A summary of the How to Speak by Patrick Winston.

Start​

1. Do not start a talk with a joke. Instead, start with empowerment promise.
   1. Your success in life will be determined largely by your ability to speak, your ability to write, and the quality of your ideas, in that order.
   2. The quality of communication, speaking and writing, is largely determined by how much knowledge you have, how much you practice with that knowledge, and your inherent talent (very small).
2. Empowerment Promise - Tell what they are going to know at the end of your talk and some of those things will make a difference in your life.
   1. By the end of this lecture, you will be exposed to a lot of ideas, which will ensure you get the maximum opportunity to have your ideas valued and accepted by the people you speak with.
3. Cycle – reiterate your main idea multiple times during the talk for clarity.
   1. At any moment in a talk, atleast 20% people are zoned out. So reiterate
4. Create a distinct "Fence" around your idea so that it can be distinguished from someone else's idea.
5. Content Timeline – enumerate talk content to allow listeners to follow on where are you in talk.
6. Ask a question - a question not too obvious, but not too hard. Wait 7 seconds for answer.

Place and Time​

1. Ideal lecture time is 11 am (not too early and not after lunch).
2. The place should be well lit. In big halls, make them turn on audience lights, instead of just stage lights.
3. The place should be atleast half full. It must be chosen according to the expected audience.

Tools​

Visual perception is the most effective way to interact with listeners.

For teaching, informing:

1. Draw on blackboard / whiteboard instead of slides.
   1. Graphics - Blackboard has graphics quality. You can associate different ideas.
   2. Speed - The speed at which you write on the blackboard is approximately the speed at which people can absorb ideas.
   3. Target - your hands are busy writing or pointing on the board.
2. Watch your hands! Don't hold them behind your back or in pockets, it's better to keep them straight and use for pointing at the board.
3. Props – use them in order to make your ideas visual.

For job talk, exposing, slides:

1. Don't put too many words on a slide. Slides should just reflect what you're saying, not the other way around. Pictures attracts attention and people start to wait for your explanation – use that tip.
2. Make slide as easy as you can:
   1. No title, distracting pictures, border or frames.
   2. Use 40-60 font size.
   3. Not too heavy, add air to your slides
3. Do not use laser pointer – you lose eye contact with the audience. Instead use arrows and highlighters in slide itself.

Informing​

Show to your listeners your stuff is cool and interesting. You have to be able to:

• show your vision of that problem
• show that you've done particular things (by steps)

All of that should be done real quick in no more than 5 min. Persuade your listeners you're not a rookie.

Getting Famous​

If you want to your ideas be remembered you've got to have 5 S:

• Symbols - associate with your ideas (visual perception is the best way to attract attention)
• Slogan - (describing your idea)
• Surprise - (common fallacy that is no longer true, for instance, just after you've told about it)
• Salient Idea - (not necessarily important but the one that sticks out)
• Story - (how you did it, how it works…)

How to End​

• Don't put collaborators at the end, do that at the beginning.
• Question's the worst way to end a talk.
• It's good to end with a Contribution slide – to sum up everything you've told with your OWN decision.
• Don't "Thank you (for listening)". You can end with a quote of a prominent person (my own knowledge), with a salute to people.
  • How much you valued the time being here.
  • I'd like to get back, it was fun!
  • Hardest one, since saying "Thanks" is a kind of a habit and it's really difficult to make people clap if your talk wasn't fascinating, so you'd better do this great and you won't have to worry about how to end!

Full video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hzVdV63scU&t=27s

Summary​

My Favorite Thoughts​

• Do not wait to master a skill before starting, you learn on the job.
• You have to be resilient to be great. There will always be challenges; you keep going and have a positive outlook.
• To be a great leader, you must have deep interest, curiosity, and empathy for other people's work. Try to contribute to all meetings you go to. You can't always do that, but you have to strive for it.
• Great athletes have the ability to forget. You let the past be past and keep moving.

Favorite Books​

• Innovator's Dilemma
• Positioning - The Battle for your mind
• Less is More

How did you become a successful CEO?​

To run a company, you need to understand two things

1. Understand the fundamentals of your industry. Have a deep understanding of your product and its fundamental value proposition and constantly strive to move the needle.
2. Once you have built this machine, you need to figure out how to operate this machine. This operation is sometimes called culture or execution.

• This work requires innovation. Every CEO has to invent this from scratch.

Nvidia org chart vs. others​

Nvidia org chart is horizontally spread where entry-level people are only ~4 layers away from the CEO. Its culture fosters innovation and maximizes collaboration, unlike the hierarchical charts in other companies. The hierarchical org is best suited for an army, where you need accountability for every decision. The horizontal org enables innovation and ideas to come from everywhere. And if an innovative idea demands change in the company's course, it can be done over a weekend.

