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Elena K. (LIE) — A Life of Efficiency, Passion, and Precision

Objective Facts, Mental Chatter, and Intelligence

Facts must be accepted; facts must be strictly objective, verified through objective means.

It is difficult to get rid of mental chatter—it is always present regardless. This is simply how the brain works: if it has nothing to think about, it starts going through all kinds of nonsense, overthinking things—past events or something I did keep spinning in my head constantly.

I can feel intelligence in a person, though I cannot explain how. Sometimes looking into their eyes is enough: you see intellect and wisdom there. And when they speak, it shows in the words and phrases they use to express their thoughts.

Goals, Perfection, Responsibility and Deep Immersion

In study and work, the most important thing is to set a goal and achieve it.

In work, you must always be first, the best. You managed, you did it, you did it better than anyone else—an internal checkmark of sorts.

If I am trailing behind at the end, it feels so bad words cannot describe it...

In my work, I drive myself relentlessly. I need to get to the core of everything. Work requires responsibility, which forces you to delve deeper into problems, study more, and work harder.

Knowledge as a Problem-Solving Tool

Knowledge is needed to solve a specific problem. If there is a disease and it is unclear how to treat it, or if there is a problem where you need to design the entire technology from scratch, implement it, and get a result—you must study the issue. You dig into the literature. As you start studying, you realize how much people have already researched in this field, and it becomes clear what remains completely unexplored and where to move next.

In my opinion: take everything new and advanced, and move forward!

Prioritization and Task Management

Responsibility motivates; without it, I think the activity would feel bland.

Every morning starts with creating a certain ranking of tasks. Not that I write it down every morning—it’s just there in my head: what I have to do.

First, second, third… Sometimes this ranking goes on paper, sometimes there’s no need because I already know the urgency of my tasks, I do them, and I enjoy it. Then I move on to the next one. Of course, with every task, you want to finish it faster; time is allocated for it, but you still want to spend less time—time gets compressed at every stage. You want to get it done quickly, tick it off. At work I somehow internally sense where to start and what comes next.

Process Optimization and Work Rhythm

The whole process at this stage is mapped out: I put together the optimal option—in terms of quality, in terms of time—and follow it precisely.

Work is enjoyment! The pleasure comes from finishing it—done, checkmark, completed! And then comes this extraordinary satisfaction from the fact that you’ve completed the work. And you can think and begin something new.

There is absolutely no desire to interrupt the work. If the process gets interrupted, it feels very unpleasant—you’ve gotten into the rhythm and want to finish before taking a rest.

Driving Myself to the Limit

So I drive myself—I need to get to the very depth, to the very end, and put a checkmark: that's it! I finished this, it's clear to me now.

Sometimes this is truly exhausting for the body, but I don't feel like I am overstraining it. I simply don't feel that.

There is a desire to finish faster so that something new appears, so I can catch onto new interests, because by the end of a task everything is already clear and uninteresting.

The Joy of Completion

A state of satisfaction and peace: "I did it! The action is complete! Everything worked out!" After finishing the work, reaching the goal—that is the main thing in studies, work, and any achievements.

Calculated Risk and Technology for Goal Achievement

I can easily get involved in a risky business: start it, develop it, and achieve the set goal. To do things exactly as planned. Obstacles and risky moments are always present, but they don't frighten me.

The most important thing is to achieve the goal in the shortest possible time and at a high standard. I will take a risk if I am confident that I have—or will create—the technology needed to achieve the goal.

Academic Journey and Rapid Progress

Driving myself at work—that's how it has been all my life, right from entering university onwards. Immense work day and night.

After school came university; from my third year, I was writing scientific papers, and by my sixth year, my PhD thesis was ready. I chose a field I considered the most relevant—organ and tissue transplantation. Naturally, I was a straight-A student and ranked first during job placement. Then came postgraduate studies.

By my second year of postgraduate study, I had not only defended my dissertation but was also approved by the Higher Attestation Commission (VAC), which was quite a difficult feat at the time because the VAC was extraordinarily strict back then. And the doctoral dissertation took a solid three years as well. In our institute, such short timeframes for completing a dissertation were virtually unheard of.

High Productivity and Bureaucratic Frustration

How I wrote my dissertation:

Furious productivity developed. I would come home late at night. Work arrived in huge chunks, bringing immense satisfaction. Every completed stage was pure happiness and celebration. No other life existed.

The most agonizing state was when a stage was completed, but my supervisor or the institute held up the work due to bureaucratic circumstances. It was useless to make plans, as my position or department would change after the defense. No other tasks or entertainment could enter my mind; the suffering was unbearable. The only thing I could do was paint outdoors.

