The Death of Polish: Why Emotion and personality will become is the New Quality standard in content

The definition of "quality" is shifting. 

The bar is moving rapidly as AI makes headway in our lives.

In the past, high-quality content signaled resources. 

To win, you needed exclusive access to three things:

1. Deep Research: You had the data and the libraries.

2. Polished Words: You had writers who knew the grammar better than the drama.

3. High-End Production: You had the cameras, the software, and the pixels that couldn't hide.

If you applied speed and scale to those three things, you won the attention game.

But AI has turned it on its head.

In the new world, those rules don't apply. 

Speed, scale, and polish are no longer competitive advantages. 

If anything, "perfect" is becoming a liability.

It is getting easier to spot AI images and text specifically because they are near-perfect. 

They are too clean. They are too polished. 

And honestly? They are boring to look at.

Since everyone now has access to the tools, the standards have to rise much higher. 

The minimal bar for any work product is that it reads well and looks good. 

That is now automatic. Table stakes.

The new quality is not about the pixels—it’s about the person.

The best content of the future will have to do more than just inform. 

It will have to create an emotion. 

It will need to inspire,Surprise, Teach, Move or heck all of them to the consumer.

That is the massive challenge for platforms too. 

When everyone can generate content by the ton, how do you filter the noise? 

The algorithm of the future won't be looking for perfection. It will baise heavily on the ability to create an emotion, and the personality that should make something worth shareable.

My Struggles with Isolation: Why Networking is My North Star for 2026?

During my year-end analysis, I realized a huge gap lurking in my life. 

For some reason, I hadn’t addressed it. 

It wasn't a big deal—I could grow and succeed without paying it any attention.

But, like the book title What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There, I realized I must fix this gap. otherwise I will be stuck,

That gap is- the lack of a strong network.

I am good with people, and I enjoy being around them. 

But I refused to socialize "unnecessarily."

Unless we were making magic and getting work done, or unless we were on the same wavelength, I wouldn't engage.

and if I engaged, I would withdraw as soon as the work was done.

I developed standards for my time, and as a result, I unintentionally filtered everyone out—neighbors, colleagues, and potential friends.

My personality shifted to "business only."

• In my running club: I would run, chit-chat briefly, and leave.

• At the gym: Headphones on, finish the workout, leave.

• At conferences: I arrived with clear agendas, hated letting random interactions play out. I would get bored quickly.

It has been like this for years. 

When I reflect on the early years of my career, I was social, but I wouldn't spend time with people just for the sake of it. 

It was about respecting my time and engaging so, I could learn or have fun.

Moving to the States hardened this trait.

It helped me succeed tremendously. For a long time.

Books and high-performing individuals became my mentors. 

I learned from them. The Solitary pursuit moved me in the right direction.

Even recently, this has been my default.

But, this isolation eventually began to hurt. 

In my past role, where I was leading the company's growth, it got too lonely.

I had no relationships where I could bounce ideas, share the issues I was facing, or just go grab a drink to decompress.

I discovered I was doing everything alone—training for a marathon, learning music, writing for LinkedIn, creating YouTube videos, and editing. Everything by myself, from my basement.

Looking back across the last few years, I see this was a huge handicap developing.

Being comfortable with yourself is a superpower.

Many people lack the ability to sit with their own thoughts. 

But I have drifted onto an isolated island where no one knows I am here. 

That is borderline harmful.

I realized that in all spheres of life, I need company.

So, my North Star goal for 2026 is to fix this. 

To become a network magnet in my area and activate a strong community.

Here is what I am doing to open myself up to opportunities:

1. Connect locally: Reach out to folks in Naperville on LinkedIn. Offer to meet over coffee.

2. Don't just work—network: Staying in the basement is no longer an option. I need to get out of the house and work from libraries or coffee shops where people actually are.

3. Fix the body language: When working remotely, I need to stop walling myself off with headphones and closed-off posture. I want to be open to meeting people—smiling, saying hello, and signaling that it is okay to talk to me.

4. Give first: Offer to help or do something for others without any agenda and without expecting anything in return.

So far, so good.

Since starting this shift, five days ago, I have worked outside the home several times. 

I have exchanged messages with several people I hadn't touched base with in a long time. 

I’ve even had coffee meetings with a couple of folks right here in Naperville.

The book Never Eat Alone has played a big role in this realization. 

As Keith Ferrazzi says, "Don't build a network when you need it."

I am building an enormous network in 2026 to create a massive breakthrough.

If you read this, and it resonates with you, I would like to hear it from you. 

