Last week, I wrote about how the halfway point of the year is a natural invitation to pause, reflect, and reset. A gentle checkpoint. Not the dramatic “New Year, New Me” kind—but more like a quiet “Okay, how am I doing?” Today, I want to stay on that path, and share a phrase that recently struck a deep chord with me: “This is what is available.” It came from an exceptional leader I’ve had the privilege of working with over the past year—someone I admire deeply, not just for his sharp mind, but for the way he navigates complexity with this calm, steady presence (the kind of person who could probably defuse a ticking time bomb and make you a cup of tea at the same time). When I asked him what principles had shaped him, he shared this line—something his father used to say often: “This is what is available.” It’s not a shrug. It’s not resignation. It’s an anchor. A quiet way of saying: stop spinning stories about what should be. Start engaging with w...
I caught up recently with an old friend — let’s call him Krish — one of those unusual people who somehow stay cheerful even when the world misbehaves. He’s a senior professional in the financial world, a man who deals daily with numbers, volatility, and boardroom storms… yet somehow always manages to find something funny in everything. As we talked about the usual highs, lows, and in-betweens, Krish shared something that instantly made me smile — and think. “But they couldn’t prevent Jack from being happy.” He said one of his guiding philosophies comes from an old song by The Who called Happy Jack. He quoted this line, with that trademark twinkle in his voice: “But they couldn’t prevent Jack from being happy.” And then a few more: “Happy Jack wasn’t old, but he was a man. He lived in the sand at the Isle of Man. The kids would all laugh as Jack played all day — But they couldn’t prevent Jack from being happy.” At first it sounds playful, ...
Does Fear of Criticism Hold You Back? Over the last year, I’ve been working with a thoughtful, wise, and quietly competent leader—we’ll call her San. Now, San is the kind of professional we all want on our team: Clear-headed Mission-driven Will-do-whatever-it-takes (without complaining about the Wi-Fi) Peers admire her Bosses adore her Honestly, she could teach a course on how to be "that" person who gets things done and still remembers your birthday. But every now and then... she’d quietly step back . No, it was subtler—more like the whisper of a hesitant foot on the brakes. San avoided situations where there was even the faintest risk of being misunderstood or judged harshly. But if a situation felt like it might even sniff of criticism? Her inner compass said: “Abort mission.” The Invisible Edge It’s that almost imperceptible boundary where clarity and commitment meet a strange, quiet hesitation. A pl...
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