Understanding Human Psychology

Don’t Fool Yourself Into Thinking You Know It All I recently came across a quote by Richard Feynman that really stayed with me: > “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool.”  ( https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/us/quote-of-the-day-by-richard-feynman-the-first-principle-is-that-you-must-not-fool-yourself-and-you-are-the-easiest-person-to-a-powerful-reminder-about-self-deception-critical-thinking-personal-growth-and-why-facing-the-truth-is-often-the-hardest-part-of-becoming-wiser/articleshow/131228463.cms ) The more I thought about it, the more I realized how relevant this is in today’s world — especially in learning, work, and even with AI around us. We live in a time where information is everywhere. You can ask AI anything, get beautifully structured answers, summaries, frameworks, presentations, even deep-sounding insights within seconds. Social media gives validation instantly. People praise your thoughts, you...

  The last 15 days have been one of the most special and different times of my life. Maybe even the longest proper break I have taken in my career. My daughter got initiated into the Zoroastrian faith through a beautiful and pious ceremony called Navjote. It was such a happy and emotional time for our family. We celebrated together, spent quality time with each other, and created memories I know we will hold close forever. Before taking this break, I honestly wondered how I would feel being away from work for so long. Work has become such a big part of my identity over the years. If someone asked me who I am, a large part of my answer would probably come from the work I do. I wondered if staying away from it for this long would make me feel lost in some way. But the days were so full of love, celebration, family, conversations, laughter, and emotions that there was hardly time to think about anything else. And now, just looking back at the pictures is already making me feel nostalg...

  We suffer more in imagination than in reality. This line really stayed with me. Because if I’m honest, most of the stress I feel is not from what is actually happening, but from what might happen. We create a whole world inside our head — and sometimes that world feels heavier than the real one outside. So many thoughts, so many scenarios, and most of them are worry-filled, anxious, and draining. I’ve caught myself doing this so many times. Replaying a conversation that hasn’t even happened yet. Thinking about what I will say, what the other person might say, what could go wrong. And then replaying it again. And again. By the time the actual moment arrives, I’m already tired. And sometimes, the reality turns out to be so simple, so insignificant compared to the storm I had already created in my mind. Planning is important, no doubt. Thinking ahead, being prepared, helps. But there is a thin line between planning and dwelling. Planning helps you move forward. Dwelling keeps you st...

  Lately, I’ve been reading a lot about AI — especially around L&D, research, and learning sciences. The more I read, the more one thing becomes clear that AI is powerful, but it needs human caution and human touch. Let me explain what I mean in very simple words. We use a lot of Gen AI to write our emails or do some project work at work or school, yet if AI writes everything for you, what are you learning? If you use AI for every email, write up or every summary, you can feel productive, but you don’t always feel deeply connected to what you produced. The attention and attachment to material is limited as less thought has gone to create it. Because learning is not just about output, it is about the neural connections forming in your brain. When you struggle to write, structure, rethink, delete, rewrite, that is when real learning happens. That is when memory sticks. That is when your thinking sharpens. If AI does most of that heavy lifting, you might understand the topic, but ...

  There is so much stress on communication in corporate nowadays. With AI coming in and many technical skills becoming automated, communication is being called the skill to build. And I agree, it is important. Very important. But lately, I’ve been observing something. Communication is slowly becoming equal to articulation, only great articulation. If you can speak fluently, structure your thoughts well, present confidently, and use the right vocabulary — you are seen as a “great communicator.” Yes, articulation is a must. You should be able to put your point forward clearly so the other person understands you. But I beg to differ slightly. Communication is not just about how well you speak. It is also about how well you listen. And this is where I see something missing. I’ve noticed people entering conversations already prepared to prove a point. Their focus is on framing the perfect sentence, choosing the right words, building the strongest argument. But in that process, something...

  This year didn’t ease in gently. It took off — fast. Like a bullet train. Last year ended on a high, and before I could fully catch my breath, this year began on an even higher note, professionally. Work picked up pace almost immediately. New challenges, engaging conversations, demanding timelines, and opportunities that required me to be fully present from day one. And for that, I feel grateful. The year also began wrapped in family moments, celebrations, gatherings, laughter, and togetherness. The kind that you enjoy before life pulls you back into its rhythm. Soon after, the days became busy, not in a draining way, but in a stretching way. The kind of busyness that keeps you on your toes and makes you feel alive. There have already been moments that asked for focus, patience, and presence. Situations that were challenging, yet deeply engaging. The kind that don’t let you function on autopilot. And as I look ahead, I can sense that there are fun times coming too and moments of ...

  Most of us don’t stop because we can’t do something. We stop because we are scared of failing . We don’t take that exam because what if I don’t clear it? We don’t apply for that role because what if I’m not good enough? We don’t start learning a new skill because what if I can’t keep up? We don’t say yes to a project because what if I mess it up? Slowly, fear starts deciding our life choices. What we forget is this simple truth: failure is not the opposite of success . In many cases, it is a part of it. Most people who succeed don’t do so because everything went smoothly. They succeed because they tried, failed, learnt, adjusted, and kept going. I’ve experienced this very personally. When I decided to pursue my PhD, I was scared. Not because I didn’t want it — I really did — but because I didn’t know if I would be able to manage it. The fear was very real. What if I can’t complete it? What if I’m not capable enough? Then, after I got admission, life threw another curveb...

