Right Attitudes

When Giving Up Can Be Good for You

February 26, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

The Power of Quitting: When Giving Up Can Be Good for You We’ve all been trapped in the endless loop of boring books, pointless classes, toxic jobs, and unfulfilling relationships. While quitting might have a bad rap in some cultures—it’s seen as a sign of weakness—it can actually be the smartest move you make. No one wants to wear the “quitter” badge, but sometimes hard-headed perseverance isn’t the way to go. Clinging to a lost cause can drain your energy and leave you feeling stuck.

If what you’re doing still sparks joy, then keep at it. However, if you consistently feel drained and defeated, it may be time to pivot and pursue something new. Be honest with yourself: are you holding on to a lost cause simply because it’s easier than embracing a new challenge?

Quitting doesn’t mean giving up; it means making room for goals that truly ignite your passion.

Idea for Impact: Don’t waste your energy on dead ends. Instead, find satisfaction by pursuing paths that truly align with your interests and talents.

Seek Whispers of Quiet to Find Clarity in Stillness

February 25, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Seek Whispers of Quiet to Find Clarity in Stillness You are inundated daily with information and distractions, making it challenging to maintain focus and self-awareness. Whether you are at home, commuting, or in the office, these interruptions hinder your ability to concentrate on meaningful tasks.

To counteract this, schedule 15-minute breaks once or twice a day to sit quietly in your office, a cozy corner at home, or a nearby garden. Treat these moments of solitude as essential appointments; without them, distractions will inevitably fill the void.

Idea for Impact: Intentional pauses allow you to recharge, reflect, and gain clarity away from daily chaos, fostering creativity and a sense of balance. By stepping back, you cultivate mindfulness and reconnect with your inner self, leading to greater peace and control in your life.

Why Are There No ‘How to Be a Great Follower’ Classes?

February 24, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Why Are There No 'How to Be a Great Follower' Classes? It struck me recently: while we obsess over leadership—how to be a good leader, how to measure it, and so on—there’s barely a peep about being a good follower.

No one seems particularly interested in becoming a good follower. Step into a business school, and the hustle to prove leadership skills is as intense as caffeine consumption!

Think about it: leaders wouldn’t exist without followers. Both roles are vital for any group’s success.

Yet, leadership gets all the glory, while followership is often overlooked. Society praises leaders with power and prestige, while followers are seen as mere support staff. It’s as if followership is considered a less glamorous, passive role.

So why the lack of buzz about following? Maybe there’s no market for it. But effective followership is just as vital. A bit more focus on it could lead to smoother, more balanced teams. After all, if everyone’s busy leading, who’s left to follow? Good leaders aren’t always out front.

Inspirational Quotations #1090

February 23, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi

Bigotry has no head, and cannot think; no heart, and cannot feel. When she moves, it is in wrath; when she pauses it is amidst ruin; her prayers are curses—her God is a demon—her communion is death.
—Daniel O’Connell (Irish Statesman)

Expert: One who limits himself to his chosen mode of ignorance.
—Elbert Hubbard (American Writer)

In my mind, there is nothing so illiberal and so ill-bred, as audible laughter.
—Earl of Chesterfield (English Statesman, Man of Letters)

Not in the sky, not in the midst of the sea, not if we enter into the clefts of the mountains, is there known a spot in the whole world where a man might be freed from an evil deed.
—The Dhammapada (Buddhist Anthology of Verses)

Somebody figured it out—we have 35 million laws trying to enforce Ten Commandments.
—Earl Wilson (American Newspaper Columnist)

Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory.
—Bill Russell (American Basketball Champion)

Hope is your most powerful weapon. Self-confidence is your greatest asset.
—Dhirubhai Ambani (Indian Businessperson)

Grief can take care of itself; but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with.
—Mark Twain (American Humorist)

With books, as with companions, it is of more consequence to know which to avoid, than which to choose; for good books are as scarce as good companions.
—Charles Caleb Colton (English Clergyman, Aphorist)

The Universe knows what it’s doing. So don’t develop a big ego, and don’t be afraid.
—Benjamin Hoff (American Taoist Writer)

