Mo Gawdat

And just deal after deal and customer after customer and tech after tech. And I was very senior at the time. I was just leaving my position as vice president of emerging markets, which probably is the biggest privilege ever. for anyone. So I was responsible for the next 4 billion users of Google, which, you know, it wasn't really opening a sales office.

It was really making Google understand the market and establishing the internet and the democracy of information and e-commerce. And it really was. An incredible privilege. And I was just moving to Google X when it's now four years later after I decided to write that book and I didn't write it. And then life kicks me in the balls, basically.

It was really making Google understand the market and establishing the internet and the democracy of information and e-commerce. And it really was. An incredible privilege. And I was just moving to Google X when it's now four years later after I decided to write that book and I didn't write it. And then life kicks me in the balls, basically.

Again, every two and a half, three weeks, I get a nagging feeling inside saying, write it. This is a good book. Write it. And I never wrote before, and English is not my native language. And at the time, Ali Habibi, he was a Northeastern at the time. He played in a band called And he got a gig to open for a famous rock band in summer. I get this strange call. Ali rarely ever calls.

Again, every two and a half, three weeks, I get a nagging feeling inside saying, write it. This is a good book. Write it. And I never wrote before, and English is not my native language. And at the time, Ali Habibi, he was a Northeastern at the time. He played in a band called And he got a gig to open for a famous rock band in summer. I get this strange call. Ali rarely ever calls.

And he goes, Papa, I feel compelled. I'm quoting. This is his exact words. I feel compelled to come and see you before the tour. Is it okay if I buy a ticket? Ali was that polite. You know, we're multimillionaires at the time. And he would always go like, is it okay with you if I spend this extra money? take a couple of weeks off. I called Aya.

And he goes, Papa, I feel compelled. I'm quoting. This is his exact words. I feel compelled to come and see you before the tour. Is it okay if I buy a ticket? Ali was that polite. You know, we're multimillionaires at the time. And he would always go like, is it okay with you if I spend this extra money? take a couple of weeks off. I called Aya.

I said, Aya, why don't you come over as well, the family together again. And now I'm the happiest. You know, I love those kids. I really do. Anyway, Ali arrives three days later. He's not himself. He's saying things that are really worrying. I mean, I vividly remember he wanted to change his major to game design, video game design, which meant that he would have to change university and city.

I said, Aya, why don't you come over as well, the family together again. And now I'm the happiest. You know, I love those kids. I really do. Anyway, Ali arrives three days later. He's not himself. He's saying things that are really worrying. I mean, I vividly remember he wanted to change his major to game design, video game design, which meant that he would have to change university and city.

He told his mom, I said, yeah, absolutely. But I was busy at the time. I'll talk to him when he comes to Dubai. So I go, you know, for the first three days, I keep telling him, Ali, shall we talk about this just so that we get it out of the way? And he was like, no, it's okay, Papa. And then the last time I asked him, the night before he left us, I said, Ali, shouldn't we talk about this?

He told his mom, I said, yeah, absolutely. But I was busy at the time. I'll talk to him when he comes to Dubai. So I go, you know, for the first three days, I keep telling him, Ali, shall we talk about this just so that we get it out of the way? And he was like, no, it's okay, Papa. And then the last time I asked him, the night before he left us, I said, Ali, shouldn't we talk about this?

And he said, again, I quote, he said, Papa, it's okay. I'm not going to make it. Anyway, the next morning he wakes up with a very severe belly ache. They say they know. So good people know when they're leaving. And Ali knew. Ali knew in so many ways. Oh my God. The day before Habibi took us, It's probably the most touching moment of my life. We went out for lunch two days before.

And he said, again, I quote, he said, Papa, it's okay. I'm not going to make it. Anyway, the next morning he wakes up with a very severe belly ache. They say they know. So good people know when they're leaving. And Ali knew. Ali knew in so many ways. Oh my God. The day before Habibi took us, It's probably the most touching moment of my life. We went out for lunch two days before.

And Ali, as I said, he didn't speak much. Always either joked or said something wise. So we're out there, we're having lunch together, the four of us. And then he says, I have something to say. We go like, yes, Ali has something to say. And he speaks for 45 minutes nonstop. He looks at each of us in the eyes. And he says, you really know I love you, right? Like a dying grandfather.

And Ali, as I said, he didn't speak much. Always either joked or said something wise. So we're out there, we're having lunch together, the four of us. And then he says, I have something to say. We go like, yes, Ali has something to say. And he speaks for 45 minutes nonstop. He looks at each of us in the eyes. And he says, you really know I love you, right? Like a dying grandfather.

He says, this is what I really love about you. This is what you taught me when I was this. And he just recites the whole thing, each of us for like 10, 15 minutes. And then he says, but there are a couple of things I'd like you to do. I think it would make you perfect. Anyway, on the 1st of July, he gets this belly pain. We take him to a hospital. He's diagnosed with an appendix inflammation.

He says, this is what I really love about you. This is what you taught me when I was this. And he just recites the whole thing, each of us for like 10, 15 minutes. And then he says, but there are a couple of things I'd like you to do. I think it would make you perfect. Anyway, on the 1st of July, he gets this belly pain. We take him to a hospital. He's diagnosed with an appendix inflammation.

Not even severe. They prescribe her an appendectomy, which is the simplest surgery known to humankind. The surgeon does five mistakes in a row. Ali gets into the operating room at 10 p.m. At 4 a.m., we lose her. Five mistakes in a row. Every one of them was preventable. Every one of them was fixable. They fixed them wrong. And then suddenly life is put in perspective.

Not even severe. They prescribe her an appendectomy, which is the simplest surgery known to humankind. The surgeon does five mistakes in a row. Ali gets into the operating room at 10 p.m. At 4 a.m., we lose her. Five mistakes in a row. Every one of them was preventable. Every one of them was fixable. They fixed them wrong. And then suddenly life is put in perspective.

Suddenly you recognize so many things. There is an inevitability to loss that completely beats your ego out of you.