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    Sharad Lal - Healing with Purpose (#021)

    In this insightful episode, Sharad Lal shares his journey from corporate success to purpose-driven coaching, offering practical wisdom on discovering personal fulfillment. He debunks common myths about purpose, emphasizing the importance of inner reflection and balancing idealism with practicality in pursuit of a meaningful life.

     

    Read the full Show Notes below!

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  • "The path to life, the way you're supposed to live life lies deep inside you. We know within what we need to do in order to live a good life."

    - Sharad Lal

  • Today's Guest

    SHARAD LAL

    Sharad is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker and coach who has supported over 20,000 people in performing at their peak through a deep purpose.

     

    He works with prestigious organisations, including Google, Unilever, J&J, HSBC, Sephora and UOB to boost engagement, manage team dynamics, and elevate performance by enabling individuals to connect with a deeper purpose.

     

    His podcast, 'How to Live, ' is among the top 3% of global podcasts, with a dedicated following across 135 countries. Sharad' s workshops, conducted on four continents, consistently earn at minimum a 4.9/5 rating, backed by over 200 heartfelt testimonials.

     

    Sharad began his career at Fortune 500 companies, Procter & Gamble and The Boston Consulting Group in Singapore, with responsibilities spanning across Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. Transitioning into entrepreneurship, Sharad successfully established multiple businesses.

     

    However, a decade ago, while thriving as an entrepreneur he suffered a profound personal loss. This changed the trajectory of his life, igniting a deep-seated mission to guide individuals toward discovering deeper purpose and achieving fulfillment and success.

     

     

    How to get in touch:

    Website: www.sharadlal.net

    Email: Sharad@sharadlal.net

    LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sharadlal24/

    Podcast: How to Live

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  • Show Notes

    In this illuminating episode of "Don't Step on the Blue Bells," host Amanda Parker welcomes Sharad Lal, an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and coach who has dedicated himself to exploring the concept of purpose. Sharad shares his personal journey from a success-driven corporate career to a life-altering loss that led him to question the true meaning of fulfillment. He discusses how this experience sparked his deep dive into spirituality, psychology, and philosophy, ultimately leading to his current work helping others discover their own sense of purpose.

     

    Sharad offers valuable insights on what purpose really means, debunking the myth of a single, grand life purpose and instead advocating for a life filled with purposeful activities. He emphasizes the importance of looking inward, clearing out mental noise, and connecting with what truly matters to oneself. The conversation touches on practical strategies for discovering purpose, including meditation, journaling, and therapy, while also addressing the balance between idealism and practicality in pursuing a purposeful life. Sharad's approach encourages listeners to embrace curiosity, sit with discomfort, and engage in an ongoing process of self-discovery and iteration.

    Key Takeaways

    • Purpose is not a singular grand mission, but rather a collection of fulfilling activities that align with your values and make a positive impact.
    • Discovering purpose often requires quieting external noise through practices like meditation, journaling, or therapy to connect with what truly matters to you.
    • Post-traumatic growth can lead to profound self-discovery and purpose, as challenging experiences often prompt deep questioning of core beliefs and societal expectations.
    • Balance is crucial - pursuing purpose should be practical and sustainable, considering both personal fulfillment and life responsibilities.
    • Finding purpose is an iterative process that involves inner reflection, real-world application, and continuous adjustment as you learn and grow.

  • What We Talked About

    • Sharad's personal journey from corporate success to purpose-driven work
    • The concept of purpose and what it means to live a purposeful life
    • Healing through purpose, especially after experiencing loss or trauma
    • The myth of a single life purpose vs. finding purpose in everyday activities
    • Techniques for discovering personal purpose (meditation, journaling, therapy)
    • Post-traumatic growth and its role in uncovering purpose
    • Balancing idealism with practicality when pursuing purpose
    • The iterative process of discovering and refining one's purpose
    • Avoiding purpose choices based solely on social media trends or external validation
    • Resources for those beginning their journey of exploring purpose

    Guest Quotes

    • "The path to life, the way you're supposed to live life lies deep inside you. We know within what we need to do in order to live a good life."
    • "Purpose is not social service. That's a different thing. Purpose is something that starts with something important to us and it could lead to social service."
    • "If we acknowledge, I'm not okay. There are some parts of me that are broken, which need mending. Okay. and we are aware of it, we will have the time to sit with it when it's right, because that needs to be processed before we move forward."
    • "I think we have to think before fully going all in. Though there's some, see, it depends on everyone. Everyone has a different approach."
    • "I think purpose anxiety can make us do drastic things. And that's where things go wrong."
    • "I feel when you're absolutely down in the trenches, there is one part which needs to be done first, which is processing the emotions."

  • Resources to Learn More

    Podcasts

    • "How to Live" by Sharad Lal
    • Podcast: "The Tim Ferriss Show" (mentioned as a source of deep conversations with a variety of people)
    • Specific episode of Tim Ferriss' podcast featuring Jeremy Corona, described as having "excellent podcast, great questions to ask yourself" 

    Books

    • "Mindfulness in Plain English" by Bhante Gunaratana (described as a good book for those new to mindfulness)

    Practices to Support Purpose Work:

    • Practice: Meditation retreats (suggested as a way to remove external noise and connect with oneself)
    • Practice: Journaling (recommended as a tool for self-discovery)
    • Resource: Therapy or coaching (mentioned as external help that can be valuable in the journey of self-discovery)

     

  • Terms & Tools to Dig Deeper

    • Achievement mindset: A focus on accomplishing goals and gaining recognition or success.
    • Coaching: A process of guiding individuals to achieve personal or professional goals.
    • Existential crisis: A moment of deep questioning about the meaning, purpose, and value of life.
    • Inner journey: The process of self-exploration and introspection.
    • Journaling: The practice of writing down thoughts and feelings to gain self-awareness and insight.
    • Meditation: A practice of focusing the mind to achieve mental clarity and emotional calm.
    • Midlife crisis: A period of transition and self-doubt often experienced in middle age.
    • Mindfulness: The state of being aware and present in the current moment.
    • Post-traumatic growth: Positive psychological change experienced as a result of struggling with highly challenging life circumstances.
    • Purpose: A sense of having a meaningful direction or goal in life that aligns with one's values and contributes to personal fulfillment.
    • Purpose anxiety: The stress or worry associated with feeling uncertain about one's life purpose or direction.
    • Purposeful activities: Actions or pursuits that provide a sense of meaning and fulfillment.
    • Self-reflection: The practice of examining one's own thoughts, feelings, and motivations.
    • Therapy: A treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder, typically through psychological means.
    • Yoga: A physical, mental, and spiritual practice originating from ancient India.

  • Read the Full Transcript

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