The function of gossip is to create an “in group” bond by creating an “out group” enemy.
—Warren Farrell (American Educator, Activist)

The marsh, to him who enters it in a receptive mood, holds, besides mosquitoes and stagnation, melody, the mystery of unknown waters, and the sweetness of Nature undisturbed by man.
—William Beebe (American Biologist)

Faith, if it is ever right about anything, is right by accident.
—Sam Harris (American Neuroscientist, Atheist, Author)

Increase Paranoia When Things Are Going Well

February 20, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Increase Paranoia When Things Are Going Well The makers and operators of the RMS Titanic were so confident in their shipbuilding that its Captain, Edward Smith, one of the world’s most experienced sea captains at the time, had famously declared a few years earlier about another company ship, the RMS Adriatic, “I cannot imagine any condition which would cause a ship to founder. I cannot conceive of any vital disaster happening to this vessel. Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that.” Well, we all know how the Titanic’s maiden voyage turned out.

Success can sometimes blind us to potential disasters. The Titanic carried 2,207 people but had only enough lifeboats for 1,178. This oversight stemmed from outdated maritime safety regulations that based lifeboat requirements on ship tonnage rather than passenger numbers.

When you’re riding high—whether it’s launching hit products, enjoying a surge of clients, or watching your bank account swell—it’s easy to imagine nothing could go wrong. But disaster can strike faster than you can say “iceberg.” Markets can shift, demand can evaporate, and cash flow can dry up.

Wise people know that fortunes are fickle. They question success more than failure, asking more when things are going well than when they’re struggling. They anticipate problems by asking, “What do I want, and what could get in the way?”

Idea for Impact: Success should sharpen your awareness. See paranoia not as irrational fear but as vigilance. Even in prosperity, maintain a nagging sense of potential danger. Stay alert, anticipate challenges, and adapt swiftly. Never let complacency set in, even in the best of times.

Mastery Reveals Through Precision: How a Young Michelangelo Won Lorenzo de’ Medici’s Patronage

February 17, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Exceptional talent often reveals itself through meticulous attention to detail and extraordinary precision, as demonstrated by the following narrative.

Lorenzo de’ Medici (1449–92,) the Florentine ruler and Renaissance patron, enlisted sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni to establish an academy in the Medici garden, home to a priceless collection of Greek and Roman antiquities accumulated over generations. Michelangelo Buonarroti, then about fourteen, spent hours exploring these treasures. Inspired by an ancient Roman mask of a faun—a mythical creature that is part human and part goat—he decided to try his hand at sculpting.

Mastery Revealed Through Precision: How a Yoing Michelangelo Won Lorenzo de' Medici's Patronage (Studio Galleria Romanelli) With no prior experience, Michelangelo set about chiseling his first sculpture—a marble rendition of the aged faun with its damaged nose and laughing mouth. Despite having never touched chisels or marble before, his attempt was nothing short of miraculous. He not only mimicked the ancient model but enhanced it, giving the faun a beastly grin with pearly teeth and an exposed tongue.

When Lorenzo came across Michelangelo’s work, he was deeply impressed by the young artist’s talent. However, true to his character, Lorenzo teased Michelangelo, saying, “Surely you should have known that old folks never have all their teeth, and that some are always missing.”

After Lorenzo left, Michelangelo deftly removed one of the faun’s teeth and smoothed the gap so skillfully that it looked as though the tooth had naturally fallen out. This impressive display of craftsmanship won Lorenzo over, and he began to patronize Michelangelo, treating him as one of his own children.

Reference: French essayist and historian Marcel Brion’s Michelangelo (2010; tr. James Whitall)

Inspirational Quotations #1089

February 16, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi

If you want to be popular all the time, you will misgovern.
—Lee Kuan Yew (Singaporean Statesman)

Injustice is not intrinsically bad: people regard it as evil only because it is accompanied by the fear that they will not escape the officials who are appointed to punish evil actions.
—Epicurus (Greek Philosopher)

The only guarantee, ever, is that things will go wrong. The only thing we can use to mitigate this is anticipation. Because the only variable we control completely is ourselves.
—Ryan Holiday (American Author)

