woc podcast

Welcome to "3 Minute Thursday"  (#ThreeMinuteThursday) where Pooja shares a weekly nugget of wisdom in just a few minutes. 

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The idea – that the more you want the more you suffer – is a basic tenant of Buddhism and many other spiritual and religious traditions. The Buddha believed that most suffering is caused by a tendency to crave things. These things might be exact and tangible like wanting to own a sports car or getting to 100K followers on Twitter, or more amorphous, like just not feeling content in the now – wanting to be somewhere else or do something else.

Think about how much wanting happens in your own life. How often do you think about wanting things or experiences or situations?

Legendary coach John Wooden, didn’t need to study eastern philosophy to figure this out. He wrote in his 1997 book, Wooden that: “It is my observation that the primary cause of unhappiness for most people is simply wanting too much: expecting too much materially, chasing the dollar, overemphasizing the material things. When they don’t arrive, unhappiness does.

Eckert Tolle, the author of book The Power of Now, links wanting with stress: he says “Stress is caused by being here but wanting to be there.”

How often do you want to be there instead of here. How often are you playing for later, hoping that when you get the things you want you will be happy?

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If you want to read more of my essays on living calm and free, please sign up to my newsletter by following me on LinkedIn.

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

Instagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro.

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

Sufi Kaur for managing and designing our social graphics.

Lynn Guerin is the CEO of The John Wooden Course, and the President of Guerin Marketing Services, helping individuals and organizations reach their full potential in life. He is also the author of Coach 'Em'Way Up: Five Lessons for Leading the John Wooden Way. Lynn spent significant periods of time in the presence of legendary UCLA basketball Coach John Wooden before his passing in 2010, learning a great deal of wisdom from this "philosopher-coach" who impacted the lives of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton and many others. Lynn now shares this wisdom with us. 

The profundity of insights in this conversation is beyond compare. You’ll hear Lynn describe Coach Wooden’s moral, physical and emotional discipline which lead him to becoming one of the greatest coaches in history. We dig deep into Coach Wooden's definition of success which helped him stay present, calm and at peace day to day. And the Pyramid of Success, which Lynn believes might be the "best kept secret in the history of American culture and the most important idea that has not become the center of how we think about who we are as a nation."

(Below are time stamps to quickly navigate to many other poignant pieces of wisdom shared in this discussion.)

12.46 - Inner peace and the ego-based actions so prevalent in today's world

16.13 - How he declined a meeting with the President of the United States because he had an appointment with a youngster.

24.48 - Wooden's personal routines

25.38 - How he engineered every 24 hours, prepping 2 hours for a 2 hour practice

32.30 - Defining success

33.09 - Defining success and the American Dream

34.19 - Looked at the 7pt creed every day of his life for 80 years

36.40 - More concerned with living to a standard than his standard of living

37.02 - Never mentioned "winning"

37.32 - He had a standard higher than winning which eventually produced success on the court.

38.28 - Coached 16 years before winning his 1st championship

Many thanks to Lynn Guerin.

Follow  The John R. Wooden Course:

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/woodencourse

On IG: 

Website: https://www.thejohnrwoodencourse.com/about

Lynn Guerin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/lynn-guerin-949b2210/

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  https://www.poojamottl.com/

Podcast Producer: https://www.go-toproductions.com/

Twitter @PoojaMottl: https://twitter.com/poojamottl

Instagram: 

@TheCalmandFreePodcast https://www.instagram.com/thecalmandfreepodcast/

and @PoojaMottl https://www.instagram.com/poojamottl/

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl  https://www.linkedin.com/in/poojamottl/

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro: https://www.sites.google.com/view/textproserocknroll/home

Jessica Panian https://www.jessicapanian.com/ for her help with our graphic design: https://www.jessicapanian.com/

Welcome to "Time Out Thursday"  (#TimeOutThursday) where I guide you through a powerful meditation. 

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Often, many of us try to meditate with a misunderstanding of mediation which then leads to doubt or hesitation to meditate regularly.

Today I’ll start by briefly helping you understand what mediation is and then we’ll go straight into the experience of it.

