-Karthik Gurumurthy

You know what's cool about saying "thank you"? It's like putting on special glasses that help you spot all the good stuff in your life - things you might totally miss otherwise because you're too busy or stressed to notice. Plus, when you thank someone, it's this awesome reminder that you're not flying solo in life. We're all connected!

Now, let's talk about holding grudges - there's this super smart quote from the Talmud that basically says holding a grudge is as dumb as cutting one hand with a knife and then stabbing your other hand for revenge. Like, who are you really hurting here?

When someone hurts you, yeah, that pain is real - no one's saying it isn't. It's like getting a real cut - you can't just pretend it doesn't hurt. But here's the thing: holding onto that pain is like choosing to cut yourself over and over again. Ouch!

Think of forgiveness like gratitude's cousin - it's something you do for others, but really, you're the one who benefits most. There's this great way of looking at it: forgiving means giving up hope for a better past. Because let's be real - you can't change what happened yesterday, but you've got total control over what you do today and tomorrow.

Bottom line? Strong people know where to focus their energy. They know they can't control the past, but they sure can control how they handle it going forward!

-Karthik Gurumurthy

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Jackie Chan responded to a journalist's question about whether he is satisfied with his life with these wise words:

"You know, I once heard very wise words:

Your hard work is the dream of every unemployed person;

Your restless child is the dream of everyone without children;

Your small home is the dream of every homeless person;

Your little capital is the dream of every debtor;

Your poor health is the dream of every patient with an incurable disease;

Your peace, your peaceful sleep, your accessible food is the dream of everyone in a country at war.

You must appreciate everything you have. After all, no one knows what tomorrow will bring."

We should be appreciative for everything that we do have and never lose sight of that.

We should always practice positivity—-believe that anything is possible and always carry a positive and hopeful attitude.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can’t go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does. ~Margaret Atwood

We are actually 70% water."Be water, my friend!" says Bruce Lee

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Yesterday I got updates  from three of my students. By God's grace and their deliberate and persistent hardwork,  One got into UPenn, another one to Columbia and the third got into Cornell.  I wasn't surprised by these updates as all of them worked really hard to make this happen.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Got some awesome updates from students.

• Bay Area  student got into UC Berkeley
• PA student  got into Ohio State
• Ohio student  got into Harvey-Mudd
• Florida student got into Georgia Tech
• Two of my  TX students got into UT Austin.
•  Virginia student  got into Bucknell and Virginia Tech

-Karthik Gurumurthy

3 of my students got accepted at UCLA today. Go Bruins! 

-Karthik Gurumurthy

The Joy of living in Southern California.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

-Karthik Gurumurthy

I find myself confronting a common human experience - how easily we get caught up in our own dramas and forget to notice our blessings. It's like being so focused on a phone screen that we miss a beautiful sunset happening right in front of us.

My mother never visited anyone without bringing something, even if it was just fresh flowers from her garden. This simple act wasn't about the material value but about carrying gratitude and good intentions with you.

Like most people, I take the miracle of breathing for granted. But imagine struggling for each breath - suddenly, the simple act of inhaling becomes precious. It's like having a working microwave  every morning; we only truly appreciate it the day it breaks down.

Gratitude acts like a magnet for more blessings. It's like when you start noticing red cars on the road - suddenly you see them everywhere. When you actively practice gratitude, you begin noticing more things to be grateful for. I started keeping a gratitude journal, and surprisingly, found myself listing things I previously overlooked - the sound of rain, a good book, or a warm bed.

It acts as a beautiful reminder about recognizing life's beauty in simple moments, like feeling the sun's warmth on your face. It's in these moments, when we're fully present and grateful, that we become our optimal selves. This reminded me of times sitting by the ocean, feeling completely at peace and thankful just to exist in that moment.

This perspective on gratitude isn't just about saying "thank you" - it's about developing a deeper awareness of the countless blessings in our lives, from the profound to the mundane, and allowing that awareness to transform our entire experience of life.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

-Karthik Gurumurthy

From a young age, I've harbored a deep desire to become a valuable member of society. I believe that each of us has a unique purpose and the potential to make a positive impact on the world around us. As I look ahead to this new chapter, I encourage all of you to consider how you too can become valuable members of society. It's not about fame or fortune, but rather about the lasting impact we leave on the lives of others.

As I step into my 50s, I am filled with gratitude for the journey thus far and excitement for the adventures that lie ahead. My wish is that each of you embarks on your own journey of becoming a valuable member of society, leaving a legacy that shines brightly for generations to come.

