My colleague called me drunk
And why I share intimate details online
I am an entrepreneur. To me, success is about making daily progress, embracing the climb, creating wealth, and discovering what I’m truly capable of along the way. Here are the lessons I learned this week:
My colleague called me under the influence of alcohol.
Why do I write online?
One year of Strength Training can keep older adults strong for years.
You can access previous editions of my weekly emails here. Let’s begin!
(1) My colleague called me under the influence of alcohol.
After the iDeals acquisition, I had told my team that they represent the brand and hence its reputation. That what they do outside their work is none of my business, BUT if what they do brings disrepute to the company then there will be no second chances. I will be ruthless in letting them go. To not do stupid stuff which can get splashed all over the front page. It takes a lifetime to build a reputation and just seconds to lose it.
A week or so later my colleague calls me after having had a few drinks. He wanted to tell me how driven he is to perform. How willing he is to work hard to meet and exceed expectations. I loved the energy and drive. It motivated me to do better too.
In a completely separate instance, Vidit hired a brand marketing manager. He had got over 50 applicants. He came to me to help him decide. I told him that I won't be talking to 50 people. I gave him an exercise. That helped him narrow them down to three. The first girl I spoke to was wearing pink headphones, had glitter hanging in her room and had a big smile. She was nervous when she was answering my questions. She did something which I also do when I am nervous. She said "I am nervous". It made me aware and made me calm her down. She had not only completed the exercise but also created mocks of what she will do with the brand. Her energy was bubbly and contagious. I told Vidit "I am sold on Nikita. We need a 21 year old like her to fix the hotch potch job we have done with Happy Ratio. Let her have fun with it." Vidit decided to hire her. The problem however was that she had already been hired by another company. The good thing was that we convinced her that she belonged with us. I am optimistic that she can bring some sense of identity and direction to Happy Ratio.
Business is a team sport. The people you have on your team either make or break what the company and you end up becoming. You are only as strong as your weakest link.
(2) Why do I write online?
Is it for money? Is it to be liked?
Here are the reasons:
I write because I like to write. Being able to express your thoughts with clarity is like painting a picture. There is joy in being able to express what you want to say in words. The process of refining your words to make it just right is beautiful.
I write to learn. Writing forces me to get to the essence of things. The aha moments come when I make linkages that I may never have made had I not put pen to paper. Charlie Munger used to be able to think through what he called "the latticework of mental models". He was able to hang these models in his head, about a hundred of them, and then link experiences and examples to these models to think rationally. I am not as brilliant as him. I need a pen and paper to discover these connections.
I write to stay in touch with family and friends. It is not practical to stay in touch with everyone often. Health, work and family takes precedence over everything else. Time flies. And before you know it, connections have not been made for months and years. I bob my head every week by sharing something from my life. It is my way of saying "Hi".
Writing allows me to connect with like-minded individuals. These are people I would never have known. There are so many serendipitous connections which the internet enables. These kind of connections and exchanges are priceless! For example, I heard from Mr. G last Sunday after I sent out my email. I don't know who Mr. G is or how he ended up on my mailing list. But hearing from him made me happy. His poem has been saved. And a new relationship thread has been made. How grateful I am to be able to have these kind of conversations!
Writing can make me live till my 90s. My body may not allow me to play cricket beyond my 40s. Money may not longer have the utility it has now when I am in my 50s. And my parents may no longer be with me by my 60s. But as long as I have a mind that is curious and willing to learn and share, I may just tap dance to work like Warren Buffet does in his 90s. The more I learn, the more I like to teach. The more I teach, the more I tend to learn. It gives my life a sense of purpose which goes beyond the day to day grind.
I write to build emotional resilience. Humans are social animals. We want to belong. Negative feedback hurts us. Positive feedback makes us happy. Indifference to both the negative and the positive is the goal. Having this kind of an internal scorecard of equanimity is hard. It is a weekly battle I fight with my demons - Isn’t that too personal? Why am I sharing these details? How will I be judged? Neil Gaiman in his commencement speech said that “just when you feel like you are bearing too much, you’re starting to get it right.” I have started to bear too much by talking about “my truths” instead of “the truths”. Even if no one reads, comments or shares, I know I will be able to leave behind what I have learned in my lifetime to my kids. They will be able to stand on my shoulders and look a little further.