Comment below, and tell me if you have felt this way too. 

If so, did you overcome it? how? 

If not, do you want to join me in overcoming it?

-Saurabh

Here is the right way to look at "Gratitude"

The conventional way everyone talks about gratitude, feels like a transaction.

"Pay" gratitude so that we can receive more. 

Is it a vehicle for success? Is it an an insurance policy. 

The logic goes: 

"If I am thankful now, the Universe/God/Life will guarantee me more blessings later."

We are trying to empty our cup so it can be filled again.

But today, a different realization dawned on me. I was at the gym.

Gratitude isnt a strategy to get more.

It is humbleness. It is a realization that we have received far more than the math suggests we deserve.

The Uncertainty of It All

Life is fundamentally unfair and wildly uncertain.

 There is little that is guaranteed, regardless of our effort.

We like to think we control the outcome, We don’t.

* Accidents happen to good people on their way to sign billion-dollar deals.

* Championship games are lost by the best players in history due to a single bad bounce.

* Brilliant lives are cut short simply because a rare disease expressed itself in the DNA.

Gratitude is the realization that, despite this chaos, you are still here. 

You have received something, when there was a very high statistical probability that you wouldn't.

Sure, you can flip the equation.

You could argue that you *should* have received more, or that you’ve had bad luck. 

Both can be true.

But gratitude is looking at where you are today—standing, breathing, capable—and realizing that in a world where millions struggle for clean water or shoes on their feet, you have won the lottery.

The Anxiety of "Potential"

I struggle with this.

When I look at my life, I see gaps.

I see the capabilities I’ve have, and the opportunities I want. 

I am constantly working on self-improvement.

 Lately, I’ve been transitioning into a new role at an acquiring organization, and I’ve been plagued by anxiety.

Am I expressing myself fully?

Am I realizing my full potential?

I look at the CEOs of Amazon, Microsoft, or the Fortune 50, and I think:

I could do that. I could lead at that level. I am ready to put the work and 100x more.

The gap between where I am and where I think I *could* be makes me uncomfortable. 

It drives a restless anxiety.

But then I return to this new definition of gratitude.

I look at the places I’ve been. 

The small wealth I’ve been able to create. 

The books I’ve read. 

The countries i've visited.

I look at the family I came from, and the family I’ve built—my wife and two beautiful girls. 

I look at the support structure around me.

When I look at the data honestly, I can not help but accept that I have received a return on investment that far exceeds my input.

 Yes, I have ambition. 

Yes, I could lead a massive company and amass 100x of this. 

and I should continue working towards it.

But the point I have reached today is no small feat.

Gratitude isn't about asking for the next thing.

It’s a reflection on your own life, realizing that you have enough, and acknowledging that—despite the odds—you have been rewarded for your efforts in a fantastic manner.

Life is mysterious and we dont know where and when it ends. Gratitude is realizing you did your best but received far more. So many people, work hard even on the right things, and never get the results.

Here is a punch list to think this morning.

• If you can take a deep breath without pain, be thankful.
• If your body parts are functioning and you can move freely, be thankful.
• If you have a clear mind and the agency to think for yourself, be thankful.
• If you have a roof over your head to sleep under tonight, be thankful.
• If there is food on your table today, be thankful.
• If your parents are still alive to speak with you, be thankful.
• If you have brothers or sisters who care about you, be thankful.
• If you have a partner who understands you and stands by you, be thankful.
• If you have children who love you, be thankful.
• If you have even just two friends you can call in a crisis, be thankful.

and you have all of the above, you should be exceptionally thankful, because you a lot of people dont have these.

To grow in career, clarity is king

It is very easy to be stuck in your own stories and routines. It’s almost like you are fooling yourself.

My year in review for 2025 had a few breakthrough moments.

 I came completely undone, realizing I was holding onto things that were not serving me well.

It started when I asked Gemini for self-reflection questions. One question startled me:

"If nobody saw your title on LinkedIn, would you still do the work you are being positioned to do?"

The more I sat on it, I realized that the title and how things "appear" had become bigger than what I actually do.

The answer was an emphatic YES—but only for the hands-on work.

This drove me to realize that I love being in front of customers, solving technical problems, and understanding use cases. 

I love it. 

Not the managerial stuff, and not the internal politics.

If growth means becoming a manager of managers of managers, it is the wrong direction for me.

Managing a team isn't bad, and I’m not bashing it. 

But it comes with overheads and activities that are just soul-sucking for me.

I would rather be working with customers, hearing their challenges, and delivering value. 