  2025: From Awareness to Influence — A Year That Changed How I Operate As 2025 draws to a close, I find myself pausing, first, to measure the year by milestones, and second to measure it by movement . Inner movement, Relational movement, and finally, Systemic movement. If I were to describe 2025 in two halves, the first half was about awareness and connection, and the second half was about stakeholder management and collective momentum. What’s interesting is that the second half could only exist because of the first. It Started With Awareness - Early 2025 gently but firmly nudged me inward. Awareness of self, patterns, what energizes me and what drains me. That awareness naturally led to a deeper connection with self, my intent, my values, my way of being in the world. And once that connection with self strengthened, my connection with others became more authentic, more grounded, and more meaningful. Conversations felt less transactional and more intentional. Listening became dee...

  As professionals, we often talk about qualities as if they are switches, like either on or off. One is confident or not, decisive or hesitant, strong or vulnerable. But I feel reality doesn’t work in binaries. I feel qualities exist on a continuum. Confidence, for instance, ranges from self-doubt on one end to arrogance on the other. Somewhere in the middle lies grounded and sound-minded confidence, like the one that listens, adapts, and still takes a stand when needed. Too little confidence can hold you back. Too much can shut others down. Haven’t we all experienced people who are holding themselves back in their professional career and are loosing out on opportunities to shine because of the lack of confidence. And similarly experienced people because of their over confidence, nearly arrogance, they can turn off their colleagues or push them into a shell. The same is true for vulnerability. At the right moment, vulnerability builds trust, deepens connection, and makes leaders...

  There are days when my work feels like walking a tightrope. One moment, I’m expected to follow processes exactly as they are — templates, standards, formats, quality checks. Don’t miss a step. Don’t improvise. Consistency matters. And I completely agree. In many situations, standardisation is what keeps work efficient, reliable, and safe. But a few hours later, I’m asked a very different question: “Can you think differently?” “Can you make this more innovative?” “Can you bring a fresh perspective?” And suddenly, the same system that demanded conformity now expects creativity. I’ve often found myself thinking — which version of me do you want today? This is the reality for many of us. The world asks for quality — which usually means standardisation — and at the same time asks for creativity and innovation, which often means breaking away from those very standards. Both are valuable. Both are necessary. But managing the shift between the two is not easy. As a leader, I’ve realised ...

 A Quiet Lesson From a Stormed-Out Afternoon It started on one of those afternoons when nothing feels steady. I was sitting by the window, watching the sky turn from blue to grey in a matter of minutes. The wind had picked up, the trees were bending, and everything outside felt restless, unsettled. And somewhere inside me, I felt the same. A little stormy. A little shaky. I was reading a story Max Lucado shares in Anxious for Nothing. A father and his young daughter were flying home when the aircraft hit severe turbulence. The child looked up, slightly startled by the shaking plane, but the father sat calmly, even smiling. The daughter asked, “Aren’t you scared?” He said, “No, sweetheart… the pilot is my friend.” That sentence stayed with me longer than I expected. Because so often, anxiety feels like turbulence — sudden, unpredictable, and completely out of our control. The world shakes, our thoughts race, and we instinctively hold on to anything that feels stable. But Max Lucado’...

I still remember the day so clearly. I was on my way to the hospital for my final check-up — the one where the doctor usually decides whether it’s time for admission. I was 8.5 months pregnant, still working till then, feeling healthy, nervous, excited, and a little overwhelmed, all at once. Just as we were driving, my phone rang. It was someone from the office IT team: “Ma’am, could you please come and collect your laptop if possible?” I told them I had already started my maternity break. But they gently insisted and requested if I could stop by, even for just a minute. It felt unusual, but something in their tone made me agree. So, on my way to the hospital, I took a quick halt at the office gate. When I reached, the IT team handed over my laptop — the same one I had been using, with my login, my files, my setup. And then they shared the reason behind the urgency. My then boss had fought for it. Not so that I would work during my break. Not to keep me “available.” Not to add pressure...

  I was recently revisiting The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, and one agreement stood out differently this time: “Always do your best.” We hear this phrase all the time — put your best foot forward, give it your 100%, strive for excellence. But somewhere along the way, “your best” became confused with “the world’s best.” And that’s where the pressure begins. When Ruiz talks about doing your best, he isn’t pushing us toward perfection. In fact, he repeatedly reminds us that our “best” is not a fixed benchmark. It changes from day to day, with our energy, our circumstances, and our emotional bandwidth. Some days your best looks like running three projects at once. Other days, your best looks like simply showing up. Both are valid. But the world doesn’t always view it that way. We’re surrounded by expectations — from society, parents, teachers, bosses, even peers. Somewhere, without realising it, we start performing for the world, not for ourselves. We begin to believe that “doi...

