Maharaj entered, impressed.
“Tenali, I watched 3 Idiots. Rancho says ‘All izz well’… and problems vanish!”
Tenali smiled, “Vanish, Maharaj… or get postponed?”
Maharaj paused, “Explain.”
Tenali Explains,
“In 3 Idiots, ‘All izz well’ calms fear, reduces anxiety, and gives temporary courage.
But it does not solve the problem.
Machines still need fixing.
Exams still need preparation.
Systems still have flaws.
Maharaj, many businesses run on this thinking:
Sales growing – all izz well
Profit showing – all izz well
Customers coming – all izz well
But beneath that:
Costs rising
Processes inefficient
Cash flows tightening
Pricing is guesswork
Outward calm… inward chaos.
This is Cost Illusion vs Cost Reality.
Businesses track:
Revenue
Accounting profit
But ignore:
Process inefficiencies
Idle capacity
Wrong cost allocation
False product/customer profitability
To break this, adopt Activity-Based Thinking:
Where is cost actually consumed?
What adds value vs waste?
Which products/customers are truly profitable?
Because…
Not every profit is healthy.
Not every growth is sustainable.
So ‘All izz well’ is not wrong… but incomplete.
As mindset ? courage
As strategy ? Blindness
Before you say “All izz well”, ask:
Do I know my real cost drivers?
Are high-revenue products actually profitable?
Is cash flow aligned with profit?
Are inefficiencies hidden under growth?
Because in business…
What you don’t measure… quietly controls your future.”
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