How to Live
A podcast that explores ways to live a good life - thrive at work and in life, connect with a deeper purpose, strengthen relationships, and fulfil potential. Creator and Host Sharad Lal is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker and coach who works with leading organisations like Google, Unilever, J&J, P&G; having supported over 20,000 people in discovering their potential and purpose.
#098 Designing life in your forties with Robin Speculand
"Chase passion, not pension" - but how do you actually figure out what you love?
Robin Speculand nailed this. At 34, he was making VP money at Citibank — but still didn't know what his "passion" was.
So he did something most of us never do: He stepped off the treadmill and took time to reflect.
On a beach, he asked himself:
What have I truly enjoyed?What gave me energy? What problems do I see that others miss?That's when it clicked. Every company had a strategy. But 9 out...
#097 Redefining Masculinity with Andrew Reiner
𝐌𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦.
We're taught to "man up" and handle everything alone.
When we struggle, we don't reach out. When friends share problems, we jump straight to solutions.
We think asking for help is weakness. We think giving advice is helping.
But here's what we miss: We never build emotional safety nets.
Women often do this instinctively. They listen first. They create space. They support before they solve.
The result? Deeper friendships. Stronger teams. And, as research shows, better leadership outcomes.
The best male leaders I know have learned this. They know that sometimes, peopl...
#096 Networking that actually feels good with Ryan Lim
Be interested, not interesting.
𝐈𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠.
Most high performers approach networking like a performance.
Say something clever. Be impressive. Stand out.
But being interesting takes energy. It puts pressure on you.
And it often keeps things at the surface.
There's a better way: Be interested instead.
Ask thoughtful questions. Listen deeply.
Let others do what they love most - talk about themselves.
It's lighter. It's more human.
And it builds real trust. The kind that leads to long-term relationships, not short-term transactions.
🎙️ This shift from performing to connecting is exactly what Ryan Lim, and I dive into in the latest How to Live episode. Ryan's the bestselling author of The Business...
#095 How to move when you're stuck, a conversation with Sharad Lal
Most people stay stuck because they’re waiting for clarity.
Big mistake.
When you’re 15–20 years into your career, the destination will never be what you imagined anyway.
What’s really keeping you stuck isn’t a lack of direction. It’s fear.
Fear disguised as “being strategic.”
Fear disguised as “waiting for the right moment.”
Fear disguised as “needing more information.”
But here’s the thing:
You don’t overcome fear by thinking your way through it.
You overcome it by moving through it.
The path doesn’t appear befo...
#094 Mindful Ambition with Bhavna Toor
You’re running faster.
You’re winning.
But are you running in the right direction?
The success script teaches us to outrun others.
Outrun, Outwit, Outlast.
But it rarely asks:
Is this the race you want to win?
Bhavna Toor followed that script.
She rose fast in New York finance.
But eventually, she realized she was running the wrong race - without ever choosing it.
Mindfulness helped her pause.
Reflect.
And choose her own path.
Mindfulness did not stall her ambi...
#093 Muscle, Metabolism & Midlife Reset with Amanda Lim
Your annual health checkup is a good start. But it’s not enough.
You’re in your 40s. Your doctor says you're fine. Your weight looks fine.
But your energy is low. Your sleep is off. Something just feels… off.
Amanda Lim sees this every day.
She’s a Harvard-certified coach and co-founder of Singapore’s first Metabolic Clinic, advising companies like Google, PayPal, and Medtronic.
Her message?
You can look lean and healthy, and still be metabolically unwell.
In Singapore, many people look slim and fit, yet we’re facin...
#092 Let go to grow with Rob Bier
Founders (and leaders) are addicted to solving problems. It’s their crack cocaine.
That’s what startup scaling coach Rob Bier, author of Smooth Scaling and coach to 40+ startups including six unicorns, told me.
And the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.
Fixing things feels good. It proves we’re still valuable. Still sharp. Still in control.
But the addiction comes at a cost.
It blocks us from building teams that solve problems without us.
And it traps us in an old identity—just when we’re ready t...
#091 The art of career transitions with Shiv Choudhury
Most career transitions are treated like cliff jumps.
You quit the job. Burn the bridges. Bet everything on your dream.
Shiv Choudhury chose a different path.
When he left BCG to build a billion-dollar business, he didn’t go all in.
First, he faked an app. It didn’t even work.
