Episode 18 Kapil Kush Sharma

Hello everyone and welcome to a new episode of Veerai's Wellness Podcast. Today we have Kapil Sharma Kush with us. He is a seasoned professional and have spent 16 years in IT corporate field. He is passionate about motivational speaking and wish to make positive impact in people's life. He is the founder of Growth Momentum Hub. It is a place where he is working as a motivational speaker, a leadership consultant, and a career growth coach. He's an active content creator and has a podcast named Clarity Bytes with Kapil. Welcome, Kapil. Thank you so much for coming to our show today.

Thank you, Neetu. Thank you so much for having me on your show, and I hope I would be honest and share some value with you. And with your audiences.

I'm sure you would, Kapil. Thank you so much for this. And yeah, so from 16 years of IT experience to becoming a coach, you know, uh, yeah, what is the reason behind it? What was the transition? What has been your transformation journey like?

So my journey started like most of the people have the similar kind of journey. I did my MCA because my father wanted me to do that. Then I start doing job because I have to repay my education loan. And then 10 years almost, I, you know, I use that time to prove my worth to other. So maybe it's a new job, it's a new position, or going to the on-site opportunity. Because in IT, you know, these are 3 things which most of the people aspire for.

Yeah, do the tick in the box.

Yeah, it is a tick in the box, you know, having home, getting married, having kids, all this kind of one ticks off. Then you come to know Because people teach you, you know, when you become successful, you will be happy. But when you got everything done and still you are not happy, then the actual journey begins. And that begins for me in 2018 when I was like, you know, not sure, should I go with another job, another company, more salary, or should I do something my own? And that was the time when I actually make this happen. When I start doing meditation, that was the first phase. Then I become more spiritually aligned and more like what I really wanted to do. What is my purpose of being here? What I really want to serve people with? And then it's the journey going on. Last 5 years, it's been the kind of two boats I'm running right now. It's like one, my career where I really want to become a— and not, not to mention that, but I really want to become a leader in corporate because when you start your own, it is very difficult to reach a particular level where you are managing 20, 25 people in you know, you are running such kind of business on that large scale. But in the corporate, you get that opportunity if you are interested. If you want to become a leader, it's, it's really a good playground to learn all these kind of thing. And that's why I really enjoyed. The reason to become a leader was I really want to empower others. I was struggling to get promotion, so I really want to help people to get promoted so that they feel more fulfillment in their career. And I really enjoy that. And that's the reason why I become coach, because that is where I can help more people reach more people, create an impact. And that's the whole reason behind it, why I started.

Go back and ask the question again.

Yeah, sure.

Uh, how did you, uh, you know, stumble upon the concept of meditation and why, why did you start meditation?

Yeah, so let me tell you very honestly. So I did my own site when I was like 5, 5 years in the IT industry, and we were 3 friends One of my, like, he's my, from my hometown, we started with that, did the MCA from the same college, and he went to MCA, I think, after 8, 9 years in the IT industry. I back to home because, because of some family reason. The day I heard the news that he's going to US, I was like feeling like jealous, or, you know, I was not happy. And I think, you know, I have been on-site 2 times. He's getting chance now after, you know, many years. And I'm still feeling jealous or not feeling happy about. What is the reason basically why I'm doing this? And that day I realized something is wrong inside me. Maybe, you know, I'm putting my, uh, things on other people. And that's where the journey started, because I know, I know the meditation, but I really want to do it right way so that I will gain something. And the major thing happened after meditation only. I found my spiritual guru as well. And you know, when it is saying when students is ready, you know, your teacher appears. Same thing happened with me, and then I got the insight, you know, I really need to help people to overcome their challenge which I was facing that time.

Right, so I had a similar transformation journey, and I started with meditation again because what I've realized is that our mind is a magic instrument, and use it for so much, and you can actually change your brain according to what you want it to to work on. So this is something which I have also experienced with meditation. I have used meditation to basically change my mind also, and it is superb. And the kind of growth mindset that I have, you know, developed because of meditation, I don't think any doctor can get inside your head and do it for you.

Yeah, no one can do that. You have to do it.

It is always inside out, is what— that's what meditation does to you. I believe you do a lot of work in growth mindset in your coaching. Would you like to tell us, you know, what kind of book do you do, um, coming to growth mindset?

Yeah, so the growth mindset, in terms of concept, it is like that we have two kind of mindset. One is like limited mindset, where, you know, we put limitation on ourselves, where we put more emphasis on talent, and we feel if I am talented— and it's specifically for the talent because I also believe myself, you know, I was like topper in 10th, so I should be, you know, at top position everywhere. But the thing is that it is like limiting beliefs, limiting mindset. If you have, it will stop you because every time you will find someone who is more talented than you. And the problem is that when you find other people more talented than you, then you start— stop putting efforts into the thing. And the growth mindset says if you are not able to get the success, but the only thing where you have control over it is your efforts. And just for giving example, because I use that example with my daughter, she's 8 years old now. So there are two ways. When your kid comes, he got successful, you can say, you are so smart, you are so talented, right? And then it goes in their mind, subconscious mind, that I am talented, I am smart, that's why I'm getting this success. But if you say, your kids, you are smart, but you are smart because you are putting efforts, you are doing hard work, then she realized because she is smart because she is doing hard work, she's putting effort. That is the main thing because that is in your control. Talent is like You can have— you can find anybody more talented than you. And that's happened with more majorly the people who are talented, and at one particular stage they stop growing because they stop putting efforts, they stop looking for failures, they only want success only. And sometimes, you know, fear of success also exists, and that happened with most of the time. Yeah, so it is very critical.