Meditation is about moving into stillness. Our bodies may be in the noisy outside world but we are going inside with mediation. You can also think of it as allowing your mind and senses to stop working. Letting your mind rest. Your eyes rest from seeing – your ears and mouth rest from hearing and talking. Meditation is a way to slow all of this down – to give your mind a body the break they need. 

And when we can relax the mind and body, we can move beyond the mind itself – into a deep and silent space, what yogic philosophy refers to as the Self, or atman. Where we can touch the bliss that is inherently inside all of us.

Remember, mediation isn’t another test or challenge or something you have to put effort into. It’s about putting in NO effort – giving nothing - and completely letting go. 

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If you want to read more of my essays on living calm and free, please sign up to my newsletter by following me on LinkedIn.

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

Instagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro.

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

Sufi Kaur for managing and designing our social graphics.

Louis Gagnon is a seasoned corporate executive having worked and lead at Monster.com, Audible and most recently was the CEO of Total Brain, a company that leverages neuroscience to optimize mental fitness. At the age of 48, he found the self-awareness that has led him to move beyond the intellect and into the heart which has fueled renewed life purpose with a focus on human wellbeing. This conversation was genuine and rich with insight. You will hear Louis speak about an unhealthy obsession with growth in the corporate sector, the era of Newtonian-based scientific materialism coming to a close, the power of self-awareness in leading your best life, and his definition of personal success which I found most beautiful.

Please enjoy...

Follow  Louis:

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisgagnon

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  https://www.poojamottl.com/

Podcast Producer: https://www.go-toproductions.com/

Twitter @PoojaMottl: https://twitter.com/poojamottl

Instagram: 

@TheCalmandFreePodcast https://www.instagram.com/thecalmandfreepodcast/

and @PoojaMottl https://www.instagram.com/poojamottl/

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl  https://www.linkedin.com/in/poojamottl/

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro: https://www.sites.google.com/view/textproserocknroll/home

Jessica Panian https://www.jessicapanian.com/ for her help with our graphic design: https://www.jessicapanian.com/

Pooja and  Saroya talk about her journey to finding the freedom to express her authentic self as an elite athlete at an Ivy League university and as a professional athlete in the Premier Hockey Federation. Pooja and Saroya discuss strategies to overcome limiting beliefs, imposter syndrome and fear of failure as well as defining success and a purpose beyond one's individual accomplishments.

Follow  Saroya:

You can find Saroya and keep up with her work and mentorship initiatives at:

On Instagram @saroyatinker71

Mentorship on Instagram  @saroyastrong

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  https://www.poojamottl.com/

Podcast Producer: https://www.go-toproductions.com/

Twitter @PoojaMottl: https://twitter.com/poojamottl

Instagram: 

@TheCalmandFreePodcast https://www.instagram.com/thecalmandfreepodcast/

and @PoojaMottl https://www.instagram.com/poojamottl/

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl  https://www.linkedin.com/in/poojamottl/

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro: https://www.sites.google.com/view/textproserocknroll/home

Jessica Panian https://www.jessicapanian.com/ for her help with our graphic design: https://www.jessicapanian.com/

Welcome to our weekly segment, "Three Minute Thursday"  (#3MinThursday) where I highlight a piece of wisdom I’ve come across from my own readings over the past week, or share with you an inspirational anecdote or insight that can help you lead a more calm, free and compassionate life. 

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I’m overjoyed by the support we’ve received this year on this very special podcast. I want to thank you for taking the time out of your life to be here with us every week. It is my sincere hope that the insights laid bare on this podcast will help you navigate both your inner and outer world in a way that brings you deep and lasting happiness and the freedom to blossom fully into the incredible human being that you are which will allow you to not only take life fully by the horns but also pass on these gifts of head and heart to the people you love and extend it further into our common humanity.

Today I want to reflect on the world calm. Calm is the chief skill to cultivate in the next year, in 2022. And it may surprise many of you that although calm can be cultivated through meditation, silence, breathwork and mindfulness timeless philosophical insights that connect the heart and mind can also generate calm.

Here are a few insights to expand on this point and it is my hope that you will take them with you into the new year:

When you live life as if it is rigged in your favor, you find calm. 

When you stop pinning your happiness to future goals and start tapping into it now, you find calm.

When you realize the pie is big enough for everyone to have a slice, you find calm.

