Wish and want

We often spend parts of our days and lives wishing for things. “I wish.. this happened/that happened/I got this/I got that.”

As the quote goes from “Into the Woods” – ‘are you certain what you wish is what you want?’ Because what we wish isn’t necessarily what we want. And, what we want isn’t necessarily what we need.

Maybe the other approach is not to spend any time wishing. Just keep making decisions on the process, keep plugging away, and ignore wishes altogether. We all wish for good days (largely). But, who knows if a good day now will really be a good day in retrospect?

The enlightened approach is to not bother with wishes and wants and other proxies for results. I can see why it is the enlightened approach – it keeps us focused on the present, mindful about what is happening, and helps us get a tremendous amount done. We can’t all flip the switch to pursue the enlightened approach of course. But, perhaps, we could aim for a little more of it.

And, maybe, just maybe, when we catch ourselves wishing, we could ask ourselves  – “Are you certain what you wish is what you want?”

Why MBA – MBA Learnings

Since it is the new year, I thought I’d tackle the big question – “Why bother with an MBA?” At any given time, there is a fair amount of opinion in the press on the MBA. Some say it is useless, others warn us about possible pitfalls and a few dare to be bullish.

My view is that the truth, like most things, in life is somewhere in between. So, here are a collection of my thoughts based on what I’ve seen and learnt –

1. The biggest trouble with an MBA is that there is no single consistent academic experience. Most Masters in Computer Engineering programs teach the same core concepts. Yes, you sort of do that with an MBA. But, then again, not really. You have a lot of freedom and flexibility to learn things you care about. Then, the next problem is that practically every university has an MBA program. That’s where the rankings come in.

2. The rankings have all sorts of faults. Most of them don’t measure what a school should actually be measured on simply because the data isn’t easily available (or the publications just couldn’t bother). But, if you aggregate them together, there are consistent patterns in the schools that show up in the top ten, the top twenty and so on. This distinction matters for calculations on return-on-investment.

3. I know this seems like a really mercenary way to approach this. But, I’d like to get it out of the way because return-on-investment matters (ROI) a lot. Students spend roughly $200,000 in the two years and a lot more in the opportunity costs of missing out on two years worth of earnings. They’re also doing so in a high-growth phase of their careers. For a large proportion, this is an opportunity to level up and move to a career that’ll give them more opportunities and/or more income. ROI matters. I’m not clear what the ROI numbers are – but what I am clear about is that the degree is, unfortunately, not equal. Just as a Masters in Engineering at an MIT will always be valued much higher than most other places, similarly, being lucky and skilled enough to be able to get into a top school changes a lot.

4. Once we’ve got the financials out of the question, what is the experience really worth? We interviewed venture capitalist Brad Feld over Skype yesterday and one of my classmates asked him a similar question. He reflected on his own experience at MIT-Sloan and said – “An MBA is a nice two year vacation from reality. And, in many cases, such a vacation is very useful.” And, he went on to talk about the ability we have to think about our long term careers, switch career tracks, and make decisions that can alter the course of the life. And, it is true. It is not always we’re presented with opportunities to do that with so many options.

5. The other idea I will pick is a recent post from Seth’s blog. This post was shared by our Professor in our introductory Microeconomics class just two days ago.

Doing calculus with Roman numerals

Quick, what’s XIV squared?

You can’t do advanced math without the zero. And you can’t write precise prose without a well-developed vocabulary.

The magic of the alphabet is that twenty-six letters are all you need to spell every word. The beauty of Lego blocks is that you don’t need very many to build something extraordinary.

Imagine how hard it would be to get anything done, though, if you only knew 17 letters.

In most fields your work is hindered if you only have a few of the most basic tools. Understanding more of the building blocks of finance, or marketing or technology are essential if you want to get something important done.

Here’s my advice: Every time you hear an expert use a word or concept you don’t understand, stop her and ask to be taught. Every time. After just a few interactions, you’ll have a huge advantage over those who didn’t ask.

The way I see it – the bold-ed bit is what an MBA gives you. It doesn’t do enough in terms of explaining the building blocks of technology as yet. But, there’s already a fair bit of choice in many schools and it is on the rise. It always takes education a few years to catch up with change.

6. Does that mean everyone needs an MBA? Absolutely not. There are so many ways to get this sort of knowledge on the internet and in books. So, if you really wanted to get the knowledge, you can (you can just just follow Seth’s excellent advice). My view is the following – if you value learning about business (academics), if you value/need taking some time out to think about what you really want to do (career), and if you value working with, getting to know, and building relationships with peers from many different backgrounds,  many of whom also tend to have similar hopes and dreams as you, then I think you’ll really enjoy the MBA experience.

