Getting Meta

Welcome to the first second of Ask Meta, the bonus segment of this podcast where I answer your questions on careers, freelancing, productivity and whatever else you think I am qualified to answer!This week, two questions on finding freelance work, and two questions around personal content creation!I'd love to answer your questions. Just ping me below and I'll take things ahead from there!Instagram ->instagram.com/chuckofalltradesTwitter-> twitter.com/chuck_gopalEmail -> chuck@chuckofalltrades.inSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the first second of Ask Meta, the bonus segment of this podcast where I answer your questions on careers, freelancing, productivity and whatever else you think I am qualified to answer!This time, questions about side hustles, choosing jobs, and figuring out what one is good at.I'd love to answer your questions. Just ping me below and I'll take things ahead from there!Instagram -> instagram.com/chuckofalltradesTwitter-> twitter.com/chuck_gopalEmail-> chuck@chuckofalltrades.inSee you next week with more Ask Meta!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the first second of Ask Meta, the bonus segment of this podcast where I answer your questions on careers, freelancing, productivity and whatever else you think I am qualified to answer!In this episode, I answer questions from Aishwarya (on planning for future work as a freelancer), Shehzad (about the value of an MBA and building a career in the creative field) and Akshay (a thoughtful question about growth as a freelancer).I'd love to answer your questions. Just ping me below and I'll take things ahead from there!Instagram -> instagram.com/chuckofalltradesTwitter -> twitter.com/chuck_gopalEmail -> chuck@chuckofalltrades.inSee you next week with more Ask Meta!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the first episode of Ask Meta, the bonus segment of this podcast where I answer your questions on careers, freelancing, productivity and whatever else you think I am qualified to answer!In this episode, I answer questions from Abhijit (on moving to another country), Vaishnavi (on why I got into digital marketing / freelancing), Prem (on how to build a name as a content strategy consultant) and an anonymous question (on when to quit a job). Great first set of questions to kick this series off, and I hope my answers make sense!I'd love to answer your questions. Just ping me below and I'll take things ahead from there!Instagram -> instagram.com/chuckofalltradesTwitter -> twitter.com/chuck_gopalEmail-> chuck@chuckofalltrades.inSee you next week with more Ask Meta!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I appeared as a guest on my own show, Simblified! I chat with my pals Naren, Srikeit and Tony about Getting Meta. How it came about, what my learnings were and our own takes on productivity. It was a deeply personal chat with the gang I usually joke around with and I hope you enjoy it! Ask Meta!Have a question for me? Something related to careers or productivity or mental models I could help answer? This is a new segment I'm going to try out in a couple of weeks. Mail me any question at all you have (don't worry about how you structure it, we can figure that out). Mail me at chuck@chuckofalltrades.in. I look forward to hearing from you!You can also reach out to me on:twitter.com/chuck_gopalinstagram.com/chuckofalltradesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I appeared on Ashdin Doctor's excellent podcast, The Habit Coach to talk about Getting Meta and why I decided to start it, along with a few learnings from there. We did two episodes and I'm sharing them both here (cross-promo!). The interviews first aired on The Habit Coach in August 2021. This is the second of a two-part series, and the first part was out last week.If you enjoyed the interviews on Getting Meta till now, I'm sure you'll enjoy these, and you should also check out The Habit Coach as it's an excellent podcast about habits and improving one's life in meaningful ways. It was an honour for me to be on the show!Ask Meta!Have a question for me? Something related to careers or productivity or mental models I could help answer? This is a new segment I'm going to try out in a few weeks' time. Mail me any question at all you have (don't worry about how you structure it, we can figure that out). Mail me at chuck@chuckofalltrades.in. I look forward to hearing from you!You can also reach out to me on:twitter.com/chuck_gopalinstagram.com/chuckofalltradesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I appeared on Ashdin Doctor's excellent podcast, The Habit Coach to talk about Getting Meta and why I decided to start it, along with a few learnings from there. We did two episodes and I'm sharing them both here (cross-promo!). The interviews first aired on The Habit Coach in August 2021. This is the first of a two-part series, and the next part will be out next week.If you enjoyed the interviews on Getting Meta till now, I'm sure you'll enjoy these, and you should also check out The Habit Coach as it's