Weekly Snapshot: Half-Truth.

Life can get complicated at times. Some situations require careful navigation and a controlled flow of information. To explain the complexity of these situations to the world, we often come up with explanations - acceptable by all yet not entirely representative of the truth. The consequences of these explanations are often harmless, yet they conceal our inner turmoil and “actual” decision-making rationale from the world.

Like a father concealing a low-end job. Like a sudden change of heart. Like a husband concealing hidden feelings. Like a government covering a covert op. Like a sudden act of resigning. Like a religious affiliation. 

It’s not all wrong. In many circumstances, such concealed explanations are necessary to protect the people around us and maintain order. It depends on the situation and our ability to rationalize our decisions. As long as our reasons are justified and the benefits outweigh the losses, we use the concealed information to de-escalate a situation effectively.

I believe the main reason we choose to conceal information is because of our deeply rooted fears and insecurities. Fear of judgment, loss, and discomfort. Insecurities - well, aren’t we all too familiar with them already?

The remedy? Honestly. I don’t know. Some argue that the entire truth is the best policy, but do they know about the inner complexities of one’s life? Maybe they are right. Perhaps we struggle to see while navigating a tumultuous sea.

But as long as we reach the shore, situations diffuse, trees grow, and flowers bloom, does it matter? 

💪 Wins of the week

1. Momentum at work is picking up the pace. Hoping to complete major tasks this week.
2. I managed to finally draft out the requirements for my energy storage project.
3. I can improvements in my listening skills. The moment I lose focus, I am very self-aware of the loss. It is helping me improve even further.

🧐 Challenges & Learnings

1. It was a tough week - my mentor and someone I truly adore decided to resign. It was unexpected, but life continues.
2. While listening, I should focus 100% on the speaker and keep my internal monologue restricted to a minimum. It’s challenging but accomplishing it will make me a better listener.

🎯 Goals for Next Week

1. Finalize the 3D prototype for the mobile battery energy storage system! It’ll be nice.
2. Wrap up the last 5% of work on an AI project I have been building.
3. Ensure we are on track for release at work.
4. Stay focused and grateful.

📖 My Readings

Blue Ocean Strategy is a beast of a book! The insights are timeless, and the way to think about building new products and capturing market share is extremely practical. I’m loving the book - highly recommended. The last chapter is left. Next up is a book on Elon Musk.

🎬 My YouTube Video

Here’s how you can master writing user stories with ChatGPT - like a pro!

As product managers, writing user stories is a core part of our craft but it’s too time-consuming and can feel repetitive. In this video, I want to share how I use ChatGPT to improve my productivity and write user stories that impress everyone!

✍️ Quote of the Week

“If we avoid the losers, the winners will take care of themselves.”

— Howard Marks