But it taught him one thing: customers wanted what he was offering.
That was enough to move to the next stage.
He calls it “pre-to-typing.”
👉 A way to de-risk big moves by testing the most important assumption before you...
#090 The success trap: when success holds you back with Sharad Lal
Which of These 6 Success Traps Is Holding You Back?
After my article on The Success Trap in Esquire resonated with so many, I’ve gone deeper in my latest How to Live podcast.
Working with thousands of senior leaders at Google, Unilever, and HSBC, I’ve identified 6 fear-based identities that block evolution:
🧠 The Solver – Fixes everything, but fears being dispensable → micromanagement
🎯 The Perfectionist – Sets high standards, but fears not being good enough → delays
🔥 The Workhorse – Outworks everyone, but fears not belonging → burnout
😎 The Charmer – Inspires others, but fears rejection → avoids tough decisions
📋 The T...
#089 Beating Decision Fatigue with Dr. Shawn Watson
You Can Only Make So Many Good Decisions - Are You Using Them Right?
In 1987, we made 100s of decisions daily.
Today, we make 35,000.
Here's the problem: we can only make a finite number of quality decisions each day.
By evening, when we're making important business decisions during work calls or spending time with our children, we've already used up our good decisions quota.
The result? We default to the easiest and safest options - not the best ones.
No amount of coffee, Red B...
#088 Turning purpose into action with Uma Balasingam
When scaling a cause, should you pick passionate volunteers or capable ones?
Most instinctively say passion. But Uma Thana Balasingam’s journey scaling Lean In Singapore to 7,000+ members tells a different story.
Here’s the hard truth she discovered: Passionate people don’t always make great leaders. When she and her co-founder started delegating leadership roles to their most committed volunteers, they hit a wall. Leading a movement isn’t just about heart - it’s a skill. Managing complexity, making tough calls, and leading others require more than just good intentions.
The dile...
#087 Wisdom from the Maldives with Afeef Hussain
When resources are limited, how do you still access the best?
Afeef Hussain wanted his team - and his country Maldives - to learn from the world’s top minds. But bringing in world-class speakers and trainers isn’t cheap.
So instead of saying, "We can’t afford them," he asked, "How can we make it work?"
His solution? Leverage what he had.
He invited top experts - leaders like Stephen M.R. Covey and other global thought leaders - to experience the Maldives, offering them world-class hospitality at Lux Resorts. In ret...
#086 Forties Fitness Guide with Alex Mearns
Forget six-packs - in your 40s, fitness is about feeling good, not looking good.
Let’s face it - most of us in our 40s aren’t hitting the gym for six-packs or beach bodies anymore. The idea of chasing aesthetics just doesn’t feel exciting or meaningful. But here’s the twist: strength training and fitness aren’t about looking good- they’re about feeling good.
When you feel strong and healthy, everything changes. You’re more productive at work, more present with your family, energi...
#085 Meaning & Success with Fabrice Desmarescaux
Feeling stuck? You might be looking in the wrong place.
When we hit a crossroads, our instinct is to look outward - more advice, more inspiration, more answers. But here's the plot twist: the most powerful guidance system isn't out there. It's your own story.
Our lives leave breadcrumbs - moments that light us up, decisions that felt right in our bones, and work that made time disappear. These aren't random. They're clues to what's next.
In the latest episode of How to Live, I sit down with Fabrice Desmarescaux, who walked away...
#084 Life Lessons Deeper Dive 2024
4,000 weeks.
That’s all we get. The number of weeks most of us will live.
The average human life is "absurdly, insultingly brief."
As we step into 2025, this perspective—shared by Oliver Burkeman on the How to Live Podcast earlier this year—continues to resonate deeply. It’s a stark reminder to be intentional with the one resource we can never reclaim: time.
We’ve put together life lessons from extraordinary guests who appeared on the How to Live Podcast in the second half of 2024—thinkers who are reshaping ho...
#083 Life Lessons 2024
“When I went bankrupt, I begged a friend who had built a unicorn for a 30-minute meeting. The moment we sat down, I could tell he didn’t want to be there.
Six months later, after working on myself, I went back with a clear vision and positive energy. This time, he introduced me to his network and offered his full support.
That experience taught me a powerful lesson: People are drawn to passion and purpose, not negativity."
