9 Lessons From The Tim Ferriss Case Study On Harvard Business Review
The Desi Guy Who Helped Me. And Don't See Every Interaction As A Transaction.
Life is awesome, irrespective of the cards you’ve been dealt by circumstances. I build businesses with people I like to pursue a rich emotional and financial life. I share lessons I learn along the way.
Here are this weeks insights:
The Desi Guy Who Helped Me
9 Lessons From The Tim Ferriss Case Study On Harvard Business Review
Don’t See Every Interaction As A Transaction
You can access previous editions of my weekly emails here. Let’s dive in!
(1) The Desi Guy Who Helped Me
I needed help. And this desi guy stepped forward to help me. I thanked him like 5 times. He didn't need to help me but he did. He solved my problem when others couldn't.
The joy of helping others is unmatched. No gift comes even close.
Even being at the receiving end of a kind act is joyful. It connects two human beings.
But here is the catch...
It only works if you want to help without expecting anything back. You do it for the sake of the act, not for the return you expect out of it.
I try to help every opportunity I get. Whether it is giving a ride to an old woman and then giving her money to make her forward journey easier, or it is buying a kid a Pepsi he couldn't get out of a vending machine or it is helping a colleague avoid debt for his marriage or it is helping a friend with cash flow for his business to survive the next two months.
Just the ability to help someone brings limitless joy.
(2) 9 Lessons From The Tim Ferriss Case Study On Harvard Business Review
80/20 - Focus on the vital few instead of the trivial many. Which 20% of sources are causing 80% of your problems and unhappiness? Which 20% of sources are causing 80% of your desired outcomes and happiness?
Parkinson's Law - Work expands so as to fill the time available for it's completion. If you restrict time for work by adding constraints, you will get things done within that time.
Not "what should you do?" But "what should you simplify?"
Is it a 1-way or 2-way door? Most decisions are two-way doors and reversible so go ahead and take those risks.
How can you win even if you fail? if you get to learn a ton, develop skills and develop and deepen relationships, then do it.
Decide on the price and then work backwards - to figure out how you can overdeliver so that it's an easy yes for the customer.
If you can't be the first in a category, set up a category you can be first in. And then instead of promoting your product, promote the category. Tesla promotes battery run cars over gas run cars. That’s why they open sourced their tech so other car manufacturers can also follow in their footsteps.
Do things which fill you with energy instead of drain you. - Then it doesn’t feel like work and it becomes very difficult to compete with you.
Money is like gas in a car - you need to pay attention otherwise you'll end up on the side of the road. But a well lived life is not a tour of gas stations.
(3) Don’t See Every Interaction As A Transaction
I recall taking an impromptu flight to Spain because a former colleague of mine was going through an operation. He was shocked 😳 that I flew across the world just to give him a hug 🫂 and show him that I cared.
I did the same thing by taking an overnight bus to a village in Punjab when my buddy was getting married. He asked me to come last minute for parts of the events that were only meant for family. I was like "dudeeee you're telling me now! It's like 4pm!" But I dropped everything and slept on the bus overnight so that I could be there for him. He still remembers that. We still speak every month.
Similarly when my friend Prasad turned up for my baraat, and my uncle's and aunts traveled to be present for my wedding, I loved them for it.
When you do these acts of love, kindness or respect, it is because you feel good about being there for the other. It's not because you want anything back.
Happiness shared is happiness multiplied. Don't see every interaction as a transaction.
Thank you for reading. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn. If you’re curious about the businesses I build, here they are:
Ideals VDR - We help professionals to collaborate over sensitive data and run critical business transactions, such as M&A, smoothly.
Happy Ratio - Delicious, nutritious foods and drinks designed for busy lives. No fuss, just health made simple.
Marcellus Investment Managers - Where my personal investments grow. Their philosophy of investing in clean, honest, cash flow-positive businesses aligns with my approach.
Harsh Batra (LinkedIn)