an excellent podcast about habits and improving one's life in meaningful ways. It was an honour for me to be on the show!Ask Meta!Have a question for me? Something related to careers or productivity or mental models I could help answer? This is a new segment I'm going to try out in a few weeks' time. Mail me any question at all you have (don't worry about how you structure it, we can figure that out). Mail me at chuck@chuckofalltrades.in. I look forward to hearing from you!You can also reach out to me on:twitter.com/chuck_gopalinstagram.com/chuckofalltradesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the season finale of Getting Meta 2021, I am absolutely thrilled to have Srini Swaminathan as a guest. Srini is extremely active in the social service space - having organised several fundraisers, Covid reliefs, was on-ground for the farmer protests, was a part of Teach for India, and so so much more. But even if you exclude that, there is so much to talk to him about - he’s an active marathoner, he’s cycled from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and Kutch to Guwahati. He is also just an incredible guy. Eternally optimistic, lots of stories… He started life in poverty but he’s led a very rich life. He’s recently written a book on sustainability as well, which happily, coincides with the release of this episode. In this interview, we speak about:His childhood and how that shaped himAsking why - and how that has driven everything that he’s doneHis motto for social service - Show up consistently, serve, share genuinely.How he himself changed: From a sheltered life in poverty, to a dauntingly huge college, to oil fields in Venezuela, leaving a lucrative job to become a teacher, to endurance sport.Learning from bad experiences.Starting with an expiry date in mind & planning for worst case scenarioNear death experiences - four of them (!) and what he learnt from thatHow he went from having asthma to finishing 28 full marathonsAnd finally… Staying positive Everything Srini:Twitter: https://twitter.com/srini091Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/srini091AboutMe: https://about.me/srini091His book about sustainability: https://amzn.to/2UIU7h4References made during the show, not in order:“What will I do about it” an Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CA8PM6EJxOx/On his cycling trip across the country: https://yourstory.com/2018/03/srini-swaminathan-marathon-solar-schools/ampGetting Meta links:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/40Vo30aQilVrxEOkoSmDjx?si=pCOPeJlcR0uN_g2ZZs8iLQ&dl_branch=1Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/getting-meta/id1573882113Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGF0aWMuYWRvcmlsYWJzLmNvbS9mZWVkL2dldHRpbmctbWV0YS54bWwIVM website: https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/show/getting-meta-y2rb-RtSzWNdzZ8i99R2QFollow your host on:Twitter: twitter.com/chuck_gopalInstagram: instagram.com/chuckofalltradesEmail: chuck@chuckofalltrades.inSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I speak to my friend and someone whose work I’ve admired for a long time - Lavanya Mohan. Lavanya, who many might know as lavsmohan, used to run one of India’s funniest blogs about a decade ago, called ChutneyCase. Since then, she has transitioned into a very interesting niche - personal finance from a woman’s point of view in India. In between, she has also been a freelance writer for several publications, on topics ranging from culture to humour to finance. For me, it was a pleasure to speak to her since it wasn’t just a great conversation with lots of insights, but also a chance to catch up with a Friend.In this interview, we speak about:Storytelling and how that was the root of everything that followed in her lifeHow her writing evolvedHow the biggest shift in her life happened quite unexpectedlyHow not to be scared of money or finance (especially looking at finance through the lens of something you are already passionate about)Building niches, but trying whatever you canTaking advantage of your situation, and not being bummed out you’re not being where the action isHow “explain it like I’m 5” is the ultimate test of whether you’ve understood somethingProductivity, routine, setting personal goals, and finding your “creative best time”How audiences determine the content - direct, even! - that a creator might doEverything Lavanya Mohan:Her Twitter: http://twitter.com/lavsmohanHer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavsmohanThe website on personal finance she runs, Penn Money: http://pennmoney.com/The articles she wrote for The News Minute under the moniker Rupee Rani: https://www.thenewsminute.com/author-articles/Lavanya-MohanReferences made during the show, not in order:Narendra Shenoy’s old blog: http://narendrashenoy.blogspot.com/What is Bullet Journaling: https://bulletjournal.com/pages/learnThe case study I wrote about the protein bar brand, The Whole Truth: https://thehardcopy.co/and-nothing-but-the-truth/Getting Meta