Striving towards Excellence

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Today I'm reflecting on what freedom truly means - the power to choose my own burdens. I realize we're all haunted by certain fears, and it's only through facing pain that we grow beyond these fears, something I can only fully appreciate looking back.

When I'm in the midst of painful confrontations or overwhelming anxiety, it's hard to feel joy, peace, or security. But I need to remember that no painful burden - whether paralyzing anxiety or a relationship where I feel victimized - has simply "happened" to me without some level of acceptance on my part, however passive.

I have the freedom to reject unhealthy conditions and burdens, though accepting this freedom from pain isn't always easy - it's part of being human.

When I look at my struggles with fresh eyes and take responsibility for them, it doesn't necessarily make them easier, but it does restore my personal power. I'm not powerless or worthless at the mercy of others. In all my relationships, I'm an equal partner with the ability to redefine the terms at any moment.

Today, I am free to be who I want to be, to grow or not, to experience joy or pain - the choice is mine.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

I've found that being real about it actually helps. Like, yes, death is part of the package deal of being alive - kind of like how seasons change. Once I started thinking about it that way, it got less scary. It's like what Socrates said (in a way less stuffy version): we're kind of silly to fear something we don't even understand.

I've learned that planning for a peaceful exit is just as important as planning for retirement. It's kind of funny - we spend so much time planning vacations or career moves, but we shy away from planning our final chapter. Like that beautiful quote from Elizabeth Kübler-Ross says, we're all just like falling stars, shining bright for our moment.

Yeah, it's not the most fun topic, but accepting that we're not here forever helps us live better now. I try to make each day count by doing something meaningful - whether it's helping others or just spreading a bit of joy. I try to live in the now. I've also discovered that keeping busy with stuff that matters really helps.

The biggest game-changer? Understanding that love outlasts everything. Those connections we make, the memories we create - that stuff sticks around. Like that philosopher said - death might be strong, but love's stronger. It can't take away the good stuff we leave behind.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

You know, we tend to avoid talking about death like it's some kind of taboo subject. I get it - it's heavy stuff. But I've learned some interesting things about facing it, especially from this amazing story about Ramana Maharshi, who had this wild experience when he was just 16.

Picture this: Here's this regular teenager, sitting in his uncle's house, when suddenly he gets hit with this overwhelming fear of death. Instead of freaking out and running to someone else, he does something pretty remarkable - he decides to face it head-on. It's like when you're afraid of something and decide to look it straight in the eye.

Here's what works for me when thinking about death:

I try this morning practice sometimes - kind of like a thought experiment. I find a quiet moment, usually early morning when everything's peaceful, and just sit with some real questions: "What would happen to my family? Have I taken care of everything they'd need? What would I want to say to them?" Sure, it's scary at first, but it actually helps make peace with the whole idea.

There's this big difference I've noticed between running from death and accepting it as part of life. Like in Jain tradition, they have this practice called Sallekhana - it's not about giving up on life, but about making peace with its natural end. It's kind of like preparing for a journey you know you'll take someday, but without obsessing over it.

The most practical thing I've learned? Live fully now. I used to waste time worrying about stuff I couldn't control. These days, I focus more on creating good memories with my family, picking up new hobbies, helping others where I can. I've found that when you're really living, the fear of death naturally takes a backseat.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

As I go through my daily routine, I sometimes catch myself feeling a bit restless. Every morning, I follow the same pattern - I get up, I grade my students work, tackle the housework,  start work, prepare for classes,  take care of everyone else's needs, the usual chores, and finally climb into bed. Then I wake up and do it all over again.

At first glance, this repetitive cycle might seem dull. I used to focus on how each day mirrors the last, wondering if I was missing out on something more exciting. But lately, I've started to see things differently.

When I lay my head on my pillow at night, peacefully planning what to plan for tomorrow, I realize something profound: this simple act of calm planning is a luxury many people will never experience.  Think of the people in Ukraine, or Gaza. They go to bed worried about basic survival, uncertain about tomorrow, or facing serious crisis. But here I am, with the beautiful privilege of thinking about planning my day choices.

My "boring" life, I've come to understand, is actually a remarkable blessing. The predictability I once questioned is now something I cherish. Each routine task - from the morning alarm to the evening bedtime - represents stability, security, and peace. The fact that I can expect tomorrow to be similar to today isn't a limitation; it's a gift.

In this world that can be so harsh and unpredictable, I've actually won life's lottery. My ordinary, consistent home life isn't boring at all - it's a sanctuary of peace that many people dream of having. And for that, I'm deeply grateful.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

-Karthik Gurumurthy

You know how we often look at superstars like Joe Root consistently scoring centuries in Tests on the cricket field, Novak Djokovic dominating tennis, or Elon Musk revolutionizing industries, and think, "Man, they're just naturally gifted"? Well, here's the fascinating truth: it's not just about being born lucky or talented.

There was this brilliant researcher named Anders Ericsson who discovered something amazing - it typically takes about 10 years or 10,000 hours of what he called "deliberate practice" to become truly exceptional at something. Malcolm Gladwell actually wrote about this in his book "Outliers," showing how this pattern keeps popping up among top performers. Though it's not just about hitting that magic number - there are other factors too.

But here's why this is such great news: it means success isn't some exclusive club for the naturally gifted! Think about it - we're living in an age where we have more access to information than ever before. Our grandparents would have given anything for the resources we can access with just a few clicks!

Want to know what this "deliberate practice" looks like in real life? Take Michael Phelps' story - it'll blow your mind. While other swimmers were taking it easy after the Olympics, this guy was still grinding away in the pool. He pushed himself so hard in practice that his goggles would sometimes break! There's this amazing moment where his goggles filled with water during an Olympic race, but because he'd practiced so intensely - even in the worst conditions - he didn't panic. He just thought, "I've been here before," and kept swimming.

Or take Michael Jordan - instead of obsessing over what his competitors were doing, he focused on being so good that they had to worry about him! As his trainer Tim Grover put it, Jordan didn't study the competition - he made the competition study him.

The secret sauce? It's about consistently working on getting better at what matters most in your field. This could mean dedicating time each day to reading up on your industry, soaking up knowledge from podcasts, finding mentors who've been there and done that, getting those important certifications, and sharing what you learn with others. It's like building a muscle - you've got to keep at it regularly to see results.

Remember this: those moments of hard work when nobody's watching? That's what transforms you from good to great. As Phelps said, "It's what you do in the dark that brings you to light."