Thank you for being a part of my journey, and let's continue to inspire and uplift one another.

For my birthday, I have shared a list of lessons to document on the lessons I have learned over the years.

• Stop talking and start doing. NOW!
• Get over yourself. Anything worth doing is worth sucking at it…at first.
• Be your own boss—no matter who you work for.
• Please make sure your wife is well taken care of. Marriage is a garden that requires consistent attention to flourish.
• Give your kids the gift of working through their own struggles.
• Assume any text, email, or anything in writing will become public.
• Embrace change before it’s forced on you.
• Stop arguing and start listening. You don’t win people over with logic. You win them over by listening.
• Be generous with your time, ideas, attention, smiles, compliments, and money.
• Remember the Caterpillar and the Butterfly. In your struggle to break out of your darkest moments, you transform into something new and build the strength in your wings to soar.
• Persist until you succeed, but also know when it’s wise to quit.
• Earn respect by respecting yourself first.
• Demand more of yourself than anyone else could ever imagine expecting of you.
• Pursue excellence in the 5 F’s of your life—Faith, Family, Finances, Fitness, and Friendships. Weakness in any area puts your entire life out of balance.
• Stretch your comfort zone daily. Life’s best opportunities lie on the other side of fear.
• Embrace failure, but don’t repeat it.
• Celebrate success, but don’t rest on it.
• Live each day with urgency—and patience.
• Don’t worry about the failure that could be. Worry about the regret that’s guaranteed if you don’t try.
• Stay grounded by deepening your faith.
• Accomplish big goals with small steps.
• Thank those who doubted you.
• Inspire others to break through their barriers to success by breaking through your own.
• Reject rejection. People don’t reject you as a person. They reject your words, ideas, offer, or product. Don’t take it personally.
• Always Be Serving
• Solve people’s problems, and you’ll never be unemployed.
• Treat everyone with dignity and respect—especially your enemies and critics.
• Dress to show respect.
• Surround yourself with people who raise your game.
• Find joy in the journey-especially your struggles.
• Fear mediocrity, not failure.
• Learn how- and when-to say no.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

18262 days in this planet. and starting 18263rd day here. Thankful to amazing parents, wife, brother, teachers, friends and family for being there throughout this journey. My journey would have ended in 3176 days if not for all the Blessings and prayers from parents. 

There’s something about milestone birthdays that make us reflect. And as great as it is to look back and be grateful for all the experiences that have shaped who I am today, I’m even more excited to look forward at what’s yet to come. You see, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that every day is a gift. We only get one life, and it’s up to us to decide how to spend our time. Working on making each day count for making a positive impact to make sure dash counted for something good. Don’t let people scare you. 50 is amazing!

I have more life experience than ever before.
I know myself better than ever before.
I have more meaningful relationships, and a purpose that drives me to get up and be excited about my work.
I have no idea what aging gracefully means, but aging happily is pretty sweet.

My wife Shobana was so thoughtful and kind to reach out to my long list of students and created an amazing video which made my day. I can't imagine the amount of work that went for creating that. It was lovely to see students from different timelines joining hands. Awesome to see everyone. Thank you, Shobana. It was the best Birthday gift, ever.

Spending time with my mom, son and wife. What more can I ask for? I do miss my dad, though. But I know he is there with me all the time guiding us every step on a day-to-day basis.

My advice is don’t get so busy with life that you forget to live. Spend your time wisely and invest in the things and people worth your time and energy.

• It's an opportunity to reflect and share some life lessons.
• The world is not black and white. Life is full of complexities and nuances, shades of gray that make every situation unique. Embrace the ambiguity and learn to navigate through it.
• Getting along is more important than being right. You don't always have to win every argument. Sometimes, maintaining relationships and harmony is far more essential.
• Nothing is more important than family. They are your rock in times of storm, your source of joy and balance. Cherish them.
• Elevation requires separation. Go work on yourself.
• There is a difference between giving your kids the you never had vs. giving them the things you never needed.
• Carpe diem: Seize the day, seize the moment, seize the opportunity. Make the most out of every day.
• Let go of what you can't control. Worrying about things beyond your control only drains your energy. Focus on what you can influence and let the rest unfold as it will.

As I step into the second half-century of my life, I carry these lessons close to my heart. Hoping they resonate with you too.

Thankful and  feeling Blessed for everything. I have been blessed abundantly in every facet of life. I couldn't have asked for more.