When you let go of grudges and spite and forgive both yourself and others, you find calm.

When you make the outcome of your process about compassion and caring for others, not you, you find calm.

Wishing you all a healthy, restful, end of the year. Please join me next week, the first week of January, for a powerful meditation to help you start of 2022 with supreme calm.

If you want to read more of my essays on living calm and free, please sign up to my newsletter by following me on LinkedIn.

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

Instagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro.

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

Sufi Kaur for managing and designing our social graphics.

Welcome to our weekly segment, "Three Minute Thursday"  (#3MinThursday) where I highlight a piece of wisdom I’ve come across from my own readings over the past week, or share with you an inspirational anecdote that can help you lead a more calm, free and compassionate life. 

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Today we want to share with you an insight about steadiness, richness and peace.

"You do not become rich through working, through power prestige or influence, You become rich when you find peace inside and out. " ~ Pooja Mottl

We can Find peace with the outside world by:

1. Accepting people and daily experiences as they are, without resistance.

2. Being able to keep your calm, equanimity and grace in every situation.

3. By realizing that there is something to be grateful for in every moment of our lives if we stay present.

Finding peace with your inside world means:

1. Being able to let go at any moment and be at ease - for example letting go of anger, comparison, projects, things, outcomes, the past, etc.

2. Forgiving others and yourself.

3. Knowing you are valid and worthy just as you are right now in this moment – you are enough right now just being you.

Richness comes with peace. Try practicing these insights this holiday season and please listen to this episode again to contemplate further.

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

Instagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro.

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

Sufi Kaur for managing and designing our social graphics.

Welcome to our weekly segment, "Three Minute Thursday"  (#3MinThursday) where I highlight a piece of wisdom I’ve come across from my own readings over the past week, or share with you an inspirational anecdote that can help you lead a more calm, free and compassionate life. 

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Today I'd like to share with you an insight based on the book, Your True Home – everyday wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Buddhist monk who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King  Jr.

He says that most of us believe that happiness is possible only in the future. And when you are searching for something else, you are not at peace with yourself, you are not satisfied with yourself. Then there is conflict. And with conflict there is no peace and calm. And when there is no peace and calm, there is no happiness and joy.

But the truth is, he says, that we have already arrived, we don’t have to travel any further. The conditions for our happiness are already sufficient. We don’t need any more labels, things, titles, or other type of currency to be happy and free. We only need to allow ourselves to be in the present moment, and we will be able to touch our happiness.

Thich Nhat Hanh talks about a practice to help us experience this. He calls it “I have arrived”. 

When you breath in and bring you mind home to your body, you make peace with your mind and body. This is the practice. It takes only 2 seconds he says – you establish yourself in the here and now. You are enough. 

Smile and internalize this idea that you are enough. There is no need to search, to wait, to seek for something better to happen. Better is happening now. Just breath in.

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

Instagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro.

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

Sufi Kaur for managing and designing our social graphics.

“There is nothing more priceless than each and every moment of your breath”. Based in his home in Nepal, Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche shares with Pooja a wealth of knowledge and teachings relating to how to live a life of ease, joy, and authenticity.

Topics discussed include:

• Keeping "busy" and filling the mind versus appreciating the process
• The "awareness of nowness" as it relates to finding your authentic self and eliminating anxiety
• Knowing you are valid just being who you are this very moment
• Trying to legitimize existence due to a "poverty mentality"

"When breathing is not burdened by fear or hope or driven by an agenda, so that breathing becomes natural, in that naturalness there is liberation, meaning you are able to find your true self."

"The way to be rich is to be free from attachment"

"Being able to relax, to remain at peace, is our purpose here on the Earth."

"Discontentment is like a war/battlefield in our minds"

More about H.E. Rinpoche

H.E. Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche is a preeminent Buddhist Dzogchen master, teacher, scholar, and author who is fluent in English and has a keen understanding of Western culture. Rinpoche is admired for his sharp intellect, quick wit and heartfelt compassion. His spontaneous, clear, and insightful teachings inspire us to live in the moment with wakefulness and genuine caring for others.

His Eminence Rinpoche invites all to help support the construction of the Peace Sanctuary in Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of Buddha.

