Haircut…

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In my time, when we used to go for a haircut, it was simple, no questions, no complexities, easier and faster.

In sainik (military) school days, you would wear a beret, and any hair outside the beret was gone. Within the beret, everything was completely trimmed. Five minutes, and you were done. The barber was happy, and you were happier.

Outside school, still easy. You’d go into a barber shop, wait in a queue, and when your turn came, you’d sit on a chair—not too comfortable, but good enough to sit for 10-15 minutes.

You’d tell the barber “short” or “medium” (just a word or two). No eye contact, no smiles, no courtesies—just a couple of words. And as soon as those words came out, the barber would start. For the next 10-15 minutes, you could close your eyes, listen to the songs, and when you opened them, your haircut would be done.

Today, it’s scary. You book an appointment, sit on a very comfortable double sofa, and yet, you’re not comfortable. The scariest part is still to come—the barber.

The barber comes in smiling, and you have to smile back, make eye contact, and then the interview process begins. First, you need to explain what you want: haircut, shaving, or some other trimming service I don’t even know about.

As soon as you say “haircut,” the barber divides your hair into three sections—sides, middle, and edges. Then comes the barrage of questions:

  • “What number do you want for the sides?”
  • “How much should I take off the middle?”
  • “To what length should I trim the edges?”

I try to bypass this by saying, “Make it short and don’t ask questions.” But the barber gets confused and uncomfortable. He slows down, stalls the haircut, and then asks again, “If I make it short in the middle, it might look bad.”

Now you start feeling bad for the barber and say, “Don’t worry, just cut it.” But he still worries.

Meanwhile, 20 minutes have passed. I’m thinking, “Why did I come for a haircut? I should have come another day.” But it’s always the same story.

After 30 minutes of struggle, when he finally says, “It’s done,” I check my hair by running my hand through the middle of my head, and it still feels long. I’m pissed off—not just because it’s longer than I wanted, but also because the longer it is, the sooner I’ll have to come back to this hell.

Even shaving comes with a bunch of questions: trimming the mustache, trimming the sides, and so on.

Haircuts today reflect so many life choices—too many options & questions but no satisfaction. Sometimes, it’s better to have no choice at all. Just one path, and you live with it. At least then, you’d have peace.

Lady Crossing the Road…

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The lady was wearing a pink sweater, likely costing around ₹3,000. Her shoes appeared to be worth at least ₹10,000, and she carried an office bag of a similar price range—everything about her screamed being rich.

But the road she was crossing was the same old, pathetic, pothole-ridden stretch. The relentless traffic and indifferent vehicles made it no easier for her to cross. The environment around her was cold and foggy, with no sunlight breaking through.

I couldn’t help but think how the richness of her appearance seemed utterly subdued by her surroundings. She looked so poor to me—desperately poor—despite all the expensive things she carried.

And aren’t we all the same? We have the finest clothes, the most luxurious homes, sleek cars, grand malls, and everything that screams “best” in our material world.

But we lack the environment to truly enjoy any of it. We don’t have the peace, the space, or the balance to savor what we’ve built for ourselves.

Yes, I know this is nothing new. This endless race for more—more possessions, more achievements, more of everything we think we need—has been going on for ages.

But lately, it feels as though even nature has given up on us. It seems to whisper, “Do whatever you want—I don’t care anymore.”

I hope we, as a human race, wake up soon. While we grow richer in materialistic terms, we are becoming desperately poorer in our connection with nature and the environment we depend on.

We may surround ourselves with the finest luxuries as individuals, but the collective reality we’re creating is one where nature is slipping away.

And that delicate balance? It won’t last forever.

How to become a authentic speaker…

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Do these 4 things:

The intent to be open with your audience.
– How can you be more open? Try to imagine giving your presentation to someone with whom you are completely relaxed. This is the state you need to be in if you are to have an authentic rapport with your audience.

The intent to connect with your audience.
– Think about wanting – needing to engage your listeners. Imagine that a young child you know well isnt heeding you. You want to capture the child’s attention however you can.

The intent to be passionate about your topic.
– Focus not on what you want to say but on why you are giving the speech and how you feel about that.

The intent to “listen” to your audience.
– What they are feeling or expecting before you begin as a speaker?

Younger Me, What I Wish I Could Tell You…

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These two things are the most important in life:

  1. Make Fear of Failure and Failure Your Friends
    Change your mindset towards failure. Make fear of failure your ally and embrace failure itself.
    I’ve missed many opportunities because I was afraid of failing—thinking, Oh, I shouldn’t try this because I might fail. Let me not do that because it could end in failure.
    But those decisions led to my worst regrets. As time passes, you’ll realize you missed opportunities that could have changed your life, and the biggest regret will be not trying at all.So, adopt a growth mindset. See failure not as an end but as a stepping stone to success. Embrace it.
  2. Learning
    Whether it’s through reading, lectures, courses, or any other way that works for you—keep learning. Never stop. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking, This is it. It’s never it.Learning is the foundation of everything. If you stop learning, you won’t be able to recover from setbacks or improve yourself.So, keep learning. Always.

These are the two things I’d suggest to the younger generation. The rest will follow.

Bitching is a bitch…

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We all do it. Whether it’s about our boss, a peer, or someone we’re jealous of because they seem to be doing better—it’s a part of life.

Does it help? Yeah, for a bit. It lets you blow off steam, release some of those emotional traps, and maybe feel lighter. But here’s the thing—it also distances you from the actual situation and turns the person into a “character” in your head. Most of the time, they’re not doing what they’re doing because they’re evil or out to get you; they’re reacting to the situation they’re in.