When I was born 50 years ago today, my parents certainly rejoiced in the gift of my life. Today, I know that what I most desire—for my life to have significance, to add value, to be coherent—is not an achievement but a gift.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

How do you recover from a failure? How do you develop the necessary courage and resilience to forge ahead when things are not going your way?

While volumes have been written and there are many articles available on both strategic and tactical approaches on the topic, the real secret sauce is perhaps best summed up below by a long-time hero of mine.

“With gratitude, optimism is sustainable. If you find something to be grateful for, then you can find something to look forward to and you carry on.”
-   Michael J. Fox

-Karthik Gurumurthy

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Srividhya scored perfect score and Harsh's score improved by 270 points.Very happy about the same...Made my day!!Thank you God!

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Thankful to spend last few days with the coolest people...Thank you Susi family, Baji family for taking time out of your schedule to spend time with us. We are thankful and Blessed! 

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Do not spend time on people who aren't grateful. Those are the ones who take blessings for granted and live a life that lacks empathy. Your time once spent won't be gained back even by spending millions. So make sure you spend it wisely on those who respect your efforts and are grateful for the support they gained. As well, build this quality in your own life. Be grateful. Every interaction matters. Do not waste your energy and time on people who don't deserve it.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Travel opens up the mind and helps us question our reality, understand new cultures, and make lasting memories for a lifetime. Although some people refuse to travel because they see it as time-wasting, it opens your mind and heart to take a new perspective of life. 

In fact, travel is more than just taking a selfie. It's about understanding the world we live in, broadening our horizons as human beings, developing empathy for others, and giving us new insights into the culture. In short, it gives us a new appreciation for what makes life worth living.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Few people in this world set such a high example for character, class, sportsmanship and pure love for the game of tennis. It was a pleasure watching you compete all these years and you are true definition of an amazing human being on and off the court. Even RF's Retirement Speech will become one of the Greatest Retirement Speeches of All Time! You will be missed, Roger!!

"I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.”- 20 time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer who announced his retirement from tennis"- Roger Federer

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Today is the Birthday of legendary Coach Wooden. I am reflecting what he shared.

• Being authentic and vulnerable is foundational to leadership. The only gift I have to offer the world is me and what I have within.
• It took me a while to recognize that I’m more than enough for what I want to accomplish. Once I stopped being ashamed of myself I could start being my best version every day than trying to copy some and end up being a bad duplicate.
• Each of us is a walking billboard, advertising ourself. Our words and actions are our real time commercial. How we represent ourselves is very important.

John Wooden’s dedication and commitment to excellence resulted in a an incredible framework to develop leaders.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

"When someone asks us, "What makes you happy"? We always tends to think of something that is not right now with us. If we change this perspective to focus on something we have, life becomes beautiful."

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Lot of times I encounter people who wished that they can go back in time and alter the course. I don’t believe in living with regret but there are some things that I would definitely have done differently in my life. Obviously I can only know that now with hindsight so it would be impossible to know how some things would play out at the time. I’m a big believer that we do what is right at the time, using the information we have.

What is helpful now though is having the benefit of that knowledge to know that that thing, person or job isn’t for you.

It helps us to make future decisions and navigate our way through any new options that present themselves.

One of my friends asked me the question  the other day if f it was possible, would I go back in time and change anything? Probably not. All those decisions (good and bad) led me to where I am today, and all the people I now know and love. Better to focus on now and appreciate all the positives rather than dwelling on a past you can't change. Easier said than done sometimes.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Gratitude can make you feel calmer, content and relaxed. Each time we reflect on what we have and what we are grateful for, our brains release Serotonin.Serotonin is the key hormone to stabilise our mood and happiness – it promotes our wellbeing. It also helps with sleeping and digestion.

Practice daily gratitude at the start of your day and notice how you feel happier, calmer and relaxed. I spend 5 minutes as part of my morning routine to be thankful for all I have.

I ask myself - what am I most grateful for today?

Each day my response includes:

· For my amazing family, colleagues, students

· I get to serve the world each day working with favorite people.

· My deep network of incredible souls (family and friends)

· I get to choose how I react and respond to each and every situation I find myself

· I get to choose how I nurture my mind, body and health

When we SERVE ourselves and show gratitude - we in turn SERVE all those we touch, see and interact with.

👉🏽 What are you most grateful for today and how will you embed the practice of daily gratitude into your routine?

Wishing you all a fabulous start to the week.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Happy Independence day, India. The  poem "Where the mind is without fear" was written by one of the greatest poets of India, Rabindranath Tagore. This was written during the period when India was struggling for freedom from the British rule. It was a part of ‘Gitanjali’, a compilation of all his poems which was published in English in 1912.

"Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of the truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake."

-From Gitanjali (aka Song Offering) by Rabindranath Tagore

In this poem, Rabindranath Tagore expresses his love for his country and prays to the Almighty for its well being. In his prayer, the poet says that his countrymen should not live in fear anymore and must do away with the evils of society. They must live with respect, dignity, honesty and perfection.  The poet envisions India as a country where the people live without any kind of fear or oppression and hold their head high with pride, dignity and self reliance. He also says that knowledge should be attained without any restriction. There should be no discrimination based on caste, creed, race or religion. India must reach towards its goal of attaining freedom and being an ideal nation. The countrymen must possess noble thoughts and do away with all the superstitious beliefs that defy logic and reason.The poet prays to God, seeking his support and guidance for his countrymen to have noble thoughts and actions. He asks God to awaken them into this heaven like place of an independent nation.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Oh, Dhoni, the captain cool,
You led India to glory.
You are the best finisher,
And you are the best keeper.

You are a true legend,
And you will be missed.
But your legacy will live on,
And you will always be remembered.

You are a true inspiration,
And you have shown us what is possible.
You have shown us that we can achieve anything,
If we set our minds to it.

Thank you for everything, Dhoni.
We will never forget you.

Your fans will always love you,
And they will always cheer for you.
You are a true champion,
And you will always be a part of our hearts.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

One of the things my dad advised when I left to US for grad school (about two and half decades back) was making a schedule or routine and sticking to a routine on a day-to-day basis.

One of the many challenges of Covid was the disruption of routine. As creatures of habit, we all had routines around going to work and the activities of our personal lives. These routines were dramatically changed and constrained. Suddenly most of us were working from home and establishing new routines by necessity. Some put their routines on hold hoping that things would soon return to a semblance of normal.

I quickly realized that I needed to adapt to the new constraints and develop a daily agenda that would best serve me and the results I wanted to achieve. I saw the challenge then (and now) to make the most of every day regardless of circumstance.

So I revisited and nenewed my current schedule.

A good schedule creates good results and vice versa. Knowing high payoff activities and doing them consistently is key to effectiveness. Rather than leave their day to chance leaders are strategic. And with an increase in remote work, a schedule is even more important.

Here are the ingredients of my schedule:

Rest. A majority of us don’t get enough sleep. Given the increased time we have at home, there’s no reason not to catch up and start getting the sleep we need. Sleep deprivation can lead to decision making that is impaired to the equivalent of moderate intoxication. A quick review of research shows how sleep is central to attitude, mental and physical help, obesity etc.
Starting Early. Getting your day off to a good start is important. For me that includes walk, study, prayer and reflection. I like to rise early so I can do those things without rush (right now I’m editing this article at 5:15 a.m.). The point isn’t how early you start your day but to begin purposefully and peacefully. This will equip you to hand the challenges that you will inevitably face later.
Problems. Some will come to you but others are already on your agenda. Prioritize the most important problems to address. Trying to solve every problem at once usually makes you ineffectual. A good challenge is to ask yourself, “How can I change this problem into an opportunity?” The difference between a problem and an opportunity are often perspective and ingenuity.
Projects. These are the important things you choose to do to move you closer to your goals. Don’t confuse activity with accomplishment. You can get lots of little things done and still not be doing important work. Projects are the building blocks of your business’s and your life’s success.
Relationships. Which need renewed, repaired or raised to the next level? Think in terms of the important people in your business and life like you think in terms of important projects. Before Covid-19, many relationships were addressed in the time we had left over rather than intentionally. When the pace of life slowed, we had time to invest in deepening and strengthening relationships.
Hobbies. All work and no play doesn’t make Jack dull, it makes Jack fatigued and unhealthy. What things that you enjoy and refresh you that you can do for some period of time each day to provide you a much needed respite? I hear leaders say they don’t have interests outside of their work. If you find yourself in that category, consider the benefits of curiosity and wonder, of learning new skills and widening your interests. Not only will it be rewarding, it will almost certainly benefit your work life.
Rejuvenation. What do you do the end each day as well as you began it? One classic technique from positive psychology is to identify three good things that happened during the day. Another is to simply ask yourself, “What is the most important thing I accomplished today?” I keep a note pad next to my bed to record insights that come to me in the time before I sleep. Ultimately, gratefulness and reflection are a positive ending to the day.
The next day? Simply repeat your routine.