The mission of art is to represent nature; not to imitate her.
—William Morris Hunt (American Painter)

They say that the pith of a lady’s letter is in the postscript.
—Anthony Trollope (English Novelist)

When in doubt, disclose.
—N. R. Narayana Murthy (Indian Businessperson)

The stage is actor’s country. You have to get your passport stamped every so often or they take away your citizenship.
—Vanessa Redgrave (British Actress)

The mind can store an estimated 100 trillion bits of information—compared with which a computer’s mere billions are virtually amnesiac.
—Sharon Begley (American Journalist)

Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.
—Vincent van Gogh (Dutch Painter)

A goal is a dream with a deadline.
—Napoleon Hill (American Author)

Be displeased with what thou art, if thou desirest to attain to what thou art not; for where thou hast pleased thyself, there thou abidest, and if thou sayest I have enough, thou perishest.
—Augustine of Hippo (Roman-African Christian Philosopher)

If we are humble and sincere, God will finish in us the work He has begun. He never refuses His grace to those who ask it.
—Catherine McAuley (Irish Religious Sister)

He that lives in love lives in god, says the beloved disciple: and to be sure a man can live no where better.
—William Penn (English Quaker Leader)

The senses do not deceive; it is the judgment that deceives.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (German Poet)

A Journey Through Therapy: Summary of Lori Gottlieb’s ‘Maybe You Should Talk to Someone’

February 13, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Talking to a Therapist Can Help Build Trust, Promote Self-awareness and Acceptance

American psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb’s memoir/self-help book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone (2019) offers an engaging exploration of therapy from both sides of the couch.

Gottlieb’s narrative intertwines the stories of her patients with her own journey as a therapist-turned-patient, delivering a candid and relatable account of human vulnerability and resilience. This unique perspective highlights the shared struggles that unite us all and reveals the transformative power of therapy—not through methods or techniques, but through the profound act of truly being heard. In that simple connection, we uncover and heal parts of ourselves we’ve long ignored.

A Therapist’s Turn to Heal … And Learn

The book begins with Gottlieb facing a personal crisis following a painful breakup. Feeling lost and uncertain, she seeks therapy herself, breaking the misconception that therapists don’t have their own problems. Her choice to become a patient underscores an important truth: seeking help is not a sign of weakness but an act of courage. Experiencing therapy from the other side helps therapists cultivate deeper empathy and a better understanding of their clients’ struggles, enriching their ability to guide others.

Gottlieb’s narrative revolves around five core stories: her own and those of four diverse patients. Each patient—a self-absorbed Hollywood producer, a newlywed in her thirties with a terminal illness, a senior citizen planning to end her life on her birthday, and a young woman grappling with alcoholism and destructive relationships—brings unique challenges and insights. Their journeys reveal the complexities of human emotions and the universal longing for connection, love, and understanding.

In Our Own Eyes, We’re Never the Foe

One of the book’s central insights is the concept of “unreliable narrators.” Gottlieb reminds us that people’s self-perceptions often obscure deeper truths. No one’s the villain in their own story. Our narratives are selective storytelling rather than the full, messy truth—shaped by bias and perspective, which significantly influence how we interpret and respond to life’s events. Therapy, Gottlieb argues, helps us identify and challenge unhelpful narratives. By bringing these stories to light, we can start to question their validity and reframe them to create a healthier, more honest version of ourselves.

Gottlieb’s approach to therapy is both practical and creative. She likens it to merging two snapshots—the current reality and the envisioned ideal—into a new, authentic picture. This metaphor underscores the collaborative and dynamic nature of therapy. Alongside her patients, she confronts issues like heartbreak, self-sabotage, and denial, demonstrating that the only way to heal is to face pain directly. “The only way out is through,” she writes, emphasizing the value of perseverance and self-reflection.

In today’s hyper-connected yet often isolating digital age, the book’s focus on connection feels especially relevant. Technology often fails to provide the depth and authenticity required for emotional fulfillment, leaving many craving meaningful human interaction—a fundamental human need often unmet by the fleeting interactions of social media. Therapy, Gottlieb shows, becomes a vital outlet—a space for genuine dialogue, empathy, and healing. Her poignant reminder, “You won’t get today back,” encourages readers to embrace the present and seek fulfillment without delay.

