#107 Underrated cool

This month on How to Live, one note - and a conversation that went deeper than I expected."Underrated Cool" started with a question about presence - the difference between being in the room and actually being with the people we love.Your replies took it further: the quiet invoices we hand our children, the case for stepping away, and whether the apology might be half the parenting.Shownotes: https://howtolive.life/episode/107-underrated-coolHow to Live Newsletter One honest thought, every second Saturday. No spam. Subscribe here - https://newsletter.sharadlal.netGet in touch [email protected] Sharad Lal https://www.sharadlal.net/Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharadlal24/

This month on How to Live, one note - and a conversation that grew from it.“Doing Good” looks at something many of us reach for when we feel that quiet unease: giving back, helping others, making an impact.But what happens when the best of us goes outward - and the people closest to us get what’s left?I share the note, along with some of the responses it stirred up: on presence, provision, family, ambition, and the quiet ways we measure a meaningful life.Shownotes: https://howtolive.life/episode/106-doing-goodHow to Live Newsletter One honest thought, every second Saturday. No spam. Subscribe here - https://newsletter.sharadlal.netGet in touch [email protected] Sharad Lal https://www.sharadlal.net/Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharadlal24/

After a long pause, the show is back - in a new shape.Each month on How to Live, I read a couple of the short notes from my newsletter and some of the responses they stirred up.This month, the two that started it all: "The Hum" - the quiet unease underneath a life that looks fine from the outside - and "Why Now," on why it tends to hit us at this particular stage of life. Plus some of the replies that came back.Shownotes: https://howtolive.life/episode/105-the-humHow to Live Newsletter One honest thought, every second Saturday. No spam. Subscribe here - https://newsletter.sharadlal.netGet in touch [email protected] Sharad Lal https://www.sharadlal.net/Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharadlal24/

After releasing an episode every second week since November 2021 - we’re taking a short break from How to Live.Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with incredible guests, thinkers, founders, scientists, and leaders, all exploring the same question: how do we live a good life?Now, it feels like the right moment to pause, reflect, and recharge, so we can come back in February with fresh stories and new insights for the next chapter.While we take this short break, I wanted to leave you with one of the most relevant conversations from this year - an episode that resonated deeply with many listeners navigating uncertainty.It’s about layoffs, and how to turn them into opportunities for clarity, renewal, and even growth.So if you, or someone you know, is going through change or questioning what’s next, I hope this one brings some comfort and perspective.Thank you for being part of this journey, for listening, sharing, and growing together.Take care, and I’ll see you back here in February.How to Live Newsletter One honest thought, every second Saturday. No spam. Subscribe here - https://newsletter.sharadlal.netGet in touch [email protected] Sharad Lal https://www.sharadlal.net/Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharadlal24/

Reinvention for 23-year-olds with nothing to lose is relatively easy. At 40, it's brave. Here's how to do it well.At 23, Nick Francis left the BBC, drove a Mini to Mongolia, and stumbled into building a creative business now in 9 countries. Back then, it didn't feel brave. No mortgage. No kids. Nothing to lose.As Nick says: "If you quit your job in your 40s, with kids and responsibilities - that's brave."Here's what struck me: midlife reinvention isn't about starting over. It's about starting better.In your 40s, you're not building from zero. You have:Clarity about what you actually want (not what you think you should want)Skills that compound in unexpected waysNetworks built on real relationshipsResilience from surviving previous challengesThe 23-year-old has energy. The 40-something has intention.Nick's line stuck with me: "We often overvalue the risk of doing something different, and undervalue the risk of continuing to do what we've always done."If you're questioning your next chapter, you're not having a crisis. You're seeing an opening - an opening to thoughtfully design your next chapter.This conversation is special because Nick not only shares deep wisdom on reinvention - he also acquired my company last year. Shownoteshttps://howtolive.life/episode/102-building-a-business-with-heart-with-Nick-FrancisHow to Live Newsletter One honest thought, every second Saturday. No spam. Subscribe here - https://newsletter.sharadlal.netGet in touch [email protected] Sharad Lal https://www.sharadlal.net/Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharadlal24/

Eating healthy ✅ Working out ✅ Blood tests normal ✅…but still not feeling good?Low energy. Brain fog. Mood swings.The missing piece might be your gut.Gut isn't just about digestion. It's our "second brain." 95% of serotonin (our "happy" chemical) is made there. Poor absorption can leave us tired, anxious, or unfocused - even with a perfect dietIn the latest How to Live episode, I sit down with Functional Medicine Coach Jo Brownlow. We unpack:  What gut health really means How it affects focus, emotions, and energySimple steps busy people can take todayIf you're doing "all the right things" but still feel off, this conversation could be your missing piece.Shownoteshttps://howtolive.life/episode/102-better-gut-better-health-with-Jo-BrownlowHow to Live Newsletter One honest thought, every second Saturday. No spam. Subscribe here - https://newsletter.sharadlal.netGet in touch [email protected] Sharad Lal https://www.sharadlal.net/Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharadlal24/