You might notice I left out interruptions (which will inevitably occur). You don’t have to design them into your day. They will happen naturally and regularly so you might want to include some margin to deal with the important ones as they occur.

These are my ingredients. You may add or subtract for your renewed routine. But now is a good time to re-examine and renew your routine to make the most out of every day you are given. You can’t put more time into your life, but you can put more life into your time.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

If I look back, I always chose a path different from the people around me. Right after high school, everybody around me went for medicine or engineering. I was interested in learning and pursuing a career involving Chemistry.  Most of the times, I try to choose a path which is mostly uncertain. Most of my friends and family always put their kids in the best public or private school. My wife and I chose to experiment our kid with homeschool. 

One thing I noticed over the years is every breakthrough is preceded by great uncertainty.  The only way to avoid uncertainty, to come close to guaranteed success in an endeavor,  is if you have done it before, or someone else has. At that point, why bother? You are no longer creating, you are replicating, checking off yet another largely inevitable outcome. It may be easier. It may carry less angst. But it will also matter far les to you and to those you seek to serve.

Life's greatest moments live in the space between desire and attainment. It's not the getting that makes life good, it is the seeking, even when that seeking demands not just action but surrender. The moment your object of desire becomes a foregone conclusion, the quest loses its potential to change you. Your life becomes a series of reruns and that gets old fast. 

Yes, I agree that Uncertainty may bring unease, but it also brings  a vital energy, the exhilaration of creation. Without uncertainty, there is no possibility. 

There is no perfect moment. No time when you will know enough to guarantee you wull get what you want. Still, at some point, imperfectly informed, with butterflies in your belly, you'll still need to act. Experience and emotion dance in that space. It is where possibility finds it wings. The greatest creations, the most legendary relationships, the most treasured and heralded experiences, innovations, and lives have all come from people who were willing to live and act in the face of uncertainty long enough for greatness to emerge. 

-Karthik Gurumurthy

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Be interested, not interesting.

Checking your ego at the door and simply just listening is incredibly empowering, both for you and whoever you’re meeting with.

The less I talk, the more I feel in control. If I’m 20 minutes in to a monologue about something, barely taking a breath let alone a question from the audience, how can I possibly be sure I’m on the right track?

Humility, empathy and listening are key skills to develop as a Program/Project Manager along with the ability to use silence and pauses as tools to control dialogue and it’s outcome.

Indeed, as someone more introverted, being in control by listening comes much more naturally than trying to dominate and drive a conversation through words alone.

Maybe it’s just me.. but I find it works well for my style.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Whenever we reach an uncharted territory, we need to remind ourselves of Joseph Campbell's words: "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek."

We need to own the fear, find the cave, and write a new ending for yourself, for the people you are meant to serve and support and for your team. We need to choose courage over comfort. We need choose the great adventure of being brave and afraid..at the same time.

Devastated! I am devastated that Kobe, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed  in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, today morning.  My heart is with the loved ones of everyone who perished in that tragic incident. He was truly an inspiration  to many.

Remember shaking hands with this legend back in 2004-2005 at the Vons store Newport Coast between my tutoring sessions. He was easy to talk to and was very approachable. Unfortunately, no fancy mobile those days to capture that moment. Perhaps that's why that moment is still fresh in memory. In these days of selfies, we don't remember who we meet and such moments are buried in some folder that needs to be searched.

What is special about Kobe? He constantly worked on getting better.. Constantly worked on himself..Really fearless , Laker. Can't believe this news..I definitely wish this is not true.

#WillmissyouMamba #ReturnIfPossible

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Thankful to lead an incredible team in Amex. It has been a great opportunity to learn, serve an  amazing, passionate, sharp team of Engineers and thoroughly enjoying this experience. As a TPM (Technical Program Manager) while  we finish one project/program, we always reflect on the lessons learned from the sprints/iterations/ projects/ programs. Likewise end of the year is a good time to reflect on lessons learned and how to make 2020 year better.

