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Articles & insights.

Thoughts on leadership, business culture, personal growth, and life. Written from the field — building teams, scaling businesses, and noticing the quiet patterns of modern work.

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Header image for Just One More Hit, I'll Stop After the Next Command
General

Just One More Hit, I'll Stop After the Next Prompt

Building with AI has become the most potent cognitive drug available to founders, and if you run a neurodiverse brain—ADHD, dyslexic, autistic, any brain wired on a different dopamine economy—the compulsion is not metaphorical but pharmacological. AI tools deliver instant feedback, variable reward, and scalable challenge in an endless loop, exploiting the same reward-sensitivity that makes hyperfocus feel like flow but function like addiction. The rotation starts innocently: Manus for data, Lovable for builds, Claude for copy and design, GPT for research. Five tools, five parallel streams, no natural pauses. It looks like extraordinary productivity at 2 am, but the quality of decisions made under that cognitive load tells a different story. This is a piece about the loop, the crash signal that arrives days later, and why stopping has turned out to be harder than writing any prompt.

April 24, 202618 min read
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Header image for The book I was not writing
General

The book I was not writing

The book I was not writingR asked me how the book was coming.We were on his balcony, the third bottle open, the city doing that thing Bombay does at midnight where it almost quiets down and then decid...

August 07, 20257 min read
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Header image for The Access To A Powerful Life : How Integrity Shapes Unshakeable Confidence
Dreams

Why You Can't Focus: The Real Cost of Context Switching

The twelve open tabs P stopped inviting me to coffee about six months ago. I noticed it the way you notice something that has quietly stopped happening, not a door slamming but a door that used to ope...

May 30, 20248 min read
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Featured image for You do not need…
Uncategorized

The Art of Surrender

The Art of Surrender, by Michael Singer she said. That's the one I'd recommend. This was a few years ago, pre-covid. I was catching up with a group of friends at the Opera Bar and ended up talking to ...

February 16, 20229 min read
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Header image for How Can I Build Confidence?
chasing a heart beat

How Can I Build Confidence?

There are a few different ways to build unshakeable confidence, and I'm going to list a few with a caveat*. ...

August 23, 20177 min read
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Featured image for The Architecture of Inner Freedom: Why Our Greatest Prisons Exist in the Mind
Life

Burnout Warning Signs Your Body Sends First

I had stopped being able to climb the stairs.Not in a dramatic way. I'd get to the third step and my legs would register that there were two more flights to go and they would just decline. Not pain, e...

February 26, 201411 min read
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Header image for For one day, we are going to die.
Uncategorized

For one day, we are going to die.

It's something I hear often, and something I don't remember often enough – the irony of human life is that we go about our daily life as though we are going to live forever. So anything we want to do, is something that can be done later – my life is full of the daily… ...

July 23, 20134 min read
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Deep Thought

Another Invitation

What would be possible if we went through less to have more? ...

July 14, 20122 min read
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Header image for The Alpha and the Omega
Deep Thought

The Alpha and the Omega

He sat in the darkness, stretched out over the chair – one leg across the arm rest and his back across the other. All the years of work had finally paid off – he had pierced the centre of the universe and discovered all it's secrets. He knew everything, he was all seeing, all knowing… ...

April 26, 20122 min read
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Header image for Hello Poppet!
Deep Thought

Hello Poppet!

Think of this wide expanse we call life. Suppose reality was like a sheet and you and I are 'shapes' popping up in this sheet. We are like sock puppets –  Shakespeare could've been a little more specific – All the world is a stage, and we are merely sock puppets. ...

September 21, 20112 min read
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Header image for On the Claude Makalele Conundrum
Uncategorized

On the Claude Makalele Conundrum

One of the greatest footballers ever. He won't be remembered, and he won't make many lists. And not many outside the game will know him – the way they know Messi, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo or Rooney. And arguably he made a bigger difference to the teams he played on, if not as big a difference as… ...

July 15, 20113 min read
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Header image for Rumi
Poems

Rumi

"A Thirsty Fish I don't get tired of you. Don't grow weary of being compassionate toward me! All this thirst equipment must surely be tired of me, the waterjar, the water carrier. ...

July 01, 20111 min read
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Header image for On Winning
Deep Thought

On Winning

There's a certain duality to life. Apart from the usual quantum mechanical duality ie. Or maybe it's because of the quantum mechanical duality. Take winning for example. ...

