even if you technically know how to drive, handling busy and chaotic roads can still feel intimidating.

This sudden realization of complexity, responsibility, and hidden difficulty is what the “view from the hot seat” means.

This concept teaches an important lesson about success and failure. People outside a situation often cannot see the full picture. For example, voters and journalists may criticize politicians for failing to fulfill promises. However, once politicians enter positions of power, they may discover hidden pressures, political limitations, internal conflicts, financial problems, legal complications, and dangerous situations invisible to outsiders. The reality inside the system may be very different from what they imagined earlier.

This explains why many people who confidently promise dramatic change later struggle to solve problems. They finally see obstacles that were previously hidden from view.

Human beings also have a habit of confidently giving advice about situations they have never personally experienced. Many people believe they can easily run a government, improve an economy, fight terrorism, manage a company, coach a sports team, or solve international conflicts. The world is full of such “armchair experts.” It is easy to speak confidently from outside the battlefield. It is much harder to perform effectively when you are personally responsible for difficult decisions and consequences.

Talking confidently and implementing successfully are two completely different things. Some individuals speak impressively, present strong opinions, and appear highly knowledgeable. They may sound convincing and intelligent in conversations. However, when placed in actual leadership positions, many of them perform no better than others. The hot seat exposes the difference between speaking and doing.

There is also a deeper philosophical aspect to this idea. Sometimes you may possess the knowledge, experience, plans, and resources necessary to accomplish something successfully, yet things may still fail unexpectedly. Seemingly unrelated factors may interfere. Circumstances may suddenly change. Events beyond your control may appear at the last moment.

This is where life reminds you that not everything happens according to careful planning. No matter how intelligent or prepared you are, uncertainty always exists. Many times, you may come extremely close to success and still lose at the final moment. Unexpected obstacles can appear between intention and execution.

An old saying explains this well: “There is many a slip between the cup and the lip.” In simple terms, it means you should never assume success is guaranteed simply because your plans seem perfect. Anything can change unexpectedly between planning something and actually achieving it.

This understanding should make you more humble, patient, and realistic. Confidence is useful, but overconfidence without understanding the ground reality can become dangerous.

The article can be concluded with two meaningful thoughts. One observation says that knowledgeable people often struggle with self-doubt, while ignorant people are frequently overflowing with confidence. Another quote reminds you that it is much easier to quietly give advice from a safe distance than to personally face risk and responsibility in the middle of action.

Featured Book

About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

✅ - Want to publish or translate a book? Visit www.thejendra.in for details.

✅ - Bookstore - Visit his multi-language bookstore at The Web Cave

Download the Entire Book Catalog

Book Catalog

2.58MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

Download a Free Magazine

Personal Development Magazine

5.66MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

✅ - Become an Author Course - If you dream of becoming an Author, then take this simple self-paced video course - Author Journey

✅ - Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or mentally drained? - Then take this 20-minute stress reduction program and regain control - Stress Reduction

✅ - Donate - Subscription is not enabled on this newsletter due to Stripe restrictions in India. However, if you have any excess wealth stashed away in Swiss bank accounts, spare jewels, precious gems, Spanish gold bars, priceless paintings, rare dinosaur bones, asteroid pieces, unused Rolls-Royces, private jets, or even an exotic island or kingdom somewhere, feel free to donate them to me along with all applicable taxes.

If you read interviews of successful business leaders today, you will often notice a familiar question being asked about the books they are currently reading. Most of them mention modern management books, leadership theories, business strategy guides, or fashionable novels. Rarely will you hear somebody proudly say they are reading an ordinary history textbook or studying ancient civilizations.

Prefer watching? Here’s the video version.

At first glance, this may seem perfectly reasonable. Many people assume that history is boring, outdated, and unrelated to modern business life. You may wonder how reading about ancient kings, wars, invasions, betrayals, or forgotten civilizations could possibly help you manage a company, lead people, or succeed professionally today. Modern experts constantly encourage people to focus on the future rather than the past. However, this way of thinking ignores one important fact. History contains an enormous collection of real-life lessons, human behavior patterns, leadership examples, and management failures that remain surprisingly relevant even today.

The problem is that most people study history incorrectly. They treat it as a subject involving dates, names, battles, and events that must be memorized for examinations. When approached in that manner, history naturally appears dull and meaningless. But if you study history with the intention of understanding human mistakes, leadership failures, social behavior, and repeated patterns, it becomes extremely valuable for both business and life.

History Repeats Itself

There is an old saying that history repeats itself. This happens because people repeatedly make the same mistakes despite countless warnings from the past. Individuals, leaders, companies, and nations continue falling into traps that others have already experienced generations earlier. Many people confidently introduce ideas or strategies without realizing similar approaches had already failed somewhere in history. This happens because they ignore the lessons available all around them.

If you avoid history, you may unknowingly repeat the exact mistakes your predecessors made and suffer similar consequences. On the other hand, if you study history carefully, you gain access to centuries of wisdom, examples, warnings, and practical lessons. Often, history teaches you more about what to avoid than what to imitate.

Abraham Lincoln once observed that while human actions may change slightly, human nature itself remains largely unchanged. This remains true even today. Technology, medicine, and science may advance rapidly, but human behavior patterns remain surprisingly similar across centuries. Power struggles, greed, ego, fear, betrayal, ambition, manipulation, and poor leadership continue appearing in every generation.

Modern Management Gurus

Many modern management experts believe they have invented revolutionary new methods of handling people. However, similar ideas and experiments often existed long ago in different forms. The human behavior patterns seen in modern organizations already appeared somewhere in history. People simply fail to recognize them because they never studied the past carefully enough.