• What are we thankful for? It is not enough to just count our blessings but to rehearse, relive and revisit them constantly. One of the things my wife does very well is to write thank you letters and she does that with our son on  a regular basis. Lot of times, it is easy to get complacent and tend to take things for granted.
• What did the past year teach us? What are the good things that we are going to carry forward to 2020? What are the things that didn't go too well which we will improve upon in 2020.
• Over the years, I am realizing the value of simplifying life is  to focus on the right priorities and remove the things in the agenda that doesn't add value. We all need to realize and reduce the time we spend on less important things/trivial which doesn't add value from our day-to-day routine. Past will equal future if we do not change.
• One of the things that I learned from my boss  ( Dr. SV) is  to always have  a learning agenda. Whenever he had free time, he consumed himself with learning new technologies, getting his hands dirty and implementing what he learned. What do we need to learn or want to learn in 2020 to move on to the next level?  Cultivating curiosity,  expanding intellectual bandwidth sets a great foundation to move forward in 2020.
• 2018 was awesome with regards to exercise and diet. With traveling and staying away from home for extended period of time in 2019, diet and exercise got really messed up. Developing a proper routine in 2020 with diet and exercise will pave way to better health.
• Every day, asking ourselves “How can I be of greater service?” Volunteering to help prevents self absorption and serves a higher purpose. Who and how can we serve in little and big ways in the coming year?

Success is never an accident. Improving requires intent and we need to work on it on a day-t0-day basis.  Let us make the 2020 the best year of our lives. Happy New Year 2020!

-Karthik Gurumurthy

What a fun-filled year it was!!

• I was able to take control of health. Lost about 22 pounds and through self-discipline, moderation, it was good to change sizes for better in a period of 7-9 months.
• Learned a lot with regards to Tableau/Collibra at work.  Loved working with the data analytics team @ UCLA. 
• Got some places off the bucket list and thankful to all the travel done in 2018
• Awesome to take time off to  catch up with Susi and his family and reconnect.
• Thankful for the new opportunity at Amex, Phoenix.
• Would like to learn more and update my knowledgebase in 2019.
• Get SAfe/ Harvard- American Express Leadership Excellence/ PMI- ACP certification successfully done  in 2019.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

My copy of #Daddykins arrived on time and I couldn't put the book down.

Kalpana Mohan writes magically about her father, his life, all the way from his days in pre-independent India, to the 21st century. I was transported to his village in Palakkad, to the Madras of old that him and his family made Home in. Mostly though, the words paint a breathtaking picture of a man through his daughter’s eyes, through his Man Friday’s eyes, through the lives of those he touched.

A read that was both sad and funny, a story of a love that is both universal and unique. Nothing can ever extinguish the aching sadness of the loss of one's parents; all we are left with are stories and memories. Kalpana Mohan has captured these so beautifully. It is the story of her family, the life and times of her beloved Daddykins and a host of others who were part of his milieu. I can totally relate to her narration as I lost my dad to cancer in 2012 as soon as I heard about his illness, I dropped everything to take care of him. Kalpana has used unswerving probity coupled with a defining and underlying compassion – making us laugh and cry with the family. ! I am teary eyed right now, having literally lived the last moments of Daddykins in the past hour!!  It is a rare book that can appeal to everyone – Daddykins is one such – for we can, each and every one of us, relate to someone or something in the book.  Five stars, that is my vote. Wonderfully written!!

-

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Today is Guru Purnima. Guru Purnima is an Indian festival that is celebrated as per the Hindu Moon Sign calendar to express reverence towards your Guru, your teacher or mentors. Etymologically, the word Guru has been derived from two parts – Gu that means darkness and Ru that is the antidote to the darkness.The word 'Guru' is defined as a person who leads people on the path to enlightenment. Guru removes avidya, or ignorance, which is a case of mistaken identity.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

All of us have blind spots and it is very important that we take time to be aware of them.  If we want to develop your own ability to be more conscious of your strengths, weaknesses and how they are perceived by others, here are some steps one can possibly do:

1. Please try to get feedback from someone you trust other than the family. It should be someone in your life you trust 100%, who has your back and will tell you the truth. While you may want to ask a family member, there’s too many feelings and emotions tied with family and sometimes with family they may judge you and they might give you a sermon than honest feedback. Please make sure you prepare your friend in advance about what you are seeking and don’t be afraid of what they’ll say.

If the feedback you receive seems to be out of left field, let the other person know you are surprised and then ask for examples. Ask for an example of the last time you exhibited the behavior: For example, “Was there a specific time you felt I wasn’t listening carefully enough?” That may help take the sting off any unexpected criticism because it narrows it to some specific events as opposed to feeling like an overall character flaw.

2. Take a few days, a week or even a month or so before you determine what or how you want to react. Generally, there are three possibilities you can address the information:

Make a big change: If the feedback can improve your life across the board, move forward with making changes.

Make a small change: The information may not impact every aspect of your life, but will allow you to make improvements in small ways.

Do nothing: In some cases, the phrase “I am who I am” applies as long as you are aware of the consequences of not changing.