More:

The Mahasiddha Sanctuary for Universal Peace is under construction on the site adjacent to the Sacred Garden where Lord Buddha was born. The sanctuary will honour the Enlightened Ones who realized the way to peace within and peace without. It will serve as a radiant beacon, helping to inspire and guide individuals, communities, and nations toward harmonious coexistence and reconciliation.
The outer structure of the Sanctuary Shrine Hall evokes images of a lotus flower, a butter lamp, a stupa, and a mandala offering.
Further symbolism in the design of sanctuary:
—The golden finial represents the thirteen levels of accomplishment.
—The vast, immaculate space of the Sanctuary Shrine Hall conveys the timeless purity of Buddha’s enlightenment.
—The golden statue of Queen Mayadevi with the newborn Prince Siddhartha will honour all our mothers, who exemplify unconditional love for their children. This unconditional love is the source of all peace.
—The water pool that surrounds the sanctuary symbolizes great compassion for all sentient beings.

We invite you to donate $1 at the link below if you'd like to further this profound project in the promotion of universal peace:

https://www.peacesanctuary.org/

https://www.buddhafield.us/shyalpa-rinpoche

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  https://www.poojamottl.com/

Podcast Producer: https://www.go-toproductions.com/

Twitter @PoojaMottl: https://twitter.com/poojamottl

Instagram: 

@TheCalmandFreePodcast https://www.instagram.com/thecalmandfreepodcast/

and @PoojaMottl https://www.instagram.com/poojamottl/

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl  https://www.linkedin.com/in/poojamottl/

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro: https://www.sites.google.com/view/textproserocknroll/home

Jessica Panian https://www.jessicapanian.com/ for her help with our graphic design: https://www.jessicapanian.com/

Welcome to our weekly segment, "Three Minute Thursday"  (#3MinThursday) where I highlight a piece of wisdom I’ve come across from my own readings over the past week, or share with you an inspirational anecdote that can help you lead a more calm, free and compassionate life. 

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Earlier this week I got some sad news – a former boss of mine from London passed away. He left behind a beautiful family – a wife and three kids. He was an amazing human with great empathy and compassion for humanity and others.

I'll be the first to admit, that most days, I’m not thinking about life as impermanent, as transitory. Most of the time I’m playing for the future. For the next week, the next year. But this incident gave me that reminder I needed to keep mortality in mind each and every day. To live each day as if it were my masterpiece, not as if it's just another ordinary day in an infinite life.

Stoic philosophers opined on death greatly and have left a litany of profound knowledge we can use to our benefit in modern life:

Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius famously said “It is not death that a man should fear, but rather he should fear never beginning to live.”...“Don’t behave as if you are destined to live forever.”

This same week, an incredible Netflix film called 14 Peaks, helped take this Marcus Aurelius wisdom a step further for me.

In 2019, a Nepali mountain climber who goes by the name of Nims, climbed all of the worlds 8000+ peaks - the death zones - in less than 7 months – a world record. He knew that if he quite while on a mountain he would die. But in being so acutely in the present moment as he climbed those mountains, he found that fear of death became irrelevant. In other words...he was free. 

Freedom comes from living fully in the present – free from fears, from worry, from regret, from anxiety, from planning– and living fully with enthusiasm and in the pursuit of a purpose beyond yourself.

For Nims, his purpose was to gain recognition for all the nameless Sherpas that helped countless western climbers over countless years with no credit.

So these two things – the death of a colleague and 14 Peaks helped nail down a solid definition of freedom for me. That freedom happens when you keep mortality in mind which then forces you to live each and everyday in the present without fear, energized by a higher purpose and infusing these present moments with joy and positivity.

Certainly you don’t have to be climbing Annapurna or K2 to find the kind of freedom Nims has – you can do it in your own way. You just have to internalize this definition of freedom and make the life-changing choices that put you on the path to getting it. 

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

Instagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro.

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

Sufi Kaur for managing and designing our social graphics.

This conversation is filled with life changing wisdom that you won't want to miss - powerful, practical knowledge that can help you change the way you think so you can change the way you live. Ruchika delivers beautiful thoughts on how her definition of success has changed over the years and what it is now. We talk about how to become aware of a culture that normalizes craving and aggrandizes the finish line more than the day to day process. Ruchika also provides some insight on the reshaping of role models for a healthier, happier society.