History prevents you from wasting time repeating failed experiments. Albert Einstein once said that insanity means doing the same thing repeatedly while expecting different results. Throughout history, societies and leaders have repeatedly tried to dominate others through cruelty, fear, war, oppression, and manipulation. The outcomes were usually disastrous. Even today, dictators, abusive leaders, and destructive management practices continue to damage organizations and countries in very similar ways.

The same patterns also appear inside workplaces. Many companies repeat poor management behaviors while giving them modern names and presenting them as innovative strategies. By understanding history properly, business managers and professionals can avoid many unnecessary mistakes and harmful experiments in handling people.

History Prevents Repeating Mistakes

History also helps you recognize repeating patterns in the present. It may not predict the future directly, but it explains how current situations developed. The present is shaped by past decisions, and the future will be shaped by today’s actions. History provides valuable insight into how societies, organizations, leaders, and civilizations behave during periods of success, decline, conflict, and change.

Many historical examples clearly show the dangers of poor people management. Powerful rulers have been betrayed, assassinated, or overthrown by the very people they trusted. Julius Caesar, for example, was killed by individuals close to him, including Brutus. Across history, many leaders lost power because of arrogance, cruelty, poor judgment, abuse, or inability to manage relationships properly.

Similar mistakes continue in modern workplaces. Employees become frustrated under poor leadership. Toxic management creates conflict, resentment, low morale, and organizational decline. Although the language and circumstances may appear modern, the basic human dynamics remain very similar to those found throughout history.

Studying history can therefore make you a wiser professional and businessperson. It develops broader thinking, stronger research skills, better judgment, and greater flexibility in dealing with people and situations. Historical knowledge can also help you understand cultural sensitivities, international relationships, and long-standing tensions or friendships between societies and nations. Such understanding becomes increasingly important in today’s global business environment.

The ideas of ancient thinkers such as Aristotle and Socrates remain relevant because human nature itself has not fundamentally changed. Many lessons about leadership, ethics, decision-making, and human relationships continue to apply even after centuries.

When viewed from the right perspective, history becomes far more than an academic subject. It serves as a practical guide to understanding human behavior, leadership, management, success and failure, and society itself. By learning from the past, you gain the ability to make wiser decisions in the present while avoiding many unnecessary mistakes in the future.

Winston Churchill once expressed this beautifully when he said, “The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.”

Featured Book

The Joy of Not Going Anywhere

About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

✅ - Want to publish or translate a book? Visit www.thejendra.in for details.

✅ - Bookstore - Visit his multi-language bookstore at The Web Cave

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Book Catalog

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Personal Development Magazine

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✅ - Become an Author Course - If you dream of becoming an Author, then take this simple self-paced video course - Author Journey

✅ - Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or mentally drained? - Then take this 20-minute stress reduction program and regain control - Stress Reduction

✅ - Donate - Subscription is not enabled on this newsletter due to Stripe restrictions in India. However, if you have any excess wealth stashed away in Swiss bank accounts, spare jewels, precious gems, Spanish gold bars, priceless paintings, rare dinosaur bones, asteroid pieces, unused Rolls-Royces, private jets, or even an exotic island or kingdom somewhere, feel free to donate them to me along with all applicable taxes.

Over the years, I have helped several authors bring their ideas to life through self-publishing, book promotion, and online visibility. Whether you have a manuscript ready for publication or simply an idea for a future book, I offer practical guidance and services to help you reach readers around the world.

Assisted Publishing

Have a manuscript ready for a book? I can help you navigate the self-publishing process from start to finish. From manuscript preparation and formatting to publishing on major platforms such as Amazon, Apple, Kobo, and B&N, I provide practical guidance to help turn your work into a professionally published book. My publishing packages start from just US$500 (International) or Rupees 20,000 (India).

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Assisted Publishing

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Translation Services

Expand your reach beyond a single language. I can help in translating your books into Spanish, German, and French, allowing you to connect with readers in multiple countries and markets. Multilingual publishing can significantly increase the long-term potential of your work. My translation packages start from just US$900.

Facebook Advertising

Getting your book noticed by readers is one of the biggest challenges you face as an author. Writing the book is only the first step; visibility is what helps readers discover it. I provide simple Facebook ad services for authors to promote their books and increase visibility on Amazon and other platforms. This service is designed specifically for authors who want a simple way to reach new readers without having to deal with complex ad tools.

Publishing Consulting

Sometimes, authors need advice more than services. Whether you are choosing a publishing strategy, evaluating translation options, planning a marketing campaign, or deciding how to grow your author platform, I offer practical publishing guidance based on years of experience working with books, authors, newsletters, and online promotion.

About the Author - Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Book Publishing Coach with 20+ years of publishing experience. He was also a Technology Manager for 30+ years in Fortune 500 Global companies like ANZ Bank, Dell Computers, and HCL, managing technology initiatives costing millions of dollars.

He has published 35+ fiction and non-fiction books in English, Spanish, German, and French editions, and has helped 90+ Indie authors to self-publish their books. He is also the Editor & Publisher of Personal Development Magazine, covering life skills, workplace issues, writing, and publishing. Now a Book Publishing Coach, he offers Assisted Self-Publishing and Manuscript Formatting services for writers. Visit his web cave - www.thejendra.in for more details.

Download a Free Magazine

Personal Development Magazine

5.66MB ∙ PDF file

Download

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Thejendra Sreenivas
Book Publishing Coach
www.thejendra.in

Visit my Bookstore