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Most Writing Is Bad Because It Doesn’t Know Why It Exists

July 10, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Most Writing Is Bad Because It Doesn't Know Why It Exists Ask anyone who has ever written something that actually worked—a punchy social post, a compelling blog entry, a persuasive ad, or even a user manual that finally made sense—and they’ll tell you: it didn’t begin with confidence or inspiration. It started with motive. Real motive. Before the first sentence hit the page, there was already a reason burning behind it. Writing wasn’t a search for clarity. It was the final execution of it.

In college editing classes, students are often introduced to the concept of exigence in rhetorical theory. This aligns perfectly with the idea that strong writing needs two things: a clear thesis and a compelling motive. While the thesis is usually straightforward, the motive—that deeper reason the piece truly deserves to exist—often leaves students blank. Ask why they wrote a particular essay, and the most common answer is, “Because it was assigned.”

That’s not a motive. That’s compliance. And it’s exactly why so much writing feels hollow. The form may be polished, but the pulse is missing.

Writing without motive is like swinging a sword at fog. There’s motion, but no impact.

What readers truly want to know is this: What gripped the writer’s mind hard enough to make them sit down and wrestle with a blank page rather than scroll TikTok or eat cereal straight from the box? Why this topic, and why now?

Idea for Impact: If a writer can answer that—whether it’s obsession, frustration, or a question that won’t let go—the piece gains traction. The spark becomes visible. And maybe, just maybe, the reader will feel it too.

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Filed Under: Effective Communication, Mental Models Tagged With: Assertiveness, Communication, Conversations, Critical Thinking, Marketing, Motivation, Persuasion, Writing

Penang’s Clan Jetties: Collective Identity as Economic Infrastructure

July 7, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Penang's Clan Jetties: Collective Identity as Economic Infrastructure

Earlier this year in Penang, Malaysia, I took a heritage tour of the historic Clan Jetties—floating neighborhoods founded by Chinese clans and built on communial support systems and patrilineal lineage. These aren’t just relics of the past, with weathered wooden walkways and shrines in doorways. They are vibrant, multi-generational communities—economic and familial ecosystems still alive with purpose.

More than cultural curiosities in a UNESCO World Heritage site, the jetties serve as a functional blueprint. Each clan shares a common surname, tracing its ancestry to a specific immigrant group from Fujian or other southern Chinese provinces. This reinforces generational bonds and collective identity.

What makes the Clan Jetties remarkable is how moral and cultural foundations shape their economy. Business isn’t just transactional—it’s relational, grounded in duty and shared identity. Families pool labor and resources across generations, while the clan acts as a safety net. Their strength lies in a moral ecosystem built on loyalty and authority—values central to collectivist cultures. Meaning comes not just from personal success, but from contributing to a shared legacy. Clans offer support—both financial and domestic—forming an informal but dependable social safety net.

Contrast that with the American entrepreneurial model, where founders often play the lone hero. Individualism—born of Enlightenment ideals—has driven innovation and freedom, but also fragmentation, isolation, and a relentless winner-takes-all mindset. When support systems falter, individuals are left vulnerable.

Confucian Filial Piety's Role in Chinese Clan Social Support What struck me most in Penang is how Confucian values—often dismissed as rigid—are anything but. They animate daily life: in the blending of commerce and kinship, reverence for elders, and collective memory embedded in each home. In a world fractured by consumerism and digital detachment, it’s moving to witness a system that binds people not only by contract, but by shared obligation and fate.

Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew captured this tension well. He viewed Confucian values not as limitations, but as strategic assets—cultural capital that supported economic growth and social cohesion. A pragmatist, he believed progress wasn’t about shedding the past wholesale, but preserving what worked. And across many Southeast Asian Chinese communities, values like filial piety and loyalty have proven their worth in both tradition and results.

I left with a deep appreciation for the durability and moral architecture of their support systems. These structures don’t just sustain businesses or offer security—they preserve memory, duty, and an enduring sense of purpose. There’s something here worth learning—not to abandon individualism, but to balance it with renewed commitment to collective responsibility and cultural continuity.

