The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk - 490: Dandapani - Becoming More Self-Reflective, Having A Purpose, & Creating Unwavering Focus

Duration: 1h 1m
Broadcast on: 15 Sep 2022
Audio Format: other

Text Hawk to 66866 to become part of Mindful Monday. Receive a carefully curated email from me each Monday morning to help you start your week off right...

Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com

Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12

Dandapani is a Hindu priest and a former monk of 10 years. He originally got a degree in Electrical Engineering, then left it all behind and spent a decade studying under the guidance of one of Hinduism's foremost spiritual leaders. He gave a TEDx talk that has been viewed over 5.6 million times and his GoalCast videos have been watched more than 75 million times. He's also written a book called, The Power of Unwavering Focus

Notes:

We need a core purpose in life. Your purpose defines your priorities. It's worth it to do the work to understand this. Self-reflection needs to become part of your routine.
- Excellence = Clarity of purpose, a burning desire, and understanding WHO is aligned with your purpose and developing those relationships fully.
Remember, life is finite. It will end. Let's make the most of it.
You'll often hear parents say to their kids, "we just want you to be happy." Happiness should never be pursued. Rather, one should pursue a lifestyle where the byproduct of living that lifestyle is happiness.
We generally think of concentration as a skill we're born with, rather than a skill we need to be taught and then cultivate by practicing over time. Would you expect to be an expert piano player naturally? Of course not - you would seek instruction, and then practice for years in order to grow your skill.
Concentration, in short, is the ability to keep awareness on one thing until you consciously choose to move it to something else. Distraction, on the other hand, is awareness being controlled by your environment (the people and things around you) without conscious choice.
We are what we practice. The reality is that most people are not conscious of the fact that they are practicing distraction all day every day and hence why they are masters at distraction.
The idea is to build concentration, willpower, and mastery of awareness into your days little by little, growing your skill over weeks, months, and years.
Dandapani's guru has the biggest influence on his life. The role of a mentor is to empower people with tools and help them gain perspective.
Book: Think and Grow Rich. Once you experience something, you can't un-experience it.
A guru takes deep responsibility for someone's life.
"You can only say no if you know what to say yes to."
Learn to focus: Dedicate time in the morning. Find a quiet space. With self-reflection, there can be no mask.
Excellence =
- Clarity of purpose
- Who are you aligned with?

Jim Collins told me on episode number 216 that the single greatest determining factor in my long-term success or failure would be my who. Who I chose to surround myself with. And that conversation has had a huge impact on how I've designed my business. And one of the most important elements or services that I provide is my learning leader circle. And I open up applications one time per year and that time is now at learningleaderscircle.com is where you can apply. Now this is the most inefficient element of my business because I personally read every application and I personally choose who will go on to the next round and then who will ultimately be one of the 12 people to be in my next learning leader circle. And I only do it one time per year and that time is now. If you are intentional about surrounding yourself with others who will push you, challenge you, make you think differently. If you're willing to self-reflect and do some work this could be for you. And you can apply at learningleaderscircle.com. We meet once per month on zoom and then we meet one time per year in person for our leadership retreat for members of my learning leaders circle. So if you'd like to apply go to learningleaderscircle.com Welcome to the learning leaders show presented by Insight Global. I am your host Ryan Hawk. Thank you so much for being here. Text Hawk to 66866 to become part of Mindful Monday. You along with tens of thousands of other learning leaders from all over the world will receive a carefully curated email from me each Monday morning to help you start your week off right. You'll also receive details about how my book The Pursuit of Excellence will help you become a more effective leader. Text Hawk to 66866. Now on to tonight's featured leader Don DePani, a Hindu priest and former monk of 10 years. He originally got a degree in electrical engineering then left it all behind and spent a decade studying under the guidance of one of Hinduism's foremost spiritual leaders. You also give a TEDx talk that has been viewed over 5.6 million times and his goalcast videos have been watched more than 75 million times. He's written a book called The Power of Unwavering Focus. During this conversation we discuss how and why we must make self-reflection part of our daily routine. Then why happiness is not something to be pursued rather it is a by-product of our lifestyle and then he shares the daily routine of a monk and how that could help you plan your days. This one is wide-ranging and very interesting. It's Don DePani. Don DePani is so great to have you here on The Learning Leaders Show. Welcome. Thank you Ryan. Thank you so much for having me. I was rereading your book this morning on the elliptical and this this passage in the book stuck out to me as both a son and a parent and that is you'll often hear parents say to their kids quote we just want you to be happy and you write happiness should never be pursued rather one should pursue a lifestyle where the by-product of living that lifestyle is happiness. Can you share more about that lifestyle and the pursuit where some have this goal of happiness and that may be misguided? I think like you I've I've heard it from my parents I've heard my mom say to me countless times mom and that only want you to be happy you know it's a very common phrase and but happiness is a by-product of an experience so if I spend time with my family I feel happy I play with my daughter in the beach I feel happy if I spend time with my best friends doing something I love I feel happy so how do we craft a lifestyle where the majority of the by-product of the lifestyle results in the feeling of being happy and for that we need clarity of purpose what is my purpose in life and everyone should have a solitary purpose a corporate well I define as a core purpose in life the same way that a

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