Business vs. Social Impact​

You have to be a good business, which makes money, and gives you the ability to impact the world. For example, Nvidia could only support multiple social causes if this was generating enough cash.

Nvidia is a great business with great impact.

Short-term outlook of the tech industry.​

The tech industry is fantastic. You have an impact on so many other industries. Right now, the environment is challenging, but this will pass. It's a bad year, but you must be resilient.

What is next?​

Digital Biology has a huge potential. We can now represent the language of biology in computers, which means we can now engineer it.

Thoughts on Autonomous Car​

Nvidia approach is - an autonomous car is just one application of automation. We are looking to automate anything that moves. Nvidia builds and sells

• Hardware
• Software to run on hardware
• Robotic Stack
• Machine Learning Depending on your use case, you can choose which stack you want to buy and innovate on top of it.

Thoughts on ChatGBT​

It's a significant moment in the tech industry, like when Apple launched the iPhone. ChatGBT is going to be monumental. Already there are 500 startups built on top of ChatGBT. In recent times, this is the first technology that everybody is using, and everyone is delighted by it. Everybody is now a programmer. This opens up the computing industry to other industries.

Biggest mistake​

If you make a lot of mistakes, it's hard to pick one. I have made a lot of mistakes

• Strategy mistakes
• Execution mistakes
• Taken businesses I shouldn't have
• Walked away from businesses I shouldn't have.

Final thoughts​

We usually look at the cost of doing something but don't estimate the opportunity cost. Most of life is about what you could have done.

2024​

From Poor to Wealthy: How Perspectives Shift​

Thoughts on	Poor	Middle	Wealthy
Money	To be spent	To be managed	To be invested
Personality	Sense of humor	Achievement	Connections
Social emphasis	Inclusion	Self-sufficiency	Exclusion
Food	Quantity	Quality	Presentation
Education	Learn to get by	Learn to succeed and gain money	Learn to gain influence and maintain connections
Driving forces	Relationships	Achievement	Money and social

2023​

1. There will rarely be just one right way of analyzing a situation, and one right thing to do. It doesn't mean there are no wrong ways.
2. Putting Problems into Perspective: We often get bogged down worrying about problems. Almost everyone is worrying about something every day. During those times, I find it helpful to get a perspective on how big the problem is and how much energy I should devote to it.
   1. Big Problems
      1. Global crises, such as Covid 19, Recession.
      2. Someone's life is in danger or losing someone close to you.
      3. Significant financial crises.
      4. Response: Seek professional help and look for community support.
   2. Medium Problems
      1. Non-catastrophic financial setbacks or career hurdles.
      2. Response: Do not let them overshadow other aspects of your life.
   3. Small Problems
      1. Everyday annoyances like conflicts in relationships or losing material things
      2. Response: Practice gratitude and mindfulness, recognizing that these are minor issues in the grand scheme of things.

2022​

1. Do the best with what you have, whereever you are.
   • Do not worry about which car you drive. Focus on being a good driver.
2. We are concerned that we are not good enough, but the trick is to focus on getting better.
3. You can either fit in or stand out. Not both.
4. It ain't what you do, it is the way you do it.

I am someone who takes a lot of hand written notes and need to draw on a paper to understand and learn something. Thus, I was looking for a blogging platform where I can just take a picture and post.

Goal​

I should easily be able to publish RICH content that's accessible on both mobile and desktop.

Subgoals​

It should

1. support emoji's 👋, pictures, and tables.
2. render fast on both mobile and desktop.
3. be lightweight. No analytics, no comments, no distractions such as other posts, ads. Just content.
4. require low maintenance and be cheap - no monthly subscriptions.

Solutions Considered​

I considered other blogging solutions available in the market such as Medium and Gitlab pages.

1. Medium 😒​

Medium is quite popular blogging platform these days.

Pros​

1. Easy to sign-up and start writing.
2. Out-of-box solution looks good and comes with commenting, analytics.
3. Low cost.

Cons​

1. A lot of distractions such as other articles, become a paid member etc.
2. You are stuck with the style/layout offered out of box. You can't change the color of text or appearance.
3. Your content stays on medium. It is harder to migrate to other platform.

2. Github Pages 😑​

Github pages is free and using Jekyll themes you can have pretty good blog site up and running.

Pros​

1. Free to host.
2. No platform lock-in. Your content stays with you and can easily be migrated.

Cons​

1. Difficult to maintain. My old coding blog www.rkandhal.com is on github pages. I found it hard to maintain with Jekyll upgrades. It is based on Ruby on Rails and anytime I ran into issues with ruby-gems it used to take a long time to troubleshoot.

Final Solution 😃​

I ended up building my own site using NextJS, hosted on Github and deployed using Vercel.