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Filed Under: Business Stories, Leadership, Leading Teams Tagged With: Diversity, Entrepreneurs, Group Dynamics, Philosophy, Psychology, Risk, Social Dynamics, Teams

Inspirational Quotations #1109

July 6, 2025 By

Sufficient to each day are the duties to be done and the trials to be endured. God never built a Christian strong enough to carry today’s duties and tomorrow’s anxieties piled on the top of them.
—Theodore L. Cuyler (American Presbyterian Clergyman)

Any kid who has two parents who are interested in him and a houseful of books isn’t poor.
—Sam Levenson (American Humorist)

It’s a funny thing, the more I practice the luckier I get.
—Arnold Palmer (American Sportsperson)

Intelligence appears to be the thing that enables a man to get along without education. Education enables a man to get along without the use of his intelligence.
—Albert Edward Wiggam (American Psychologist, Writer)

The greatest obstacle to discovering the shape of the earth, the continents and the ocean was not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge.
—Daniel J. Boorstin (American Historian)

I do not bemoan misfortune. To me there is no misfortune. I welcome whatever comes; I go out gladly to meet it.
—Muriel Strode (American Author, Businesswoman)

Conduct is more convincing than language.
—John Woolman (American Quaker Reformer)

There is always a time to make right what is wrong.
—Susan Griffin (American Feminist Author)

Tis’ better to live your own life imperfectly than to imitate someone else’s perfectly.
—Elizabeth Gilbert (American Novelist)

All we know of the truth is that the absolute truth, such as it is, is beyond our reach.
—Nicholas of Cusa (German Cardinal, Philosopher)

You need to play with supreme confidence, or else you’ll lose again, and then losing becomes a habit.
—Joe Paterno (American Sportsperson)

No author dislikes to be edited as much as he dislikes not to be published.
—Russell Lynes (American Art Historian)

When you stop having dreams and ideals—well, you might as well stop altogether.
—Marian Anderson (American Singer)

A liberal is man who will give away everything he doesn’t own.
—Frank Lane (American Sportsperson)

Filed Under: Inspirational Quotations

Flying Cramped Coach: The Economics of Self-Inflicted Misery

July 3, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Flying Cramped Coach: Economics of Self-Inflicted Misery I fly often. I’m in airports often. And I’m consistently amazed at the plaintive bleating from the rear of the aircraft—as if indignity were somehow sprung upon them unannounced. But no one ends up in seat 36B by accident. Airlines today offer a deeply tiered experience—you’re not just buying a ticket; you’re buying the version of reality you’re willing to endure.

At the heart of aviation lies the cold arithmetic of skybound economics. Premium-class offerings fund the airline. Their plush seats, elevated service, and eye-watering prices (often paid for by employers) generate the profits that justify the entire operation. Coach serves as flying ballast—necessary, but optimized for volume rather than value. Every inch is monetized; every amenity, unbundled.

And flying passengers isn’t even where the real money is. Airlines have discovered that their most lucrative business model isn’t in the skies—it’s in your wallet. Delta pulls in nearly $7 billion a year from its partnership with American Express. American Airlines sees even greater windfalls, with co-branded credit card deals expected to generate $10 billion annually, adding $1.5 billion to pre-tax income. In some quarters, the frequent flyer program outperforms the flying business itself. Your loyalty is more valuable than your seat.

So when the knees start knocking in economy, remember: that seat wasn’t designed for your comfort. It was engineered for margins. Flying economy dares you to expect less—for less. It strips away the last pretenses of customer care and replaces them with transactional realism.

The harsh truth is that airlines have worked—and are still working—very hard to normalize a flying experience where discomfort isn’t just endured, but willingly bought at a discount. They offer precisely the misery we’ve paid for, right down to the punitive carry-on policy and the millimeter of missing legroom. To complain after the fact is to weep at the altar of one’s own bargain-hunting.

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Filed Under: Business Stories, MBA in a Nutshell, Mental Models Tagged With: Aviation, Customer Service, Decision-Making, Innovation, Marketing, Negotiation, Parables, Persuasion, Psychology

Affection Is No Defense: Good Intentions Make Excellent Alibis

June 30, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Affection Is No Defense: Good Intentions Make Excellent Alibis There’s a peculiar cruelty in the well-meant, the kind that cloaks harm in sentiment and justifies injury with declarations of virtue.

We’re told to “look at their intentions,” as if what’s in someone’s heart should matter more than what they’ve actually done—whether it’s manipulation, constant criticism, control, or the slow erosion of your boundaries.

That’s an absurd suggestion. Judging morality by intent is like driving blindfolded and expecting applause for staying in the lane—until you hit someone.