June 25, 20112 min read
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Header image for The question
Life

The question

It's the question that drives us. And when you lose your drive, maybe you can ask yourself the question. What question, you ask? Maybe one of these. Or you could come up with your own questions. One of the questions I love asking is what do you dream about? What do you want to do… ...

April 04, 20102 min read
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Header image for Inspiration
Freeprose

Inspiration

I sit staring at a blank screen, with the keyboard awaiting my touch patiently. Lacking the 'inanimation' of the keyboard, I wait for inspiration to strike with growing impatience. And a funny image fills my head – Inspiration in the form of one the Norse gods with a huge hammer waiting to strike. I think… ...

January 02, 20101 min read
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Header image for I have a dream
Uncategorized

I have a dream

I dream about sleeping. Sleeping deeply. Soundly. Peacefully. And drifting out of it gently. Rising up from the mists of sleep, drifting into the waking world like a feather rising slowly on a hot summer day. Not being woken up by strange noises and alarm clocks or sunshine. Not by neighbors banging doors, or by my conscience… ...

October 09, 20092 min read
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Header image for Parallel Worlds
Life

Parallel Worlds

So many choices available, and each option leads down a good road. When each road, and every destination looks good, and you know that any choice you make, you would make the choice work – how do you step beyond the choice and do what's really your choice? Analysis paralysis beckons, and the sheer plethora… ...

October 08, 20091 min read
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Header image for Making a point: A letter to myself
Life

What to Do When Nothing Feels Like It Matters

It's all pointless, isn't it? It really doesn't matter. Nothing matters. All the hopes and fears,we are so full of ourselves that we choke on the garbage we fill our minds with, and throw up before we can stuff anymore of ourselves down our throats. It's all pointless, and it doesn't mean a thing. We… ...

July 05, 20092 min read
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Header image for Flying high
Uncategorized

Flying high

The mind breaks free From the grip of gravity And I soar again Rising beyond fears Leaving worries behind The sky greets me And the wind whispers A welcome song I'm floating free Back where I belong. And flying is easy, Just open your mind Let your imagination Unfold mighty wings See here and now.… ...

June 09, 20091 min read
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Header image for Still now
Deep Thought

Still now

The silence speaks to me Drowning out the sounds Of the vehicles racing by Drawing me closer To the silence inside ...

May 18, 20091 min read
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Header image for Headed down?
Life

Headed down?

The sun was bright. In fact, it was dazzling. I couldn't look at it – it seemed like someone had set off a few flash bulbs in my face. I had to close my eyes and open them slowly. I couldn't remember the last time I had been so dazzled by sunlight. Hold that thought.… ...

April 20, 20094 min read
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Header image for Lines and shadows
random

Lines and shadows

Do you see your world in black, white and grey? The good, the bad and the necessary ugly? And you close out the bad, avoid the ugly and try to focus on the good, but get defeated by the very act of doing so, the conscious focus on avoiding and erasing that which you do… ...

April 07, 20092 min read
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Header image for Silence
Fiction

Silence

I look out over the water and see nothing. I look back, and the only thing I can see is the pinpoint of light from the boat shed, and many smaller scattered points around it – from the houses, mine and those of my neighbors. I wonder how much time it would take for them… ...

March 20, 20091 min read
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Header image for Releasing Joy
Fiction

Releasing Joy

Another morning. Another day at work. Smiling, chatting cheerfully, answering queries, guiding employees with only one objective. Making sure that the customer is happy. And the hotel prided itself on getting every customer to come back. And to keep customers happy, he made sure that his employees were happy. ...

March 10, 20091 min read
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Header image for Cricket for a cause
Life

Cricket for a cause

This weekend, a friend organized a game of cricket at a park. He didn't allow his ignorance of the game or it's rules prevent him, and it didn't prevent most of his friends either – who although blessed with the good humor, irresistible good looks and the charming Irish accent, were singularly unequipped with cricketing… ...

March 09, 20092 min read
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Featured image for The Drama Queens Within: How We Create Problems to Escape Life's Monotony
Uncategorized

The Drama Queens Within: How We Create Problems to Escape Life's Monotony

The Drama Queens Within: How We Create Problems to Escape Life's Monotony If we create the drama in our lives to escape boredom and dullness, what does this tell us about the human condition? So many ...

February 23, 20098 min read
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Featured image for The voice in my head
Life

How to Silence Your Inner Critic

'Hi' Hey, haven't seen you in a while..' 'Yup, I know, you've been busy so I've been away. But looks like you finally have some time' Ah, well. You know how it is, the business of living takes so muc...