links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/40Vo30aQilVrxEOkoSmDjx?si=pCOPeJlcR0uN_g2ZZs8iLQ&dl_branch=1Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/getting-meta/id1573882113Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGF0aWMuYWRvcmlsYWJzLmNvbS9mZWVkL2dldHRpbmctbWV0YS54bWwIVM website: https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/show/getting-meta-y2rb-RtSzWNdzZ8i99R2QFollow your host on:Twitter: twitter.com/chuck_gopalInstagram: instagram.com/chuckofalltradesEmail: chuck@chuckofalltrades.inSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I speak to Meeta Malhotra, someone who dons many hats. Currently, she is the founder and editor of The Hard Copy, an excellent publication on branding and design which I write for, and through which I have gotten to know her well. But before that, she made a name for herself as a partner at Ray & Keshavan, India’s once-premier design agency, before it was sold to advertising conglomerate WPP in 2013. From then, Meeta has been a serial investor, entrepreneur and mentor. I’ve had some excellent conversations in the last two years with Meeta thanks to the work I’ve done for her publication, and I count myself fortunate to be able to do so, benefiting from her wisdom and experience. I was very keen to have her on this show not only to get her insights but also to talk about something apart from what we always end up talking about! In this interview, we speak about:How if fundamentals are in place, everything else works out.How to charge a premium beyond having technical skills.How to not be scared of making mistakesOn the two methods of reading - the rabbithole and the hurdle raceBuilding the ability to zoom out and looking at the larger pictureThe power of compounding and how to go about “networking”… And what IS a network, in the first place?Two things that you need to survive over the next few years - adaptability and resilienceEverything Meeta Malhotra:Her Twitter: http://twitter.com/meetamalhotraHer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meeta_malhotraThe Hard Copy, which she edits: https://thehardcopy.co/Her personal website: https://meetamalhotra.com/A talk she did in March 2020 on awareness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L282QAC6KgReferences made during the show, not in order:The Great Influenza by John Barry (book): https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08CGSJT44The article on The Hard Copy on virtual concerts: https://thehardcopy.co/the-future-of-live-entertainment/Getting Meta links:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/40Vo30aQilVrxEOkoSmDjx?si=pCOPeJlcR0uN_g2ZZs8iLQ&dl_branch=1Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/getting-meta/id1573882113Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGF0aWMuYWRvcmlsYWJzLmNvbS9mZWVkL2dldHRpbmctbWV0YS54bWwIVM website: https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/show/getting-meta-y2rb-RtSzWNdzZ8i99R2QFollow your host on:Twitter: twitter.com/chuck_gopalInstagram: instagram.com/chuckofalltradesEmail: chuck@chuckofalltrades.inSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I speak with entrepreneur and “good guy of the Indian startup scene”, Dhimant Parekh. He’s the founder and CEO of The Better India and The Better Home - the former is a media company that shines a spotlight on people making a difference, and the latter is a line of sustainable home-cleaning products. His LinkedIn bio starts with “I love to build useful stuff from scratch.”When I floated the idea for this show on Twitter last year, more than one person wrote in saying I should definitely have him on the show. And that was a good idea - Dhimant was called, by one of those people, as the “most productive person I know”. Apart from running these two seemingly different companies, he also has a lot of outside interests - theatre, reading, the startup scene in general, quantum physics… all in all, great guest material for my humble little show.What I spoke to Dhimant about:How one's upbringing can really shape what they do in the futureOn how parallel interests can rub off on each otherFinding your own work style (Dhimant, admittedly, is not a calendar-oriented person)Why the most important skill today is the ability to narrate a storyHow his company dealt with the pandemic and overcame several oddsPositivity and finding hope in a time like thisHis various interests: from PASCAL to quantum physics. Everything Dhimant Parekh:Twitter :- https://twitter.com/dhimantLinkedIn :- https://in.linkedin.com/in/dhimantThe companies he foundedThe Better India :- https://www.thebetterindia.com/The Better Home :- https://shop.thebetterindia.com/Dhimant’s article about surviving and thriving as a business during Covid-19YourStory :- https://yourstory.com/2020/08/business-advice-startup-founders-covid-19/ampReferences made during the show, not in order:Dhimant’s thread about how he imbibed empathy from his dadTwitter :- https://twitter.com/dhimant/status/1305138048431251461The Pomodoro Technique, which Dhimant references, but doesn’t necessarily espousewebsite :- https://todoist.com/productivity-methods/pomodoro-techniqueDhimant’s love for quantum physics can be seen in some of his Twitter threads - here is one, on one of the most famous equations of all time Twitter :- https://twitter.com/dhimant/status/1293591687910981633Buy Dancing Wu Li Masters by Gary Zukov - a book which Dhimant recommends to get introduced to quantum physics Goodreads :- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64794.Dancing_Wu_Li_MastersAmazon :- https://www.amazon.in/Dancing-Wu-Li-Masters-Overview/dp/0060959681The books of Brian Greenwebsite :- http://www.briangreene.org/books-and-writings/Mindscape - Sean Carroll’s podcastwebsite :- https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/Arrow of Time - Sean Carroll’s postwebsite :- https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/blog/2004/10/27/the-arrow-of-time/Dhimant’s blogMedium :- https://medium.com/@dhimant/The first post he wrote on it, which is referencedMedium :- https://medium.com/@dhimant/how-we-founded-a-positive-news-organization-325574001d1aAn article your podcast host wrote about The Better Home in The Hard CopyLink :- https://thehardcopy.co/from-content-to-commerce-the-better-home/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, I speak to a batchmate, friend and inspiration - Pallavi Barman.Pallavi would absolutely hate it if I said something like "fitness influencer", so let's just say that she's very much into fitness, is a nerd about knowing her own body, is authentic about what she shares on her social media. It’s equal part relatable and inspirational for anyone trying to live life a little fitter every day. But she’s much more - she’s the head of marketing and operations and HRX and I have never seen anyone embody a company and its ethos more than her. She's also done several other things that have shaped her, and has been through enough ups and downs in her personal life, to draw lessons from. And the most exciting part is that she’s still WIP - and is looking to do a lot more, including a PhD.What I spoke to Pallavi about:Why discipline is the foundation of everything else in her life.How she found fitness as a way to tackle depression and lonelinessDoing things consciously and getting to know one's body rather than following a fadHow she inadvertently but successfully became a key opinion leader for her brand, HRXNot letting gender / motherhood or anything else define herHer dreams and things that are WIPHow she uses running time to work out scripts and choreography! Everything Pallavi Barman:Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/pallavi_barmanLinkedIn : https://in.linkedin.com/in/pallavibarmanAn interview she did with Mint : https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/46rvup2kVBYdHjX4ICHI5N/A-fit-individual-is-focused-organized-and-sharp.htmlAn interview on running during the lockdown : https://hrxbrand.com/blog-details/24/Staying-Motivated-Amidst-The-LockdownReferences made during the show, not in order:The Attributes by Rich DivineGoodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53733101-the-attributesAmazon : https://www.amazon.in/Attributes-Hidden-Drivers-Optimal-Performance-ebook/dp/B08FQWPQ86/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=The Four Hour Workweek by Tim FerrissGoodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/368593.The_4_Hour_WorkweekAmazon : https://www.amazon.in/4-Hour-Workweek-Expanded-Updated-Cutting-Edge/dp/0307465357Outliers by Malcolm GladwellGoodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3228917-outliersAmazon : https://www.amazon.in/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017922Getting Meta links:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/40Vo30aQilVrxEOkoSmDjx?si=pCOPeJlcR0uN_g2ZZs8iLQ&dl_branch=1Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/getting-meta/id1573882113Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGF0aWMuYWRvcmlsYWJzLmNvbS9mZWVkL2dldHRpbmctbWV0YS54bWwIVM website: https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/show/getting-meta-y2rb-RtSzWNdzZ8i99R2QFollow your host on:Twitter: twitter.com/chuck_gopalInstagram: instagram.com/chuckofalltradesEmail: chuck@chuckofalltrades.inSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few people exemplify the word ‘polymath’ better than Krish Ashok to me. By day, he leads a major team at TCS which by itself sounds demanding. But what’s astonishing is that he manages to balance a rich set of hobbies and side projects outside of work, while also having a family. Ashok is considered a legend by several people - thanks to his many memes, Tumblrs and music projects during the golden age of Indian Twitter. He once even gave a TEDx talk about hobbies. The interesting thing about several of these projects is how they bring intersections together - heavy metal and Sanskrit; or rage comics and Tambrahm culture; or indeed his recent book which blends science and Indian cooking. Ashok has acted as an inspiration to me many times and it was a pleasure to speak to him. And towards the