Layoffs don’t just take our jobs. They can scramble our judgment. Here’s how to get both back.An entrepreneur on my podcast told me this story:“When I went bankrupt, I begged a friend, who had built a unicorn, for a meeting. He gave me 30 minutes. But the moment we sat down, I could tell he wanted to leave.Six months later, after I’d worked on myself, I went back with clarity and energy. This time, he introduced me to people and offered support.What I learned was simple: if you go to people with negative, desperate energy, you pull them down. But if you show up with direction and passion, they go out of their way to help.”That’s the Busy Bee trap.When layoffs hit, many of us cope by throwing ourselves into endless activity - networking calls, resume blasts, constant LinkedIn posts.It feels like progress.But it’s often just frantic energy that pushes people away.Because action is not the same as movement.Action is visible busyness. Running hard, but often in circles.Movement starts inside. Small, invisible shifts - restoring our headspace, processing what happened, finding clarity.That inner shift moves us forward far more than 100 frantic actions.Because once our headspace shifts, our actions carry real power.The real challenge during a layoff: managing our headspace while clarifying what we want.When we do this systematically, we give ourselves the best chance to succeed.We dive deeper into this in today's episode.Shownoteshttps://howtolive.life/episode/101-bouncing-back-after-layoff-with-Sharad-LalHow to Live Newsletter One honest thought, every second Saturday. No spam. Subscribe here - https://newsletter.sharadlal.netGet in touch [email protected] Sharad Lal https://www.sharadlal.net/Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharadlal24/

Episode 100: What started as a passion project has turned into a full career pivot!Four years ago, I hit record on the first episode of my podcast.I had no big plans. Just one question I couldn’t stop thinking about:How do we live a good life?So I started How to Live.Shared what I’d learned.Stayed curious.Kept listening.Then something magical happened.I got a message from my old BCG boss, Dean Tong.We hadn’t spoken in 15 years.He’d stumbled upon the podcast. We met.Talked about Stoicism, Buddhism, and Purpose.Then he invited me to speak at UOB Bank, where he was the Chief HR Officer.I was nervous. It was a corporate setting.I had a meditation exercise planned. Would it land?Dean said:“Don’t worry. I’ll take the risk. Just do your best.”That support changed everything.The talk worked.It led to more sessions. More companies.And one day I realised - this wasn’t a side project anymore.It was a new path.Keynotes. Workshops. Leadership Programs.Helping leaders reconnect with purpose, reach their next peak, and navigate uncertainty with resilience.It felt meaningful.And it could pay the bills.So I took the leap.Sold my digital agency. Went all in.Today, I’ve led over 75 workshops across four continents with companies like Google, Unilever, HSBC, and Mastercard.And I’ve seen how powerful ancient wisdom can be in modern leadership.The podcast has grown beyond my wildest dreams too. Ranked in the top 3% globally and listened to in 150 countries.The lesson?When you do what you love with honesty and passion, it’s infectious.People are watching. People are listening, even if they never like or comment.(Dean didn’t either.)But sometimes, just one of them can change the trajectory of your entire life.🎧 In today’s milestone episode, I share the five biggest lessons from this incredible journey. Here’s to the next 100.Shownoteshttps://howtolive.life/episode/100-five-lessons-from-100-episodes-with-Sharad-LalHow to Live Newsletter One honest thought, every second Saturday. No spam. Subscribe here - https://newsletter.sharadlal.netGet in touch [email protected] Sharad Lal https://www.sharadlal.net/Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharadlal24/

"How have I been complicit in creating the conditions I say I don't want?"Many of us find ourselves trapped in patterns we claim to hate - overworking while craving balance, tolerating bad bosses, accepting toxic work cultures.This question cuts right to the heart of it. It's not about blame. It's about awareness. The word complicit cuts deeper than responsible, because it asks us to look inward, without self-attack.This question comes from Jerry Colonna - former JP Morgan partner, co-founder of a top-tier VC firm with Fred Wilson, now known as the CEO Whisperer. He coaches Founders and CEOs at Etsy, SoundCloud, and Fortune 500 companies.I've wanted this conversation for years, ever since hearing him on the Tim Ferriss podcast. When he agreed to come on How to Live, I honestly couldn’t believe it.In our conversation, Jerry opens up about his journey from massive Wall Street success to a near-suicidal moment on a subway platform, and how radical self-inquiry saved his life.We dive deep into self-growth, leadership, practical journaling techniques, managing the voices in your head, and why the most successful people often create their own suffering without realizing it.If you're exploring the next frontier of growth, it might not be outside.It might be within.This conversation will help you start the work.Shownoteshttps://howtolive.life/episode/099-wisdom-from-the-CEO-whisperer-with-jerry-colonnaHow to Live Newsletter One honest thought, every second Saturday. No spam. Subscribe here - https://newsletter.sharadlal.netGet in touch [email protected] Sharad Lal https://www.sharadlal.net/Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharadlal24/

"Chase passion, not pension" - but how do you actually figure out what you love?Robin Speculand nailed this. At 34, he was making VP money at Citibank — but still didn't know what his "passion" was.So he did something most of us never do: He stepped off the treadmill and took time to reflect.On a beach, he asked himself: What have I truly enjoyed?What gave me energy? What problems do I see that others miss?That's when it clicked. Every company had a strategy. But 9 out of 10 failed at implementation. Nobody was solving this. It was a blue ocean.His passion wasn't "helping people" or "being a founder." It was this specific, unsexy problem everyone ignored.📌 If you're in your 40s and feeling stuck, maybe passion isn't something you find. Maybe it's something you recognize:Step off the treadmill (take real reflection time)Look at what energizes you (not what looks good on LinkedIn)Spot the blue ocean problem only you can seeYour passion might not be trending. It might be the overlooked thing that quietly lights you up.And that's exactly why it could change your life.🎧 Full episode with Robin — How to Live, Episode 98Shownoteshttps://howtolive.life/episode/098-designing-life-in-your-forties-with-robin-speculandHow to Live Newsletter One honest thought, every second Saturday. No spam. Subscribe here - https://newsletter.sharadlal.netGet in touch [email protected] Sharad Lal https://www.sharadlal.net/Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharadlal24/