Life Wisdom

New Books Network
  • 5.0 (3)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Life’s Big Questions with Seasoned Scholars and Seekers

  1. 12/09/2025

    Tina Seelig on Making Your Own Luck and Other Critical Life and Entrepreneurship Skills

    Stanford educator and renowned creativity expert Tina Seelig joins Richard Lucas on the New Books Network’s Entrepreneurship & Leadership channel to discuss her new book What I Wish I Knew About Luck (coming April 2026). As the host found himself agreeing with everything Tina said, he asked for examples of people who disagreed with her. First, they discussed the value of respectful disagreement, and the fact that Richard’s father, the late Oxford philosopher JR Lucas routinely took the opportunity to disagree with his son, no matter what point of view was being put forward. Tina shared that her father, aged 99, still thinks that good things just happened to him over the course of his life, whereas she outlines all the actions he took to create that good luck. Tina dismantles the myth that luck is purely random. She distinguishes fortune (things that happen to you) from luck (something you can actively cultivate), and explains why clichés such as “the harder I work, the luckier I get” or “fortune favors the prepared mind” are true but incomplete. What is the “hard work” required to create luck? What exactly is a “prepared mind”? Key highlights: Why entrepreneurship and creativity are teachable skills that everyone can improve, just like sports, music, art, math, or science. The value of keeping a “failure résumé” and viewing failure as a trampoline rather than a lava pit. Real stories of ethical dilemmas early and late in her career. Full details in the book and podcast. Why showing genuine appreciation (especially thank-you notes) is one of the highest-ROI habits for creating luck. A thank you note she wrote was read out at a funeral 20 years later. How to build trust, have difficult conversations, and surround yourself with the right “crew” The foundational role of self-awareness, values, resilience, risk-taking, and patience in manufacturing your own luck Tina also shares the inspiring origin of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program (co-founded by John Hennessy, former Stanford President, and Phil Knight, founder of Nike) and reflects on teaching leadership to some of the world’s most promising graduate students across all disciplines at Stanford University. Show Notes & Sources Pre-order “What I Wish I Knew About Luck” by Tina Seelig Tina’s earlier books: “What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20”, “inGenius”, “Creativity Rules” Tina’s LinkedIn Tina’s Bio, Books, Talks Knight-Hennessy Scholars KHS LinkedIn Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) Tina Seelig’s famous TED Talk and the legendary “$5 entrepreneurship challenge” Books mentioned: “The No A*****e Rule” – Robert Sutton; “The Course of Love” – Alain de Botton; “Radical Candor” – Kim Scott Tina Seelig’s Stanford Profile Essential listening for anyone who wants to stop waiting for luck and start building it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min

  2. 06/21/2025

    Marc Sapir, "I'll Fly Away: Stories About Amazing Disabled Elders" (2025)

    We all hope to grow old with dignity and some joyfulness. The intimate narratives of 40 extraordinary elders shared in I'll Fly Away: Stories About Amazing Disabled Elders explore both the challenges of aging and the joys and vibrancy that often persist in the twilight years. Poignant observations of the patients and families by a team of health professionals intersecting daily at the Center for Elders' Independence in Oakland, California, reveal the complexities of aging, identity, amid the assertive persistence of the human spirit. From a couple's summer drive across the Arizona desert to a family's struggle with mental illness to patients' romantic escapades, each tale offers a unique glimpse into the resilience of individuals facing profound transitions and prompts questions about our collective responsibility to our elders. Though this book is valuable for medical and public health professionals, it especially offers families kinship, support, and inspiration. For patients and readers in general, I'll Fly Away champions the idea that every one of us is a unique person with needs, wants, and a voice that is discoverable and deserves to be heard. It embodies the notion that every life is a story, and every voice matters. Marc Sapir, a retired primary care, geriatric and public health physician, is an essayist and political activist. He was first Medical Director of the Center for Elders' Independence for disabled elders for 9 years. He is author of five plays, and also writes fiction, poetry, and music. He lives in Berkeley, CA. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    49 min

  3. 08/14/2023

    Bhante Saranapala on Kindness

    What does wisdom have to do with kindness? This podcast features words of wisdom form Bhante Saranapala, also known as The Urban Buddhist Monk. An International Monk, Teacher, and Speaker, Bhante is the Founder and President of Canada: A Mindful and Kind Nation, he teaches loving-kindness meditation and offers private consultation and public speaking. Raj Balkaran is a scholar, educator, consultant, and life coach. For information see rajbalkaran.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    50 min