7. There are many reasons MBA grads get flak from employers – too much entitlement, not enough value added, etc. And, I daresay there are always going to be a few who will give others a bad name. But, on the whole, I do feel there is a lot of value the education brings. In my first quarter alone, I feel like I have gained insights that would have been very helpful in my jobs over the past few years. The nice thing about this learning is that it is all connected and reinforces each other. Accounting inter links with finance which inter links nicely with building companies which requires marketing and so on. I think it’ll help future entrepreneurs and business owners avoid a few fundamental mistakes and it’ll help anyone working in a company make better decisions (if they paid attention in class). And, who knows, maybe avoiding a mistake in giving out equity could save you half a million dollars as your business scales. That’s already the cost of the degree and more..

8. As you can tell, this is clearly a collection of my unstructured thoughts on the subject. I am, of course, biased. I can’t say much about whether this investment will lead to x or y result in 20 years. I honestly don’t care that much. I am here because I really wanted to learn, to think about what I really want to do, and to meet, work with and build relationships with some very interesting people. And, so far, the experience has stretched me, made me think, and given me an incredible amount of learning opportunity. And, the sheer intensity has kept me on my toes. In short, I’m loving it.

9. I do, however, think it helps keep perspective that this is just a wonderful way to spend 2 years of my life. It is learning geek paradise in some respects. It is not practical for many and definitely not a necessity. For this, I will go back to Hunter Walk’s brilliant post on “It’s fine to get an MBA, don’t be an MBA.” If you haven’t read it, please do. Here’s my favorite bit.

Getting an MBA means you’re curious to learn broadly about theories and explore how these techniques can be applied to various businesses. Being an MBA means you think you’re getting taught the one right answer to problems – to a hammer everything is a nail – and that only MBAs know these dark arts.
Getting an MBA means offering your perspectives and experiences to your classmates. Being an MBA means looking at your peers as networking targets.
Getting an MBA means thinking about your degree as just another attribute of who you are – I have brown hair, a wife, work at Google, enjoy citrus fruits and possess a Stanford degree. Being an MBA means you are “Hunter Walk, Stanford MBA,” elevating the matriculation to a level of undeserving primacy.

Getting an MBA means you shoot out of school wanting to prove yourself and see what you can contribute to others. Being an MBA means thinking the world owes you something and that your value 10x’ed just from spending two years on a campus.

At the end of the day, just be who you are, which is a collection of skills, abilities, successes, failures, fears, dreams and hopes. The most important degree you possess is Human University.

This, of course, applies to any accomplishment. Results happen to us due to good processes and a fair dose of luck (e.g. in this case, being born in the right place) – don’t let them define you. It is the same deal with this degree – if you think it’ll add value, it will. If you want to make it meaningful, it will be. Don’t do it for the tag. Do it because you’ll learn and get better. And, if you don’t do it, that’s okay too.

In either case, we’re on this planet for a short period of time, at least in the giant scheme of things. Let’s just focus on making it meaningful, making it count.

Connected home questions and its implications for tech

Samsung announced yesterday that, in 5 years, every device will connect to the internet. The “internet of things” is clearly going to be here soon. And, companies like Samsung and Google are better on the connected home and the connected life. The announcement raises a couple of interesting questions around the home of the future.

First, will every device also be connected to each other? Would our TV be connected to our refrigerator, for instance? Is there a need for that?

Next, will we head towards a smart device and dumb cloud model? Or will we just look at these devices as pieces of glass and expect the all-knowing cloud to stream or procure what we want?

Both these questions lead us to multiple possibilities that will have huge impact on the technology ecosystem. For example,
– In the everything is connected to everything model, companies like Dropbox and Google will vie to be the connector between the various displays. Google stands to prosper if this is the future (it certainly feels more likely) because Google does “cloud” better than its only other serious competitor at this point – Apple.

– Apple, in my opinion, stands to gain more from a model where everything need not be connected to everything. Instead, what we would care about would be having a really smart refrigerator that can do things I cannot currently imagine, a really smart TV, etc. They don’t all need to talk to each other. They just have to be easy, intuitive and well designed. Apple hasn’t done cloud and connectivity well yet. Its culture and DNA is built on outstanding hardware. It remains to be seen if they can develop good-enough software to be able to compete effectively.

– Companies that are poised to make a killing if they execute well are Amazon and Facebook. Amazon will have many many ways to sell you stuff. If your smart fridge detects that eggs are running low, Amazon Fresh will probably be 1-click away from delivering eggs at home. If Uber chooses to go this way, it could stake a claim to be the delivery service of the future..