And honestly, bitching doesn’t solve anything. Once you decide someone’s the villain and you’re the hero, you’ve already scripted the ending—hero wins, villain loses. But real life? It’s not a movie. It’s messy, complicated, and never black and white. It’s all shades of grey.

So yeah, vent if you need to, but don’t let it lock you into a story that holds you back.

Listening…

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When I took over as the head of this company, my manager gave me a piece of advice that has stuck with me ever since.

He said,
“Amit, just listen to them. All they need is ears.”

At that time, the company was facing significant challenges—low morale, financial instability, and a general sense of uncertainty. It was a pivotal moment, and I knew I had to approach it thoughtfully.

So, I did exactly that: I listened. I listened to everyone—the team, the leadership, HR, consultants—anyone who had something to say. Every perspective mattered. Yes, I made decisions along the way, but those decisions became clear only because I had taken the time to truly understand the people and the problems.

And then something incredible happened. Things started improving—quickly.

What I learned during this time is that listening is one of the most underrated leadership skills. It’s not easy because the urge to jump in with your own ideas, solutions, or plans is strong. But when you pause, set aside your ego, and truly listen, you create space for people to feel valued and heard. That, in turn, builds trust and opens the door to real progress.

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about understanding the questions. And often, the simple act of listening is the biggest step toward solving even the toughest challenges.

Regrettable Decisions…

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Is there anyone in this world who doesn’t have regrets? Even Bill Gates, one of the richest people on the planet, has his share of regrets.

Why do we regret? It’s because we think, “What if I had taken another path or made a different decision? Maybe I’d be in a better place now—healthier, wealthier, or happier.”

The problem with this way of thinking is that no matter where you are, there’s always someone—real or imaginary—who seems better off than you.

What we really need is a change in perspective, not our situation. A shift that says: “Where I am today is fine, and I can make things better from here, starting now.”

Or, there’s the other route: contentment. Be content with what you’ve achieved. Be content with who you are. Be content with the people and environment around you.

Either way, sitting around regretting things has got to be one of our favorite time-wasting habits. But if we can cut it short, imagine how much energy and time we’d save—not to mention avoiding all that frustration and negativity.

Sunlight & Missing Days…

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As we cross from 2024 to 2025 what do we miss most these days? Its almost 25 years for me in IT, working in companies, in my own startups and in other’s startups.

Some where good, some where bad, some with lot of learnings, some with slog & some with frustations and some with…

Most of these years were spent in Bangalore—a city that’s been my backdrop through all the highs and lows. But what do I miss the most? What do I love the most?

I miss the easy, sunny days. Life felt simpler then. Today, it feels like we have to work harder to earn those sunny days, and they seem to slip through our fingers more easily.

If I could change one thing about my past? Maybe I’d learn to be a bit more thick-skinned, a little more shameless in chasing growth, and a lot more resilient and adaptable to change.

For anyone just starting out, my advice is short and sweet: Learn & Learn. Learn to grow, learn to adapt, and don’t stress about money—it’ll come. Focus on growing yourself, wherever you are.

As 2025 begins, my wish for all of you is simple:
Keep learning, keep growing, and walk your own path with confidence.

Wishing everyone a happy and fulfilling New Year!

Unseen Impact…

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I am the co-founder of Kopykitab, a digital education platform built around technology.

Recently, due to financial crises, we had to shut down our B2C site, which provided online eBooks to students for studying.

At its peak, we had a remarkable run, with almost 4 million Indian students using our site for studying every month. I believed we were making a significant impact. While revenue through B2C was never great, we kept it running as a vertical because of the tremendous traction it received.

But yesterday, something happened that made me realize the kind of impact our site truly had. Of course, I’ve changed names for privacy:

FYI from my friend Ritesh:

Ritesh: Need one help

Do you know the founders of Kopykitab?
Their site is down for some days now.
My daughter uses them for the books; she is having exams.
If you can check with them, that will be helpful.

Ritesh: My friend Kris messaged, his daughter is blind by birth.

Though we couldn’t act immediately, this is the kind of impact that fills you with pride yet leaves you sad…

Even though we have not made money and are still struggling because of the challenges in India’s education system, I hope we can make a quick turnaround for all the students who rely on Kopykitab and bring it back soon!

The Cycle of Life is a Must…

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I was sitting in a park, reading, when I suddenly overheard a loud conversation between an elderly couple.

“Bache toh aaj kal hume hi aankh dikhate hain aur ladai karte hain.”
“Children nowadays show their anger and fight with me,” the Uncle said.

“Tum bhi toh kam nahi ho. Tumko bolne ki kya zarurat hai?”
“You’re no less; why do you even have to say these things?” the Auntie replied.

And then they started arguing about what should or shouldn’t have been said or done.

They seemed to be around the age of my parents, and I’m sure all our parents must have felt the same while living with us at some point.

Hearing this, I couldn’t help but wonder why they still have to go through this cycle of life. Why can’t it just be a relaxed and peaceful retired life?

But then, if I look at myself, could I really relax? Even a two-week vacation gives us jitters about not doing something, not being someone, or not feeling important to someone—whether it’s in the family, at work, or in the community.

And it’s not about money. Even if you assume you have enough to retire, there are so many other factors that won’t let you truly relax.

It’s the cycle of life that we all have to go through, and without it, we would feel empty and, frankly, terrified of living.