3. Forgive yourself and move forward
You probably won’t like everything you hear. But feeling bad about criticism is only human. Acknowledge how you feel, whether it’s angry, sad or ashamed, and then work on self-acceptance.

We are so focused on building self-esteem when what we should be doing is looking at self-acceptance. Once you can give yourself permission to not be perfect, you can identify what you can control and do something to change that behavior.

Being at peace with yourself is key to building self-acceptance. People who are most introspective make self-awareness a priority and commit to working on it every single day.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

I have shared this quote from Michael Josephson before and from time-to-time we all need to think about the same.

"Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours, or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame, and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear.
So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.
It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got.. but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success, but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered, or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom, and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance, but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters.
How true this is. And Michael Josephson gives us reasons to think.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Dearest Appa,

We miss your physical presence. Happy 75th Birthday! You always taught us through your example and there is not a day that goes by without thinking about what you have done for us. One of the greatest things which you showed us by example is the attitude of Gratitude.  You talked about how grateful you were every single day and always thanked God, family, friends. This is probably the best time I feel to express how thankful I am to have such a wonderful dad who set an amazing example. I am thankful for having the most caring Mom I could ever ask. I am thankful for all my Grandparents (both paternal and maternal) who worked hard  and made it happen for the  families. I am thankful to have wonderful brother Aravind who is always there for me for everything. I consider myself superblessed to get an awesome beautiful wife who is the most transparent person I know with amazing qualities being enthusiastic and great sense of innocence and love for people. I am blessed with my wonderful friends and each of them have helped me in multiple ways. The closest being Sudarsanam Raman (Susi), Vijay, PG, Balaji, Ranga who knows everything about me and still had chosen to be friends with me. There are lot of Gurus/bosses/ teachers/ coworker whom I am extremely thankful to know them, These are the CHANGE AGENTS. These people come in your lives and they transform your life for the best.   My high school Math Teacher whom we used to refer as NR;  Prof. AK Mishra  and my favorite of all Dr. KS Viswanathan; Dr. V. Ramamurthy , Dr. Don Creighton , Computational Biology department at Johns Hopkins University L. Aravind, Subbu Viswanathan, Leslie Jones, Shekar Panchapekesan, Priya Sreedharan,  Michael Wang,  Sheila Minton, Yvon Descieux, Robert Marston, Randy Canfield, Pramukh Subramanian,  Juli Kahanamoku. This is not in any specific order. I am hoping I didn't leave any of  my change agents out.  All these people have added tremendous value in my life on a day-to-day basis. 

 #ThankfulandBlessed #ThanksDad #ThanksAll

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Today is the first day of the rest of your life . Let us make it happen!

-Karthik Gurumurthy

-Karthik Gurumurthy

I just finished the reading the book "Option B" by Sheryl Sandberg (COO of Facebook) and Adam Grant (Prof. in Wharton Business School). 

After the sudden death of her husband, Facebook COO (and author of Lean In) Sandberg finds herself a widow and single mother.  It is a brave attempt to unveil the vulnerability with such rawness and honesty.Her book isn't exactly a checklist--which I think is a good thing--but it is a way to take charge of one's own response to tragedy or difficulty.

Sandberg researches what these things are, and does her best to follow them. Turns out these types of mindsets or mental exercises are good for all of us who have gone through something as tragic or even mildly difficult. And they are good for those of us who have stood by friends who have lost loved ones or are battling enormous life adjustments. Or smaller challenges, too. Or maybe we're parents of children whose lives will inevitably involve some hardship, and we'd like to teach them to be resilient from a young age.

Some of the things I picked up from the book and will carry with me as tools to face or overcome the loss or failure, both in my own life and others:

- The "3 Ps" can stunt recovery: 1) Personalization, or the belief that we are at fault; 2) Pervasiveness, or the belief that an event will affect all areas of our life; 3) Permanence, or the belief that the aftershocks of the event will last forever. Challenging those responses and letting rational thinking return to the forefront helps.

- It's no big secret that learning from mistakes is helpful in school and at jobs. I liked the story of Kim Malone Scott at Google who brought a stuffed monkey named Whoops to team meetings. The person who had the biggest screw up got to have Whoops sit at their desk for the week. 

- I loved the idea of opening yourself in a humble way to feedback. Sue Ashford's studies "show that although fishing for compliments hurts your reputation, asking for criticism signals you care about improving."

- "Believing it will all work out helps it all work out."

- Loved the last chapter of adding humor back into life after a tragic event or loss. "Humor lowers our heart rate and relaxes our muscles. Humor is a signal that a situation is safe. Laughter breaks tension by making stressful situations less threatening."