It's something you need to build every single day. I mean, it is not that Today you are talented, but the world has moved on, right? So how do you keep up pace with that, you know, movement that world has moved on?

Yeah, yeah, it's very important.

To keep up yourself every single day to be that talented to match with the world outside.

Yes, absolutely. Like we are in IT, so we used to say it's a learning industry. When we joined IT, it was like one particular language which we are using. Now it's AI, ChatGPT is going on. So the people who are using it like marketers and other people, they are using it as an end user. But the people who developed it, they have some other thought process around it. So every time new thing comes in, you really have to adopt it and you really have to learn quickly. And here the efforts comes into picture. I think that is very important where you rely on your effort, what is in your control. Most of people are worried about things outside of their control, majorly what other people will think about me if I post on something 'Or what other people will think if I share my story?' But the major thing is that you are doing this for your own. If you are opening up, your mind is like you're grabbing new thing. It is for you. I mean, there's nothing fancy about being authentic and being consistent. It is required in any profession wherever you are.

It's a muscle that you build in your brain of being consistent.

Absolutely. You know, I still remember the days when I, you know, I was not ready to put even 1 hour in a whole week. You know, I have so many excuses that I can't do this. I have office, I have kids, I have this and that. But if you really want to become successful, you have to find the time, you have to put efforts. And I think there are 3 places where people are struggling majorly. One is they are struggling with their mind, their belief system. First, they don't believe I can be successful or I can achieve something big in my life. Second, they struggle at the level of action, the process. Suppose if I make you believe that you are so smart, you are so strong, you can do that, but you are not able to follow the process or you're not putting the action, chances are that, you know, will not get it. And the third struggle is the results. Most of the time when you are putting everything, your mindset is right, you, you are taking action, but you put a timeline which is created by your mind only, which— see, other people are able to get success in one year, so I should also be become successful in one year. But the timeline you have to drop and you have to believe more into the action.

It's a process.

It's a process.

Yep, it's great. So Kapil, you are a motivational speaker and you have been so many stages as a speaker. What do you think is that one thing that motivates people a lot, that you talk about a lot and it impacts people listening to you?

My reason of being a motivational speaker, because I really want to share with the people what I was looking for when I was like 20 years or 22 years, because I did MCA and we don't have such speakers in the college. Now I connect mostly with the MBA students and they really need to become a manager. They really need to think in terms of leadership, what is required in the corporate. So the question I got from the students and where I feel, you know, corporates are so struggling, they feel everything is fixed in the corporate, right? Like you have to follow this, this path to become successful. But the only thing is that the corporate is also agile. There are also new things are coming in, thought leadership is coming, entrepreneurship is coming there. So every time you get into the industry, there's something new to learn, something new to implement. So I generally told them that I— my, my pet question when I start my session, I ask them two questions: how many of you want to become successful? So most of the people raise their hand. Everybody wants to become successful. Then I ask them, how many of you want to become successful doing what you love to do? Because that's altogether a different game, right? When you are doing—

success, being able to do what you love to do is actually success. That could be the definition of success. But people think success is more money, success is that car, that house, you know, having the best spouse ever who's listening to you all the time.

Yeah, yeah, which is impossible.

That is the measure of success now. But that is not success. Success is being happy what you do every single day, in my opinion at least.

So yeah, obviously, I mean, if you really want to become happy, you really know how to make things like which are not exist, but you have to make progress daily. Like, you know, we give the example of cricket. If you put played one match, you make century that day, right? You start that day. Next day, another match, you have to start from zero. So happiness is also a practice. You have to practice it daily, and you really need to learn what makes you happy, how you can contribute more to the people. And most of the time, you know, it's when we are thinking about ourselves, we are in misery because we keep putting ourselves down. You know, this is not happening, other people are smart. And someone said, you know, no, I think about my kids. But you also, Dana, you also think, I didn't much about my kids. So that's— you feel worry about it. So it is more about when you think about others, how we can support others. I think it's your change your mindset and the way you think. And when you do something—

Yesterday my husband was— sorry, I'll forget this quote. Yesterday my husband was watching a, I think, television show. It had this quote, you know, that success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. I think that completely sums up what you're saying.

They both are interrelated. And I have one other definition which comes from my Um, I would say mentor, Jim Rohn. I started listening to him in 2008, and you know, I'm big fan of him. And he said, success is something you attract by becoming an attractive person. Yeah, success is not something which you chase. Whatever you will chase, it will go away from you. But when you become that kind of person who can hold that success, success will come to you. So becoming is very important, right? And Most people want— who want to join corporate, they want to get big salary. You know, there's no hidden secret here. Everyone who is joining corporate, there are two major things they want to have. They want to have growth and they want to have money. But the money comes from the value you bring at marketplace. There are people who are getting paid very less. There are people who are getting paid insane amount of money. The reason only is that they are providing the value. Which other people are not ready to do that.