– Facebook stands to gain most from this innovation because this future is a perfect scenario for the native ad. Similar to Amazon, these smart devices can provide more data for further ad tailoring. Running short of food in your refrigerator? No problem, here’s a McDonalds delivery ad for you. (sorry for the large number of food related points in this post, I am clearly hungry)

Either way, it is going to be very interesting. While Samsung has indicated this process will take 5 years, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this happen in 3.

Talent spotters

Sometimes, I feel our most important role on the planet is spotting talent before it becomes obvious to the rest of the world.

Yes, there are professions built on talent spotting – venture capital, player agents and scouts in sports, hiring teams in companies. But, I think of it on a personal level. How good are we at spotting potential? Or, to phrase it differently, if we were to meet someone who had the potential to be the next Jeff Bezos or Bill Gates, would we know?

And, that leads to another intriguing question, do we even have what it takes to spot seeds of greatness in ourselves? Do we have a clear idea of what we are good at and what we aren’t? Logic would dictate that we might just be better at identifying special traits in others if we can do so in ourselves. Then again, maybe not.

If we care about making a dent on this planet, it is worth remembering that it need not only be due to what we directly do. If we can be of value to someone who goes on to build the Google of the next technology shift, that’s definitely another way to do it. But, that’s easier said than done. There always seems to be enough and more to deal with just to get our lives in order. Where do we find the time to look for others who’re making a difference and find the time to help them?

Maybe that’s where we start – by being available, by making the time and by being of help.

Training wheel systems

I started blogging here because I felt I was reacting very badly to failure. I wanted to build my confidence brick by brick and thought I’d do so by disciplining myself to write a learning every day.

That was easier said than done, of course. I simply lacked the discipline to do it consistently. Here’s how the process really unfolded –

Phase 1 – The struggle. In the first few months, the biggest challenge was just remembering to write a learning. Some days, all I would manage would be a quote.

Phase 2 – Training wheels. A year or so later, I came upon an idea – why not post a quote every day at the minimum and add something else if I could? So, I started posting a quote every morning on weekdays and also sent the “Good Morning Quote” to  a few friends, family and subscribers. Then, on Sundays, I began posting a “book learning” – simply a learning from a book I was reading. These structures were my blogger training wheels.

Phase 3 – Ready to bike. 3 years in, I moved the quotes out of the blog as I knew I was finally disciplined enough to write a long form post every day. Over time, I consolidated all the additional ideas (quotes, book learnings) to the 200 words project. The 200 words project is no longer a training wheel. I am well into biking solo now.

Call it training wheels, systems, process, or structure – it doesn’t really matter. The principle is, as we think of new year resolutions, we’re best served if we take the time to structure habits and systems that will help us get there.

It is always easier to do nothing

Every project you start will give you moments which will make you regret walking down that path. You will definitely second guess yourself and the impact you are making. The struggle will feel unnecessary and unrewarding.

The most important thing to remember at such points is – it is always easier to do nothing.

So, the questions that follow are –
1. Do you really want to do nothing and do what is easy?
2. If not, is there another project or method that would help you achieve better long term results?

Every once a while, you’ll realize that what you’re doing is not working. That is a useful realization and there is nothing wrong in quitting for the right reasons.

But, when the answer to the second question is no, it is just worth remembering that you signed up to make a difference. It was never meant to be easy. Maybe you’re not making the world-changing difference you envisioned. But, what you’re experiencing is making a difference to you.

And, that is definitely difference worth struggling for.

Measuring laundry

I have a recurring task on weekends to get laundry done. We’ve been living in university apartments/dorms and the laundry room is downstairs. So, I rewarded myself with a “done” on laundry once I ran the clothes on the washer and dryer and brought them back home. After that, I’d pass the baton to the wife.

Over time, I realized my wife doesn’t enjoy folding clothes (I don’t mind it all that much). So, I began folding mine and passing her clothes over.

Now, just as additional background, our share of the housework is about 30%-70% in my eyes. Given our propensity to overestimate our own contribution, I think it might be closer to 20%-80%. So, a few weeks back, I made a small mental switch – I wouldn’t take laundry out of my task list until I’d folder all our clothes in.

My wife loves the new arrangement and I feel I’ve definitely notched up an extra 5% on the contribution index.

Was that switch hard to do? Absolutely not. It just required me to measure a task a different way.

So, why did I not measure it this way when I started? I just never gave it much thought.

It made for a profound lesson, though. Give careful thought to what you measure.. because the behavior you measure and reward is the behavior you get.

3 thank you’s

My 3 thank you’s for the 2014 year on ALearningaDay –

Thank you to the wonderful Seth Godin for spreading the word on his blog. That one post had massive impact on this little blog. I had gone into my Feedburner a few days back to change some settings on the display of the feed email. If I remember right, there used to be about a 150 email subscribers and about 350 RSS subscribers on Feedburner. Now, I see more than a 1000 on both. That’s all down to Seth’s post. So, thank you, Seth, for spreading the message and the love. Thank you for all you do and for your incredible generosity.

