Pedal My Way

Rob
Hello and welcome to the pedal My way podcast. Mukund. How are you?

Mukund
Hey Rob, I’m doing well. How are you?

Rob
I’m fantastic. Thank you. So what topic today? I think the topic of inspiration has been coming up to for me at least recently I’ve been thinking about inspiration a lot. What has inspires action? What has inspired me to make changes in my day-to-day life? And I think it’s something that could help a lot of people is to think about inspiration a lot more. And what is driving than to do certain things in their day-to-day life and in the long term, what is their overarching goal for themselves three months, six months, 12 months, 10 years down the. Line. So there are many ways we could look at inspiration. I think one of the first things I’d like to talk about. Is what inspired us to be take the career choices that we took.

Mukund
Interesting.

Rob
For me, there are many steps to you know where you get yourself into a career. There are many changes that can take. There are many sort of things that can happen to you from graduating school to get into the career and realizing what you’re good at, what you like doing. Those two obviously aren’t always the same thing. They can’t be always mutually exclusive. You might like doing something that you’re not good at and vice versa. So. The kind I’d like to ask you. First of all, what is it that inspired you to take the the role that you have, the working role that you have and what led you to that position? And what is something that you think? Is there one event that you can think of that really reinforced that this was the right role for you?

Mukund
Well, this is a very interesting conversation, Rob. In terms of the topic, getting it kind of gels in with the others that we have discussed in terms of your perceived value, your motivation and those things, right. So this kind of fills in the gap in terms of your inspiration, what made you, who you are kind? Of. Thing and for most people it is their professional life. That defines who they are. For me, at least, I consider myself an engineer. I am. I am engineer by training and how I got into engineering was because of my interest in anything technical. I graduated as an electrical engineer. And I started off my career at one of the I think one of the largest communications companies in the world as a wireless communications engineer. And then I switched focus more into business and management. And now I’m kind of managing software delivery projects and teams for clients worldwide. What inspired me to be an engineer was like I said, my own technical inquisitiveness, curiosity. Taking apart stuff from engage, putting back, you know, computers, electronics, whatever it was, hopefully like land and break most of them. Some of them, yes. And that was part of the learning process and that kind of made me go into this path. In college, and slowly I shifted focus into more business related rather than technical. It was my own curiosity into seeing what else was there. There was nothing I’m still consider myself as an engineer. I’m still technical. I still tinker around in my free time, so that’s kind of what inspired me. There’s no one in particular, but rather. What inspired me was just the technology part of it.

Rob
Right figuring things out.

Mukund
So exactly.

Rob
And helping communicate the systems to people.

Mukund
It’s more like you know what? More from solutions point of view solutions to problems point of view right? How can I provide solutions technically if if if you may so that’s kind of what led me to the path what I’m doing now.

Rob
Yeah. Is that? You’ve probably always wanted to do that, right? Is there? Was there any ever point where?

Mukund

There was no there was no plan. B. At least when I when I was what, 1718, when I was applying to colleges, I were just focused on engineering. I did not say, hey, if Engine doesn’t work out, I can do. I don’t know. I’m just saying biology or Physics or something? I mean, I’m just. I’m just giving example so I didn’t have a Plan B, so I always want to be an engineer. I became an engineer and now that I have this strong technical foundation that gave me the chance to try something not technical, which booked out right. So I got lucky from that point of view. But, but what about Europe? What made you who you are today?