About Ruchika:

Ruchika Lal is the Co-Founder & CEO of Winked which helps you live with more joy in life. She's also a teacher at the Art of Living Foundation, an organization that works towards reducing stress in individuals and society and fostering well-being and inner peace. Prior to her journey as an entrepreneur, she held senior leadership positions in Fortune 100 companies for well over a decade. Most recently, Ruchika was VP at American Express in New York where she led B2B payments for the US and in India served as an advertising executive at Ogilvy.

Follow Winked & Ruchika: 

Download the Winked App: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1575233318?mt=8

On Twitter:

@justwinked- https://twitter.com/just_winked

@RuchikaLal1 - https://twitter.com/ruchikalal1

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  https://www.poojamottl.com/

Podcast Producer: https://www.go-toproductions.com/

Twitter @PoojaMottl: https://twitter.com/poojamottl

Instagram: 

@TheCalmandFreePodcast https://www.instagram.com/thecalmandfreepodcast/

and @PoojaMottl https://www.instagram.com/poojamottl/

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl  https://www.linkedin.com/in/poojamottl/

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro: https://www.sites.google.com/view/textproserocknroll/home

Jessica Panian https://www.jessicapanian.com/ for her help with our graphic design: https://www.jessicapanian.com/

Welcome to our weekly segment, "Three Minute Thursday"  (#3MinThursday) where I highlight a piece of wisdom I’ve come across from my own readings over the past week, or share with you an inspirational anecdote that can help you lead a more calm, free and compassionate life. 

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This week I have contentment on my mind, inspired by my current education at the Sri Sri School of Yoga. 

Many of you know that one of the central areas of focus in this podcast is spotlighting profound wisdom and philosophical insights, both ancient and modern, that can be applied to finding calm, freedom, and compassion in the hustle of modern day living.

Today I want to talk about some key wisdom around contentment and happiness – wisdom that has spanned not only the ages, but continents and world views.

The idea that contentment and happiness is a choice is not new.

Sentenced to prison twice for his views on the French government, 18th cent. Paris-based Writer and philosopher Voltaire, had a strong conviction about contentment – that is was a decision you had to make. He wrote that the "most important decision you will make is to be in a good mood."

Two hundred years later, a man from Detroit Michigan who began his life as an orphan only to write one of the best-selling books of all time, Wayne Dyer said something similar: “Heaven on Earth is a choice you must make, not a place you must find.”

Rewind about 2000 years from this and we find that this same idea – that a happy mood and contentment is a choice we make, - can be found in the ancient Yoga Sutras, one of the foundational texts of classic yogic philosophy. In this text, Maharishi Patanjali refers to the Sanskrit word santosha – which means contentment, describing it as an attitude and a practice. He says that only by practicing santosha, can unparalellled joy be achieved.

So if you’re feeling a bit low or empty today, Make that decision to be in a good mood. Tap into your inner world or explore your outer world to find those nuggets of contentment– there are never far from reach. 

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

Instagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro.

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

Sufi Kaur for managing and designing our social graphics.

In this conversation we dive deep into the inner skills that have contributed to Lu’s outward success. A product of inner Mongolia and a child of entrepreneurs, Lu cultivated a fearlessness toward risk and discomfort early on in life. She also discusses the power of being equanimous and non judgemental in the face of challenge, and the personal freedom and power that comes from being fiercely and consistently authentic to her true self. 

You will also hear Lu reflect on how, over time, she learned that an airtight conviction to her principles is the most effective antidote to pitfalls associated with ego, comparison and competition and the best path to contributing real value in the world. 

About Lu:

Lu Zhang is the Founder and Managing Partner of Venture firm Fusion Fund, a serial entrepreneur. She is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and has been named Forbes 30 under 30, a Silicon Valley Women of Influence, and Best 25 Female Investor by Business Insider. Prior to starting Fusion Fund, she was the Founder and CEO of a medical device company focused on non-invasive technology for the early diagnosis of Type II diabetes, acquired in 2012. She received her Masters in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University. 