Naturally, postgraduate and doctoral studies were completed ahead of schedule!

Career Development and Course Creation

After defending my doctoral thesis, I was transferred to another department—Social Hygiene and Healthcare Organization.

They had two very small, sequential training modules for chief physicians. Of course, I found it extremely interesting, and in about five years I studied healthcare management so thoroughly that it became possible to create a dedicated curriculum.

Total Immersion in Work (Homeopathy Example)

Previously, I was so passionate about homeopathy that I worked constantly. It was the number one priority on my task list; I had to master it and learn everything deeply. If I had even a free minute, I would run to the computer, turn it on, and work. I simply drove myself to exhaustion—I didn't eat properly, I felt it was a waste of time to go grocery shopping or take a walk... I cut everything down to a minimum, focusing all my attention only on my favorite work.

You gain satisfaction from figuring something out, then applying it and curing a patient—from understanding what is happening to them, especially when they actually recover.

Work must bring satisfaction.

Entrepreneurship and Organizational Management

In 1992, after all USSR structures were disbanded, I went into business, so to speak. I founded medical insurance companies—several of them. Regular insurance companies, financial institutions. And, basically, I managed them. It was the kind of work that interested me at the time. There, I set tasks very simply and monitored their execution.

The important thing was that a goal was set for the organization, and it was achieved. Everyone had to know their job duties; instructions were provided. This was necessary to fulfill the company's tasks and goals. Future tasks were outlined very clearly.

The main focus was always on development—not just the present moment, but clearly outlined future objectives. Focused solely on development. Time puts everything in its place, and some of the structures I created are still operating today.

Rationality and Efficiency (The Water Meter Story)

How I installed a water meter:

Someone put an ad on my front door offering installation of hot and cold water meters. What appeals to me more is rationality — paying only for what you actually consume — rather than saving money, because water expenses were small and well within my means anyway.

After installing the meters, I now pay twenty-eight to thirty-five rubles per month, whereas before I paid three hundred fifty to four hundred fifty. With prices this low, I don’t really need to conserve water. BUT! Rationality kicks in: while most people wash dishes by applying detergent to a sponge and rinsing each item under running water, I first apply detergent to all the dishes, and only then rinse everything at once — using much less water. It’s obvious that money itself is not the decisive factor here, but rather the mechanism of forming logical, efficient, structured behavior.

Apartment Renovation: Pushing Through for the Result

How I renovated the apartment:

I prepared materials in advance: paint, wallpaper, glue, tools. On the eve, I washed the whitewash off the ceilings and removed the old wallpaper.

A strict renovation plan was thought out in detail. At six in the morning, I started wallpapering the ceilings. Alone. While I was jumping from one side to another on ladders, the wallpaper on the opposite side kept peeling off, requiring me to urgently move back. This happened many times until the wallpaper stuck and aligned perfectly edge-to-edge. And so it went all day until four in the afternoon.

A short break, and then wall wallpapering began. Faster this time.

I finished right by midnight. What mattered was that the job was done. Immense satisfaction, monstrous fatigue. The ceiling and walls were uneven, so it was impossible to align all the seams with millimeter precision—the wallpaper was overlapped—but the lower quality of the executed work was fully compensated for by reaching the goal in minimal time, as well as by the cleanliness and new aesthetics of the room.

Rebuilding the Sauna: Uncompromising Quality and Hands-On Hard Work

How I built a sauna:

Building materials were delivered, but I had to leave for a week. When I returned, the sauna was already built. Those who were supposed to supervise the construction thought it was embarrassing to stand over the builders' shoulders, so the sauna was built to appalling quality.

I invited a skilled local craftsman with hands of gold, Alexei, who explained the unacceptable construction flaws and how to build it properly. Together, we developed a plan and a sequence for dismantling and rebuilding the sauna from scratch—this time technically sound, convenient, and built to resist rot as long as possible.

Of course, the original sauna would have lasted me five to seven years, but using a sauna with obvious structural flaws was simply not an option for me.

I personally completed a huge amount of earthworks, relaid the floors, concreted the base under the stove, and caulked the logs. Alexei came by every day to consult on the progress. Every single day, I derived immense pleasure and joy from the fact that the quality and volume of the work completed caused satisfaction and astonishment in my consultant. It was pure happiness. On top of that, there was a pleasant physical tiredness, followed by an evening rest and a deep, sound sleep.

