Posts

Pressure and diamonds - Pressure is a privilege

Pressure and Diamonds We often hear the phrase that pressure creates diamonds. Scientifically, graphite transforms into diamond under immense pressure and structure. The question is whether human beings can do the same. I believe we can. Pressure does not have to collapse us. It can refine us. But only if we respond with structure instead of chaos. When most people face pressure, they panic. They rush. They context switch. They look busy. That is chaos. True pressure is different. Pressure is when you know what needs to be done, but time compresses around you. Growth happens in that compression. The key is structure. For me, structure means working in focused one hour blocks. It means staying with the problem. It means reducing unnecessary conversation and limiting context switching. It means reaching out for help intentionally rather than reacting emotionally. Pressure handled with structure leads to growth. Pressure handled with panic leads to burnout. The difference between chaos an...
Post a Comment
Read more

The bright side

Today was a mistake. A mistake as in, I saw porn. It's bad. I thought it's a good way to relieve some stress. But it's absolutely a pathetic decision. I need to get back to my own way of working. The problem I believe is that I did not have a plan after coming home. Moreover, when I do not write I do not feel good as well. Like we have always said this before, self discipline is an identity. I understand there would be days where the phone happens to come in between of us and the goals. But then we have to get back again. It's day one again. Now let's try and eliminate phone from our lives and replace with good habits. I think what I need is a TT racket now, I am really excited to play the game of TT. Moreover, I have to stop thinking about the results a lot. So well, TT racket and a ball is what we want right now. Once we have a tt racket, it would be good to practice certain spins during the time. It's important to have the accessories though.  Let's talk ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Some Tasks Need Your Soul. Others Just Need You to Show Up.

Learning the difference is what separates the burned out from the truly great. Quick question. Be honest. Do you approach every single task at work with the same laser-focused, jaw-clenched, I-will-conquer-this energy? If yes, congratulations. You are also probably exhausted, slightly resentful, and wondering why your best work still isn't good enough. The engineer who attacks a repo access request with the same intensity as designing a brand new API isn't being diligent. They're just burning through fuel they needed for the real race. Here's the uncomfortable truth: working hard on the wrong things, with the wrong amount of energy, is still working wrong. The real skill nobody teaches you? Knowing  what kind of work  each task actually demands. Not more effort. Better judgment. The Three Buckets of Work (Yes, Only Three) Almost every task you'll ever do at work fits into one of three buckets. Get this right and your energy stops leaking. Get it wrong and you'll...
Post a Comment
Read more

Draft - Short form videos and their effects

 It's important that I find my way through. Today morning something really interesting happened. Alright so today morning what I did was this. I started the morning and the first thing I took was a phone in hand. I think that's such a huge mistake. I also know it. Within no time I was on instagram. I was looking out for something interesting, but to no avail, there were reels about India Pakistan mostly and I was just scrolling through them. As I did that, I recognised that I have wasted around 2 hours just in reels. But the reality is that my day has not started and I have wasted 2 hours on reels. I know it's a holiday. I know it's chill. But in all that chill I have forgotten the fact that I will be delayed by a day if I waste these 2 hours on instagram. There are just so many things that can be done instead of instagram and we need to be focusing on that. I know it's fun to watch instagram reels but the problem that happens due that is immense.  I am coming to th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Singles not boundaries

There are matches you watch. And then there are matches that teach you something. The recent clash between the  India national cricket team  and the  Pakistan national cricket team  was one of those. India did not just win. India controlled the game. Building the Innings After losing  Abhishek Sharma  early, the response was calm.  Ishan Kishan  played a fearless powerplay knock.  Tilak Varma  supported him beautifully. Then came a steady partnership between  Suryakumar Yadav  and Tilak. It was not flashy. It was not reckless. It was controlled. Towards the end, the acceleration came from  Shivam Dube  and  Rinku Singh , pushing the total to 175. At  R. Premadasa Stadium  in Colombo, 175 is not an ordinary total. With long boundaries and a pitch that grips and turns, it plays bigger than it looks. On many other grounds, that score might feel like 200. Yet on paper, 175 still looks chaseable. Less than t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Waiting for Chole Bhature

It's funny how clarity comes when you least expect it. Today, while waiting for Chole Bhature and sitting in silence for 60 minutes, I realized something important: holidays aren't meant for staying home and getting lost in YouTube rabbit holes. They're meant for reflection, growth, and yes, eating good food. But more than that, they're opportunities to think deeply about how we work and live. The Shallow Trap Cal Newport said something that's been living rent-free in my head: "Spend enough time in a state of frenetic shallowness and you permanently reduce your capacity to perform deep work." Read that again.  Permanently. We're creatures of habit. The more we bounce between notifications, meetings, and shallow tasks, the more we lose our ability to think deeply. It's not just a temporary state; it becomes who we are. Once you get trapped in frenetic shallowness, climbing back to depth becomes exponentially harder. Busyness Is a Lie Here's anot...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Art of Problem Solving (For Engineers Who Want to Grow)

Today, I decided to sit for 60 minutes and write. Not because I had the perfect idea. But because showing up matters more than clarity in the beginning. Earlier today, I read about slow productivity, the idea that we should limit ourselves to one project per day. I think it’s powerful. Not always practical, but powerful. It reminded me of something deeper. Work is not about doing more. It is about solving better. So today, let’s talk about problem solving. Engineers Are Problem Solvers At our core, we are nothing more than problem solvers. The more problems we solve, the better we become, not just as engineers, but as thinkers. But here’s the catch. You cannot solve what you don’t understand. And most of us jump into code before understanding the problem. Step 1: Understand the Problem There’s a quote often attributed to  Albert Einstein : “If I had one hour to solve a problem, I would spend 55 minutes understanding the problem and 5 minutes solving it.” That’s software engineering...
Post a Comment
Read more