Learn more about Fusion Fund: https://www.fusionfund.com/

Follow Lu & Fusion Fund on Twitter: 

@LuZhangVC - https://twitter.com/luzhangvc

@FusionFundVC - https://twitter.com/FusionFundVC

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

Instagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

In this episode, you will hear Lisa and Pooja engage in an honest and authentic conversation into many topics spanning from what she calls "good girl brainwashing" to being "fearlessly female", to learning to be your own best friend, and reaching that state of awareness that reveals to you that becoming the greatest version of yourself is a duty.

About Lisa:

Lisa Carmen Wang is a former 4X US National Champion & Hall of Fame gymnast turned serial entrepreneur, investor, keynote speaker, executive coach, and unapologetic feminist.

Lisa was the Founder and CEO of recently acquired SheWorx, a community platform of over 20K female entrepreneurs. She has raised over $50M in funding, spoken across many world stages on the power of Enoughness, and has coached 100K women on personal & financial confidence. Lisa is currently the Head of Brand at Republic.

Lisa was named Forbes 30 Under 30, Entrepreneur Magazine's 100 Most Powerful Women, Red Bull Hero of The Year, and inducted into the Red Shoe Movement Hall of Fame for creating a more equitable workplace. 

She is now the Host of the Bad Bitch Business Podcast and is currently writing her upcoming book, The Bad Bitch Business Bible, set to publish with HarperCollins Business in 2022.

She began her career at a top Wall Street hedge fund and is a graduate of Yale University. Lisa’s mission is to uplift the next generation of powerful women.

Connect with Lisa:

On her Website

On LinkedIn

On Instagram & Twitter: @LisaCarmenWang

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl: https://www.poojamottl.com/

Podcast Producer: https://www.go-toproductions.com/

Twitter: @PoojaMottl https://twitter.com/poojamottl

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/poojamottl/

https://www.instagram.com/thecalmandfreepodcast/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/poojamottl/

Special thanks to:

Kris Kosach for voiceover: https://www.sites.google.com/view/textproserocknroll/home

Jessica Panian: for graphic design: https://www.jessicapanian.com/

Sufi Kaur for social graphics

Welcome to our new segment, "Three Minute Thursday"  (#3MinThursday) where I highlight a piece of wisdom I’ve come across from my own readings over the past week, or share with you an inspirational anecdote that can help you lead a more calm, free and full life. 

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Coach John Wooden is one of the most revered coaches in sports history, the brains behind the Pyramid of Success, and known for his simple, inspirational messages that have impacted thousands of individuals and organizations. Since on this podcast I try to uncover timeless wisdom – no matter who its from or what century it was born in that can help us lead our best lives - I’ve been drawn to Coach Wooden's work for a while and today I wanted to share some bits of wisdom I found from a recent book I read on the life of John Wooden.

It seems John Wooden learned the bulk of his most important life lessons from his father, Joshua, a farmer than a sanitarium worker from Indiana who lived through the Great Depression. One day Joshua wrote down a direct set of rules “Two sets of Threes” for John and his brothers:

Never Lie, Cheat, or Steal.

Don’t Whine, Don't Complain, and Don't Make Excuses.

Coach Wooden never put up with complaining from his players. He expected a see a positive attitude from every player every day. Whining was particularly destructive because it took the spotlight off the “we” and onto the “me”.

Complaining is draining – it drains us and the people around us.

The act of complaining is 100% under our control. The attitude we bring to every moment and every situation in our lives is under our control. 

This little story also made me think immediately of this quote by 18th c French philosopher and writer Voltaire: “The most important decision you make, is to be in a good mood.” 

Our life is only as good as the choices we make. The more we can find that space, the breath, the moment to catch ourselves in every new situation and respond by not complaining rather than reacting by complaining, that’s when we utilize the skills we have on the inside to live our best lives on the outside.

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

Instagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro.

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

Sufi Kaur for managing and designing our social graphics.

Priyanka Naik is a self-taught vegan chef, Food Network champion and the author of The Modern Tiffin, a cookbook showcasing  simple global dishes inspired by her heritage and travels.

In this conversation you will hear Priyanka reflect on her the deep-rooted drive she has to educate people about global cuisine, sparked by her childhood experiences growing up in Staten Island, New York. She also reflects on what success means to her, now that she has reached one of her biggest goals: becoming a published author.