end, you’ll see why I consider him more Opeth than Iron Maiden.What I spoke to Ashok about:Consciously aiming for free time and how to work it into one's lifeHow hobbies and other interests can actually help the work one is doingConsuming content for learning vs enjoymentBreadth & depth of various topics Why money should not be the primary consideration for a hobbyMetrics to live life by (including "create vs consume" ratio) and why these are different for everyoneTaking control over your life from tech companies!LINKSEverything Krish AshokTwitter : http://twitter.com/krishashokHis book, Masala LabAmazon : https://www.amazon.in/Masala-Lab-Science-Indian-Cooking/dp/0143451375Goodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/54968807-masala-labHis website, which houses his many projectswebsite : https://krishashok.me/His musical projects (Linguini Stotram is a good place to start)Soundcloud : https://soundcloud.com/krishashokProbably his greatest cult project, Tambrahm RageTumblr : https://tambrahmrage.tumblr.com/A TEDx talk he did in 2011, around hobbiesYouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZnI_A6GSYEReferences made during the show:Ashok and I wrote some parody songs together for Cricinfo long back. Here’s an exampleCricinfo : https://www.espncricinfo.com/print/story/510333Ashok featured as a guest on Amit Varma’s The Seen & The Unseen podcast.https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2020/12/20/episode-204-a-scientist-in-the-kitchen/TED video of the guy who builds a toaster from scratchTED : https://www.ted.com/talks/thomas_thwaites_how_i_built_a_toaster_from_scratch?language=enThe learning pyramid Ashok references towards the end : https://www.educationcorner.com/the-learning-pyramid.htmlGetting Meta links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/40Vo30aQilVrxEOkoSmDjx?si=pCOPeJlcR0uN_g2ZZs8iLQ&dl_branch=1Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/getting-meta/id1573882113Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGF0aWMuYWRvcmlsYWJzLmNvbS9mZWVkL2dldHRpbmctbWV0YS54bWwIVM website: https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/show/getting-meta-y2rb-RtSzWNdzZ8i99R2QFollow your host on:Twitter: twitter.com/chuck_gopalInstagram: instagram.com/chuckofalltradesEmail: chuck@chuckofalltrades.inSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“There are no new destinations, only new ways of seeing”Utsav Mamoria is a market researcher by training and profession, and a slow traveler by passion. If that sounds familiar, that’s because you’ve heard him say those words atop his podcast, Postcards From Nowhere. In this show, Utsav talks about slow travel - the practice of appreciating and building memories rather than checking off a box. And in many ways, that philosophy could be extended to life itself.Utsav was the perfect guest for Getting Meta. He’s deeply passionate about his job (market research), something that’s a rarity in today’s corporate world. He’s a passionate traveler, but not for him the Insta-perfect vistas and the beaten path - he’s all about the stories, the people, the unexplored, the offbeat, with no guarantee that things might even go right. Basically, slow travel. And he’s also a delight to talk to as he brings points from all his various passions and experiences together, often drawing parallels from market research to travel.In this episode, Utsav and I discuss:Optimism and acceptance of privilegeHow his profession really is just an extension of his nature (understanding people and the world around him)Delightful stories from the field: Including when someone confessed about their condom habits to him in a mallHow to find the future (and job) that is right for youThe three things that you need for good travel (a selfie stick is not one of them)Making connections between various dots that come out of experience and storiesGood financial advice = good travel advice = good life adviceUtsav and I are good friends and we’ve spent many conversations joking about - but this was one of the more serious and intense conversations we had. We’re pretty sure you will like it and get something out of it.Everything Utsav MamoriaHis podcast, Postcards From Nowhere (Website | Spotify | Apple | Stitcher | Google)His Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42/His Twitter: utsavmamoriaReferences made during the show, not in order:His post on questions to ask yourself: Confused about life and work? 8 questions to help you outUtsav has appeared on my other show, Simblified, many times: To talk about market research, taking a sabbatical, and traveling on a desi budget. All of those can be found here: utsavmamoria — Simblified Episodes — IVM Podcasts - Indian Podcasts for you to listen toA game designer who analysed QAnon: A Game Designer’s Analysis Of QAnonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mohan Krishnamoorthy is one of my oldest friends - and I mean that in both senses of the word. He has many facets: He’s an accomplished academic (currently Pro Vice-Chancellor at University of Queensland, Australia), an