Episode 100: What started as a passion project has turned into a full career pivot!

Four years ago, I hit record on the first episode of my podcast.
I had no big plans. Just one question I couldn’t stop thinking about:
How do we live a good life?

So I started How to Live.
Shared what I’d learned.
Stayed curious.
Kept listening.

Then something magical happened.
I got a message from my old BCG boss, Dean Tong.
We hadn’t spoken in 15 years.

He’d stumbled upon the podcast. We met.
Talked about Stoicism, Buddhism, and Purpose.
Then he invited me to speak at UOB Bank, where he was the Chief HR Officer.

I was nervous. It was a corporate setting.
I had a meditation exercise planned. Would it land?

Dean said:
“Don’t worry. I’ll take the risk. Just do your best.”

That support changed everything.

The talk worked.
It led to more sessions. More companies.
And one day I realised - this wasn’t a side project anymore.
It was a new path.

Keynotes. Workshops. Leadership Programs.
Helping leaders reconnect with purpose, reach their next peak, and navigate uncertainty with resilience.

It felt meaningful.
And it could pay the bills.

So I took the leap.
Sold my digital agency. Went all in.

Today, I’ve led over 75 workshops across four continents with companies like Google, Unilever, HSBC, and Mastercard.
And I’ve seen how powerful ancient wisdom can be in modern leadership.

The podcast has grown beyond my wildest dreams too. Ranked in the top 3% globally and listened to in 150 countries.

The lesson?

When you do what you love with honesty and passion, it’s infectious.
People are watching. People are listening, even if they never like or comment.
(Dean didn’t either.)
But sometimes, just one of them can change the trajectory of your entire life.

🎧 In today’s milestone episode, I share the five biggest lessons from this incredible journey.

Here’s to the next 100.

Shownotes
https://howtolive.life/episode/100-five-lessons-from-100-episodes-with-Sharad-Lal

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