Then I as I went on to document my thoughts, I realized there are a few other things that are either not serving me, or killing my gains on where I could be (sitting in front of my computer as a way of procrastinating, and lacking a social network). I will touch on these in different posts.

But, I feel I am in a much better place to make a subtle shift in 2026.

Welcome 2026 - my list of things to focus on in this year, and everyday

Welcome to the New Year.

The date changed. The clock ticked. And absolutely nothing happened.

When I was younger, I celebrated the arbitrary changing of a number. Now I realize that time is just a collective hallucination we agree to share. The only real clock is biology: Sun up. Sun down.

If the "New Year" gives you a burst of fresh energy, use it. But don't rely on it. Motivation is fickle. Systems are permanent.

This year, I am ignoring resolutions. I am building a machine.

Here is the system I am programming into my daily routine for 2026:

The Energy Protocol

• The Currency: Time is the only asset. Spend it or lose it.

• The Biology: Work out daily. Drink 4 liters of water. Eat slightly less than I want.

• The Mind: Re-read the best books (mastery) rather than skimming new ones (novelty). write everyday.

• The Soul: Play music. Intentionality beats talent.

• The Tribe: Take care of Dipti. Inspire Umika. Spoil Seerat. Call my parents more.

The Glitch in My Matrix During my yearly review, I found a fatal error in my programming.

I have operated as a "Lone Wolf." Head down. Focus on the work. Ignore the room.

In 2021, when I launched Brilliant Digital, it struggled. I analyzed the failure and realized it wasn't a product failure. It was a network failure.

I have thousands of connections on LinkedIn, but in Naperville, I am effectively alone.

The Math of Success Success is not just [Skill]. 

Success is [Skill] x [Network].

If your Network is zero, your total output is zero. At least in the field of business I am in.

I have spent years optimizing my skill stack (Generalist vs. Specialist). 

But I ignored the multiplier. You cannot build a castle on an island.

The Patch for 2026 My North Star is no longer just "output." It is connection. I am abandoning the strategy of "get in, get it done, get out."

I am going to build one of the strongest networks of my life. Not because I need something today, but because you don't build a network when you need it. You build it when you don't.

My Ask If you are reading this, you are part of the simulation. Leave a comment. Tell me one part of your "System" for 2026.

Cheers, Saurabh

The Day Trading Trap

I’ve been analyzing why I feel the urge to day trade. It’s a difficult question, but if I deconstruct my own psychology, the pattern is obvious.

1. The Boredom Trigger The urge only appears when I have downtime. My brain isn't looking for money. it's looking for dopamine.

2. The Freedom Illusion I rationalize this boredom as a desire to escape the 9-to-5. My brain tells me that trading is the "exit key" to dependency on a salary. The internet also confirms that if you search for day trading on YouTube or anywhere else.

The Guru Ecosystem The "Traders" on YouTube all follow the same script.

• The Hook: They show you "unusual gains" (Lamborghinis and screenshots).

• The Relatability: They admit they lost money at first (just like you will!).

• The Pivot: Then, they sell you a course.

You have to ask yourself: If they found a magical money-printing machine in the stock market, why are they hustling $49 e-books? The likely reality is that their "edge" isn't the market. Their edge is selling the dream to you.

Mathematically, trading looks solvable. If you maintain a 2:1 win/loss ratio and strictly adhere to stop losses, you profit. But that assumes you are a calculator. You are not. You are a "moist robot"—a bag of chemicals and emotions. The 95% failure rate in retail trading exists because panic and greed override math every time.

Day trading is a zero-sum game. For you to win, someone else has to lose. Who is on the other side of your trade? It is likely an institutional algorithm running on a supercomputer, managed by a team of PhDs. Does a retail trader really have an edge against that?

Let's look at the "System" of trading vs. the "System" of Career.

The Trading System: You deploy $10k, and make 2% from it(which is about $200 per trade) when you win, and loosing 1% from it (about $100 per trade). You take 15 trades where 10 were winners, and 5 were losers. you have made yourself $1500. This is a decent outcome. that is 15% return on the money and extraordinary returns. But  bought yourself a high-stress job, at least in the beginning.

Someone can also say that if they can replicate the same maths on $100k or $1M, the numbers are massive. 

The Passive System: I put that same money in an index fund. It makes 10-12% historically for me. 

Effort: Zero minutes. Stress: Zero.

I realized that if I take the energy I would have wasted staring at charts and apply it to my actual job—getting better at sales, building a scalable product, or improving my "talent stack"—the returns are exponentially higher.