active trekker and cyclist, and is an aficionado of several things, including board games and Indian classical music. But more than anything else, I wanted to speak to Mohan because I feel he leads the kind of life many of us would aspire to at his age (he’s close to 60 at the time of recording) and in a word - is “sorted”. I knew he would make an excellent guest for this show, and he did - I was beaming for the whole day after recording with him in the morning. I hope you enjoy this long chat that has as much anecdote and humour, as it does life advice. And if anyone would like to conduct research on left-handed koalas, please get in touch with Mohan.In this episode, Mohan and I discuss: Life lessons from the various things that he's done: From academics to climbing mountains The importance of having a sense of humour, especially in a "serious" profession How he was a "log in a river" and what questions helped him take certain paths, in his long academic career Learning from failures, including several of his own: From academics to music Fitness and motivating yourself The love for the mountains and trekking Music, charity and board games Happiness at large and what has helped him get thereAs you can see, this is an incredibly wide-ranging conversation - where we went from mathematics and research to Peter Gabriel and the Beatles; from trekking to Twitter; to reforming education to pop cultureEverything Mohan Krishnamoorthy:Twitter :- mohankInstagram :- https://www.instagram.com/mohank_/ LinkedIn :- https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohankausHis professional profile on the University of Queensland website https://about.uq.edu.au/pvc-rpHis lovely article about the allure of trekking: The mountains are calling, and I must go :- The mountains are calling and I must goI had Mohan as a guest on Simblified, way back in 2016! That’s still worth a listen :- https://ivmpodcasts.com/simblified-episode-list/2016/5/16/ep-19-with-mohank-holy-wow-we-have-a-phd-in-mathematics-on-the-showReferences made during the show, not in order:Humour, Seriously: Why Humour Is A Superpower At Work And In Life, by Jennifer Aaker & Naomi Bagdonas Goodreads :- Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life by Jennifer AakerAmazon :- https://www.amazon.in/Humour-Serious-Business-Superpower-Work/dp/0241405939The Twitter thread by Prof. Nathan Hall that Mohan references, on going back to your young academic self Twitter :- Nathan C. Hall on TwitterProgressive rock band Thaikkudam Bridge’s album, Namah Spotify :- NamahAll other platforms :- Namah by Thaikkudam BridgeA channel to help you fall in love with science all over agan: Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell YouTube channel :- Kurzgesagt – In a NutshellThe Australian comedian & radio host Adam Spencer website :- Adam SpencerThe Australian professor and science commentator, Karl Kruszelnicki Website :- https://drkarl.com/Neil Gaiman - Make Good Art YouTube video :- Neil Gaiman - Inspirational Commencement Speech at the University of the Arts 2012Transcript :- "Make Good Art" | James ClearAlthough what was referred to in the episode is a small comic version of the same Goodreads :- Art Matters by Neil GaimanAmazon :- https://www.amazon.in/Art-Matters-Neil-Gaiman/dp/1472260082/Getting Meta links: Spotify: Getting MetaApple Podcasts: ‎Getting Meta on Apple PodcastsGoogle Podcasts: Getting MetaIVM website: "Getting Meta"Twitter: twitter.com/chuck_gopal Instagram: instagram.com/chuckofalltrades Email: chuck@chuckofalltrades.inSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rohan Joshi, aka mojorojo, is one of India's most recognizable faces in the alternative culture space. He is best known for being a stand-up comic who co-founded the popular collective AIB. Having followed his work (and Instagram) for years, I've found him to be thoughtful, well-read and empathetic, and his interests wide-ranging. He made for an ideal guest for this show. I also owe the idea of this show to him - as will be revealed in the episode. And yes, we also discuss cats.In this episode, Rohan and I discuss:Rohan's experiences as a comedian, teacher and journalism studentHaving a "finite well of energy" and maximising itStarting the day on a great note, with a simple hackThe importance of structure in life Dealing with the fame that came with the astronomical rise of AIBAllowing yourself the luxury of letting your mind wanderRealistic goals and enjoying the rideSeveral, several recommendations.Everything Rohan Joshi:His Instagram :- http://instagram.com/mojorojoHis stand-up special, Wake N Bake :-https://www.primevideo.com/region/eu/detail/Rohan-Joshi-Wake-N-Bake/0HBV1LQ0YG7B1SKWJ05R1RWF4XThe comedy collective he co-founded, All India Bakchod or AIB :- https://www.youtube.com/user/allindiabakchodHis talk at Spoken Fest 2020 :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXvQX3MNcmcHis Wikipedia page, which he found out existed while we were recording! :- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohan_JoshiRohan’sRecommendationsWhen you’re feeling down: Ted Lasso :- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10986410/Breathe, You’ve Got This (A happy music playlist by Rohan Joshi)Spotify :- https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0vmojCbhKVpG72NROzyBeD?si=YSNVTDGpTMOAzNVNy3kzfw&nd=1Apple Music :- https://music.apple.com/in/playlist/breathe-you-got-this/pl.u-V9D7v6dc1jDBgJJioSaavn :- https://www.jiosaavn.com/s/playlist/2608d82934c1d12eb5efccf46ebc7927/Breathe!