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...
Introduction “If our cells replace themselves every 7 years, that means that you’re not the same person that you were seven years ago.” This quote is not only a piece of information, but it’s also a warning signal for many of us. We are becoming old every day and if we keep on procrastinating then we will be unable to achieve desired goals in time bound manner. Nature propels us to grow every day but our own belief system pulls us back. Suddenly we realize that now we are 60 years old and life walked past in front of us. It passes so fast that we may think that nature had played a prank on us. The importance of time can be understood through a Tibetan story explained by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles in their very famous book “Ichigo Ichie”. This story is known as “The Gates of Shambhala” The Gates of Shambhala A Hunter was running behind deer, but that deer was very quick, and the hunter was running since last many hours. He crossed the frozen peaks of Himalayas. Suddenly he came...