Thank you to the word ‘process.’ It has taken on new meaning for me. That one word has been my biggest learning for the year as I’ve spent hours together attempting to understand it. I am convinced that the “how” of doing things/the process is where true wisdom lies. There are going to many process related posts coming in 2015 as I continue down the path of really understanding and living its true meaning.

And, thank you to you. Thank you, as always, for your comments, emails and notes of encouragement. They never cease to make me think, inspire me and make my day. I know from my exchanges with you that many of you are out there working hard on your ideas to create change. Do know that I consider it a real privilege to be able to communicate with you and I am really glad these daily notes help. I hope to continue to be worth of your trust and attention.

Finally, for the new year’s wish, I’d like to go back to a lovely wish I’d received a few years ago – ‘May your life continue to engage, fascinate, frustrate, challenge and reward you as you grow as a person and as a professional.’

Here’s to lots of challenges and learning indeed.

Happy 2015! And more to follow tomorrow with post #3,323.

Pressure, quirks and chopping wood

A close friend shared that his plans for today involved a quiet day at work. He also mentioned that he was getting screamed at by everyone he shared the plan with. Today is new year’s eve after all and there’s a certain pressure to do something memorable.

I was reminded of an evening a bunch of us spent together as teenagers. I think it was new years eve. After some time spent gaming in the afternoon, we spent about 3 hours in the side walk discussing our plans for the evening. Ironically, it was well into the evening by the time we ended our discussion. And, this wasn’t a one-time occurrence. We enjoyed talking about what to do. That meant everyone shared their preference and pretty much got berated for suggesting what always seemed like a dumb idea. Planning what to do typically meant lots of laughter and, I think, as a result, we spent a significant portion of those years planning.

Planning was the excuse, of course. It was just a blast to spend time together.

When I look back to my childhood, some of the best moments my friends and I spent together were spent on the most unspectacular things. An evening hanging out at my place, “planning,” a sleep over with a movie or two, riding to the beach (It was 1 hour away. So, it wasn’t the hanging out at the beach as much as it was about the ride), playing, eating panipuri at a roadside chaat shop, and just cracking up at each other’s expense – none of these cost much. But, they all made for really cool memories.

One of the funny consequences of the digital age and social media is that, somehow, they’ve added a certain pressure of expectation to moments of fun. Suddenly, it is not enough to be on vacation, it matters that it is a really cool vacation. Similarly, it is not clear if a fun evening with friends counts without a tagged status update or photo. As a result, fun occasions like new years days and valentines day have become high pressure days where we compete for likes and social status. Maybe some find it fun. I sure hope they do. This is for all those who don’t.

As you think about your fun events either to celebrate this new year’s day or an upcoming vacation, I really hope you think about what makes it fun for YOU. If that means, spending a week by yourself, so be it. In doing this, you will have to embrace your quirks. I realized a year or so ago that I don’t mind working on “stuff” when I’m on a break. What does matter to me is waking up without an alarm. You see, I sleep 10-11 hours on average most vacations and, as long as I do that, I’m happy.

It is up to us to design a life that will embrace that quirkiness. There is no shortcut to looking inward.

Finally, I came across this Zen quote – “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.”

It is a fantastic quote. Applying it to this context, it doesn’t matter how rich/successful/enlightened we are – at the end of the day, we are still human beings who crave love, attention, engagement, good food, good times and sleep. Here’s to that and more – on this new year’s eve and beyond.

Kings of Podcasting

This was back in 2006. At Odeo, a podcasting company, times were tough. Evan Williams and his team were working hard at making the concept work but were finding motivation hard to come by.

One evening, at dinner, his close friend and co-worker Biz Stone asked Evan a question – “If we continued down this path, we’d be the “kings of podcasting.” But, do we want to become the “kings of podcasting?”

Biz had lots of experience with “why” questions. He had just left Google a year or so back to join Evan at Odeo despite having a large sum of money in stock options that would vest in 2 years. Biz had decided he cared more about working on inspiring ideas a lot more than on becoming rich.

Evan realized that moment that they were chasing the wrong thing. They decided to wind Odeo up and look for the next thing. That next thing turned out to be Twitter.

(From ‘Things a Little Bird Told Me’ by Biz Stone)

It is indeed so easy to get lost in the pursuit of something that, after a while, we forget why we went after it in the first place.

So, as we move into the new year and begin thinking about the things we plan to do (and maybe achieve) during the year, I hope we’ll take a few moments and ask ourselves ‘why?’

I can’t guarantee the result will be Twitter. I can guarantee it’ll help. :-)