Connecting dots that don't seem to belong

I came across this incredibly creative campaign by an Indian railway company (the Mumbai Division of Central Railways) recently.

It’s called Lucky Yatra (translation: Lucky Travel), and here’s what they did:

They have been experiencing significant revenue losses because many passengers board the trains without purchasing tickets, and due to the sheer number of passengers and services, it wasn’t possible to individually check every person for a ticket.

Separately, they came across insights that Indians love winning prizes and lucky draws, spending over $28 billion on lottery tickets annually.

So they combined those two insights: now, passengers who buy travel tickets are entered into a lucky draw to win cash prizes.

Incredibly simple. Incredibly clever.

It reminded me that creativity often comes not from brand-new ideas, but from combining existing ones in surprising ways.

This isn’t just a marketing lesson. It’s a life one too.

Some of the most meaningful solutions I’ve found came from connecting things that, at first glance, seemed unrelated:

• In building Burnout, my board game on toxic work culture, I mixed the seriousness of mental health with the fun chaos of a party in the form of a board game. It sounds contradictory, but the result made the topic more approachable and surprisingly fun.

• My favourite fantasy book series, Malazan: Book of the Fallen, has a powerful scene about unseen sacrifice, where an army acts with no recognition. That concept helped me reframe my quiet work and effort that often goes unnoticed.

• And when I think about the discipline it took to train for a marathon or triathlon, I realise how much that mindset shows up in business, especially when consistency feels harder than ambition.

The magic happens at the intersection.

This week’s prompts are all about exploring those intersections. About combining the parts of your life that don’t usually talk to each other — to see what happens when they do.

This Week’s Prompts (Monday - Wednesday)

1 - What’s a connection I recently made between two unrelated areas of life?

2 - What skills or experiences from one area of my life can I bring into another?

3 - What are two things I enjoy or know deeply that I’ve never thought to combine?

4 - When was the last time a strange or silly idea actually worked?

Get the most out of your journalling:

• Choose one prompt: Focus on just one prompt each day to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

• Be brutally honest: Reflect openly and honestly. This is your safe space to explore your thoughts and feelings.

• Take your time: Sometimes it takes a few days to clarify your thinking. Here’s permission for you to take your time to unravel a prompt and not take on any new ones during that time.

• Journal your way: Whether you prefer writing, audio recording, or video, choose the method that suits you best.

• Don't stress about streaks: If you miss a day, don't worry. You can always revisit a previous prompt.

I’d love your feedback

What was your favourite prompt of the day? Is there any specific challenge you want prompts for? How can I improve the content of the newsletter? Reply this mail and let me know!