For people going through a tragedy or loss, Sheryl offers some useful phrases: “you are not alone” is better than “I cannot imagine”; “I will bring dinner” is better than “how can I help?” which puts the burden on the grieving one to come up with something to do. And as for “how are you?”: It can be a punch in the gut to someone already in pain, since the answer is probably somewhere along the spectrum of awful to unbearable. A better alternative: “how are you today?”

I strongly recommend this book. I am in complete admiration of Sheryl Sandberg and her determination to move forward in a positive way for the sake of her children, family, friends and colleagues and  am thankful that she generously decided to share her nightmare with those of us who can always use a little advice of what to do when someone we love meets tragedy. 

-Karthik Gurumurthy

-Karthik Gurumurthy

It is easy to forget the people who have helped us at different points. Parents, Teachers, Professors, Family, Bosses, Colleagues, Coworkers, Plenty to name and be thankful.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Today is a sad day. As one of my beloved uncle whom we fondly referred to as Panchami mama ( in short for Panchapakesan) went to be with Almighty. He was suffering from Parkinson's and he left us today. 

-Karthik Gurumurthy 

A conversation with a friend, coworker and family member will turn into positive action when you ask these two words:

What’s next?

That question focuses on the next action to be taken, the new thing to be done, or where effort should be exerted. It moves you from dwelling on the moment to moving ahead.

“What’s next?” is all about what action–however small or large–you can take to create forward forward momentum towards results. “What’s next?” combats complacency. It gets you off your current plateau and breaks complacency. “What’s next?” goes beyond “thinking about” to “identifying and doing” what is necessary to make progress.

It gets an uncommitted prospect to make a decision. 

“What’s next?” uncovers what part of your big goal is achievable now. Over time enough questions like “What’s next?” results in an achieved goal. “What’s next?” identifies what it will take to make your relationship better, for you and the other person. “What’s next?” creates movement and progress with whomever you’re talking to.

Stumped? In a rut? Stymied about how to move forward? Just ask, “What’s next?”

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Remembering you on your birthday! So lucky to have you as my dad and am thankful for all you have done for us and for all your blessings which is taking us closer to our goals. Please continue to bless us and guide us as always.

With lots of Love,

From all of us.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers in the world . To my dad I love you and miss you and will never forget you . What you taught me made me the man I am today. Happy Father's Day dad .

-Karthik Gurumurthy

I have heard a story about Winston Churchill and his extraordinary integrity in the face of opposition. During his last year in office, he attended an official ceremony. Several rows behind him two gentlemen began whispering. “That’s Winston Churchill. They say he is getting senile. They say he should step aside and leave the running of the nation to more dynamic and capable men.” When the ceremony was over, Churchill turned to the men and said, “Gentlemen, they also say he is deaf.”

How you respond to critics is very important part of building yourself. It’s all too easy to get defensive when critics rub us the wrong way or misunderstand us. There is also a possibility of us  being wrong as well. Ask yourself why the criticism was made. Is the person trying to help, to make things better, to help you avoid making mistakes, to suggest positive improvements? Is the person just in a cranky rude mood, having a bad day? Is the person just mean, or jealous? Is there good reason for the criticism?My dad gave me an outstanding piece of advice when I first left to US. He said, “If you take the blame when you deserve it, you will take responsibility and will improve and become a better person." I have found that to be very true. Difficult, but true. In my experience, until someone in a group (or in a family) accepts blame, everyone stays very anxious and focused on fingering the person at fault. Once I take responsibility and be accountable, then everyone else can relax. And then we can all focus on what needs to be done.

Thank the person offering the criticism. Sometimes they’re coming from a place of wanting to help you. That takes courage, and is a very generous thing. Be grateful for that. Even when they’re not trying to be helpful, they’ve taken the time to respond to you — and trust me, getting a response is better than absolute silence. Provoking a reaction means you’ve done something interesting — and for that, you should be thankful. Either way, thanking the critic will help lead to a positive exchange.

It is also important not immediately respond but delay the response.  Delaying the response gives time to think it over and not be reactive. Calm yourself down before responding. Always. Responding to a critic in anger is never, ever, ever a good idea.Respond rationally and calmly. Instead of being defensive, be honest. Share your reasons, acknowledge the other person’s points if there’s any validity, and come to a rational conclusion rather than jealously guarding your way of doing things.

Or stay silent. If you can’t respond with grace, then just don’t respond. Silence is a much better response than anger or defensiveness or quitting.