Rob
So in terms of my career, so I’ve always sort of enjoyed. Be able to communicate with people and sort of explain. They will help explain things. They’re sort of more sort of a complex topic and sort of distill what those complex topics are and help people. Evaluate these topics and sort of understand them in a different way. I’ve always. I always wanted to be a journal. I say always, probably from about 9:00 or 10 from when I knew what journalism was and what write and what a writer was I wanted. To be that. I wanted to be able to sort of communicate ideas in a different way and to sort of like I said, connect with people over ideas. And I think that was an important inspiration for me. And another part of it was when I was at school. Basically every teacher said this is what you’re good at. This is the only thing you can do. This is the thing that you should be doing so languages. English classes, any sort of communications. I was very good at any sorts of scientific, probably the opposite for you, right? It was like science and maths. I was never going to be an engineer. I was never going to be, you know, I was never going to be technically minded because it just is. Not my. It’s not my thing. So it. Everything that happened to me led me towards wanting to be a writer, wanting to be in communication somehow. I’ve now I’m in digital marketing now as a. As a career, just because you know journalism has become very. Isolated, it’s become. You know, it’s it’s less about communicating ideas and it’s more about selling things, right. It’s more about eyeballs on the pace than it is about understanding complex topics. You know, there, there, there, there is no sort of there’s no getting away from the commercial aspect of journalism. And I think that that’s that’s an interesting topic to get into maybe later on. But right now I’m enjoying digital marketing again. It’s part of the the process of communicating ideas. It’s communicating topics to business owners. I work with business, I get to work with business owners day-to-day and help them improve their day-to-day lives as a business owner and help them. Improve their families life. You know, if I if I do my digital marketing work properly, you know they will make more money and that inspires me on a day-to-day basis. When I open my laptop and I type away it, whatever I’m doing it. It’s one of those things where I keep keep at it because I know the other person at the other end of the e-mail or the other end of. The Skype call or whatever is. Someone that has their some hopes based on what I’m doing, so I enjoy that aspect of it and obviously it’s a challenging aspect because you really you wanna do well for each business owner that you work with. So that keeps you motivated, keeps you incentivized. To to to to make an impact and to help people. It’s all about helping people. At the end of the day.

Mukund
Nice, very nice. But when you said your teacher, kind of. Inspired, you. Can you call it inspiration, or did they identify a talent to new and encouraged you?

Rob
Well, I think it’s a bit of both. It’s sort of like it’s, it’s what a teacher should be doing is sort of say really encouraging somebody that I think I was about. I would say 11 or 12 when this particular teacher came to me. And said this. Thing you wrote is great. You should. You should keep doing this and you should write more. I until then, I never really thought of like writing as a thing. I never thought of it as like a certainly not a career. It just became sort of it. It was. Just. Homework, right? Writing was just homework. The teacher would say, assign a task and then you do it and never thought of that as a as a. Prospect for me going forward, but after that it sort of inspired me to want to. Keep getting better at it when you hear you’re good at something. I think something triggers in. Certainly for me it triggers in my brain where I’m like, OK well. This is done talented. It is. So maybe how talented could I be? What what? Who am I? You know what are my peers doing in in this aspect? How can I be better than this other person? Or how can I keep? How can I keep improving myself to to be the best, the best I could be at this. And you know, it’s not like I’ve. Been. I’m not like a best selling writer or anything like that. I’m not John Lecrae or Stephen King. Yet yet I’m still in my early 40s. Most good rices you know, unless you’re writing the next Harry Potter or whatever. But unless you’re, you know, writing that kind of stuff, you’re you’re not. Maybe not getting the career validation that you might see until your late 50s, early 60s, something like that. So maybe I’ve got some time. We shall see. You know, when maybe when I’m not podcasting and not, you know, trying to look at myself on video and trying to make sure that maybe I’m when I’m sort of focusing on introspective things rather than the the outside things I might be able to sort of put my head down to some.

Mukund
Do you have? Do you have a site project going like writing or something like? That.

Rob
I used to. I used to have way back when. What? 2000? Yeah, early 2000s. I had a blog that I I would keep up and and my personal blog where I just write about my day-to-day life as you do when you’re in your late teens or early 20s where it. It feels like everything you do is vitally important and everybody has to read this right. And that was nice. But it’s just one of those things where, well, you know, it’s like you have a family, you have a job, you got, you got those other things, you got competing interests and you, you want to I I get to write on a day-to-day basis.

Mukund
Right.

Rob
Anyway. With what I do so it’s more commercial than it is personal, but I I enjoy the creative process. That way the creative process is.

Mukund
Right.

Rob
Interesting for me and the the you know, the origin of. Ideas is interesting.

Mukund
They’re nice. Nice. Good, good, good transition there. Very nice.

