A summary of Anton Chekhov’s immortal short story “The Bet”:
A young lawyer with a bright future meets a wealthy banker at a party. They have a heated discussion on the death penalty vs. life imprisonment, and it ends in a bet: the young lawyer is supposed to spend 15 years in isolation in an apartment. He can drink wine, read all he wants, and listen to music, but he can’t have human contact. After 15 years, he will get 2 million rubles if he wins the bet.
The initial year is maddening, but the lawyer immerses himself in reading and playing the piano.
Over the years, he begins reading different genres. He delves into novels, classics, languages, and even the gospel. On occasion, he can be heard crying because of the depression that solitary confinement causes.
Eventually, the 15 years draws to a close. But the banker’s fortunes have changed, and he is now near bankruptcy, and paying the 2 million would destroy him. So he sneaks up to the room where the lawyer has been staying in a bid to kill him.
When he enters the room, he sees the lawyer sleeping and spots a letter on his table. In it, the lawyer says he has seen everything the world has to offer from the books he has read over the last 15 years. He writes:
“Your books have given me wisdom. All that the unresting thought of man has created in the ages is compressed into a small compass in my brain. I know that I am wiser than all of you.”
He goes on to say that the money has no meaning for him and that he will escape the room a few hours before the bet concludes, as that would negate the deal that was made at the start. And he proceeds to do the same, saving the banker from bankruptcy.
A couple of points:
Books aren’t a replacement for life. You can be well-read and well-spoken and yet be unhappy and not fulfill your potential. Reading a ton of business books doesn’t make you an entrepreneur, nor does reading leadership books make you a boss.
Yet, reading opens the doors of your mind. It challenges notions and worldviews and transports you to different worlds. And in today’s world, where man is fighting with machines for his livelihood, reading might well be the lifeline to sanity, upskilling, and peace of mind.
Happy National Reading Day.
PS: A very thoughtful post by Ramanand on how to incorporate reading into your life (link in comments).
Tag: skill
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Read like your life depended on it
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Skill and Marketability
Mohammad Shami is the highest wicket-taker for India in World Cups. Look at these numbers:
Zaheer Khan took 44 wickets across 3 World Cups.
Javagal Srinath took 44 wickets across 4 World Cups.
Mohammad Shami has taken 45 wickets in his third World Cup.
Not that there was any doubt about his ability, but the current World Cup has elevated Shami’s status several notches higher.
Yet, he isn’t as marketable as someone like Virat Kohli. Even Rahul Dravid seems to have found a new lease of life in advertising by being in the public eye as a coach.
A question that doesn’t have a simple answer: why are some stars more marketable than others?
On the face of it, some factors that make someone more marketable can be considered:
Being good-looking
Being camera-friendly
Being more suave (or being perceived as suave)
Of course, for someone to be marketable, they also need to perform on the field. The moment someone is dropped, so does their market value.
Just working on being marketable is of no use if you don’t work on your game.And being supremely skilled but not knowing how to market it is also a drawback.
I don’t know if Mohammad Shami is even interested in being more marketable, and it’s a personal choice. Fortunately, he’s playing in an era where he earns well from the game.
Skill and marketability don’t always go hand in hand.
PS: This applies to many other skilled sportspeople. I have used Shami as one example.
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The things that can’t be speeded up
This past weekend, we had the opportunity to explore a property we had reserved through Airbnb. It’s built by an architect who wants to use it as a model of a sustainable space.
While speaking to the owner, he told us about the lessons they had learned from growing their own vegetables. It took them a series of experiments just to grow a handful of vegetables that they could consume. He said it taught them the importance of being close to nature to understand how it really works. Contrast that with the amount of food wastage (68,760,163 tonnes of food are wasted annually in Indian homes, or approximately 50 kilograms per person).
The analogy applies to most other things as well. While technology is a good aid, some things still need a lot of time and attention to grow into something special. You can find a date on an app in seconds but creating a relationship that lasts takes time. You can order food in seconds and have it delivered in minutes. But you have no idea how much time it took the pulses and vegetables and grain to grow.
You value things more when you realize how much time it takes for something good to come to fruition.
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The one-dimensional professional
The One-dimensional Professional
There was a very famous match played in Bangalore in the late 90s. The Indian men’s team had collapsed against Australia and at the crease were two locals – Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath. That was an era where bowlers weren’t expected to bat. And if you saw bowlers bat, it was almost comical. That’s what made that match more memorable – Kumble and Srinath, in their own fumbling way, took India home. Years later, Kumble would go on to score a test century in a series against England and Srinath moonlighted as a pinch hitter for a bit. But no one in their right minds would consider either of them to be a batsman.
The tide has changed today. Bowlers are expected to bat, at least a little. It also works the other way – batsman are expected to bowl, at least a little. This is an excerpt from an article written in 2020 by Sid Monga:
“More importantly, a message has to go out to the Gills, the Iyers, the Pandeys: if you want to bat for India, you have to bowl five overs in every List A game and spend a lot of time on it in the nets. A dropped Rahul went back to domestic cricket and made it a point to keep wicket so he could make an international comeback. That’s what India need one of these batsmen to do.”
Increasingly, we are seeing that this doesn’t just apply to cricket.
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The ideal replacement
Clarence Clemons, the legendary saxophone player for Bruce Springsteen, passed away in 2011. He was an integral part of the group’s sound, and his solos were legendary. He was replaced in the group by his nephew, Jake Clemons. In an interview, Bruce Springsteen said you couldn’t replace someone like Clarence.