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Connect with Priyanka:

Website: https://www.chefpriyanka.com/

Instagram: @ChefPriyanak  https://www.instagram.com/chefpriyanka/?hl=en

The Modern Tiffin:

https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Tiffin-Go-Dishes-Global/dp/198217708X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+modern+tiffin&qid=1637083079&sr=8-1

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl: https://www.poojamottl.com/

Podcast Producer: https://www.go-toproductions.com/

Twitter: @PoojaMottl https://twitter.com/poojamottl

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/poojamottl/

https://www.instagram.com/thecalmandfreepodcast/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/poojamottl/

Special thanks to:

Kris Kosach for voiceover: https://www.sites.google.com/view/textproserocknroll/home

Jessica Panian: for graphic design: https://www.jessicapanian.com/

Sufi Kaur for social graphics

Welcome to our new segment, "Three Minute Thursday"  (#3MinThursday) where I highlight a piece of wisdom I’ve come across from my own readings over the past week, or share with you an inspirational anecdote that can help you lead a more calm, free and full life. 

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In a recent conversation with a budding entrepreneur, it hit me that overachievers who embrace the idea that the harder you work, the more you increase your chances for success, tend to struggle nearly all their lives with placing limits on that hard work itself.

Driven individuals tend to believe that the more effort they put in, the more they can guarantee their future success. And because these individuals are so incredibly determined and ambitious, they’re willing to overwork the competition and sacrifice everything, even their own happiness, so they can toil, grind, and push even harder.

But here’s the rub: The finish line can’t be guaranteed, no matter how hard you try. 

Work can take you only so far. There is a very profound verse from the seminal ancient Indian scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, which states that you have the right to your actions, but not the right to the fruits of your actions. 

What this means is that no matter how much you do, the fruits of your actions are not entirely in your hands. Imagine planting an apple seed in the ground. It may not grow into a tree. But if it does, it’s not entirely due to your planting of the seed. There are other factors involved – rain and sun to help it grow, temperature, and how it withstands threats from animals or inclement weather. 

In other words, it’s not just your hard work that determines your success.

The same verse also states that as much as you don’t have the full rights to the fruit of your action, you must also, after you’ve put the hard work in, detach from the action itself. Do the best you can, give it your 100% then…let go. Put forth your best effort, then surrender. Don’t overdo it. Don’t push yourself to burnout because…well, it’s futile. Letting go isn’t about giving up. It’s about the wise acceptance of this very principle.

And this is what overachievers have trouble swallowing – because it doesn’t make sense logically speaking. Surrender? You mean leave my potential success in the hands of an invisible high power? That’s not what they taught me in business school.

So, they all too often find themselves getting closer and closer to their breaking point – miserably overworking, rather than joyfully working hard and then letting go. What’s more, they often can’t comprehend why others aren’t quick to sympathize with them. This same entrepreneur expressed to me several times “People don’t realize how hard I’m working”. The thing is, no one is asking or expecting you to work this hard – except, of course, you.

I must confess, I used to be this exact type of overachiever over-worker myself. Never satisfied with the effort I put in. Always ready to put in more and more fight, and use more and more of my grit, willpower, and drive.

But looking back, yes, my innate tendencies may have gotten me somewhere, helped me check off a few boxes and pushed me up the ranks a bit, but I recognize now, that I likely could have gone a lot farther and been happier along the way, if I just learned to…well…Let Go.

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

Instagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro.

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

Sufi Kaur for managing and designing our social graphics.

Rooshy Roy is the Co-Founder & CEO of AAVRANI, a clean skincare brand inspired by India's ancient beauty rituals.

Rooshy is a driven and determined businesswoman with soul. This conversation with Rooshy uncovers an abundance of life wisdom that can help you grow the skills you need on the inside, to shine on the outside. 

In speaking with Rooshy I noticed a common thread that connected almost every aspect of her life: the pursuit of authenticity – authenticity in her brand’s mission, authenticity of her products and authenticity in the life she continues to craft for herself. Her journey as an entrepreneur has helped her not only unmask this pursuit, but has shaped her sense of self, her definition of success, and the rules she lives by to make it manifest.

In this episode you’ll hear Rooshy talk about how emotionally detaching from business is essential for any entrepreneur, how she dealt with past burnout, and how she embraces presence in an industry hell bent on keeping our minds craving the future.