This gem from Marc Nicholson, Founder of 1880, is just one of many transformative insights from our guests this...
#082 Rethinking Happy Hour with Nick Jonsson
What’s your relationship with alcohol?
This isn’t a preachy “quit drinking” episode but it’s about curiosity. Many of us enjoy a drink. It helps us connect, unwind, and feel at ease. But as we get older, we start noticing the side effects: restless sleep, sluggish mornings, or even feeling a bit off the next day.
It got me curious: What’s alcohol really doing to us? How can we enjoy the connection it fosters without the downsides?
In this episode of How to Live, I speak with Nick Jonsson, Co-Founder of EGN Netwo...
#081 Feel Stuck? Design your next stage with Sharad Lal
"I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing… because I don’t know what else to do."
Sound familiar?
Here’s the truth about being stuck: We wait for clarity before making a move. We want to see the whole path before we take the first step.
But what if we’ve got it backwards?
Think about it: Most people who’ve made significant moves in their lives didn’t start with perfect clarity. Many didn’t even end up where they thought they would.
Why? Because our greatest opportunities ofte...
#080 Humour at work with Drew Tarvin
Should we bring humour to work?
Can it help us connect and achieve more, or risk making us seem trivial?
Our guest today, Drew Tarvin, learned engineering in school and was hired for his technical skills. Yet, it was humour—not engineering—that became his edge in the workplace.
By using humour, he diffused tension, built strong relationships, influenced others, and accelerated his career. This led him to create Humor That Works, a company that has helped 10,000+ leaders in over 100 organisations—including IBM, GE, and the FBI—harness humour to lead effectiv...
#079 Finding meaning in everyday stories with Matthew Dicks
Searching for meaning in life and work? The secret isn’t in those rare, life-altering moments—it’s hidden in the small, everyday moments we often overlook.
The key? Storytelling.
Even if we don’t share them, simply turning our experiences into stories in our own minds can transform how we see ourselves and our lives. It’s how we grow, learn, and ultimately, find deeper purpose.
In today's podcast, I’m joined by master storyteller and five-time Moth GrandSLAM champion, Matthew Dicks. If you’re not familiar with The Moth, it’s New York City’s...
#078 Crafting a Portfolio Life with Christina Wallace
Ever felt like a jack of all trades, master of none? Think again! Welcome to the world of Portfolio Life!
Just like a financial portfolio, it’s about bringing together all your passions, talents, and needs—balancing them to create a fulfilling life on your own terms
It starts by understanding what truly matters to you: income, flexibility, creativity, intellectual stimulation, family responsibilities, and more. From there, you can design a life that accommodates all these dimensions. And just like rebalancing a portfolio, you can adjust with each new chapter of your life—minimis...
#077 The anatomy of happiness with Sha-En Yeo
Can we learn to be happy, or is it something we're born with?
Research, including Martin Seligman’s theory of Learned Optimism, reveals that happiness need not be a passing feeling—it can be a skill we develop. The science is clear: happiness can be learned.
One simple yet powerful tool is savouring. While happiness may seem fleeting, pausing to fully experience joyful moments can stretch them, turning brief emotions into lasting contentment. By practising this regularly, we can significantly boost our overall well-being.
In this episode, I dive into the science of happ...
#076 Re-inventing: From broadcast to boardrooms with John Dykes
How do you reinvent yourself when you’ve already reached the top of one field?
It's a question many of us face as long careers, industry disruptions, or even boredom push us to rethink our path.
In the latest episode of the How to Live podcast, I sit down with the legendary sports broadcaster John Dykes, who shares his powerful and deeply personal story of stepping out of the broadcast spotlight and into corporate boardrooms.
For years, John was the trusted face of the Premier League, someone we all tuned in to see. Bu...
#075 Being indistractable with Nir Eyal
We start projects with excitement, but how often do we end up doom-scrolling when the going gets tough?
What really drives distraction? Is it flashy external stimuli or our internal discomfort?
Research shows it's primarily internal triggers. Even Plato and Aristotle grappled with this 2,500 years ago. While modern tech hasn't helped, it's not the root cause.
The key to beating distraction isn't just removing stimuli. It's about managing our discomfort to push through the boring parts and achieve our goals.
But how do we do that?
Tune into the 75...
#074 Visualising million dollar ideas with Simon Bowen
Imagine attending a keynote where the speaker walks up with an iPad and begins sketching live, transforming complex ideas about life and business into powerful visual concepts right before your eyes.