Rob Yeah. That there are various elements that I think about in terms of career. One one of the inspirations that we talk about inspirations in terms of excuse me. In terms of. Your day-to-day life. So you wake up. What inspires you to keep working as hard as you do? Obviously you workout a lot, you do, you do the day day-to-day. Job you do all the things that you’re doing on a day-to-day basis. With your family, what keeps you going? What keeps you inspired to? Make a difference.

Mukund
I think I think. Talking about what inspires you, right? So what is inspiration? I think that’s the thing we need to define, at least personally, to each of. Us.

Rob
Just.

Mukund
For me, inspiration is something that is intrinsic. It’s not by any external influence what I mean to say is you do something because you’re interested in it, number one, or you try to find a solution to a. Problem for your satisfaction, right? It can be part of motivation, but inspiration. I think it kind of goes hand in hand in terms of what inspires you to do something. What motivates you to do something right? Inspiration is comes with from within. So in my day-to-day it’s more on problem solving because. As a as a train engineer, I’m always trying to see the most efficient way to do something or to solve a problem, even if in. Right. It’s the, it’s the. It’s the simplest thing, right? So if something is not working, for example if the hinge is making too much noise, I mean I need to put some WD40 or some oil in it to make sure that’s not, you know it’s not causing an annoyance or to bigger ones like somebody’s having a crisis at work. How I can help out kind of a thing. It can go from you know. Any any direction with any kind of seriousness? So in So what inspires me is is just this what helps my life easier at any particular time by solving any issues. I see that I think is the right time to get involved, right? If if I am not the disdained person for the particular problem, of course I’m not going to. I’m not going to get involved, but I might talk to the people involved, saying, hey, why can’t we try this kind of thing? I don’t know if you call it as inspiration, but I am inspired to solve any issues that I come. The priority, of course, is what I what I can control. Of course I can. Solve those problems, at least most of them. And if it’s beyond my control, you know, I try to reach out and see. How? I can help you know. So at least that’s my definition of inspiration and how I can kind of make myself better. Useful, if that makes sense.

Rob
Yeah, 100%. I think you and I are quite similar in that sense. When you talked about problem. Solving. It’s not necessarily for me, it’s as you said, it’s not necessarily inspiration. It’s almost like how my brain works. It’s almost like if I see a. Problem I will think about that constantly. I will try to figure out why that is what what is going on for me. As I was saying in digital marketing, it’s like why is this website? Why is this particular thing not working? What’s going on? Why isn’t? Why aren’t people clicking on this thing? So I’ll look at the design aspects. I’ll look at various web formats. And things like that look at competitive. And I like. As you just talking about figuring things out, is a big inspiration for me figuring out that solution, because I think there’s some sort of like dopamine or adrenaline adrenaline rush you get from like finding. That solution it triggers something in my brain for me where it’s that that moment of it works. And also there’s the the process of it is, is sort of adrenaline inducing for me. It’s like the process of figuring it out because you, you know, you’re making connections in your brain that didn’t previously exist. You’re when you’re solving your problem, you’re sort of connecting. Three or four? Well, many different, disparate concepts, right. You’re sort of like trying to think of think of different ways to solve the problem, ruling things out, and then once you get there, you get that reward of hey. You know, you were the one to fix this. You were the one to make that change. And there is sort of an ego element for me, at least too. It’s like I want to be the one that is is is doing that right. I I don’t necessarily like need the acclaim. I don’t need people to pat me on the back just in my own. Weird brain, I need to go like I was the one that did this. I need to be proud of myself from having done it, you know.

Mukund
I think inspiration is also when people talk about inspiration. It’s more like creativity. What you know, like bigger than yourself, kind of a thing, right, inspired to become a musician. For example, conducting a big Symphony or, you know, inventing the next best thing. For me, it’s more on. Making my life better, making my life easier. It can. I think inspiration is what drives you. It not necessarily mean any. Any extravagant big goal, it’s just what drives you. At least for me it’s it’s goes hand in hand with motivation. What motivates you? Like, inspiration motivates me not having a trouble free life motivates me to solve problems. I might be wrong in the definition of things, but this is how I associate. Oh.