Ultimately everything needs efforts and expertise. unless we commit to trading and ready to pour a few years in learning the skill, looking at it as a money printing machine how YouTubers make you feel is wrong. It is just like professional value, and you need to make yourself valuable and skillful to gain the best outcome.

What are your thoughts?

The Continuous cycle of upgrades

The Upgrade Trance

I’m seeing a lot of people in my gym carrying the latest iPhones. Same with the newest Nikes and Jordan hoodies. It’s that time of year.

Living in America means living in a continuous cycle of "new." The observation here isn't just that people have money. It's that they have a burning biological need to exchange that money for the latest shiny object.

While the culture of "showing off" isn't as blatant here as it is in India, the result is the same. I have yet to see a pair of shoes in my gym that looks worn out. You almost never see utility in the wild. You only see status signaling.

The Persuasion Game

This cycle is fantastic for the economy. Companies are motivated to make marginal improvements because they know you can’t help yourself.

As a marketer, you have to admire the elegance of it. Look at the trends for Hydroflasks and Stanley cups. There is no logic there. A cup is a cup. But if you can convince a population that owning a specific metal tube is a personality trait, you have won the game.

UX designers and product teams are essentially hacking the wires in your brain. When they tweak an app and usage goes up, that’s not "improvement." That’s successful hypnosis. They figured out which buttons to push to make the moist robot (you) respond.

The Guinea Pig Problem

Great for the economy. Bad for you.

When you chase the upgrade, you are a guinea pig in a lab who thinks he’s the scientist. You are trying to fill a psychological hole with a physical object. That never works, but it’s profitable for Apple to let you keep trying.

There is a difference between Vanity and Utility.

In my family, we have a system: We buy high quality, and we run it into the ground.

• My last phone: Galaxy Note 9. I used it for 8 years. I only changed it because my wife wanted us to upgrade together.

• Current phone: S23 Ultra. It runs like a tank.

• My laptop: A 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro.

• Previous laptop: A 2011 MacBook Pro that we still own. It’s slow, but it works.

The Output Filter

Most people use a $1,200 phone to scroll Instagram and get angry at strangers on Facebook. You can do that on a potato.

My criteria for an upgrade is simple: Will this significantly improve my workflow and output?

If the answer is no, I don't care about the thinner bezels. I don't care about the titanium finish.

If you aren't upgrading based on a cold calculation of utility, you aren't a consumer. You're the product.

The Basement, the Flow, and the Illusion of Control

 There are a few days, where I wake up and go through the day like a zombie.

It feels like we are on autopilot. life sucks. or that's how it feels like.

Nothing interesting is happening at work. We are not travelling.

Not many friends around in naperville. 

The family is busy with their things, and feels like no one cares.

It's too cold. it's gloomy outside. Gets dark at 3 pm.

I came to states because I got to work in a global environment with global customers.

but, I mostly work from home, from my basement. 

Spend too much time watching TV.

Why are we here?

Then there are other days, where it feels very different.

I spend few hours writing, journaling and creating posts for linkedin, blog and share what I am learning.

I spend 15 minutes to 60 minutes reading a book. that is my favorite, when I do it

I practice guitar for 15 minutes.

I go running. (even 30 minutes feels magical for what it can do for my mind).

I cook for the family or clean up my room.

I move my body more, and drink a few glasses of cold water.

Feel like I dont have enough time. 

No time to waste on useless social pleasantries and I avoid invites.

Things feel very different. I can see the absolutely different side of life.

It is well known, that two different people in the same environment, surroundings can react differently. I think the key is what is going on in their heads. 

Some days, my basement feels dull, and as if the life has come to a stop here.

Some days, I am in such a flow that I dont even realize that the light was not turned on.

If we are turned on from inside, driven from the right place, everything else works.

Do you see, I didnt talk about the results in any of these situations?

The outcomes are not in our hands. those are results of several variables.

The most important thing is feed the right ingredients to your brain.

If you brain is going in the right direction, everything else will too.

Cheers

Saurabh

Social Animal, Social Junkie: We Have Confused Survival with Performance.

 We call ourselves social animals. It is a phrase used everywhere.

If a person works alone, someone will advise them: "We are social animals. Go work with others." If a person is too focused on their hobbies, they are labeled anti-social. They are not social enough.

But what does social mean today?

We have taken to social media like fish to water. Because the name contains the word "social," we believe this is what true social life looks like. It means spending four or five hours a day on these websites. It means endless scrolling. It means stalking, liking, and commenting.