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

Gottlieb’s writing is engaging, infused with humor and vulnerability that make complex topics accessible. She dismantles the stigma surrounding therapy, portraying it not as a last resort but as a proactive step toward growth and self-awareness. There is a brief mention of the risks of over-reliance on therapy, which can hinder the development of self-reliance and internal coping mechanisms. Her candid reflections on her own therapy experience inspire readers to view vulnerability as a strength and a necessary part of the human experience.

Themes of self-compassion and forgiveness are woven throughout the narrative. Gottlieb’s patients learn to confront their fears and embrace their imperfections, mirroring her own journey toward acceptance. These lessons highlight the transformative power of self-awareness, which deepens connections with others and fosters personal growth.

In an Age of Solitude, Connection Calls

A recurring takeaway is that struggles are universal, regardless of outward appearances. Gottlieb’s diverse patients share a common humanity, emphasizing that vulnerability and the need for connection are fundamental to everyone. This understanding breaks down barriers and fosters empathy, reminding readers that they are never truly alone in their challenges.

Recommendation: Read Maybe You Should Talk to Someone—a well-structured memoir that offers profound insights into the human condition. Gottlieb’s dual perspective as both therapist and patient creates a compelling narrative that invites readers to explore their own emotional landscapes.

When Work Becomes a Metric, Metrics Risk Becoming the Work: A Case Study of the Stakhanovite Movement

February 10, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Aleksei Stakhanov: The Soviet Miner Who Redefined Productivity Standards

The Struggles of a Low-Performing Mine & The Birth of a Hero

Alexei Grigoriyevich Stakhanov (1906–77) was a miner from Donbass, a coal-rich region in Soviet Ukraine where all mines were state-run with strict monthly production quotas. Failure to meet these targets often resulted in trouble for managers and local Communist Party officials.

Stakhanov worked in one of the region’s lowest-performing mines. Despite having no education beyond primary school, he was determined to improve his community’s productivity. Driven by a deep sense of responsibility, he relentlessly searched for ways to boost output and eventually devised a novel solution.

In the 1930s, miners used picks to extract coal, which was then hauled out by pit ponies. In cramped tunnels, miners would hack away at the coal while propping up the roof with logs. Stakhanov proposed a new system: one miner would focus on continuously picking coal, another would load it onto carts, a third would prop the roof, and a fourth would guide the ponies. He also suggested replacing the traditional pick with a heavy mining drill, requiring specialized training. Despite initial skepticism from the manager, Stakhanov persuaded the team leader and local party official to give it a try.

On the night of August 30, 1935, Stakhanov, along with three colleagues, entered the mine with the party boss and a local reporter. Six hours later, they emerged victorious, having mined 102 tons of coal—more than 14 times the original target.

The feat drew immediate attention. The local newspaper published Stakhanov’s story, and Soviet industry minister Sergo Ordzhonikidze shared it with Joseph Stalin. Soon, Stakhanov’s achievement was celebrated in Pravda, the central party newspaper. After Stalin’s endorsement, the story spread across the Soviet Union, and Stakhanov became a national hero and a symbol of Soviet productivity.

The Obsession with Metrics

Stakhanov’s achievement remains a pivotal moment in Soviet history. It became a shining example of efficiency, elevating him to the status of the ideal worker in the eyes of the Soviet state. His success sparked the Stakhanovite Movement, a state-driven campaign that encouraged workers to exceed their quotas and demonstrate the superiority of socialism.

Stakhanov’s image quickly flooded posters and newspapers, celebrated as a national role model. In December 1935, as America was still grappling with the Great Depression, Time magazine featured Stakhanov on its cover, bringing his story to American shores and solidifying his international fame. After his death, the important industrial city of Kadiivka in the Donbass region was renamed Stakhanov in his honor, a tribute that lasted from 1978 until 2016.

