UPBUILDING THE SELF

Everyone Is My Teacher

In this very personal episode, Hari interviews Michael about a piece he wrote, From "It Happened TO Me to "It Happened FOR Me”, in which he discusses a challenging experience where he was cut off from someone he cares about. They discuss navigating the impulse to blame others, the value of being aware of the stories that we tell ourselves about ourselves, the link between gratitude and empathy, and most importantly, how to turn difficult experiences into lessons that can put us on the path toward being our best selves. They also share some laughs as Michael talks about his staunch opposition to his siblings buying of ice cream when they were kids, and Hari shares about an ex-girlfriend who taught him crucial things he couldn’t see about himself.

Podcast Hosts: Michael and Hari Prasada

Highlights

  • [1:40] From “It Happened TO Me” to “It Happened FOR Me”

  • [2:30] Michael’s inspiration for writing the piece

  • [6:00] Necessity is the mother of reflection

  • [11:30] The importance of being in control

  • [14:00] How Michael translated his experience into a learned lesson

  • [17:00] Finding excitement in an uncomfortable situation

  • [19:00] What should we do with the stories of the mind?

  • [22:00] Making the mind our friend (The Bhagavad-Gita)

  • [25:14] How do we know what the reality is?

  • [29:00] Seeing someone who causes us pain as our teacher

  • [32:30] The beginning of a beautiful cycle

  • [38:00] A life where everything happens for me

  • [39:00] Vipin’s Everything happens for a reason

  • [42:00] Michael’s closing takeaway

Quotes

  • “The story that ‘I’m the victim’ [in a situation where I’m stuck in that story]…is definitely no more true than the story of ‘there’s actually a lot for me to learn here.” -Michael

  • “The first thing is to recognize that we live in all these stories, and the second thing is to find out which one is true.” -Hari Prasada

  • “Someone once told me that the mind is not your friend. Don’t ever forget that the mind is not your friend.” (unless you work really hard to make it that way) -Michael

  • “You can’t just ask the question and put it out in the ether, you have to also fearlessly want to know the answers, and want to live in the reality.” -Hari Prasada

  • “It’s not to say that we always have to take responsibility, but wherever we can, we should make ourselves uncomfortable taking responsibility.” -Hari Prasada

For first timers, welcome to Upbuilding the Self

About the podcast: Two former monks, a former startup founder and CEO, and a former equity derivatives trader dive into how to be our best selves, free from the ego. Our egos are the identities we create for ourselves and wish the world to validate, but when we are not seen as we want to be, we feel insecure. This podcast lives at the intersection of leadership and spirituality. It will help you understand your ego and shed light on your inner world so that you can act with greater clarity, compassion, and the freedom to be your best self.