Then we ask ourselves the big questions: Why is loneliness an epidemic? Why are mental health issues growing? Why do we lack genuine relationships? Why do all our connections feel surface-level?

This is starkly visible in the younger generation. I observe my daughter, a high school sophomore, and her friends. A couple of her friendships are deep. The interactions there are real.

But the others are different. If they meet on the street, the initial reaction is loud. "Hiiii!" It is an explosion of simulated excitement. It sounds like two lost sisters have finally reunited.

After that initial burst, the conversation is completely flaccid. Nothing happens. They walk away and carry on with their lives. The chatter is mostly material. New shoes. Bubble tea. A new Hydroflask. Someone’s obsession with coffee. Or a particular guy in class.

We have completely ruined the meaning of being social.

The True Meaning of the Tribe

We used to live in tribes. This was not a choice. It was a requirement. It meant we were fundamentally interdependent.

No single person could do everything. One person could not grow the food, build the shelter, provide protection, and manage the tribe’s knowledge. The people within the tribe depended on each other for their very survival.

Imagine a small, functional community. The blacksmith needed the farmer for grain. The farmer needed the carpenter for the plow. The carpenter needed the weaver for clothes. This was the original barter system. Interdependence was the rule.

Where can we still see this? Look at a small Amish community. Look at specialized teams in military operations. Look at the intense collaboration required to launch a rocket. In these places, everyone in the system is important. A breakdown in one role means failure for all.

Even before the tribe, when we hunted in groups, we depended on the person next to us. Our life literally depended on their vigilance.

This is the origin of the true Social Animal. It means being deeply connected. It means depending on someone. It means taking responsibility for a crucial part of the shared survival.

The Great Disconnect

This original contract has been thrown out the window.

Today, we live in isolation. In most neighborhoods, we do not know the names of the people who live left, right, front, or back of us.

We have garages full of tools. Everyone owns their own set. Asking to borrow something from a neighbor is considered a big deal. It feels like an imposition.

This detachment is wonderful for companies. It helps them sell more. They sell every individual their own drill, their own ladder, their own snow blower. It even creates entire rental businesses, replacing the easy connection we once had with a simple transaction.

The same decay is visible at work.

Most networking events, especially in sales circles, are just about taking. How can I sell more? How can I maximize my advantage?

The core concept of giving and hence receiving is completely missing. Companies do not have time for deep connections. They demand monetization as soon as possible. Networking is transactional, not foundational.

We chase likes and followers. These are metrics of attention, not metrics of accountability. They give the shallow illusion of connection without demanding any of the effort, vulnerability, or interdependence required for a genuine relationship.

Building the New Community

The modern use of "social animal" is a lie.

It may be best to stop calling ourselves social animals entirely. Not unless we start going back to the roots of what made us great survivors: the ability to build communities.

We survived not because we could scroll or like, but because we could trust and depend.

If you seek less loneliness and more mental health, look past the screen. Recognize the 2 to 5 people in your life who actually show up. Focus your energy there. Do not just talk to them. Depend on them. Let them depend on you. Take responsibility for their well-being, and let them take responsibility for yours.

That mutual dependency is the engine of true community. It is the real contract of the social animal. The closer you get to that core, the less you will feel the need to seek validation in the endless noise of the non-social media world.

My thoughts on the Emptiness of Birthdays and Anniversaries

Yesterday, December 3rd, marked our 18th wedding anniversary.

My wife, Dipti, places great significance on these landmark dates. They are meaningful to her. I am different. I do not.

I will admit: there is a slight, undeniable niceness in the air on these days. It offers an opportunity. It forces a reflection on the journey. Our marriage has been anything but a beautiful fairy tale. It has been rocky. Yet, it is still rock steady and we have put in a lot of work. and we are proud of it.

That reflection, however, is a reminder.

It reminds me how I truly feel about birthdays and anniversaries.

The Visibility Trap: When Expression Meets Effort

 We easily abandon efforts that yield few initial results. We try for a time, then let go.

For weeks, I have contemplated a question: How do I create more visibility?

AI tools and social media experts offer the same advice: Build content. Grab attention.

Conversely, I believe—as Naval Ravikant notes—that quality work naturally attracts its network. We should not chase mindless networking.

This principle may hold true for B2C or B2B services. However, as an individual, you must still present your views for industry leaders and peers to find them. The motive is not ulterior. It is ensuring the voice inside is heard. This matters to me.

