Next Wave Program
https://www.sharadlal.net/nextwave
Episode Transcript
The transcript is computer generated. There may be errors.
Hi everyone! Welcome to "How to Live," a podcast that explores ways to live a good life. I'm your host, Sharad Lal. This is Episode 81.
Remember your first job? That fire in your belly? That feeling that anything was possible?
Today let's talk about getting that back - but better.
Think about how you started. You were unstoppable. Learning constantly. Meeting people. Growing. Everything felt fresh. Possible. You were ready to take on the world.
Then life happened.
Life got busier. Family. Bigger responsibilities. Deadlines. Travel. Office politics. And somewhere along the way, that fire started to dim. Not all at once. Slowly. So slowly you barely noticed.
Now here you are. Maybe feeling a bit burnt out. A bit stuck. But here's the thing - we're far from done.
If you're like me, in your 40s or thereabout, we've got to work for 15, 20, maybe 30 years ahead of us.
So what now?
I hear this question a lot. Should I keep going? Change paths? Or here's my favorite - and I hear this one all the time: "I don't know what else to do... so I just keep doing what I'm doing."
But maybe we're asking the wrong question. Maybe it's not about where we're heading. Maybe it's about how we're preparing for this next wave.
In the preparation, we'll figure out where to go.
So how do we get started? We need some motivation.
Because let's be honest - that drive from our 20s? It's different now.
And here's what most people miss - what if this next wave could be even bigger than everything you've achieved so far?
What if all your success until now was just preparation for what's really possible?
But it won't come from the same place as before. It needs to come from something deeper.
Purpose.
Here's what I've learned about purpose - it's not some lofty idea. It's simple but powerful. Purpose is clarifying what truly matters to us and using that to make a difference in other people's lives.
And here's why it matters now: Purpose helps answer those existential questions we face in our 40s - why are we here? What am I doing with my life? And more importantly, it gives us fire like never before to make those tough changes we've been putting away.
It gets us ready for the next wave.
Because this next wave isn't about patching up your old life. It's about building something new. And here’s an analogy that might help: It’s not about fixing the old house. It’s about moving into a new one.
Let's break this down. Because like any move, there are stages. And each one matters.
Stage 1: Spring Cleaning
What's the first thing you do when moving houses? You clean out. You sort through stuff. You decide what stays and what goes.
This is your life's spring cleaning moment.
What beliefs are you carrying? What habits? What fears? Hit pause for a second. Think about it. What's one thing you're carrying that you could let go of right now?
Maybe it's that voice telling you to constantly prove yourself. Maybe it's that fear of what others think. Or maybe - and this is a big one - it's this need to constantly control everything.
What would it feel like to put those down?
Stage 2: Your New Foundation
Once you've cleared the space, it's time to build. But here's where most people get it wrong. They try to build on their old foundation - their old identity.
You know the one. The identity built on titles. On other people's expectations. On what you thought you should be.
But that path was chosen by someone else. What if we could create our own path?
Imagine a foundation built on what actually matters to you now. Not on fear. Not on shoulds. But on purpose. On impact. On what lights you up inside.
Quick question: If you could rebuild your identity from scratch, what would be the first brick you'd lay down?
Stage 3: Designing Your Life
This is the fun part. Just like designing a new house, you get to choose. Everything. The layout. The feel.
And just like you wrestle with decisions about more space for bedrooms versus living rooms, you'll face some tough choices. More time with kids or more money for a better life? More room for creativity or space for peace?
These aren't easy decisions. But wrestling with them helps clarify what truly matters. They help you understand your purpose and balance it with life's practicalities.
It's exciting. And yes, it's scary too.
Your life. Your design.
Stage 4: Making It Real
Here's where rubber meets road. Where ideas become action.
Start small. One change. Then another. Maybe it's setting that boundary you've been avoiding. Maybe it's starting that project you've been dreaming about. Maybe it's finally asking for help.
The goal isn't perfection. It's progress. Movement. Growth.
Look, I know this isn't easy. Moving houses never is. But staying in a space that no longer fits? That's harder.
Here's what I want you to take away today:
In all the noise - the deadlines, the meetings, the endless to-do lists - there's something deeper calling you. Your purpose. That thing that makes you feel alive, that makes your work matter.
Cancel the noise for a moment. Get quiet. Listen to what truly matters to you.
Because when you find that - when you really connect with your purpose - the movement forward becomes clear. Not always easy, but clear.
And if this resonates with you, if you want to explore this journey further, reach out. I'd love to help guide you through it.
