Category: Inspiration
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David Gergen quote
Reading David Gergen’s new book. The longtime political commentator writes about leadership and the need to empower young people. I like Gergen’s reference to the Bill Moyer observation from an African village. Not enough of us throw logs into the fire to keep the community warm. We risk burning up our planet while sustaining a […]
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Be like Bill
The doldrums of a wicked Summer are overcome by the beauty of Fall. A door is opened and American football runs its course churning long days and shortening the specter of the daily routine. The academic and prolific podcaster Russ Roberts wrote a fascinating chapter in his latest book titled, “Be like Bill” about the […]
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Rebels against the British Raj
Indian historian Ramachandra Guha chronicled the lives of five Brits and two Americans as they migrated to India during British rule and joined sides with Mahatma Gandhi in the freedom movement. These seven extraordinary souls helped transform India’s narrative so it could complete its victory lap: Annie Besant, Samuel Stokes, Mira Behn, B.G. Horniman, Catherine […]
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Sadhguru quote
Like this saying from Sadhguru. The past doesn’t need to be a prologue. This is just another self-reminder for making every day count as if the marathon is tomorrow. Embracing the unknown requires self-care.
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TED-style Talk (clip)
Positive content whether it’s from music, spiritual writing, and TED-style podcasts helps offset the deluge of negativity from the daily news and social media. Arthur Brooks and Pico Iyer share ways to cope when the headwinds go against our instinct to do good things and create positive outcomes. These two content creators from different corners […]
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Thich Nhat Hanh quote
The great Buddhist teacher shares the meaning of sangha. I dedicate this quote to my uncle who recently passed away in Houston. He was a connector, a community-builder, and a source of love & wisdom. Sangha was hard to find especially as an immigrant in rural Texas. He found a personal need for spiritual solace […]
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Willie Nelson quote
The world rushes towards the euphoria of fame and glory. When nothing is garnered in this pursuit, there’s a feeling of obsolescence. Obsolescence creates antipathy towards the haves by the have-nots. Ultimately, acceptance of shared obsolescence gives the feeling of letting go. Freedom begins when hate ends and there’s acceptance of the present moment. You […]
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Masayoshi Son quote
Son lost more money in the recent quarter than nearly anyone else. Despite the loss, he continues to stay aggressive by meeting Indian PM Modi and staying vested in India. He has big bets in China and South Korea, too. The world is heading into a new age. America and Europe remain in the hands […]
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Marshall Goldsmith interview by Guy Kawasaki
We live in daunting times. Serving others helps in reducing the chaos and increasing peace with the world. Podcasts whispering into the ear make a small difference in moving the needle. Guy Kawasaki features Marshall Goldsmith, a popular leadership coach and scholar. Goldsmith has written numerous bestsellers. There’s an adage about being blessed with burdens […]
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Self-reminder: Just breathe
I had a forgettable week. Time was lost. I experienced theft during my travels. Gas cost over 100 dollars to fill the tank. The stock market took a dive. The flight was full. The highlight was a talk given by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Austin. The ancient techniques taught by Sri Sri and […]
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The Art of Thriving
The meditation and pranayama offerings by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar help me reduce stress, increase awareness, and give me a shield of armor through strengthened immunity. I have tried other activities to re-balance and settle my core, but the “happiness” program offered by Art of Living has been my best form of natural medicine. […]
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Podcast with Neil deGrasse Tyson
Guy Kawasaki’s interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson is fascinating and perhaps the least technical discussion I’ve heard with him. A few takeaways: 1. Discovering and unleashing talent is about maximizing opportunities based on challenging circumstances. Endurance and grit, when faced with scarcity, can signal greater potential than sheer intellectual firepower. Tyson improvised often to accomplish […]
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Rent-Free in Downtown Austin (article)
In this familiar tale of haves vs have-nots, a luxury downtown apartment populated by tech employees and wealthy residents offers in-house “live music” as an amenity. The developer launched a creative competition to find a talented musician. Austin’s musicians are now overshadowed by tech entrepreneurs and celebrity transplants. Austin Chronicle article It wasn’t this way […]
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Citizen Ashe
I get on a tennis court almost every day and remind myself about how fortunate I am. Arthur Ashe won tennis championships at a time when the sport had no diversity. Similarly, I recall my dad working at IBM when there were no Asian-Americans or immigrants who looked like him. He got his first promotion […]
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Autopilot without Faith?
Elon Musk threw an epic party in Austin and announced the upcoming full rollout of FSD (Full Self Driving) software. The dual factory launches in Austin and Berlin are astonishing achievements. Elon Musk is doing to cars what Steve Jobs did for phones. It’s an exciting time, but also disconcerting. My iPhone has kept me […]
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Ash Barty Retirement
In tennis news, Ashleigh Barty announced her retirement. It’s shocking since she is just 25 and would win more grand slams for years to come. I wonder if the Covid years will spell burnout for more athletes. The global political conflicts aren’t helping either. Ash Barty will be missed if she doesn’t return to her […]
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Silence as a Blessing
The great Japanese quote refers to refraining from saying (or doing) something that creates unwanted consequences. Social media trains us to do the opposite. It’s possible to filter the noise coming at us 24×7 by spending less time using it. There’s nothing gained by giving space to mindless chatter. Balance is achieved by not saying […]
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The Benefits of Mixed Emotions (podcast)
The Hidden Brain podcast hosted by Shankar Vedantam uncovers helpful insights. This interview with Psychologist Naomi Rothman is timely as mixed emotions cloud major decisions during these most uncertain of times. Mixed emotions can delay decisive, if not seemingly impulsive actions, to improve fact-gathering and allow for consensus-building. Naomi shares a story about moving to […]
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