Meet Simon Bowen, the Visual Maestro of Business, who turns abstract thoughts into million-dollar realities.
Growing up in the rugged outback of Western Australia, Simon's world was defined by visuals. Maps scratched in the dirt for directions, diagrams sketched on paper before assembling electrical circuits – these experiences honed his ability to see the world in geometric patterns and dimensions.
Today, Simon stands as...
#073 Mind your manners with Sara Jane Ho
Do you dismiss manners and etiquette as outdated, superficial skills?
Think again.
Beneath the surface of etiquette lies a powerful combination of emotional intelligence, psychology, coaching, and spirituality. These elements can:
This eye-opening insight came from my conversation with Sara Jane Ho, the Emmy-nominated Netflix host, entrepreneur, and etiquette expert. You may know her from the hit show "Mind Your Manners," but Sara's impact goes far beyond television.
As a pioneer entrepreneur, Sara founded a high-end finishing school in China...
#072 The new science of intuition with Joel Pearson
Ever felt an instant connection on a first date, only to wonder later if it was real? Science says it might not be intuition at all—it's arousal misattribution.
Professor Joel Pearson experienced this firsthand during a rock climbing first date. Years later, his groundbreaking research revealed the truth: the exhilaration of climbing created a physiological high he mistook for romantic connection. This phenomenon explains why intuition often fails in emotionally charged situations, both personal and professional.
While intuition has been widely discussed from spiritual and coaching perspectives, scientific research was lacking—until now.
...
#071 New horizons in midlife with Aneace Haddad
Ever blanked during a crucial presentation, your mind suddenly empty? The panic, the embarrassment, the self-doubt that follows... Sound familiar?
Welcome to midlife, where this happens more often. But here's the twist - it's not a downward spiral, it's an evolution.
Our brains start changing in our late 30s, with the prefrontal cortex slowing down. We can't process information as rapidly as before. Clinging to our younger cognitive patterns only makes us brittle, like someone stubbornly insisting they're right when everyone else sees otherwise.
But here's the silver lining: while we may not...
#070 Joy of missing out with Oliver Burkeman
Does efficiently clearing tasks bring you peace or just create more busyness? 🤔
We've all tried countless time management hacks to regain control of our schedules. But ironically, the more we optimise, the busier and more stressed we become.
The root issue isn't the technique - it's the concept of time management itself.
Why? Because the supply of potential tasks is infinite, while our time is painfully finite. There's simply no way to ever "get it all done."
This realisation is unexpectedly liberating. By accepting we can't do everything, the things we cho...
#069 Journey of a Millennial CEO with Karen Kim
Imagine being 30, the youngest on your team, and stepping into the CEO role. How would that feel?
Karen Kim, the dynamic CEO of a self-funded disruptive tech startup with a footprint across ASEAN, knows this feeling well.
When Karen first took on this incredible responsibility, she experienced the same doubts many of us would: hyper-awareness of others' perceptions, self-doubt, fear of disappointment, and overthinking.
But soon, Karen shifted her focus from internal worries to the external challenges and opportunities in the business. By concentrating on the problems at hand, the self-critical voices began to quiet down.<...
#068 Connecting the dots to purpose with Marc Nicholson
“When I went bankrupt, I begged a friend who had built a unicorn for a meeting. He promised me 30 minutes. The minute we met, I could tell he didn’t want to be there.
Six months later, after processing all the difficult emotions and working on myself, I went back to him and said, 'Hey, this is what I want to do.' He responded by introducing me to people and offering support.
I learned a valuable lesson: If you go to people and whine about your problems with negative energy, you bring them down. But if you...
#067 Spirituality and success with Danielle Van de Velde
Is meditation tapping out from high achievement? Far from it.
Stress often drives high performers to explore meditation. After years of relying heavily on their intellect, they find themselves burnt out. Meditation does more than offer a break—it rebuilds and rejuvenates.
Regular practice not only improves sleep, gut health, and energy levels but also fosters the creation of new neural pathways in the brain—confirmed by fMRI studies. These changes enhance problem-solving abilities, conflict management, and deepen connections with personal purpose.
Far from being an exit from high achievement, meditation opens the door...
#066 Carrying hidden trauma to work with Natalia Rachel
When you hear the word "trauma," do you think, "That's not me. I haven't experienced any major tragedies"?