Luckily, Clarence had a nephew, Jake, who also played the saxophone. And he fit into the band like a duck takes to water. Springsteen says, “It was like a weight being lifted off your shoulders.”
Replacements in music are hard.
Here’s the interesting bit – bands don’t necessarily have a shortage of talent to assess. While rock groups operate in a different realm, they view replacements from a different lens. At that level, supreme skill is table stakes. They try to gauge things like chemistry and belief in the cause.
Bands don’t always get replacements right. And bands where members keep changing struggle to stay consistent and relevant.
Skills are critical, but not the only thing that makes a hire successful.
And this doesn’t just apply to music.
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Why there is no right (or wrong) time to start a podcast
Spotify announced that it was cutting jobs in its podcasting unit.
Big brands across the board are making cuts in their podcast portfolios, and there are talks of a downturn in podcasting.
A few points, both from a host and listener perspective:
When I began my podcast, Coffee By Two, I had no clue (or intention) on how to monetize it. I’ll cut to the chase on the money bit – unless you’re a famous person who has money to spare for high production and video, your podcast won’t get a million listeners and monetizing will be a pipe dream. Big brands don’t have time for this. That’s why many of them are downsizing. They jumped into podcasts because there was a boom and they expected super-fast growth. Companies began creating in-house podcasts speaking about company culture (as if culture web pages weren’t boring enough). Sure enough, they were disappointed.
A podcast requires commitment from both ends – production and listening. Before the advent of video podcasts, podcasts were meant to be listened to when commuting, doing chores, etc. It’s a time commitment when compared to other mediums like video and blogs. But if you do put in enough effort, you will gain listeners over time. You will get a chance to meet and interview people you wouldn’t have otherwise. I’ve spoken to people I would have never met, let alone had a conversation with, because of my podcast.
Most podcasts veer towards the interview and banter side. This isn’t inherently new. In their heyday, radio jockeys became famous for banter and interviews. Podcasts follow the same template but with more space to experiment because of the medium. Also, anyone can start a podcast, but only a few get a chance to be radio jockeys.
Podcasting lets you find your voice, meet fascinating people, improve your interviewing skills, and create a body of work that’s uniquely yours. These are timeless skills. Actively listening, allowing others to share their stories, and opening yourself to diverse viewpoints—all these stretch you personally and professionally.
From a listener’s perspective, I discover new podcasts daily. There is never enough time to do everything you want to do in life – including listening to podcasts. Some listen to podcasts at 2X speed, but I’m not sure how that works.
If you’re wondering if you should start a podcast, you should.
But if you’re doing it to become the next Joe Rogan, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
As for me, the Coffee By Two podcast will restart in July and I’m trying out some AI tools to see which parts of the entire process can be simplified.
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Unlearning costs
Unlearning costs
Whenever you sign up for a course or program, you’re paying to learn something you don’t know much about. You want to get better, upskill, and become more valuable.
But when you actually get on this journey, you’ll realize it isn’t just about learning new stuff. You’ll find notions challenged and old ways of thinking quashed.
Sure, you’ll learn new things.
But you’re also paying to unlearn whatever is holding you back.
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Skill and maturity
When you hire for leadership, what do you look for?
Someone who is skilled at their work?
Someone is good with people?
Someone who can manage their emotions?
Someone who can get the best out of people?
The default is to look for skill and assume that the leader can pass on their knowledge to people who work under them. Skill is also measurable.
Maturity, on the other hand, is hard to measure. But its absence can be felt. And some of the worse leaders might be highly skilled but lack maturity.
Upskilling is easier than upmaturing*
*That’s a made-up word but I hope you get the drift
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The right person
Ritchie Sambora was the guitarist for Bon Jovi for over 30 years. He co-wrote some of their biggest hits during his time with the band. When he left in 2013, he was replaced by session guitarist Phil X.
Metallica chose to continue after the tragic death of bassist Cliff Burton in 1986.
Inxs has tried to continue with other lead singers after the death of their charismatic frontman Michael Hutchence in ’97.
Other bands haven’t been so lucky.
Led Zepplin couldn’t imagine being an entity without drummer Jon Bonham.
Nirvana folded after the tragic death of Kurt Cobain.
Linkin Park has been on a hiatus since the passing of lead singer Chester Bennington.
Why do bands find it so hard to replace band members? There are many musicians who would give anything to be in their shoes. The skill is a part of it. And there is the chemistry. A guitarist might be able to imitate Slash’s playing to the ‘t’ but can he replace everything else he brings to the table? That’s also one reason why supergroups don’t always succeed. The skill is there, but the chemistry isn’t.
A band isn’t just a group of talented musicians. It’s about chemistry, understanding, and compromise, none of which are easily replicated.
Skill + Chemistry is where the magic lies.
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Value-add
When buying insurance, you come across add-ons. By paying a little extra, you get added protection. There is a very specific value being added when you buy any of these riders.
One of the creative directors I worked with told me about the value of each word in an ad. There is limited space and the client is paying a lot. It was on the writer to make every word count.
Today, there is no compulsion to make every word count. The digital space allows you to create without any consideration of space. But this also means you need to sift through a ton of nonsense to find something of value.
Adding genuine value is hard.
Going on a Twitter rant because you feel like and because you can – easy. Creating something that makes someone smile or ponder- that’s a little harder.
Passing a snide comment in a meeting or saying something for the sake of it is easy. Adding genuine value and making things better – that requires some effort.
If it isn’t making things better, it probably isn’t adding much value.