raam thakrar

I’ve been listening to quite a lot of thought provoking radio these last days, and has made me ask myself the question, “what would I have done?”

Today was an Egyptian activist who talked about how it was her duty to get involved in Tahriri Square activities – an that she happened to be a spokesperson given her command of English, whilst others were nurses or building latrines etc.

And earlier this week was an American civil rights campaigner, who has recently become the target of some political slurs. She was very proud of her campaigning, her activities in spite of the inertia in society.

In their shoes, would I have had the same courage? I’m not in their shoes, and my life has taken to become a tech entrepreneur. What are the choices that I’m going to be making – that in the future I’ll be able to look back and think, that was the right thing to do?

I’ve struggled with goals and goal setting for a little while. Both career and family life have been kind to me, but not in the most obvious and expected ways. And inevitably life-goals use those 2 parts of life as an anchor. It all looks much better and planned with the benefit of hindsight.

Another James Altucher influence, this time on goal setting and what it takes to be happy. I like this post a lot – his three goals aren’t quite the same as mine (post to come), as I wonder whether the smoothness is such a high priority for me. But all that he says about health and pray and emotional and mental is all bang on correct.

Really like this idea from James Altucher of writing at least an idea every day.

I’m increasingly convinced that creativity (in the broadest sense) is the way for me to have that edge over anyone else – many people can think logically, and most of these people are cleverer than me. But many people don’t have the breadth to think laterally and creatively around problems. Not that I always do, far from it, but I can bring in weird and tangential benchmarks into conversation.

At last, finding a way to put my meandering career path to reasonable use.

I love the concept of “totally pulling a Tim Ferriss”, good on Steve Corona for launching a book where he hadn’t even written a word.

He had an outline, but nothing more. Ensure that there’s demand before you provide the supply.

This but one example of how the world has changed in the last 20-30 years – that demand is the key issue, way more difficult to fully get right than supply.

Public list of things I want to do:
– Go without social media for 1 month, when living your normal life. I like this idea a lot, will make sure that it happens.

I’ve been a fan of the BBC’s desert island discs this year, it’s made me think twice about a bunch of people that I’d never really thought much about. Vidal Sassoon is the first of those that springs to mind, but also Jerry Springer and Shami Chakrabati.

So, very much a work in progress, but my DiD’s:

1 – Manqabat In Raga Bhairvi, by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

2 – Kothbiro, by Ayub Ogada

3 – Utru Horas, by Orchestra Baobab

4 – Dirt Off Your Shoulder, by Jay-Z

5 – Harmony, by Hariprasad Chaurasia and Shiv Kumar Sharma

6 – El Dia De Mi Suerte, Hector Lavoe

I’ve got 4 more tracks to come, they will do soon. Paraphrasing Tim Robbins in High Fidelity, inevitably I’ve been into “whatever world music was trendy that week.” Of course I am.

Which reminds me, a similar film list should come at some point soon….

There has to be a first one. Inspired to do this on a day that:

1 – was horrible for my hayfever

2 – was more caffeine filled than normal

3 – I cooked for the family.

It was a good day.