Good intentions don’t excuse toxic behavior. Someone might believe they love you while slowly suffocating you with their version of care. They may raise their voice, make your choices, erode your autonomy—and still feel righteous. They might call it love. It’s not. It’s apathy in the language of affection. It’s control dressed as concern.

Intention doesn’t shield impact. Even harm dressed as love is still harm. The pain’s real. The effects last.

Intentions don’t bleed. Impact does. When someone says their harmful behavior should be excused by how they feel about you, they’re really saying this: that their story matters more than your experience. That they’d rather seem good than do good.

Idea for Impact: It’s painful to admit someone you love might be hurting you. But no matter how gilded the alibi, harm is harm. Don’t accept it just because it came in a velvet box.

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Inspirational Quotations #1108

June 29, 2025 By

As a manager the important thing is not what happens when you are there, but what happens when you are not there.
—Ken Blanchard (American Author)

A saint is to put forth his faith in prayer, and afterwards follow his prayer with faith.
—Vavasor Powell (Welsh Puritan Preacher)

From pride, from pride, our very reas’ning springs.
—Alexander Pope (English Poet)

A man’s life is interesting primarily when he has failed — I well know. For it’s a sign that he tried to surpass himself.
—Georges Clemenceau (French Head of State)

There is no greater enemy to those who would please than expectation.
—Michel de Montaigne (French Essayist)

Whatever you do they will love you; even if they don’t love you they are connected to you till you die. You can be boring and tedious with sisters, whereas you have to put on a good face with friends.
—Deborah Moggach (British Author, Screenwriter)

If when we judged others, our real motive was to destroy evil, we should look for evil where it is certain to be found, and that is in our own hearts. But if we are on the look-out for evil in others, our real motive is obviously to justify ourselves.
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer (German Lutheran Pastor)

Grief is the price we pay for love
—Queen Elizabeth II (Queen of United Kingdom)

If you want to kill time, try working it to death.
—Sam Levenson (American Humorist)

Money can’t buy happiness, but it can make you awfully comfortable while you’re being miserable.
—Clare Boothe Luce (American Playwright)

The family you come from isn’t as important as the family you’re going to have.
—Ring Lardner (American Humorist, Author)

Knowing how things work is the basis for appreciation, and is thus a source of civilized delight.
—William Safire (American Columnist)

If one cannot invent a really convincing lie, it is often better to stick to the truth.
—Angela Thirkell (English Novelist)

Filed Under: Inspirational Quotations

Disrupt Yourself, Expand Your Reach.

June 28, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Realize Your Creative Potential: Do Something Unfamiliar Each Month Commit to doing something unfamiliar each month.

Enroll in an art class. Write a poem. Venture into a new part of town. Experience an unfamiliar culture. Ride pillion and see the road from another angle.

These moments of disruption do more than jolt you out of habit—they condition you for uncertainty, prime your instincts, and spark dormant creativity. The comfort zone shrinks as your perspective widens.

Facing discomfort reveals latent strengths. Each small challenge recalibrates how you see yourself—and what you’re capable of.

Disruption isn’t indulgence. It’s preparation. And the next step could redraw your path entirely.

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Some Influencers Just Aren’t Worth Placating

June 27, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Some Influencers Just Aren't Worth Placating Recent news of Carnival Cruise Group’s decision to ban two “influencers” after a run of negative reviews has sparked a spirited debate online.

Many are quick to label the move as corporate censorship, but a closer look reveals it’s often just basic business sense. This wasn’t about silencing genuine critique—it was about a company recognizing that some forms of “feedback” are merely thinly veiled demands from the perpetually aggrieved.

These influencers weren’t ordinary customers offering fair assessments. Their dissatisfaction seemed to operate as a business model, consistently leveraged for perks like free cruises, suite upgrades, and even a comped wedding. When complaints reliably yield such significant compensation, dissatisfaction ceases to be an affliction and instead becomes a profitable asset. To be banned for one’s “opinion,” when that “opinion” primarily consists of a tiresome enumeration of petty defects after repeated indulgence, isn’t martyrdom—it’s simply mistaking self-importance for actual consequence.

More broadly, this incident reflects the growing commodification of outrage in the digital age. Social media thrives on grievance, and the influencer economy demands perpetual dissatisfaction. Negative reviews generate more engagement, effectively turning critique into performance rather than honest, balanced appraisal. The notion that discomforts—however generously compensated—constitute a public service worthy of widespread dissemination speaks volumes about the peculiar vanity of our time.