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Connect with Rooshy:

Website: https://aavrani.com/

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/aavrani

https://www.instagram.com/rooshyroy

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/aavrani

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl: https://www.poojamottl.com/

Podcast Producer: https://www.go-toproductions.com/

Twitter: @PoojaMottl https://twitter.com/poojamottl

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/poojamottl/

https://www.instagram.com/thecalmandfreepodcast/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/poojamottl/

Special thanks to:

Kris Kosach for voiceover: https://www.sites.google.com/view/textproserocknroll/home

Jessica Panian: for graphic design: https://www.jessicapanian.com/

Sufi Kaur for social graphics

Welcome to our new segment, "Three Minute Thursday"  (#3MinThursday) where I highlight a piece of wisdom I’ve come across from my own readings over the past week, or share with you an inspirational anecdote that can help you lead a more calm, free and full life. 

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Many of you may know from my posts on social media that this year I decided to take a teachers training course from an authentic school of yoga based in India, pioneered by world humanitarian leader and spiritual master, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

The first few days of this course flipped my understanding of yoga inside out and upside down. Yoga, in its truest form, has to do very little with asanas (those exercises and poses that we have now come to automatically associate with yoga) and everything to do about calming the mind.

See, when the ancients began asking those profound questions like "What is the meaning of life?", and "How do I find joy?", and when they began practicing ways to find inner peace, they came to realize that by calming the mind and connecting with the inner self the answers to these questions revealed themselves.

Yoga, is, in fact, our ability to master the stream of thoughts that run through our mind. This is the definition provided by Maharishi Patanjali himself, the author of the Yoga Sutras. Yoga is our capacity to connect with our true self through stillness. It is cultivating the inner skills used to master life while it unfolds before you. It is a disciplined path to finding your center, and dealing with your emotions.

The physical aspect of yoga- the yoga postures that we equate with yoga are only meant to be vehicles to achieve this ultimate goal and only 1 spoke in a wheel of many. In fact, practicing yoga postures without understanding the historical context, the philosophical wisdom and the other practices that comprise it, such as service and breath work, won’t make you a yogi no matter how many years you practice.

Yoga, is not a physical practice, yoga is a metaphorical and disciplined path of many practices and deep knowledge – a path to uniting you with you’re your truest self, a path that can allow you to blossom to your full human potential and contribute to the world as you do so. 

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

Instagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro.

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

Sufi Kaur for managing and designing our social graphics.

Welcome to our new segment, "Three Minute Thursday"  (#3MinThursday) where I highlight a piece of wisdom I’ve come across from my own readings over the past week, or share with you an inspirational anecdote that can help you lead a more calm, free and full life. 

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This week I have compassion on my mind. Compassion is an antidote to stress, anxiety, and a gateway practice to thriving. 

I recently learned this from taking part in a talk given by Dr. Jim Doty at Stanford University who is a co-founder of a program called ACT – Applied Compassion Training.

Jim spoke about how compassion has been scientifically proven to be a health-booster not unlike exercise, the Mediterranean Diet and meditation. 

When we are kind and compassionate, our physiology changes through the reward centers in our brain. By practicing compassion, our blood pressure goes down, our immune system is boosted, there's a decrease in levels of inflammatory proteins, and a decrease in stress hormones levels. We move from the fight or flight (threat mode) mode to the rest and digest mode, where we’re tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system. We actually live longer when we’re compassionate! 

So how do we become compassionate and practice compassion? Compassion happens when we see ourselves in others – or we're able to see the other as ourselves. When we realize we are all a part of a common humanity. We are all one. Compassion happens when we wake up to the truth that we’re innately hardwired to connect with others and to have empathy for our fellow humans.

This talk really opened my eyes to what truly affects our long-term health. Its not just meditation and fitness that can work wonders, its our relationship with others, its showing up with kindness, caring for one another, and realizing our oneness, that can further our mental and physical health. Compassion is no doubt compelling. And if you’d like to learn more about the science behind it – please look up the ACT program and the CCARE program at Stanford Medicine.

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

Instagram: @TheCalmandFreePodcast and @PoojaMottl  

LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro.

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

Sufi Kaur for managing and designing our social graphics.