(3) One Year of Strength Training Can Keep Older Adults Strong for Years.
This study found that one year of heavy resistance training can help older adults maintain their muscle strength and lean body mass for up to three years afterward. In contrast, moderate-intensity training and no training at all did not provide the same long-term benefits.
What Was Studied: Researchers looked at how heavy resistance training affected muscle strength and body composition in older adults over several years. They focused on leg strength and other measures like muscle mass and fat levels.
Who Participated: The study involved 369 adults aged 64 to 75, with a majority being women. All participants were generally healthy.
How the Study Was Conducted: Participants were split into three groups:
1. Heavy Resistance Training: Exercised using machines at 70-85% of their maximum strength, performing 6-12 repetitions. Training was supervised in private fitness centers.
2. Moderate-Intensity Training: Used lighter weights (50-60% of their max strength) and resistance bands, with training done both at home and in a hospital setting.
3. Control Group: Did not perform any resistance training.
They trained for one year, and researchers measured their muscle strength and body composition at the start, after one year, and again at the two- and four-year marks.
Results:
Muscle Strength: After four years, those who completed the heavy resistance training maintained their leg strength. In comparison, leg strength declined in both the moderate training and control groups.
Lean Mass: Lean muscle mass was also preserved in the heavy resistance group, while it decreased slightly in the moderate training and control groups.
Visceral Fat: Both training groups managed to keep their visceral fat levels stable, but the control group saw an 8% increase.
Key Takeaway:
Maintaining muscle strength as we age is key to staying mobile, independent, and healthy. This study suggests that even just one year of heavy resistance training can provide long-term benefits, helping older adults keep their muscle strength and reduce age-related muscle decline. For trainers, health professionals, and older adults themselves, this is a strong case for incorporating more intensive resistance exercises into regular routines. Proper supervision and technique are crucial to maximize these benefits and maintain independence as we age.
Harsh Batra (LinkedIn)
Whenever you are ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:
iDeals VDR - If you are running M&A transactions, planning an IPO, or sharing anything confidential online, you won’t find a better Virtual Data Room partner than us. Here is a 90 second video overview of iDeals. Companies like Pfizer, Mercedes and Tata trust us. Thousands of Indian investment bankers, lawyers and insolvency professionals use us everyday to run their due diligence processes. Send us an email on india@idealscorp.com so that we can customize your proposal and save you more time and money than anyone else in the industry.
Happy Ratio - I founded Happy Ratio because I am immensely passionate about health. To get the most out of life you need to be healthy. To be healthy you need to eat the right foods and drink the right beverages. But this is not always possible or easy. Happy Ratio provides clean, tasty and healthy foods and drinks. Our breads are baked fresh every morning with zero maida or preservatives. Our cold coffee meal shake gives you all 39 essential nutrients along with your daily dose of caffeine. We can replace one of your daily snacks or meals through our delicious yet healthy sandwiches, wraps, bowls, shakes and cold-press juices. Check out our menu on Zomato and Swiggy. We serve employees from Deloitte and Marks & Spencers and do events for companies like Samsung and Oppo. If you want to elevate the health of your employees or feed your family something healthy and tasty, reach out to us at ops@happyratio.com.
Marcellus Investment Managers - I am a Marcellus client because their investment philosophy resonates with how I think about investing. I believe that Marcellus can generate average returns of 18% per year over the next 10-20 years. That is 5x returns every 10 years. This means that 50 lacs invested can compound to 2.5 crores in 10 years. 2.5 crores can further compound to 12.5 crores in 20 years. And 12.5 crores can further compound to 62.5 crores in 30 years. Yes I know that those numbers seem outlandish but I think that their approach to investing in clean, honest and cash flow positive businesses can yield these returns if you have the patience to wait. I trust them with my savings and evangelize their approach. Investing comes with inherent risks so please do your own due diligence before deciding where to put your money. I am also an Independent Financial Advisor with Marcellus.
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