Pros​

1. Since I made the app, I have full ability to customize layout, font, style.
2. Learning opportunity to build new components and use it as a playground.
3. Easy to maintain. It uses tech stack (React, NextJs, Node) that I am familiar with. Thus, very easy to maintain.
4. Free.

Cons​

1. Out of the box solution is bare minimum. It will take some time to have a professional look and feel.

How to approach designing a new product or feature from scratch based on lessons learnt from Decode and Conquer book and at my work.

It's a three step process.

1. Clarifying questions
2. Identifying customers
3. Iterating solutions

1. Clarifying questions to understand the scope​

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2. Identifying customers​

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3. Coming up with solutions​

The scope of this post is products that I use frequently and views from a consumer's perspective.

Objectives​

While assessing design of something I consider how effectively a product solves user needs and while doing so what makes it unique.

1. Innovative - a new method, or product
2. Aesthetics - people love beautiful products
3. Usable - little friction between what user trying to do and what product is offering
4. Attention to Detail - this brings aha moment to users
5. Understandable - small learning curve

1. Tesla Cars​

Goods​

Attribute	Comments
Innovation	There are so many features in this car which are first of its kind. My favorite is Autopilot. It is the first car with almost perfect self-driving capability. Moreover, it's the first fully electric car with a range that is suitable for most household needs.
Aesthetics	From a usability perspective, car interior aesthetics are absolutely perfect. All the systems and settings in the car are controlled by a touchscreen. This is an unprecedented move in the car industry. With all the clutter removed from the eyesight of a driver, the experience of driving the car is smooth.
Usable	The car is usuable in any condition where any other vehicle is. Moreover, since Tesla doesn't have a big engine, it has a lot more storage space. One of the biggest fear electic vehicle owners have is charging network. Tesla has superchargers all across US, making it clear winner among competitors.
Attention to Detail	There are so many areas where you find attention to detail in this car. Most prominent ones are over-the-air software updates, supercharging network, multiple car features such as online help. Anytime there is a warning light on the display, there is official help link in the notification center where you can learn about what it is and how to fix it. This is helpful for layman users.
Understandable	Even though the car has numerous groundbreaking innovations, driving the car is same as any other car. Thus, for a new user there is little or no learning curve.

Improvement Opportunities​

Product Quality	The quality of material used for interiors is bad or flimsy. While driving the car there are numerous noises which are not fixed by the service team. This overall leaves a bad taste for a consumer.
Aesthetics	This is a bit subjective. I didn't like the design of the car from front.

2. Airpods Pro​

Goods​

Innovation	First noise cancelling headphones in such a small form factor with no wires. Wireless charging case so that headphones charge while not in use. Before airpods pro, noise cancelling headphones were bulky. Before Airpods, other headphones used to fall easily, especially while working out. However, Airpods stays put no matter what you are doing.
Aesthetics	From a usability perspective, car interior aesthetics are absolutely perfect. All the systems and settings in the car are controlled by a touchscreen. This is an unprecedented move in the car industry. With all the clutter removed from the eyesight of a driver, the experience of driving the car is smooth.
Usable	The device solves a problem that a lot of consumers have these days. Be it in gym, meetings, phone calls, listening to music, watching moves, people need headphones.
Attention to Detail	It detects which Apple device you are using right now and connects seamlessly. This is perhaps one of the top reason I like these. Let's say I am listening music on my Macbook and I get a call on my phone, my Airpods automatically switches from Macbook to Phone and I don't have to do anything to take call. After call, it automatically goes back to Macbook.
Understandable	There is no learning curve. Just plug in headphones as any other headphones.
Product Quality	The quality of material used is top notch and while holding it, it feels premium product.

Improvement Opportunities​

Sustainability	Because of such a small form factor, these can't be repaired. So if anything goes bad, they just go to waste. I wish there were a way to recycle them properly instead of adding to land-fills.

3. Google Nest Mini Speaker​

Goods​

Innovation	Perhaps first of its kind device where the primary way to interact with the device is voice. It is small but powerful. When properly configured, you can control your home lights, listen to music, search anything and a lot more.
Aesthetics	It is small, unobtrusive, and beautiful. It can be easily hung on one of the walls in the room, leaving so small footprint that you would not even notice it is there. Really like that there is no constant on light. Otherwise, it would have been unusable in bedrooms.
Usable	It offers a different way of doing things so it is a nice to have device but once you are hooked up there is no going back.
Product Quality	The quality of material used is top notch. I have been using mine for the last 3 years and it plays background music all day long and still never needed any intervention. It just works.

Improvement Opportunities​

Integration	It would be nice if other applications offer seamless integration with Google Nest.