February 21, 20094 min read
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Header image for Only Words
Poems

Only Words

From an unpublished poet's private collection. Write to me. Write to me, Write me a story, ...

February 15, 20091 min read
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Header image for I am a mirror
Uncategorized

I am a mirror

I reflect. I passed through the dark, Guided by the light Of the future I was creating The vision always in sight ...

February 14, 20091 min read
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Header image for Mind Games
Fiction

Mind Games

She: 'I don't think we should do it' He: 'What are you talking about?' 'I don't think we should get Junior started on chess' 'ummm, he's 4 years old, and it's as good a time to start as any – wasn't that when you started?' 'Yes, but I fear for what it will do to… ...

November 10, 20081 min read
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Header image for Going With The Flow
Deep Thought

How to Get Into a Flow State

If you are familiar with the flow concept – you might also have been through a flow experience yourself, then you will recognise the symptoms of being in the flow – when time doesn't matter, distractions are absent and everything happens automatically – when excellence is within your grasp and things happen as they should.… ...

November 03, 20083 min read
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Header image for Addiction
Uncategorized

Addiction

I wanted to quit, To stop thinking of you That’s easy to say Impossible to do Dreams of you ...

September 05, 20081 min read
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Header image for Ms India meets Dumb Jock?
chasing a heart beat

Ms India meets Dumb Jock?

A tiara, the hushed silence followed by the applause, the sash, the arms raised in jubilation and those gorgeous lips making a big O as the reality of the triumph hits home– a lot of little kids, and some not so little kids, have this fantasy. Indeed some of these kids are little girls. And… ...

May 25, 20087 min read
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Header image for Aussie Aussie Aussie
Culture Vulture

Aussie Aussie Aussie

We know that readers (ok, ok, the single reader – fine!) of this blog are very discerning gentlemen (if you are a lady please leave your number in the comments section) with refined tastes and superior intelligence. And therefore they take a strong interest in foreign affairs and stuff like the socioeconomic factors which impact… ...

February 28, 20086 min read
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Header image for First Love
Humor

First Love

The earliest memory I have of her is from ’82 or so (yeah, I am ancient – that’s where all the wisdom comes from) – someone in my society introduced me to her. The first meeting did not leave a very s...

May 22, 20076 min read
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Featured image for "Sir, do you have an apple?"
Humor

"Sir, do you have an apple?"

"Sir, do you have an apple?" She said, waving an apple in her hand in case I didn't know an apple from an orange. She was wearing the frazzled but curt and serious expression worn by airport official...

September 25, 20065 min read
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Header image for A tale of two kitties.
Random Links

A tale of two kitties.

It's been some time since the urge to mother someone has been burgeoning (I love this word) within the bosom of my roomie, i.e. the urge to mother someone other than the his many child women and other than his employees (though mentor would be his choice of words – but he does mother them… ...

February 20, 20063 min read
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Long Form

Medium archives

Featured image for: On Building a High-Performance Culture in your Startup or Scaleup
Nov 7, 2023Featured

On Building a High-Performance Culture in your Startup or Scaleup

Why is performance culture critical?

1
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Featured image for: Breaking Free from Learned Helplessness: A Growth Guide for Individuals and Teams
Apr 11

Breaking Free from Learned Helplessness: A Growth Guide for Individuals and Teams

Introduction: Learned helplessness silently diminishes both individual and team motivation while reducing productivity. Through…

5
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Featured image for: Why Micromanagement Fails: Learned Helplessness and the End of Growth
Apr 5

Why Micromanagement Fails: Learned Helplessness and the End of Growth

Micromanagement feels like control, but it's really fear in disguise. Leaders often fall into it for two reasons: to feel in control or to…

0
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Featured image for: Everyone is a Marketing Guru
Mar 27

Everyone is a Marketing Guru

I have a confession: these days, I can't sit through a business meeting without quietly chuckling to myself. Why? Because it seems everyone…

13
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Featured image for: Reward & Recognition — performance or 'performative' | The Limitations of Voting-Based Employee…
Apr 22, 2023

Reward & Recognition — performance or 'performative' | The Limitations of Voting-Based Employee…

Introduction

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Featured image for: 4 Ways To Build Rock Solid Self Belief
Mar 22, 2018

4 Ways To Build Rock Solid Self Belief

There are a few different ways to build unshakeable confidence, and I'm going to list a few with a caveat*.

253
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