I had to reach the goal. Stopping was simply impossible; all other life was put on hold. Total disconnect from mental work.

Acute Sensitivity to Lost Time and Empty Talk

I feel lost time deeply. Especially when it comes to phone idle chatter. I roughly know how much time is allocated for a particular task. If I am falling behind, I feel uncomfortable. I can sense time without a watch.

If someone comes over and just rambles on, it's pure horror. It is deeply unpleasant, especially when it's off-topic and completely worthless stuff—discussing empty matters that don't contribute to the goal. I start getting nervous, and then I think: "What words should I use to cut them off without causing offense?"

If you really need something—say it briefly. I will answer you. And don't distract me any further. Time for small talk will be allocated on another day and at another hour.

Frustration with Others' Workplace Inefficiency

I see how those around me work. When I was a manager, things were intense. I give an instruction, and based on my internal ranking, it is clear to me how long it should take to complete. But the employee hasn't done it yet—this secretly infuriates me. And if they start engaging in outside activities—strolling in the hallway, smoking—it becomes completely unbearable for me. I hold back so much that I'm on the verge... But I simply cannot remain silent.

"Tell me, please, for example, what are our expenses for such-and-such?" From their answer, it becomes immediately clear how far they have actually progressed on the task to be strolling in the hallway. If they are far from completion, I press them: "Could you please finish it on time?"

Turning Idle Talk into Value

When I visit someone or there is a specific occasion, I intentionally allocate time for it. Small talk is also a business process. When people talk about things that don't interest you (beating around the bush), you have to steer and redirect the conversation into a channel that interests you.

Conversations shouldn't be empty: they must yield either new information, new data, or simply insights into how a person thinks and their personal development...

Passion for Continuous Personal Growth

I am interested in growing people in any field. A person must constantly develop; if they don't, they become uninteresting. Once you've discussed everything they know, that's it. I can sense who lives in development and who doesn't: you talk for three minutes, and boredom sets in.

Living for the Future

I have always lived for the future. I defended my PhD thesis so that after the defense I would have the opportunity to work further...

And even when nothing was certain yet—whether it would be defended, what would happen to the world afterwards, if it would collapse... or if I would collapse—none of that mattered. What mattered was completing today's work so that there would be a bright tomorrow. Everything is for tomorrow. Everything will happen next year—and one must prepare for it. Even in old age, everything is still in the future.

It bothers me when my rhythm is disrupted.

Sensory and Emotional Impressions of Cities

I sense cities well through states of mind:

A Moment of Timelessness with the Winged Victory

I had long dreamed of visiting the Louvre, and when it finally happened, I saw paintings I knew so much about—works that were simply incomparable. But when I saw the Winged Victory of Samothrace (Nike), an incredible state came over me: I couldn't tear my eyes away; I simply lost track of time, completely lost in time. I don't know how long I looked at her. She simply spellbound and overwhelmed me. I was in a different state, in another world. It was something extraordinary—a flight of the soul. You just couldn't get enough of looking at it. Such a perfect sculpture.

Reconnecting with Nature and Unwinding in the Village

For thirty years now, I have lived in the countryside during the summer. I am deeply in love with the nature surrounding my house. When I arrive there, the tension melts away, and my soul rests—my heart feels so light and pleasant. Surrounded by forest, green grass, scents, the kind of fresh air you can almost drink... I can truly relax and enjoy it.

For my entire life, I used to shower or bathe in five minutes. I derived no pleasure from it at all. It was all due to rushing, a shortage of time. To waste time on a bath? The sauna/bath was just washing for me.

Wash up and hurry to the lessons. As fast as possible, so as not to waste time, wash up and hurry, hurry—as usual, following my internal ranking of what to do next. But relaxation in the sauna lets the head go: a completely clear, empty head.

In the past, nature didn't exist for me at all. I didn't feel flowers whatsoever.

Expressing Energy Through Dance and Active Recreation

Outside of work, dancing and having fun—at least it doesn't repel me. Outside of work, once the checkmark is placed—why not have fun? Let's party until we drop. If we're having fun, let's go all out!

I prefer to dance. I will never tire of dancing because when you dance, you surrender to the dance—you are entirely inside it—inside the dance, I continuously give my whole self to it. With emotions, with all kinds of sensuality, with music, with everything—I express myself through my body and movements. Through movement, I express my feelings and emotions. Passive rest simply doesn't exist for me.

Pleasure: to unwind amid a continuous stream of work, I need sports; I go cross-country skiing for about ten kilometers.

Source: How to Raise a Child Without Complexes by O. Mikhevnina