Carnival’s move isn’t a crackdown; it’s a necessary correction. Businesses have their limits—budget cruise lines cater to specific market segments and set clear expectations. When influencers review these companies as if they were luxury brands and consistently post negative reviews based on unmet, unrealistic expectations, they unfairly damage the company’s reputation. Removing those who ceaselessly publicize a company’s purported defects, even after extensive placation, isn’t suppression—it’s long-overdue pragmatism.

Criticism is healthy, but the expectation that companies must endlessly placate serial complainers isn’t consumer advocacy—it’s entitlement masquerading as accountability.

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Filed Under: Business Stories, Leadership, Managing People Tagged With: Assertiveness, Communication, Conflict, Customer Service, Decision-Making, Leadership Lessons, Marketing, Persuasion, Social Dynamics, Social Media

Optimize with Intent

June 26, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

The Effectiveness-Efficiency Balance: Optimizing with Purpose Cutting tennis balls in half might let you store more in a standard 3-ball tube, but the sacrifice is stark.

Effectiveness is achieving what you set out to do. Efficiency is how well you use your resources. Efficiently wrong is still wrong.

Idea for Impact: Optimize with purpose. Innovation must support your objective without undermining it.

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How FedEx and Fred Smith Made Information the Package

June 25, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

How FedEx and Fred Smith Made Information the Package Fred Smith, who died Sunday, leaves behind more than a logistics empire—he leaves a template for how information shapes the physical world.

Best known as the founder of Federal Express (now FedEx) and father of overnight delivery, Smith also introduced the hub-and-spoke model that transformed global shipping. But it was a lesser-known insight that arguably reshaped the industry most fundamentally: “The information about the package is as important as the package itself.”

First expressed in the late 1970s, the statement read as a logistics dictum, but it carried a deeper resonance. It anticipated the coming information age with uncanny precision. Smith understood that information wasn’t merely a descriptor of reality—it had become part of its very fabric and value. A package untethered from its data trail is functionally inert. In a networked world, context creates meaning.

This belief spurred a series of decisions that pushed Federal Express years ahead of its rivals. In 1979, the company launched COSMOS, an online system coordinating its fleet and tracking packages in real time. It replaced unreliable paper logs with digital accountability. By the mid-1980s, Federal Express couriers carried barcode scanners—the now-ubiquitous “SuperTrackers”—to register every movement of a parcel, transforming tracking from lagging paperwork into a continuous data stream.

In 1984, Federal Express went further still, placing desktop shipping terminals inside customer offices. Suddenly, businesses could print their own labels, manage logistics, and trace shipments independently. It was a radical gesture—handing control to the customer, powered by real-time data.

That philosophical shift—that information and object are inseparable—now underpins global commerce. The certainty we take for granted when watching a parcel move across the map began as a radical notion from an ex-Marine with a vision. Smith didn’t just move goods faster—he made them visible, knowable, and dependable.

Competitors lagged. UPS caught up only in the mid-1990s. The U.S. Postal Service didn’t seriously modernize until the e-commerce wave forced its hand. International carriers followed Federal Express’s lead throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

Fred Smith’s real triumph wasn’t speed. It was trust. Federal Express didn’t just deliver packages—it delivered certainty. And by giving customers visibility and control, he tapped into something more durable than speed. Trust, once earned, is one of the most scalable assets in business.

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About: Nagesh Belludi [hire] is a St. Petersburg, Florida-based freethinker, investor, and leadership coach. He specializes in helping executives and companies ensure that the overall quality of their decision-making benefits isn’t compromised by a lack of a big-picture understanding.

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Recently,

  • Most Writing Is Bad Because It Doesn’t Know Why It Exists
  • Penang’s Clan Jetties: Collective Identity as Economic Infrastructure
  • Inspirational Quotations #1109
  • Flying Cramped Coach: The Economics of Self-Inflicted Misery
  • Affection Is No Defense: Good Intentions Make Excellent Alibis
  • Inspirational Quotations #1108
  • Disrupt Yourself, Expand Your Reach.

Unless otherwise stated in the individual document, the works above are © Nagesh Belludi under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND license. You may quote, copy and share them freely, as long as you link back to RightAttitudes.com, don't make money with them, and don't modify the content. Enjoy!