Introduction Starting a new job can feel overwhelming. There are new people to meet, systems to understand, and expectations to learn. That is why new employees are often told to “be a sponge.” The idea is simple: observe, learn, and avoid mistakes. Learning is important, but blindly absorbing everything around you is not always the best strategy. Being a “sponge” can encourage you to accept every process, opinion, habit, and workplace behavior without asking whether it is actually useful. The goal should not be to absorb everything. It should be to understand your environment, learn what matters, ask questions, and develop your own judgment. Why “Being a Sponge” Sounds Like Good Advice Learning from experienced colleagues can help you understand how a workplace operates. You can learn how meetings work, decisions are made, and expectations are set. The problem begins when learning becomes passive. A new employee may remain quiet and follow existing systems without questioning them. Bu...
Károly Takács was born in Budapest, Hungary on 21 January 1910. Many of us do not know about him but his story inspires many and he is still a national hero of Hungary. He joined the army as a sergeant and his main interest was in pistol shooting. He was not allowed to play in the 1936 Olympics as he was a sergeant and only commissioned officers can participate in games. By 1938 he became a top-notch shooting player of Hungary and the ban was also lifted by that time. Hence he became the national favorite for gold in the upcoming 1940 Tokyo Olympics. Just a few months before the 1940 Olympics he lost his right hand when a faulty grenade exploded in his hands during army training camp. It was a major setback for a person who was at the helm of the world ranking of pistol shooting. At that time he can find so many shoulders to weep over his loss. He spent one month in the hospital to recover from the injury but we can't imagine the mental pain he might have faced at that time....