490: Dandapani - Becoming More Self-Reflective, Having A Purpose, & Creating Unwavering Focus

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Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com

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Dandapani is a Hindu priest and a former monk of 10 years. He originally got a degree in Electrical Engineering, then left it all behind and spent a decade studying under the guidance of one of Hinduism's foremost spiritual leaders. He gave a TEDx talk that has been viewed over 5.6 million times and his GoalCast videos have been watched more than 75 million times. He's also written a book called, The Power of Unwavering Focus

Notes:

• We need a core purpose in life. Your purpose defines your priorities. It's worth it to do the work to understand this. Self-reflection needs to become part of your routine.
  • Excellence = Clarity of purpose, a burning desire, and understanding WHO is aligned with your purpose and developing those relationships fully.
• Remember, life is finite. It will end. Let's make the most of it.
• You'll often hear parents say to their kids, "we just want you to be happy." Happiness should never be pursued. Rather, one should pursue a lifestyle where the byproduct of living that lifestyle is happiness.
• We generally think of concentration as a skill we're born with, rather than a skill we need to be taught and then cultivate by practicing over time. Would you expect to be an expert piano player naturally? Of course not - you would seek instruction, and then practice for years in order to grow your skill.
• Concentration, in short, is the ability to keep awareness on one thing until you consciously choose to move it to something else. Distraction, on the other hand, is awareness being controlled by your environment (the people and things around you) without conscious choice.
• We are what we practice. The reality is that most people are not conscious of the fact that they are practicing distraction all day every day and hence why they are masters at distraction. 
• The idea is to build concentration, willpower, and mastery of awareness into your days little by little, growing your skill over weeks, months, and years.
• Dandapani's guru has the biggest influence on his life. The role of a mentor is to empower people with tools and help them gain perspective.
• Book: Think and Grow Rich. Once you experience something, you can't un-experience it.
• A guru takes deep responsibility for someone's life.
• "You can only say no if you know what to say yes to."
• Learn to focus: Dedicate time in the morning. Find a quiet space. With self-reflection, there can be no mask.
• Excellence =
  • Clarity of purpose
  • Who are you aligned with?