4. Roborock Robot Vacuum Cleaner​

Goods​

Innovation	It uses multiple sensors and technology to map out where it is and clean the house in a smart fashion. You can add virtual wall or no-go zone so that you don't have to supervise the device.
Aesthetics	Its small form factor makes it accessible to hard to reach areas.
Usable	The user interface of the device is super simple. It has power on and go to dock buttons. The app is also very easy to use.
Product Quality	The quality of material used is good. Since it will run into the wall and other objects, the product has to use resilient material.

Improvement Opportunities​

Integration	It would be nice if other applications offer seamless integration with Google Nest.

If you are fearful-avoidant, you are more likely to be compatible with someone who is:

✅ Healthy Example	❌ What It Should Not Look Like
1. They stay calm when I need space “Take your time. I’m here when you’re ready.” They don’t withdraw affection or change tone when you return.	“I guess you don’t care anymore.” Suddenly becomes cold, distant, or sarcastic. Body language: turning away, avoiding eye contact.
2. No guilt-tripping or passive aggression “I missed you, but I understand.” They express feelings directly and kindly.	“Nice of you to finally text back.” Sighing loudly, slamming things. Digital: passive-aggressive posts about “fake people.”
3. Encourages, but doesn’t force honesty “Share what you feel ready to.” Asks open-ended questions, accepts if you’re not ready.	“I’m only pushing you because I care.” Uses concern as a cover for pressure. “We’ll never be close if you keep hiding things.”
4. Validates your emotions “That makes sense, I’d probably feel the same.” They make space for your feelings, even if they don’t fully relate.	“You’re being too sensitive.” Tone shifts: slow speaking, eye rolls, condescending delivery. “I didn’t mean it that way — you’re twisting things.”
5. Emotionally consistent Tone, affection, and engagement are steady, not based on your compliance.	Affection only when you do what they want. Withdraws warmth right after intimacy. “You were sweet yesterday… what happened?”
6. Has stable self-esteem Secure in their worth. Reassurance is welcome but not demanded.	“Do you even love me?” Constant testing: “If you really cared, you'd ___.” Craves compliments to regulate mood.
7. Offers support, not control “Let me know how I can support you — no pressure.” Accepts if you want to handle things yourself.	“Let me help you fix this” (insists even when you decline). Takes over decisions under the guise of “being helpful.”
8. Respects your pace with intimacy Lets connection evolve at a pace that feels mutual and safe.	“I just want to feel close again” (right after a conflict). Uses sex or affection as a bandage or bargaining chip. Creates urgency: “If we don’t move forward now, what are we even doing?”
9. You feel emotionally regulated after time with them You feel more centered, seen, and safe. Disagreements don't leave you on edge.	You feel anxious, uncertain, or like you're constantly guessing. They give you “just enough” connection to keep you around.
10. Growth-minded and emotionally literate Open to feedback, therapy, or learning healthier patterns. Willing to own missteps.	“I’m just worried about you” (but says it to guilt-trip or criticize). Rejects accountability with “That’s just how I am.” Blames you for bringing up concerns.

⛳️ Green Flags to Look For​

So next time instead of asking "Who am I attracted to?" Ask: "Who feels like safety, not adrenaline?"

Attraction will come. But emotional safety and consistency — those are rare gold.

🚩 Red Flags to Avoid​

These types will amplify your fears and toxic patterns:

• Anxious-clingy people who guilt you for needing space.
• Emotionally unavailable types (they’ll reinforce your avoidance).
• People who use manipulation, jealousy, or games to “test” you.
• Fixers or saviors who treat you like a project, not a person.

I am Rohit, a full-stack software developer who loves to solve day-2-day problems using technology. Currently working majorly on JavaScript developments.

Dream Job​

My dream job with how I want to spend my 9hrs:

1. [50%] Product - A product which I genuinely care about. I love building beautiful and usable products, specifically using geometry with JavaScript.
2. [20%] Infrastructure - A working product needs a solid foundation/home to work properly.
3. [15%] Peer collaboration - I believe in learning and sharing from my peers.
4. [10%] Customer interactions - I love talking to customers and how can I make them successful. It brings me a new perspective on how I work day-to-day.
5. [5%] Fun/Celebration/Hackathon/Team building etc.

Apart from work, I like to practice yoga, run, hike, read (sociology, leadership, technology), play Piano, cook, travel and road trips.

Favorite quotes:​

1. Do the best with what you have, wherever you are. Don’t worry about which car you drive. Focus on being a good driver.
2. We are concerned that we are not good enough, but the trick is to focus not on how good you are but on getting better.
3. You can either fit in or stand out. Not both.

Strengths​

According to Calling Cards, my strengths are:

1. Solving Problems (Realistic)
2. Getting Things Right (Conventional)
3. Creating Trust (Social)
4. Empowering Others (Enterprising)
5. Adding Humor (Artistic)