The $16 Transaction That Paid Me Back in Joy

The day had just begun here in Chicago when the storm rolled in. The air was cold, the streets were quiet, and I was mentally preparing for a long, slow day indoors.

Then, the doorbell rang.

I opened the door to find a young boy, bundled up in winter layers. 

He looked like a middle-schooler, and he had a well-worn snow shovel in his hand.

He offered a simple transaction: "$16 to clear your driveway."

It had barely snowed, and I knew the biggest part of the storm was yet to come. 

I initially told him to come back later. But the earnest expression on his face—the look of a person hunting for their very first customer—made me pause.

"Okay," I said. "Let's do it."

Why Do We Refresh? The Attention Economy vs. The Production Economy

The question keeps running through my mind whenever I look around the airport or the coffee shop: Why do we refresh?

We aren't consciously waiting for a specific, life-altering message. 

We simply pull out our phones, launch the app, and scroll up. 

That motion—that quick, muscle-memory jerk—is evidence that we have been re-wired to expect something magical to appear. 

We are seeking a dopamine hit, and the platforms are designed never to let that expectation die.

This is the unfortunate side of social media, but to understand the damage, we must first understand the fundamental business model.

The Myth of the "Real India": Why Travel Vloggers Get It Wrong

I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos recently featuring foreign vloggers traveling to India to document their experiences. and something is not right in what is happening.

India is, without a doubt, a complex country. We are 1.6 billion people strong, and yes, we face massive hurdles. Our politics, a collective consciousness often influenced by pseudoscience, and blind faith have sometimes worked against us. I am the first to admit that we have fallen behind in the global race. While we once had a massive advantage with our English-speaking population, countries like China have surged ahead in manufacturing, defense, robotics, and infrastructure. Meanwhile, we are still grappling with corruption that rots our public systems, a lack of jobs, and environmental exploitation. Rivers, forests, air, and food—everything sacred has been compromised. Our civic sense often leaves much to be desired; we ogle, we honk without reason, and our hygiene standards in public spaces needs a complete overhaul.

The Home Espresso Paradox: Why Geeking Out feels like Ruining My Coffee

The more I geek out about coffee, the less I seem to actually enjoy drinking it. 

It is a strange paradox.

I have had a home espresso machine for over a year now. By this point, my routine is set in stone. I pull three double shots every single day.

The first shot: 15 minutes after I wake up and down my first glass of water.

The second shot: Right after breakfast (which changes depending on the season).

The third shot: The afternoon pick-me-up, usually between 2:00 and 3:00 pm.

I have enjoyed this ritual immensely. Making espresso at home is a total banger of a deal. However, I quickly learned that coffee is a rabbit hole. You can totally nerd out and spend an almost infinite amount of money on gear.

I am careful about those things. To keep my adventures controlled (and within budget), I started with a modest Wirsh Espresso machine. It only cost about $110 USD. I didn’t go crazy with accessories, either. I grabbed a heavy tamper, a cheap $6 digital scale, and a couple of nice cups.

Most importantly, I bought a decent coffee bean grinder that gave me control over how fine or coarse I needed to grind. With that setup, I was off to the races.

The 51mm Limitation
My Wirsh machine uses a 51mm portafilter. With time, I learned that this size is distinct from the pro or semi-pro machines, which usually rock a 58mm standard. While the 58mm baskets allow for a wider puck, they require you to build pressure differently. I found that the smaller 51mm size is actually cheaper to manufacture and slightly more forgiving for a beginner home barista.

My learning curve involved playing around with grinding settings, ratios, and puck prep until I finally figured out the beans I liked and how to get the best taste.

The Ratio Trap
Recently, I decided to re-examine my process to see if I could learn a new trick or two. I told myself: Let’s hone in on the output ratios and see if I can make my coffee stand out a little more.

That is where the trouble started.

The first problem is that I don’t have a high-end, micro-gram measuring scale. When you are dealing with espresso, precision matters.

The second problem is the hardware. With a 51mm portafilter, I can squeeze in a maximum of 13 grams of coffee grounds. If I go overboard and touch 14 or 15 grams, the machine chokes and ruins the extraction.

This brings me to the math. If I use 13 grams of coffee at a strict 1:2 espresso ratio, I am supposed to get only 26 grams of liquid output.

That is nothing. It is hardly two sips.

Yes, I can tell that the concentration of the coffee is getting better, and the flavor profile is more distinct, but I can’t get enough of it. It is really messing with the experience I used to have.

Before I started bothering with the math, I enjoyed the silky crema and the beautiful warm tones of a larger cup of coffee. But I seem to have lost that joy recently because I got caught in the ratios.