  4. 08/11/2022

    Marion (Mugs) McConnell, "Letters from the Yoga Masters" (North Atlantic Books, 2016)

    This intimate and insightful account of the life of Dr. Harry (Hari) Dickman, referred to by Swami Sivananda as “the yogi of the West,” features more than fifty years of correspondence between Dickman and well-known yoga masters such as Swami Sivananda, Ramana Maharshi, Paramhansa Yogananda, and almost one hundred others. Marion (Mugs) McConnell, Dickman’s student, has created a brilliant and loving tribute to her teacher, who founded the Latvian Yoga Society in the early 1930s and later spread his knowledge in the U.S. with the blessings of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi.  Offering a broad range of information on yoga history, theory, and techniques from a variety of different paths, Letters from the Yoga Masters (North Atlantic Books, 2016) contains a treasure trove of previously unavailable material and presents detailed teachings about pranayama, mudras, diet, and much more, all interwoven with stories and personal anecdotes. Taken together, the rare correspondence and personal chronicles provide an unparalleled glimpse into the life of a yogi, the development of yoga in the West, and the ways that spiritual wealth is disseminated across generations. Some resources:  -SOYA (South Okanagan Yoga Academy) -Letters from the Yoga Masters -Yoga Masters playlist Raj Balkaran is a scholar, online educator, and life coach. For information see rajbalkaran.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    46 min

  5. 07/19/2022

    Simran Jeet Singh, "The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life" (Riverhead, 2022)

    An inspiring approach to a happier, more fulfilling life through Sikh teachings on love and service.  As a boy growing up in South Texas, Simran Jeet Singh and his brothers confronted racism daily: at school, in their neighborhood, playing sports, and later in college and beyond. Instead, Singh delved deep into the Sikh teachings that he grew up with and embraced the lessons to seek the good in every person and situation and to find positive ways to direct his energy. Singh reaches beyond his comfort zone to practice this deeper form of living and explores how everyone can learn the insights and skills that have kept him engaged and led him to commit to activism without becoming consumed by anger, self-pity, or burnout. Part memoir, part spiritual journey, The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life (Riverhead, 2022) is a transformative book of hope that shows how each of us can turn away from fear and uncertainty and move toward renewal and positive change. Raj Balkaran is a scholar, online educator, and life coach. For information see rajbalkaran.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min

  6. 11/24/2021

    Atmadarshan Laura Santoro, "Song of Your Soul," a New Translation of the Bhagavad Gita

    Raj Balkaran interviews Atmadarshan Laura Santoro co-owner of Dharma Kshetra Yoga and author of forthcoming book The Song of Your Soul (an original new translation of the Bhagavad Gita) on the role of yoga and Indian spirituality in fostering life wisdom. They discuss her rich relationship to the Bhagavad Gītā and issues of cultural appropriation in modern yoga movements. Raj Balkaran is a scholar, educator, consultant, and life coach. For information see rajbalkaran.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    54 min

  7. 09/22/2021

    Mark Van Buren on Meditation and Mindfulness Training

    This podcast features the wisdom and work of Mark Van Buren, Bergen County's go-to guide for all meditation and mindfulness-based training. With well over a decade of experience in the field, Mark instructs meditation workshops, lectures, professional development days, corporate wellness classes, and silent retreats in a practical, yet accessible way. He offers simple tools and practices that can reduce stress, help with anxiety and depression, manage pain, and transform the many difficult aspects of life. Mark also has a recently published book: Your Life Is Meditation (2020). You can follow Mark on Twitter here: @authormarkvanburen. Find him on Facebook here.  Raj Balkaran is a scholar, educator, consultant, and life coach. For information see rajbalkaran.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    44 min

  8. 08/25/2021

    Pamela Ayo Yetunde on being Black and Buddhist

    What does it mean to be black and Buddhist, and what does that have to do with Life Wisdom? This episode of Life Wisdom features the dynamic work of Pamela Ayo Yetunde, Pastoral Counsellor, Co-Founder of Centre of the Heart, Buddhist Justice Reporter and co-editor of Black and Buddhist: What Buddhism Can Teach Us about Race, Resilience, Transformation, and Freedom. Raj Balkaran is a scholar, educator, consultant, and life coach. For information see rajbalkaran.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    55 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Life’s Big Questions with Seasoned Scholars and Seekers

Information

  • Creator
    New Books Network
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © New Books Network