Success (Things which I didn’t do, which you should) Vikram Vijayaraghavan

1. Success(Things which I didn’t do, which you should)Vikram Vijayaraghavan

2. This talk… • Conveys my opinions on what it takes to succeed • Lets not “define” success . That’s boring; you know what success is. • Success can’t be just • By technical prowess alone • By personality skills alone • It takes the right combination of a technical & personal philosophy to really succeed big in life

3. PART I: PersonalA personal philosophy to achieve success

4. 1.Don’t lie to yourself • Ask yourself….what do you want to succeed in? • Do you really want to do computer science? • Is it a passion (or) is it a paying past-time? • Are you going to work for a living (or) live for working? • Do you want to come to the top of your profession (or) be one of the thousand software engineers churned out every year? • Do you want to be just another “glorified typist”?

5. 2. Cornerstone • Discipline • Engineering is boring. Tough luck • Any achievement of any worth is always through discipline. Life is not a movie! • Perseverance • You have to stick it out; the people who have stuck it out when others gave excuses are the winners. • Never forget: • The achievement is at the end; the slog is in the middle; you are at the beginning

6. 3. Be your own person • Group psychology – Avoid it • Not very different from a pack of animals • Its “cool” to be rebellious isn’t it? Try to be rebellious on your own • Its “cool” to make fun of someone isn’t it? Try to make fun of that person on your own • How to counter group psychology? • Develop (external) arrogance as a survival mechanism. • Come on. Don’t get defined by others.

7. 4. Avoid the “Big Desi Lie” • Respect comes from within; not a false external appearance • No point saying “sir” when you really don’t like that person • Most of our system is a show • Attendance? (I think it’s) A silly concept • Politics? A show of high stakes • Education system? A suffocating system • Don’t get confused by the show around you • Learn to game it while being honest to your conscience

8. 5. Ethics • Have a strong ethical bent • This is one area which we really lack in & most other countries shine in. • Our Indian psyche is astonishing lacking when it comes to ethics. Why? • Get rid of selfishness. • Take a simple example: Traffic • So many funny incidents about this…..

9. 6. Work now, enjoy later • Friends : choose them wisely • Fortunately you can choose them; unfortunately you can't choose your relatives • Party tonight? • Don’t go. :( Use this time; you can sit back and relax later when you have achieved success • Drive, energy, mental and physical ability are all at the peak in your life. And you want to waste it on....dancing, driving, drinking? Think about it

10. 7. YES, Work is boring • Yes it is boring. Tough luck • Nothing in life comes for free. • If it were to come for free everyone would come forward to claim it. • Make work interesting – don’t think of it as a work. • Practice the art of concentration • Read a book every week (deBakley’s advice)‏ • Sit in a quiet place for few hours and finish one thing • Prayers…..?

11. 8. Think different • Avoid TV • It’s called the “idiot box” and guess who is the idiot? • You see a film, you see a match, you goto a resort….. • Why don’t you think: I want to make that film, I want to be in that finals, I want to be owning that resort? • Be a producer not a consumer

12. 9. not(Ego)‏ • In technical matters there is no concept called ego. • Don’t hype yourself too much & don’t take yourself too seriously • Does it hurt if I say its most likely your degree is not worth the paper its printed on? • Does it hurt if I say that there are always folks smarter than you • Ego distracts you from the end goal

13. 10. Cliches, parents & teachers • Cliches are (unfortunately) true! • I used to feel “sure….some old hag said that”. My mistake. • Pay attention to cliches; they are a distilled version of thousands of years of experience • Parents & Teachers are ON YOUR SIDE • They have spent a sizeable amount of their lives on you. Why don’t you spend a minute listening to them? • They have made all the mistakes you are going to and they want you to avoid it. • Yet you listen to some male or female whom you know just for few months and who has no more experience or wisdom than you?

14. PART II : Technical A technical philosophy to achieve success

15. 1. Open Source • Open source • What is it? • It’s a fantastic philosophy with a great community • Why do we need it & What can you do with it? • It’s the present & the future • Good recession-proof strategy to work on open-source; its free after all

16. 2. Linux • Use Linux • Excuses: “Oh its too hard”, “It doesn’t install on my system” • Try Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com)‏ • Don’t simply use it for putting it on your resume • “OS : dos, windows, linux” • Become comfortable with using linux and then…..become a poweruser • It’s a very good OS with a wonderful community

17. 3. What can I do in “open source” • Anyone can contribute to a project! Its all about the experience & exposure • Sitting in your room, work and interact with thousands of people all over the world. • Why do you even want to goto the USA when the USA comes to you for free? • Pick a project in an area you like.Download it, join mailing lists, read the source • Start small – don't be afraid • Documentation, bugfixes etc

18. 4. What if I don’t like Linux or Open Source? • Be an expert in whatever technology you choose • C# & .NET? Become a MVP • There is always a need for experts whatever the domain, platform etc • It is “recession-proof” • Its always never about whats “hot”, its about what stuff you got

19. 5. Competitiveness • “I thought the guy was a genius…till he opened his mouth” • Measure yourself constantly with peers • Online competitions • topcoder : earn money while competing • Only one principle applies • Get a bunch of smart people together, something good will result

20. Some additional notes:Recession • “Recessions come and go, you should go on forever” • A temporary phase can't spoil a permanent career • You will see such ups and downs many times • Work on technology, work on open-source (its free anyway), be recognized, be placed • Google summer of code, topcoder, programming contests etc

21. Some additional notes:Going abroad • Going to the USA is (pretty) easy • Colleges want you to come – they are requesting you. You don't need to even search folks! • Tier I/II/III Appl+GRE+TOEFL+Reco+SOP+Money → USA • You want to goto the USA? Here are 2 key points to remember: • its not about funding or branding. Let me explain.... • Question is not “how to go to the USA” but rather “whether you want to goto the USA” • Personal vs Professional

22. Open source/Linux Be an expert Be competitive I am done, folks! • Discipline • Perseverance • Enjoy your work Thanksvvikram@gmail.com