Espresso is just such a weird thing sometimes. It is nerdy, artsy, techie, frustrating, and rewarding all at once. It is challenging, yet still so simple.

Just like life.

Why Your Cold Email Strategy is Failing?: A 2-Year Case Study

For two years, I stepped out of my comfort zone to take our Inside Sales team under my wing.

The goal was simple: Generate more leads.

The reality? It was anything but simple. We were a brand new team with limited experience. We had to build the plane while flying it—making calls, writing scripts, and navigating the noise of LinkedIn.

We ran campaigns that stretched over weeks. We sent thousands of emails. And while our open rates looked decent on paper (consistently over 20%), the actual opportunities were scarce.

It was a grueling marathon, but it taught me exactly what works—and more importantly, what doesn't.

If you are building an outbound engine today, here is the playbook I wish I had on Day 1.

Stop Pretending Your Layoff Was "Okay"

This is one of the most difficult periods in the IT industry, but the strangest part isn't the economy. It’s our reaction to it.

I’ve noticed a trend on LinkedIn. When people are let go, they aren't necessarily "celebrating," but they are reacting with a bizarre sense of acceptance.

The tone is almost: "Well, it happened. It is okay. On to the next."

They write updates that sound calm and unbothered, almost normalizing the event. 

They hide the anxiety of losing a job they gave years—sometimes decades—of their lives to.

I say this with full sympathy, and I’m not trying to be an ahole.**

But why do we feel the need to act like "it is okay"?

Solitude vs. Loneliness: Why Being Alone Doesn’t Mean Being Lonely

It took me a long time to realize the difference between two very important words: being alone and being lonely.

I have always enjoyed being alone. 

Even as a kid, I felt that I simply needed more time by myself. 

There was just so much to do.

During my early college days, when I first got a computer, I was constantly working with CDs and software. In those days, everything came on physical discs. There were a few tech magazines that were very popular, like Chip and Digit. My mom bought them for me regularly, and they became a ritual.

Because they were premium magazines, they came wrapped in a plastic bag. They covered the latest news from the tech world, but the most important thing was the beautiful CD packed inside. It was loaded with new software, demos, and games.

H1B: A Two-Way Street Turned Political Game

 Job hunting or switching jobs on an H1B visa is a nightmare.

That is the reality.

With the constant news cycles, political debates, and emotionally charged narratives around H1B, the environment has become extremely volatile. I’m not going to go deep into the politics of it. Everyone has an opinion, and most of it is noise anyway.

My view is simple.

H1B is a legal visa that allows highly skilled professionals to come and work in the US. It exists because the ecosystem needs it. Is it abused sometimes? Yes, absolutely. I know companies that charge people money to bring them here, drain the soul out of them, and function more like exploitative consultancies than ethical employers.

But in my experience, the majority do not fall into that category.

Most H1B professionals I’ve worked with have been paid at or above market rates. There are mandated baseline wages for each role, and I have not personally seen anyone working closely with me who was underpaid simply because they were on H1B. In fact, many of them are paid extremely well because their skills genuinely justify it.

Now, it is also human nature for people to feel threatened when the size of the pie feels like it’s shrinking. That instinct exists everywhere. In India, we argue over states, language, caste, and region. So when Indians talk about racism or exclusion abroad, it often feels ironic. But I’ll leave that thread here.

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A Transaction, Not a Favor

I don’t even think the US has done H1B holders a “favor.”

They created a system with strict conditions and hefty fees. People who qualified made it through. That’s it.

It has always been a two-way street.

You contribute to the American economy.
You pay taxes.
You pay visa fees.
You help build companies and innovation.

In return, you earn well, gain global exposure, build a life, and become part of the social and cultural fabric of this country. It’s not charity. It’s a transaction. A fair one.

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Where the Real Problem Lies Today

The biggest challenge now is not the visa itself — it’s the uncertainty around it.

Due to constant political signaling, companies have become hesitant to hire or transfer H1B professionals. What was earlier an uncomfortable process has now become a risky one.

Organizations see H1B hiring as a compliance risk. Tomorrow, a new rule might penalize them for increasing their H1B headcount. Or new conditions may suddenly make their workforce legally vulnerable.

We saw this recently when there was sudden news about H1B fees shooting up to $100,000 and forcing some visa holders to return to their home countries. That announcement caused global panic, only to later be clarified that existing visa holders were not impacted. Damage done. Trust shaken.

For companies, this uncertainty translates into:
“Better safe than sorry.”