However, trauma doesn't always stem from monumental events. Sometimes, it's the smaller, seemingly insignificant experiences that leave us with unresolved feelings, subtly shaping our behaviours in ways that may not serve us well.
Imagine a high-performance workplace bustling with diverse personalities. It's likely that many colleagues carry hidden traumas. Think about the potential impact on team dynamics and overall productivity.
We dive deep into this topic in our latest "How to Live" podcast episode featuring...
#065 Corporate entrepreneurship with Arjun Purkayastha
"Don’t simplify. Delete"
As business leaders, when we're overwhelmed, our go-to questions often revolve around simplification—can we find a simpler way, eliminate steps, or use fewer resources? However, a more fundamental question to ask might be: Is this task necessary in the first place?
It's a common belief that entrepreneurs excel at solving problems, but the most successful ones are those who sidestep problems altogether. This is a significant lesson that we could adopt more widely in the corporate world.
In the latest episode of the How to Live Podcast, Arjun Purk...
#064 How to live with Derek Sivers
"The rich can't buy it. The impatient can't rush it. The privileged can't inherit it. And nobody can steal it. You can only earn it through hard work. Mastery is the ultimate status.”
Take a moment to let this profound insight from Derek Sivers sink in.
In a world filled with easy, superficial pleasures, dedicating five hours a day to hone our skills seems unimportant. Yet, this commitment is not just fulfilling—it's a rare and strategic way to differentiate ourselves and achieve the highest status.
We delve into topics such as mastery, crea...
#063 Winning through giving inspired by Adam Grant
Have you ever felt that "Nice guys finish last"?
We've all rooted for the underdog. The hero who helps others but is always left behind. However in the end, against all odds, finishes on top.
This happens only in the movies right?
When we look around, especially in the competitive business world, the reality seems grim. We see good people who give without expecting, being overshadowed by those who master the art of taking credit.
I noticed this in my early career but with time a fascinating shift occurred - the pow...
#062 Authentic leadership without fluff with Mette Johansson
Does putting family photos in a work presentation makes you an authentic leader?
Many of us grapple with understanding what authentic leadership truly means. It's a buzzword that's everywhere, often shrouded in fluff, causing us to tune out when we hear it.
That’s what we set out to do in our latest podcast episode with the insightful Mette Johansson. With over 15 years of experience in leadership roles across Asia and Europe, Mette is an awarded speaker, author, coach, and social entrepreneur. Her consultancy, MetaMind, is dedicated to cultivating authentic leaders, with clients including Pfizer, Cit...
#061 How to optimise energy with Elika Tasker
What saps your energy the most? Is it your diet, lifestyle, bosses, or relationships? There's another significant factor that often flies under the radar: Purpose.
Lack of Purpose can be the ultimate energy drain. When our days are filled with uninspiring tasks and we feel like we're constantly swimming against the tide, our energy reserves are depleted the most.
Join us for an insightful discussion with Energy Optimisation Coach Elika Tasker. Elika, the founder of Health Concierge, empowers ambitious leaders to thrive personally and professionally through her holistic program.
Elika emphasises that discovering...
#060 Psychology of entrepreneurship with Leanne Robers
Meet Leanne Robers, a trained psychotherapist who initially believed business and psychology were separate realms. As she scaled up her ventures, she maintained a clinical psychology practice to make ends meet. They were always separate till she Co-Founded She Loves Tech.
She Loves Tech is the world's largest startup accelerator, catering to women-led tech startups. Operating across 72 countries, they've kickstarted over 13,000 startups, raising a whopping $350 million in the process.
Leanne herself boasts accolades as an Obama leader, inclusion in the 40 under 40 list, and a recent Woman of the Year special award from Princess Charlene and...
#059 Creativity at work with Eshan Ponnadurai
How can we be more creative at work?
Who better to talk about this than top ranked Chief Marketing Officer -Eshan Ponnadurai. Eshan is Vice President and Global Head of Marketing for Meta. He’s worked for the world’s top companies - Google, Uber, AirBnb, P&G and he’s worked across the world - from Australia to Asia to North America.
Forbes thinks he’s top notch. Ranking him World’s Top 50 CMO twice. Ad week likes him as well - they’ve ranked him among World’s Top 30 CMOs.
He’s worked on incred...