This is Sharad, and you've been listening to How to Live. Here's to building a life greater than you ever imagined.
Hi everyone! Welcome to "How to Live," a podcast that explores ways to live a good life. I'm your host, Sharad Lal. This is Episode 81.
Remember your first job? That fire in your belly? That feeling that anything was possible?
Today let's talk about getting that back - but better.
Think about how you started. You were unstoppable. Learning constantly. Meeting people. Growing. Everything felt fresh. Possible. You were ready to take on the world.
Then life happened.
Life got busier. Family. Bigger responsibilities. Deadlines. Travel. Office politics. And somewhere along the way, that fire started to dim. Not all at once. Slowly. So slowly you barely noticed.
Now here you are. Maybe feeling a bit burnt out. A bit stuck. But here's the thing - we're far from done.
If you're like me, in your 40s or thereabout, we've got to work for 15, 20, maybe 30 years ahead of us.
So what now?
I hear this question a lot. Should I keep going? Change paths? Or here's my favorite - and I hear this one all the time: "I don't know what else to do... so I just keep doing what I'm doing."
But maybe we're asking the wrong question. Maybe it's not about where we're heading. Maybe it's about how we're preparing for this next wave.
In the preparation, we'll figure out where to go.
So how do we get started? We need some motivation.
Because let's be honest - that drive from our 20s? It's different now.
And here's what most people miss - what if this next wave could be even bigger than everything you've achieved so far?
What if all your success until now was just preparation for what's really possible?
But it won't come from the same place as before. It needs to come from something deeper.
Purpose.
Here's what I've learned about purpose - it's not some lofty idea. It's simple but powerful. Purpose is clarifying what truly matters to us and using that to make a difference in other people's lives.
And here's why it matters now: Purpose helps answer those existential questions we face in our 40s - why are we here? What am I doing with my life? And more importantly, it gives us fire like never before to make those tough changes we've been putting away.
It gets us ready for the next wave.
Because this next wave isn't about patching up your old life. It's about building something new. And here’s an analogy that might help: It’s not about fixing the old house. It’s about moving into a new one.
Let's break this down. Because like any move, there are stages. And each one matters.
Stage 1: Spring Cleaning
What's the first thing you do when moving houses? You clean out. You sort through stuff. You decide what stays and what goes.
This is your life's spring cleaning moment.
What beliefs are you carrying? What habits? What fears? Hit pause for a second. Think about it. What's one thing you're carrying that you could let go of right now?
Maybe it's that voice telling you to constantly prove yourself. Maybe it's that fear of what others think. Or maybe - and this is a big one - it's this need to constantly control everything.
What would it feel like to put those down?
Stage 2: Your New Foundation
Once you've cleared the space, it's time to build. But here's where most people get it wrong. They try to build on their old foundation - their old identity.
You know the one. The identity built on titles. On other people's expectations. On what you thought you should be.
But that path was chosen by someone else. What if we could create our own path?
Imagine a foundation built on what actually matters to you now. Not on fear. Not on shoulds. But on purpose. On impact. On what lights you up inside.
Quick question: If you could rebuild your identity from scratch, what would be the first brick you'd lay down?
Stage 3: Designing Your Life
This is the fun part. Just like designing a new house, you get to choose. Everything. The layout. The feel.
And just like you wrestle with decisions about more space for bedrooms versus living rooms, you'll face some tough choices. More time with kids or more money for a better life? More room for creativity or space for peace?
These aren't easy decisions. But wrestling with them helps clarify what truly matters. They help you understand your purpose and balance it with life's practicalities.
It's exciting. And yes, it's scary too.
Your life. Your design.
Stage 4: Making It Real
Here's where rubber meets road. Where ideas become action.
Start small. One change. Then another. Maybe it's setting that boundary you've been avoiding. Maybe it's starting that project you've been dreaming about. Maybe it's finally asking for help.
The goal isn't perfection. It's progress. Movement. Growth.
Look, I know this isn't easy. Moving houses never is. But staying in a space that no longer fits? That's harder.
Here's what I want you to take away today:
In all the noise - the deadlines, the meetings, the endless to-do lists - there's something deeper calling you. Your purpose. That thing that makes you feel alive, that makes your work matter.
Cancel the noise for a moment. Get quiet. Listen to what truly matters to you.
Because when you find that - when you really connect with your purpose - the movement forward becomes clear. Not always easy, but clear.
And if this resonates with you, if you want to explore this journey further, reach out. I'd love to help guide you through it.
This is Sharad, and you've been listening to How to Live. Here's to building a life greater than you ever imagined.