For employees, it translates into something far worse.

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Living on Fragile Ground

Being on an H1B visa is already a fragile journey.

You live with:

• Continuous renewals

• Long green card waits (often a lifetime)

• Fear of procedural errors

• Anxiety of policy changes

• Dependence on employer sponsorship

Politics only makes this worse.

You become tied to your employer, not because you want to stay, but because you cannot afford to move. Mobility gets restricted. Opportunities shrink. And in some cases, this creates fertile ground for exploitation.

No professional should feel trapped simply because they chose to contribute to an economy legally and ethically.

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My Perspective After 13 Years

I’ve been in the US for 13 years.
And I have never felt that the US government owes me anything.

I came here by choice. I followed the rules of the land. I respected the system. I benefited from it, and I gave back more than my share through work, taxes, and contribution.

But I sincerely believe programs like H1B should be simpler, clearer, and more humane.

If the country wants to abolish the program and Congress believes that is in the nation’s best interest — fine. That is their prerogative. But don’t use H1B professionals as political chess pieces. Don’t destabilize lives to score vote points.

Let people do the bigger and better things they are capable of. Make movement easier. Make portability simpler. Let talent flow where it is most productive.

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A Thought That Keeps Coming Back

My personal opinion — and I have held this for years — is simple:

Anyone who has spent more than 10 years in the US on an H1B, remained compliant, paid taxes, and met all legal thresholds, should be granted permanent residency.

These are not temporary placeholders anymore. These are people who have built companies, raised families, driven innovation, and strengthened the economy. Making their life easier would not weaken America. It would multiply its potential.

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This is not about entitlement.
This is about logic, stability, and long-term national interest.

And more importantly — it’s about basic human dignity.

The Hidden Cost of Working From Home for Too Long

For years, I have worked from home.

In fact, ever since I moved to the US in 2013, remote work has been my default. I would either travel to customer locations or work out of my home office. As I moved into more senior roles, this freedom became even more natural.

Except for a couple of years when I moved to Florida and worked from a client’s office, I’ve essentially lived a remote-work life for more than a decade.

And while working from home has amazing advantages, it also comes with meaningful downsides that reveal themselves only over time.

Upsides of Working From Home

Massive Freedom
I can pick up and drop my kids. I can step out between meetings to run errands. Life becomes more fluid, like everything fits into one continuous calendar instead of two competing ones.


Extreme Flexibility
This is the big one. No commute. No traffic. No wasted hours sitting in a car or on a train. Honestly, it’s hard for me to imagine now how people willingly choose to spend a couple of hours every day going to and from work.


Better Energy Management
You can tailor your environment, take breaks when needed, eat at home, and generally run your day without the usual office friction. For many years, this felt like the perfect setup.

Downsides of Working From Home

This is where reality hits after you’ve lived remote life long enough.

The experience becomes stale
You start craving the freshness of stepping into an office—new spaces, new energy, random interactions, the simple human feeling of movement. Sitting in the same spot for years begins to feel like creative suffocation.


The magic of serendipity disappears
Offices are not just workplaces—they’re idea factories.
Being remote is like being on a mission: you execute what you already know.
Being around people helps you figure out new missions—what really matters, what has value, what direction the team should take.
That randomness is underrated, and it’s lost when you’re remote for too long.


Leadership becomes harder
In corporate jobs, leading teams, influencing decisions, and building relationships is a requirement—not optional. You simply can’t survive without it.
Remote leadership works on paper, but in reality, subtle things get lost: body language, mood, hallway chats, trust-building moments.
You only realize how important these are when they’re gone.


Freedom becomes a curse
This one sounds counterintuitive.
But having an open schedule, especially as a leader, is one of the hardest things to navigate.
When you are senior enough and have done things right, most of your time becomes unstructured.
You’re often staring at a blank page—your day, your goals, your plans. And that blank page can feel overwhelming.
Remote work amplifies this loneliness. There’s no natural rhythm, no environmental cues, no spontaneous direction-setting.

Why Full-Time Remote Is Less Than Ideal for Senior Leaders

This is my honest takeaway after more than a decade of remote work:
full-time remote work is great for execution roles, but not ideal for senior leadership.

Leadership needs presence—physical energy, human connection, proximity to people, and the ability to influence through the subtle moments that never get scheduled on a calendar.

If there’s one thing I would change about my work today, it’s this:
I would not be fully remote in a senior role.
Not because remote is bad, but because leadership requires a level of in-person richness that simply cannot be replicated behind a webcam.