Why would anyone give up a life of wealth on Wall Street to become a monk? And why would anyone who would eventually become a monk be motivated to work on Wall Street in the first place? In this episode, Vipin interviews Rasanath about his journey from investment banker to monk and the key steps along the way that led to such a significant change in life and career. They examine the root cause of an existential crisis, the challenges inside and outside the monastery walls that he faced as he made the decision, and what it really means to have freedom. Rasanath closes the episode by offering a specific way to take the next step in finding your calling.

Podcast Hosts: Vipin Goyal and Rasanath Das

Highlights

• [2:00] Vipin’s experience of listening to Rasanath for the first time when he was a speaker at a TedX event 

• [4:50] Being both a speaker and a witness simultaneously 

• [6:00] Rasanath's attraction to intellectual achievement as a kid

• [7:05] The influence of the movie Wall Street" on Rasanath's notion of success 

• [8:30] The path from IIT (India Institute of Technology) to NY / Deloitte to Cornell to Bank of America

• [12:45] The existential angst that comes from the temporality of material success and from knowing that death will take away our loved ones

• [14:00] The stress we feel after winning because of the pressure to maintain it

• [18:20] An MD at Bank of America who said he was in the prison of his own success 

• [18:30] "Better to be a famous bad guy than a not so famous good guy"

• [25:30] A near death experience that reinvigorated the spiritual questions, “Who am I?” and “Where am I going?”

• [30:20] The everyday experience of being a monk and an investment banker at the same time

• [32:45] Answering the call of a calling

• [34:00] The doubts Rasanath faced when he decided to quit to become a monk

• [42:20] The effect of the turmoil on Wall Street in 2008

• [42:30] The impact of Rasanath witnessing Radhanath Swami’s freedom from his ego

• [46:10] The overwhelming feeling of, "I have to do this" and what it feels like to find a calling

• [48:45] Where to start when trying to find your purpose 

• [53:00] “Our only guide is our homesickness” - Herman Hesse

Quotes

• "Our attachment to material success is the prison." - Rasanath 

• “A calling is not something without doubt. It is that I have to do something despite the doubts “- Rasanath 

• “We all have a deep inner calling at one time or another. But we get distracted and we find ourselves telling stories about why it’s not possible to answer that calling.” - Rasanath

• "The ego wants to eliminate any idea of luck or external help and establish me as the sole cause." - Rasanath 

• "I can't let my life slip past and not know who I am and why I am here.” - Rasanath

• “Because there are so many things to keep us distracted, we don't get the opportunity to investigate life's deepest questions." - Rasanath