Rob
No, I think I don’t think you can be wrong in that, because I think everyone has their own definition of what what inspiration is and and everyone has their own inspiration. So that’s what it’s. Just interesting topic right it’s like. It’s helping understand us a little bit better and understanding each other a little bit better is learning about what made you the person that you are and what makes you make those decisions on a day-to-day basis. So I think that’s pretty interesting that you know. As you said like it’s. When you see someone that has a problem, if you can be the person to help resolve that. Problem you you are doing something that has a positive impact and then maybe you might inspire somebody else to also make positive impact. So there’s that element to it as well, right? You maybe you inspire others to to to make a difference and you, you know, we never really, it’s not like anyone comes to you and say hey, you really inspired me today like it’s just that those kind of things. Are being a role model. For example, for for your son and being for me being a role model medal for my nieces and nephews, just trying to sort of. Present positive actions, positive behaviors and and, you know, try to sort of. You know, I don’t understand anything any better than anybody else does, but I’m always going to try to understand something. I’m always going to sort of like try to explain something in my own way. And I think there is sort of that. Element of. How can you help somebody moving forward and that to me is another element to the inspiration conversation, isn’t it? It’s sort of like how can you, you know, 20-30 years down the line when you and I are in our 70s and 80s? Are your son is going to be talking to someone and say, like, hey, my dad did this for me. I remember that day we went for that bike ride and my dad. Fix that tire and that inspired me to think about like, how do you fix the tire? How do you how does this bike part work? You know, I always think about that. Like those moments are. Sort of an indelible part of my brain. Now, when I was at school learning those things, that feeling that you get from the teacher when they say, hey, you did a good job here as a kid. It it’s interesting that that is sort of such a crucial part of what then? Inspires you later on 30-40 years down the line. I always think that’s a weird part of our brains where it’s like they don’t really change from being a kid. You still want to please your teacher 30 years ago, right? You still want to have that impact, but it’s just a part of. Building your psyche as a kid and then becoming an adult and trying to sort of like maneuver your way around the world a little bit.

Mukund
Actually, you bring up a good point. So every time I do chores around the house, fixing small things, mending something I always have my son around, even though he does not do anything, I at least want him to watch what I’m doing. I’m not like. Fixer, everything kind of a guy. I try. I mostly get it done, but some of the times I know my limitations. I hire external help to to do some things. So small things has helped him because now I see him fixing his own stuff by himself without coming to me because some couple of weeks ago. We saw a broken one of his his devices yesterday or something. I saw him using as like what happened? He said. Well, this switch was broken. It was not working. I said what I mean how is it working? Well I opened it up and you know this wire was hanging out. I fixed it back and I was like, wow, OK you know, so I was happy that something. That I tried to teach him had trickled down somehow, so that’s kind of hopefully he carries it forward for his kids. Hopefully one day. Again, that’s not kind of any rocket science or, you know, needs deep understanding. It’s just common sense, kind of, you know, one-on-one makes. Two kind of a. Thing my son is around 11-12 years old, so you know installing those things now I think is important for a massive as he keeps getting older.

Rob
Yeah, yeah. 100 percent, 100% yeah, I think being self-sufficient. When learning that as a kid is so important, I think giving your your your son knows tools is going to be so beneficial moving forward because it’s like like you said, he then just decides for himself and maybe there are other things that he’s going to resolve that he can then decide for himself. You’re giving him the tools as you said. That’s the perfect way of putting it, giving you the tools, not necessarily the answer.

Mukund
Exactly, exactly like what is it? Teach someone to fish. He feeds simple for life or gives somebody a fish. He just eats that one meal, right? Something like that. And it’s.

Rob
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I yeah.

Mukund
I’m I’m phrasing it all wrong, but you know what I’m trying to say so.

Rob
Yeah, teaching. Yeah, I completely like, I don’t know the phrase, but I know what you’re talking about. I don’t know what.

Mukund
It’s like it’s like taking a horse to the pond to drink or something like that. One of the other proverbs, or I handling millions of them so.

Rob
Yeah. Let’s let’s come up with all the ones that we don’t know.

