UPBUILDING THE SELF

“There I Go Again”

The phrase “There I go again” is one of the most simple yet powerful framings that you can use to work on yourself and to help you become who you truly are. Michael, Hari Prasada, and Rasanath break down how they use this phrase by giving real-life examples and share how it can help you separate your real self from your ego. They discuss the paradox of acceptance, the reasons why we are never satisfied when we try to be someone that we are not, and how to balance being kind to ourselves without shirking responsibility.

Podcast Hosts: Michael, Hari Prasada and Rasanath

Highlights

  • [2:13] The origins of the phrase, “There I go again”

  • [2:30] The influence of our teachers Don Riso and Russ Hudson from The Enneagram Institute

  • [6:55] The power of using the phrase

  • [7:20] The different ways people generally  approach self-awareness

  • [8:35] How it can be beneficial to be easy on ourselves

  • [10:15] Hari Prasada’s example of not feeling reciprocation when someone doesn’t follow through

  • [12:10] Rasanath’s example of mentally competing with someone else, even when they aren’t aware of the competition

  • [14:00] “There I go again…and that’s not actually me”

  • [16:00] The reason why we are not satisfied with who we think we are

  • [18:00] How literal should we take this tool?

  • [20:15] The potential in labeling ourselves, as is done in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with “Hi my name is…and I’m an alcoholic.”

  • [21:04] Building humility

  • [21:43] Celebrating small victories

  • [22:25] The paradox of acceptance

Quotes

  • “What is really necessary for working on ourselves is this very delicate balance of feeling remorseful and at the same time being patient.” -Rasanath

  • “The ego is an identity we pinned our lives on. When…we remove some of that pinning of our lives on it, it creates a lot more freedom and we can raise our consciousness much more naturally.” -Hari Prasada

  • “When I’m not giving in to the demands of the ego, I actually feel more like myself.” -Hari Prasada

  • “Behind every action, even at the Destructive Level of Consciousness, there is suffering...The more destructive an action is, the greater the suffering.” -Rasanath

  • “[The phrase ‘There I go again’] shows me both the need to accept myself and that I don’t have to accept the behaviors that are hurtful to myself and to others.” -Michael

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.