The Stakhanovite Movement: When Metrics Drive Work, Not Outcomes The Stakhanov Movement capitalized on the collective desire for improvement and transformation, leading to increased productivity through better-organized workflows. However, as often happens, when metrics become the sole focus, they overshadow the true purpose of the work. In the Soviet system, the state had to ensure control over production, align workers’ efforts with central economic plans, and maximize output. Quotas played a key role in this strategy, setting mandatory production targets across various industries. Over time, these quotas became the primary measure of success, with workers judged by numbers rather than the quality or long-term impact of their efforts. Those who failed to meet the targets risked being labeled as “wreckers” and accused of sabotaging the system. Stakhanovites were celebrated as heroes, rewarded with media attention, lavish rewards, and even having their names immortalized on factories and streets.

This obsession with metrics led to manipulation, particularly with the “socialist competition” that the Stakhanovite Movement encouraged. Groups and individuals competed to exceed production norms. Workers, fixated on meeting targets, sometimes resorted to shortcuts or ignored safety standards to boost output. As a result, the real goals—sustainable production, worker welfare, and innovation—became secondary pursuits. The metric of raw output became the work itself, distorting its true purpose.

The Obsession with Metrics: A Cautionary Tale

The Stakhanovite Movement highlighted the dangers of an obsession with productivity metrics and how they can distort the true nature of work.

While metrics can serve as useful benchmarks, aligning efforts with goals and driving performance, excessive focus on them can shift the emphasis from the work itself to the measurement process. Each new metric introduces an opportunity cost—resources are drained, and your team’s time is consumed.

When employees become fixated on hitting targets, they often prioritize numbers over innovation and lose sight of the bigger picture. Over-reliance on metrics can distort performance, neglect long-term goals, and stifle creativity.

Complex tasks involve many variables that a single metric cannot capture. Focusing too narrowly on one measure risks oversimplifying the situation, missing critical factors, and turning the work into a mechanical process.

Idea for Impact: Challenge metrics that don’t add value. Discard those that fail to measure real success. Take control of meaningless measurements and strike the right balance between measurable performance and the true purpose of the work.

Inspirational Quotations #1088

February 9, 2025 By Nagesh Belludi

All happiness or unhappiness solely depends upon the quality of the object to which we are attached by love.
—Baruch Spinoza (Dutch Philosopher)

The advantage of living is not measured by length, but by use; some men have lived long, and lived little; attend to it while you are in it. It lies in your will, not in the number of years, for you to have lived enough.
—Michel de Montaigne (French Essayist)

Love can never grow old. Locks may lose their brown and gold. Cheeks may fade and hollow grow. But the hearts that love will know, never winter’s frost and chill, summer’s warmth is in them still.
—Leo Buscaglia (American Motivational Speaker)

As a company grows from 25 to 50 to 100 to 200 to 500 to 1000 people, the characteristics of who is the very best talent in leadership roles will change. It’s rarely the case that your leadership team at 1000 people is the same leadership team you had at 25 people.
—Brad Feld (American Entrepreneur, Investor)

The readiest and surest way to get rid of censure, is to correct ourselves.
—Demosthenes (Greek Statesman, Orator)

One cloud is enough to eclipse all the sun.
—Thomas Fuller (English Cleric, Historian)

Religion divides, creates discord, but spirituality unites.
—Dada J. P. Vaswani (Indian Hindu Philosopher)

When we do not expect anything we can be ourselves. That is our way, to live fully in each moment of time.
—Shunryu Suzuki (Buddhist Monk, Author)

Hell is paved with good intentions, not with bad ones. All men mean well.
—George Bernard Shaw (Irish Playwright)

If politics is the art of the possible, research is surely the art of the soluble. Both are immensely practical-minded affairs.
—Peter Medawar (British Immunologist, Writer)

No eyes will raise to heaven. The pure will be thought insane and the impure will be honoured as wise. The madman will be believed brave, and the wicked esteemed as good.
—Hermes Trismegistus (Greek-Egyptian Author)

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A Therapist’s Turn to Heal … And Learn

In Our Own Eyes, We’re Never the Foe

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

In an Age of Solitude, Connection Calls

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The Struggles of a Low-Performing Mine & The Birth of a Hero

The Obsession with Metrics

The Obsession with Metrics: A Cautionary Tale

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