Mukund
It’s like it’s like give a man a a fish or something. He eats, eats that one time, teaching him to fish will, like, give him enough knowledge to kind of feed himself for the stuff his life, something like that.

Rob 
100% we don’t need to get into the four horses and the fishes part of. It but I get them. I get exactly what you’re talking about giving, giving your your son the resources that he needs. You don’t necessarily need to. Yeah, yeah. Do the fishing for him. He’ll learn how to fish and he’ll be successful.

Mukund
Actually, we don’t, actually, we don’t eat meat, but you get the but you get the point.

Rob
You can still, I don’t know you can.

Mukund
Ask him. Give him a tomato today. Ask him, you know, and then teaching him to plant the tomato, you know. And then he can get it next year. And of a thing, so.

Rob
You don’t even have to learn how to fish. You just gotta know how to pick the. Right, tomato. That’s exactly it. Go play.

Mukund
That is true, yeah.

Rob
So we’ve we’ve talked a little bit about what inspires us now. What about your closing thoughts about Inspiration McCann, what do you think for some of some of it all that what we’ve discussed today?

Mukund
I think everybody has inspirations and everybody has motivation to do things in their life. I don’t think there’s any right or wrong way to do it. The outcome is right or wrong in terms of obviously the the situation you’re in, but you getting into solve a problem is never a wrong attempt at. Something. That’s that’s what I have in life in terms of, you know, if you’re doing something right, go ahead. You know, if you’re, if you’re, if that helps you sleep better at night or solves a problem that’s close to you. Do it right 99% of the time, it’s not. The problem gets solved if you put your heart into it. But I also be aware of who it’s going to impact. You solving a small problem that’s only affecting you. You will have complete control over that, but if it affects a group of people at work or personal family members, you need to put a little bit more thought into it before you jump into it. That that’s just my catch all, or rather lessons learned from my life. Again, we are too. Random strangers on the Internet is sharing their personal lives, right? It’s not gonna be any rules that, that, that we follow or anything like that.

Rob
No, you’re you’re absolutely right. It’s to me. It obviously is a very theoretical conversation about inspiration. It’s it’s just having a chat about things that are important to us in our day-to-day life. What what, what makes us, who we are, I think. For me personally, what I need to do more of is think. About. What and what inspired me to take the previous actions that I took and whether those are positive or negative inspirations, and maybe to sort of focus more on positive actions that I can take and learn lessons from things that have benefited. In the past, I like to think about. I’d like to think more about the things that have positively inspired me and the people that have inspired me and like you can be more thankful and be more present of the idea that I didn’t get here by myself. I wasn’t just in, I’m not just in this position because I, you know, gathered all these resources. I was given resources by various people and and look. And all that kind of thing. So I think that’s for me is the the big lesson here is to think more about, you know, how do we. Impact others and how do we? Be more thankful for people that have inspired us to do different things, and that’s something that I think about. I’m gonna try to think about more in my day to. Day life I’ve. Been very lucky and I think. It’s something that I we we think about more and more is I think about more and more is. What actions am I taking and how do I improve upon those actions? And I think thinking about the reason behind those actions, the inspiration or whatever you want to call that thing that driving force can have a a great impact on controlling how you react to things and do things in the future. So yeah, this has been a really interesting topic. Because I like the idea of. How do we improve upon ourselves and I think about that a lot. We talk about self improvement on that on my way podcast quite a bit physically and mentally. And I think thinking about inspiration is something that is really integral to self improvement because it really takes you on that path forward, right? Inspiration is that thing that keeps pushing you to do a different thing. To do things better and. Whoops. Yeah, I think that’s something that has been really beneficial for this conversation and hopefully it helped others too. I hope we’ve been able to talk cohesively and cogently about this topic. I hope it’s been interesting. I think I’ve, I’ve certainly enjoyed it. I hope you have two Mukund and I really appreciate your time.

Mukund
Definitely man. Thanks, rob. Thanks for your time today. And it’s great talking to you.

Rob
You too. Thank you for your time and enjoy the rest of your day.

Mukund
Thanks Rob.