Category: Motivation

Rule of 70/20/10

Neera

A little while ago, I watched the IP Man movie series,
and it has stayed with me ever since.

The series follows Yip Man, a legendary martial arts teacher.
Among his many students, the most famous was Bruce Lee.

What struck me about the Ip Man movies was the lack of fight scenes.
Instead, we see Yip Man spending time with his family, having tea, meeting friends, and navigating everyday struggles.

Politics, war, and philosophy play their roles, but one thing remains constant—Yip Man practicing his craft.

The biggest lesson from the series?
Don’t fight when it doesn’t matter. Save your energy for the battles that truly count.

The opposite of important work isn’t busywork—it’s rest.

“It’s very easy to spend a decade being incredibly busy and stressed every day, feeling like you’re working incredibly hard, and creating a ton of movement—but not moving forward.” — Sam Altman

Hidden within the Ip Man series is the Rule of 70/20/10:

🔹 70% rest
🔹 20% training
🔹 10% fighting

We, too, can apply this rule to our writing lives.

Are you spending all your time fighting battles that don’t matter?
Or are you reserving your energy for the moments that truly count?

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Slow down!

Neera

There is no rush.

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

Last year, I made a deliberate decision to slow down.

Not just in one or two areas, but in everything I do—writing, exercising, cooking, crafting, even tidying up. I let go of the rush, the multitasking, and the constant sense of urgency that life often demands.

The result? I’m enjoying work and life so much more.

Surprisingly, I haven’t achieved less by slowing down.

In fact, I’ve noticed that I get the same amount of work done, often in the same amount of time.

The difference is in how I approach it.

When we slow down, we don’t do less, we simply do things differently.

We become more intentional, more aware, and more present in the moment.

Writing feels like an act of creativity instead of a task to complete.

Cooking turns into a mindful ritual rather than a chore.

Even the simplest tasks, like folding laundry or watering plants, become opportunities to connect with ourselves and the world around us.

Slowing down doesn’t mean stopping.

It means moving through life with awareness and purpose, savoring the moments instead of racing through them. And that awareness brings something we all crave: joy and satisfaction.

So, if life feels like it’s moving too fast, try this:

Slow down.
Breathe.
Be present.

You might just find that the slower pace leads to a richer, fuller life.

What’s one thing you’ll slow down on today?

I turned success on its head

Neera

Rather than asking, how can I be successful?

I asked, what can I do NOT to be successful?

The rephrase is based on a mental model
introduced by a great mathematician, Carl Jacobi.

It’s called “Inversion Thinking.”

Instead of asking how to write like a pro.
Ask, how to write like an amateur.

It’s easier to avoid making dumb mistakes
Then trying to be right all the time.

I will look too dumb if I continue making these mistakes.

What are the three words that describe you?

Neera

It’s one of the common interview questions.
Most of the time, people answer it with some adjectives.

– Reliable
– Outgoing
– Energetic
– Team player
– Dependable

But there is more to this question than just a bunch of adjectives.

People who have achieved a lot in their lives can be easily defined in three words.

Here are a few examples:

Gandhi – Truth, Non-violence, Equality.
J.F. Kennedy – Service, Social Justice, Collaboration.
Steve Jobs – Innovation, Visionary, Disruptive.

In their case, the three words are their philosophies, rather than mere adjectives.

Now think again, what are the three words that describe you?

It’s not an easy exercise, but a worthwhile one.

Once you know what you’re all about, what you stand for,
you will find the inner drive that will guide you

I recently did the exercise and the three words that describe me are:
“Freedom, Power and Adventure.”

‘Freedom’ to do whatever I want to do.
‘Power’ to make it happen.
A life full of ‘adventure.’

I would add a fourth one as well:
‘Authorpreneur’ turning writing into a business.

This is exactly what I do and how I live.

Embrance Life Long Learning

Neera

Growth and progression are relevant at every stage of your career — not just when you’re starting out.

Here are 3 tips from my own 20 years of ascending the career ladder.

1) Embrace Lifelong Learning:

After taking a seven-year break to raise my kids, re-entering the job market was difficult, to put it mildly.

Even though I had a Master’s in Biochemistry, two incomplete Ph.D.s (a story for another day), and a portfolio of published research papers in esteemed Biochemistry journals, I struggled to secure even a research assistant position.

Undeterred, I embarked on a new journey by returning to university, pursuing an additional degree in Information Technology.

The result?

Five job offers on the table—making the decision which one to accept a pleasant predicament.

But my story doesn’t conclude there. I continued to invest in my professional development, undertaking 2-3 courses annually at my expense.

This commitment paid off, propelling me into a senior manager position within eight years.

2) Mentorship Matters:

Success is seldom a solo journey.

We all require support to learn and grow. Instead of solely seeking mentors for myself, I actively sought opportunities to become a mentor.

Guiding others through their learning, assisting with implementation, and fostering growth became a rewarding part of my journey

Besides, mentorship is a two-way street; you not only impart your knowledge, but you also gain fresh perspectives from younger employees.

3) Build Professional Network:

As a seasoned professional, your network is likely one of your most valuable assets.

Although I am an introvert, I made sure I attended IT events, connected with colleagues in other departments and organizations, and took part in professional groups.

My career progression stemmed from the influence I cultivated with the individuals in my professional network.

Your journey doesn’t end with securing a job and doing well; it’s about evolving, adapting, and continuing to set new goals.

By embracing lifelong learning, engaging in mentorship, and building a robust professional network, seasoned professionals can not only stay relevant but thrive in an ever-changing professional landscape.

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Making Time

Neera

Productivity is not about doing more in less time.

It is not about making to-do lists, prioritizing them, or even outsourcing.

It is about “making time” in your day for the things you care about.

What are your priorities?

– Spending time with your family?
– Learning a language?
– Starting a side business?
– Volunteering?
– Writing a book?

Whatever you want to do, “make time” for it.

Life is so busy and chaotic. That’s why we are constantly stressed and distracted. We have too many things on the go that are competing for every minute of our time.

We are in we-must-fill-every-minute-with-productivity-bandwagon.

Overflowing inboxes, stuffed calendars, endless to-do lists, apps, and other sources of never-ending content, most of our time is spent by default attending to these things.

Productivity isn’t the solution.

I have tried every productivity trick to do more.

The trouble is there are always more tasks waiting to be done.

The faster I ran on the hamster wheel the faster it spun.

So I got off the hamster wheel.

– I deleted apps.
– I banned devices.
– I scrapped to-do lists.

And I “made time” for the things I really wanted to do.

I am now less busy but feel more productive.

I am working only 4 hours a day now but achieving much more.

What things you are doing by default?
What do you need to “make time” for?