_You_got_this!_By_Rohan_Joshi/SuQCbefMjW3femJ68FuXsA__?referrer=svn_source%3Dshare&svn_medium=com.instagram.android&utm_source=share&utm_medium=com.instagram.androidBill Bryson - A Short History of Nearly Everything :-Goodreads :- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21.A_Short_History_of_Nearly_EverythingAmazon :- https://www.amazon.in/Short-History-Nearly-Everything-Bryson-ebook/dp/B0035OC7VI/ref=reads_cwrtbar_2?pd_rd_w=h7uJZ&pf_rd_p=5497cfe3-a40a-489d-b118-f355c8c4a154&pf_rd_r=XS4M4ZYJXB088TQ63RYW&pd_rd_r=58eebdfd-f179-4253-9989-38e8a9fae28d&pd_rd_wg=wrYax&pd_rd_i=B0035OC7VI&psc=1Bill Bryson - The Body: A Guide for Occupants :-Goodreads :- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43582376-the-bodyAmazon :- https://www.amazon.in/Body-Guide-Occupants-Bill-Bryson-ebook/dp/B07MCVWXDKFredrik Backman - A Man Called Ove :- Goodreads :- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18774964-a-man-called-oveAmazon :- https://www.amazon.in/Man-Called-Ove-life-affirming-bestseller-ebook/dp/B00IORP664/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=fredrik+backman+-+aman+called+ove&qid=1618376781&s=digital-text&sr=1-1Cosmos :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjLgTvD8kFE&list=PLtvRfQfTh1K8M9Jrk7LPRhvKLgvJqdNfAJim Can’t Swim :-https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYwVxWpjeKFWwu8TML-Te9AOther references made during the show, not in order:The Overview Effect which Rohan speaks of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_effectSeth Stephens-Davidowitz - Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are Goodreads :- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28512671-everybody-lies Amazon :- https://www.amazon.in/Everybody-Lies-Internet-About-Really/dp/0062497499/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=everybody+lies&qid=1618373334&sr=8-1Jim’ll Paint It :- https://twitter.com/JimllpaintitMonkeyDust (TV series, not available online)Getting Meta links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/40Vo30aQilVrxEOkoSmDjx?si=pCOPeJlcR0uN_g2ZZs8iLQ&dl_branch=1Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/getting-meta/id1573882113Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGF0aWMuYWRvcmlsYWJzLmNvbS9mZWVkL2dldHRpbmctbWV0YS54bWwIVM website: https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/show/getting-meta-y2rb-RtSzWNdzZ8i99R2QFollow your host on the following social handles:Twitter: twitter.com/chuck_gopalInstagram: instagram.com/chuckofalltradesEmail: chuck@chuckofalltrades.inSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first ever interview of this podcast, I had the honour of interviewing Amit Varma. Amit needs no introduction to those who listen to Indian podcasts. His show, The Seen & The Unseen, has evolved from an experiment to one of the finest, best-researched and most widely-heard podcasts in the country. Before this, Amit made his name as a blogger, journalist and cricket writer. At the time of recording and release of this episode, he also runs a podcasting and writing course. He’s also very fond of saying “multitudes”.In this episode, Amit and I discuss:What would you do if you had just a year left to live?Gathering as many 'mental dots' as you can and joining them.Evolving mediums and why content > formLots of advice for aspiring (and current!) content creatorsEarly mistakes and learning from themWorking towards your ideal self & the compounding power of habitsHow a selfie stick was responsible for The Seen & The Unseen (no joke!)And of course, we name this very podcast at the very end!References made during the show, not in order:James Clear - Atomic Habits (Goodreads | Amazon)Ali Abdaal (YouTube)The TikTok star - Metallica story (article)And of course - the Narendra Shenoy Selfie Stick! (image)Everything Amit Varma:His Twitter :- https://twitter.com/amitvarmaHis podcast, The Seen & The Unseen Website:- https://seenunseen.inSpotify:- https://open.spotify.com/show/5g3YypLcUQhJNmscIeQFtV?si=6zVY607ZTJCUZbobrqkv_w&dl_branch=1Apple:- Stitcher:- https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-seen-and-the-unseenGoogle:- https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zZWVudW5zZWVuLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vHis writing: India Uncut (Website https://indiauncut.com Newsletter https://indiauncut.substack.com)His writing course: The Art Of Clear Writing (Website https://indiauncut.com/clear-writing/)His podcasting course: The Art of Podcasting (Website https://seenunseen.in/learn/#:~:text=Podcasting%20is%20not%20self-indulgent,desire%20to%20have%20a%20voice.) - unavailable