Artificial Intelligence is Really Intelligent or its just Us? It doesn’t think—it calculates. It doesn’t feel—it predicts. Yes we are talking about AI. Thinking like a philosopher I reflect on a core debate today, is AI truly intelligent or is the human intelligent who has created it. At the end of the day, AI literally mimics the human mind, however it a machine.  I think AI feels intelligent to us, as it gives us instant answers to any question we ask, better than what we have thought through, yet at the end of the day it has studied vast amount of data and works on pattern recognition. While we talk so much about AI, it's worth to pause and ask how many breakthroughs has human achieved in years as a process of evolution. AI being one of it. Maybe what we’re calling “artificial intelligence” is more aptly described as amplified pattern recognition, not consciousness, not intuition, not motivation, not emotion, not wisdom. At least not yet. That means how much ever we are floored ...

Elephant God is drinking milk. The idol has life.. How can that be possible? That was a question in many minds. But no one asked. They just believed. Their curious minds started adding logic. But magic and miracles are beyond logic.  I was in school, may be in early secondary, when I heard talks the Elephant God is drinking milk, if you offer the idol milk near the trunk, it will be swallowed. Like how? Then there was another news, it's not with any Ganesha idol, but a particular pandal's idol in Mumbai. So many devotees, without questioning, visited the pandal, to quench the thirst of their curious minds and seek blessings of the divine. That year the divine was believed to be present in the idol as if it was live.  Till date I have experienced that miracles are a part of life. We may call them blessings of the lord, we at times say it was pure coincidence, luck is another form of argument. Call it faith or blind trust, ignorance or just love for God. No one still knows if th...

I stood on a platform in the second row. Tried to gulp my nerves and stared at the open area ahead, the hall was humongous. I imagined the audience there and gulped another ball of anxiety down my throat. It was my turn, I raised my voice like a wave and I hummed the lines of the song. My teacher gave me a blank stare and after five seconds told me 'You are singing so beautifully, then why is your face like you have had castor oil?' I released the breath I was holding, and broke into a slight smile, my heart still beating of the fear of being judged of what I was there for. The same feeling which had kept me away from taking the centre spot and playing the lead singer in the western music choir. On the final day I hummed boldly, as I had got a 'great job' tag from my music teacher. Time lapse today I hold my tough emotions close to me. I write to express. I missed writing this last month when I was occupied in caregiving of my loved one. As responsibilities have taken n...

  There was a time when conversation starters would be about weekend plans, food, family, office, and traffic woes, now in many conversations, whether at work or over coffee, it's somehow loops back to AI. From did you watch that show? To- Did you try that AI tool? Did you tell ChatGPT to do this? It's a talk we have as as way of life. Earlier, conversations at work were largely transactional: updates, reminders, or basic planning. But AI has transformed the quality and direction of our discussions—into deeper reflections about how it's shaping work, creativity, ethics, and identity. Our conversations have shifted from catching up to keeping up with AI. AI has become second brain, a friend in the pocket, a co-pilot always available to steer the ship with you. However, we need to be updated about this latest technology. Learning about how blur are the lines between AI and human.  AI is no longer a buzzword. To learn more about this evolving technology one must be on top of n...

  Do you find yourself deflecting compliments at work? When someone appreciates your growth or contribution, do you instinctively say, "Oh, I’ve learned a lot from my team," or "It was all because of my mentors"? While acknowledging support is beautiful, do you ever pause to recognize yourself? Your effort. Your journey. Your learning. Your transformation. In many workplaces, especially in fast-paced environments, we rarely stop to track how we’re growing — mentally, emotionally, or professionally. We often forget to document the small wins, the newly formed habits, the brave conversations, the mindset shifts. Instead, we credit others for how far we’ve come. But here’s a reminder: Your learning is yours to own. Your development is the outcome of your effort, your initiative, and your consistency. That’s exactly why I wrote my book “Learnager” — a guide to lifelong learning and taking charge of your growth. 📘 You can get it here: Amazon KDP – LEARNAGER : From Learn...

While reading How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith, one particular chapter stopped me in my tracks — Reluctance to Claim Your Achievements. It’s something many women professionals experience: the instinct to deflect praise, to share credit (even when it’s not due), and to soften the spotlight when it’s pointed their way. As I read about a senior professional who, even in a high-stakes interview, kept mentioning her colleague’s contributions over her own, a vivid memory of mine surfaced. A few years ago, I had led a significant Learning & Development and Talent initiative in my organization — a program that required months of effort, stakeholder management, creative design, and seamless execution. When the project concluded successfully, I was called out in a team meeting for the achievement. Instead of standing tall in that moment, I instinctively slid into sharing mode. I said, “It was a team effort,” and even added names on the presentation slide to acknowledge...

  In a noisy world full of fast answers, we need people who ask thoughtful questions – not just to others, to oneself too! Am I agile enough to break assumptions about  concept? Do I feel curious when someone talks to me or I jump to make a conclusion? We need Learnagers — people who stay open, reflective, and resilient. People who don’t just absorb information but seek transformation . Who learn not just to advance, but to contribute . The more we learn, the more we can lead, listen, and lift others up. And that, truly, is what the future of leadership looks like.   Order from Amazon KDP LEARNAGER : From Learning to Leading in the Real World   https://amzn.in/d/badNOEx