I discussed about it in one of my workshops on money mindset that money is just a measure of value. The more value you give, the more money you will receive. For that, you have to become valuable every single day, and you have to keep upgrading yourself, learning every day, acquiring more knowledge, and putting it to work. Not just acquiring knowledge, but putting it to work as well. So very rightly said, Kapil. Thank you so much for that insight also. I would really love to know, after all this journey that you have had, you know, and the transition and being a motivational speaker, being a leader yourself, and of course having your own podcast, you definitely invite a lot of people there. What is that one major insight that you want our audience to go away with today? I mean, their major takeaway from this podcast, what should it be?

Yeah, so the major takeaway I would like to give you, I think, which is related to mine problem as well, Earlier I used to think the major thing is that whenever somebody is stuck in some particular situation, they feel they are the only one who ever face that, but that is not true. So any middle-level professional who's struggling right now into their career, and because I really want to put into that career because I feel when you start making more income and impact, you become more happy and you become more joyful. If you're stuck right now, you're feeling bored and you're living in your comfort zone, You have to change that emotion. It is not for growth. If you really want to grow, then you have to have 3 things. You have to have growth, you have to have confidence, and you have to have adventure. And how it gonna help you? If you match growth with confidence, it creates momentum. And momentum is exactly opposite of being stuck. When you are in momentum, you are not stuck anymore. And suppose if you have confidence and adventure, you mix those emotion, it will create the excitement into your life. Which is exactly opposite to the bored. So you are not bored anymore now. And when you have that growth with adventure, it creates transformation into your life. And transformation always happen in the— when you are not in comfort zone. So it is saying that if you— there is one place where nothing grows, and that place is your comfort zone. So if you really want to grow, look for transformation. Whosoever can help you, either it's in your family, it's someone, you know, you trust on But keep making progress. That will make you happy. Your past progress, your future worries will not make you happy. But the only thing, whatever action you take today, that will gonna make your future, and that will gonna make new you. And you have to work on new you.

Wow, yeah, that's, that's so insightful. Thank you so much for sharing this. I think I will go back and listen to this one more time so that it goes in.

Yeah, but this is not mine, but when I learned this, it was like, you know, mind-opening for me, and it is something which you really need to do. But there are few steps also if you really want to create some change. You have to have a vision, you have to have some goals, you have to have some community who can support you. And major thing is that goals also need to be two kind of goals. First, your trigger goal— you should know what exactly need to happen to start to something. And second is your improvement goals. Most of people only have trigger goal or they have only improvement goals, but If you want to go— there's one lady, I just want to give example. There's one lady who was just going gym last 10 years. Somebody asked him, asked her that, how you are able to do that, like such consistency, last 10 years you are going to gym every day? And she said, I need to do only one thing. And he asked, what, what is that one thing? He said, when I wake up in the morning, I book my cab. The moment I book the cab everything is set. If I don't book the cab, then whole routine got— so that, what is that one thing in your life? Yes, which you really need to do, which you really need to make change in your life. If you put that one thing only, your life gonna be changed.

I pick up the car keys, that now I'm going with him. So the moment I take up my car keys, I'm like, okay, now I'm going. And then once I'm there, I don't know how those 2 hours go by. But yeah, able to work out.

But if you don't pick that car key or if you get lazy for that, you know, getting ready for that particular day, chances are that you will not be there.

And I keep my gym bag ready the night before.

So yeah, yeah, I'm in this.

Grab my car key and I'm done, you know. I'm like, I'm out and I'm doing it now.

Yes, yes, yeah. No, it's very valid. And most important thing is that playing victim is the kind of thing which is happening right now, which I can see mostly with the corporates or other people. The only thing is that You really don't need to learn the helplessness. There are people who can support each other, but the only thing is that you should take responsibility of your life first.

Responsibility, absolutely.

No one take responsibility on your behalf. If you take responsibility, you can take help from anybody, but if you are not putting yourself first as a responsible person, chances are that you will not feel that. And I give example that most of the people, you also kind of in that industry, they said, you know, I work with this coach, I've get this course, nothing happened, I didn't get any kind of result. So I used to give that example, the operating system and software. If the operating system is corrupt or outdated, no new software will work on that. First, work on your operating system, which is your inner work, your mindset, your belief system. If that is on place, any coach, any person, even without coach also, you can make change in your life.

Absolutely.

So that is very critical, I believe.

Great. Thank you so much, Kapil, for all these insights. This is really helpful, and I'm sure it really helps the audience. And this should inspire someone at least who is watching the show. And even if one person gets inspired by it, I think we have done our job well.

No, no, absolutely. One person change one time. It is saying that, you know, if, if you help one person, it will not change the world. But it will change the world for one person. So I would like to close with that. If one person got changed, got inspiration today, we are done. I think that's what we are here.

Yes.

Thank you so much, Neetu, for your time.

Thank you so much, Kapil, for coming to the show. Have a great day.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Bye.