at the time of publishingAbout this podcast & hostGetting Meta is a show hosted by me, Deepak Gopalakrishnan (or Chuck, as the world calls me). In this show, I speak to some very smart people to unravel their habits, thought processes, tools and mental models - which can then be applied by anyone, from any field. The show focuses less on their achievements or field, and more on them as a person and their ways of thinking - hence, I get meta with them. Each episode aims to inspire, entertain and leave you with questions to ask yourself, frameworks to apply and good content to check out. There will be an initial season of 12 weekly episodes (of which 10 are interviews), starting May 2021, and then a subsequent season, later in the year. This is my third show, following Simblified (comedy + topical) and The Origin of Things (trivia + storytelling). As for me, I’m a freelancer who does a bunch of things, and am obsessed with productivity and optimising time. I consider myself very imperfect at that, putting me in an ideal position to host this show. I’m interested in a bunch of things: technology’s impact on culture, the internet and digital marketing, travel and cycling, and of course, rock and metal.Getting Meta links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/40Vo30aQilVrxEOkoSmDjx?si=pCOPeJlcR0uN_g2ZZs8iLQ&dl_branch=1Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/getting-meta/id1573882113Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGF0aWMuYWRvcmlsYWJzLmNvbS9mZWVkL2dldHRpbmctbWV0YS54bWwIVM website: https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/show/getting-meta-y2rb-RtSzWNdzZ8i99R2QIf you'd like to get in touch with me, I'm:Twitter: twitter.com/chuck_gopalInstagram: instagram.com/chuckofalltradesEmail: chuck@chuckofalltrades.inPASTEBIN%See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Getting Meta! In this prologue, I tell you a little more about the show, what to expect, and all that. Interviews start from next week, and I’m very excited to finally be putting them out into the world.Getting Meta is a show hosted by me, Deepak Gopalakrishnan (or Chuck, as the world calls me). In this show, I speak to some very smart people to unravel their habits, thought processes, tools and mental models - which can then be applied by anyone, from any field. The show focuses less on their achievements or field, and more on them as a person and their ways of thinking - hence, I get meta with them. Each episode aims to inspire, entertain and leave you with questions to ask yourself, frameworks to apply and good content to check out. There will be an initial season of 12 weekly episodes (of which 10 are interviews), starting July 2021, and then a subsequent season, later in the year. This is my third show, following Simblified (comedy + topical) and The Origin of Things (trivia + storytelling). As for me, I’m a freelancer who does a bunch of things, and am obsessed with productivity and optimising time. I consider myself very imperfect at that, putting me in an ideal position to host this show. I’m interested in a bunch of things: technology’s impact on culture, the internet and digital marketing, travel and cycling, and of course, rock and metal.Follow your host Deepak Gopalakrishnan on below social media handles:Twitter: twitter.com/chuck_gopalInstagram: instagram.com/chuckofalltradesEmail: chuck@chuckofalltrades.inSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Getting Meta! This is a small intro to the show before we kick things off properly next week. Stay tuned!Getting Meta is a show where Deepak Gopalakrishnan (or Chuck, as the world calls him) speaks to some very smart people to unravel their habits, thought processes, tools and mental models - which can then be applied by anyone, from any field. Chuck speaks to authors, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and just people who lead that elusive "sorted" life. The show focuses less on their achievements or field, and more on them as a person and their ways of thinking - hence, getting meta with them. Because of the nature of the show, these are questions some of the interviewees have never been asked before - ranging from the personal to the professional. Each episode aims to inspire, entertain and leave you with things to ask yourself, frameworks to apply and good content to check out.There will be an initial season of 10 interviews, and this is Chuck's third podcast, following Simblified (comedy + topical) and The Origin of Things (trivia + storytelling). As a freelancer who's constantly looking for ways to hack his own productivity and get more out of life, this is Chuck's new passion project - especially since it gives him the chance to speak to people he admires and dig deeper into how they think.Follow your hostTwitter: twitter.com/chuck_gopalInstagram: instagram.com/chuckofalltradesEmail: chuck@chuckofalltrades.inYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or iOS: ‎IVM Podcasts, or any other podcast app.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.