Wide World View by Anmol Diddan

Anmol Diddan
  • 5.0 (1)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Conversations that help you build emotionally sustainable careers, through personal and social insight.

Episodes

  1. FEB 25

    “What does it Mean to be an Optimized Human?” | Ex-Googler | Leaving to Live Sustainably

    Episode 5  Kira Rich has lived a limitless life. She grew up in the Czech Republic with dreams that extended far beyond. Leaving home at 15 to come to the US, her thirst for experiences led to Oxford, for an MSc in Psychology and then across the world with Google, over 12 years. Kira’s life story has been about taking one leap after the next, choosing to trust herself over conventional wisdom. Her most recent leap is choosing to take the voluntary exit program from Google, to ride many different bikes and live sustainably.  In this open, honest and vulnerable chat, Kira Rich speaks about her journey, her motivations to explore different paths, and most importantly, how she set up for the giant leap out of tech, in a challenging economic environment. This episode helps anyone explore a #transition and approach their #burnout with courage, insight and compassion. Kira’s journey is truly as inspirational as it is insightful.  If you are burned out, or exploring a career transition, or pondering your purpose, I can help. Check out my book Burnout Highway. Or reach out via WideWorldView.Com / wideworldview.getintouch@gmail.com.  Let us know what you think in the comments!  ###Join the conversation & community: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wide.world.view/ 🌐 Website: WideWorldView.Com 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anmol-diddan-8a44643a/ 🔗 Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirarich/

    1h 18m

  2. JAN 28

    "This is also another job" | Co-Founder, Ex-Amazon on transition from worker to founder

    Episode 4 | Part 2 Kaivan Wadia, quite literally, is a rare breed - a Parsi with an unsurprisingly big heart. Parsis are a community that fled Persia in the 8th Century towards India, and today, there are just 100,000 left. They have a unique culture and outlook to life, contributing so deeply to India’s culture, despite being 0.0005% of the population.  Part 1 of the episode explored Kaivan’s early life, the perspective he gained from his family, Parsi community, and early boarding school experience. Part 2 is all about his transition from worker to business owner, the end of Amazon and beginnings of CoverForce. We go into how Kaivan manages through directness and empathy. He delves into why he felt burnout as an owner, and recognizing that this too is another job.  His journey has taken him from a small town called Porbandar in Western India to Bombay, Austin, New York City via checkpoints in Chennai and Boston. His career spans video game development, running an organization at Amazon, co-founding CoverForce, as a CTO. Find out more at www.CoverForce.com. Kaivan truly is the most emotionally sustainable ‘corporate mouse’ (as he puts it) I know. In this revealing conversation with someone I’ve known for over 18 years, we learn from Kaivan’s journey, perspective and superpower - compartmentalization. Hope his journey and this conversation helps you with your own burnout, exhaustion, career transitions and growth.   Part 1 of the episode explored Kaivan’s early life, the perspective he gained from his family, Parsi community, and early boarding school experience. Part 2 is all about his transition from worker to business owner, the end of Amazon and beginnings of CoverForce. We go into how Kaivan manages through directness and empathy. He delves into why he felt burnout as an owner, and recognizing that this too is another job.  If you are burned out, or exploring a career transition, or pondering your purpose, I can help. Check out my book Burnout Highway, releasing 10th Feb 2026. Or reach out via WideWorldView.Com / wideworldview.getintouch@gmail.com.

    46 min

  3. JAN 20

    "We’re a football team, not a family!" | Ex-MIT & Amazon, Co-Founder on Enabling Work Culture

    Episode 4 | Part 1 Kaivan Wadia, quite literally, is a rare breed - a Parsi with an unsurprisingly big heart. Parsis are a community that fled Persia in the 8th Century towards India, and today, there are just 100,000 left. They have a unique culture and outlook to life, contributing so deeply to India’s culture, despite being 0.0005% of the population. Kaivan’s own journey has taken him from a small town called Porbandar in Western India to Bombay, Austin, New York City via checkpoints in Chennai and Boston. His career has taken him from video game development to running an organization at Amazon, to co-founding CoverForce, as a CTO. Find out more at www.CoverForce.com. Kaivan truly is the most emotionally sustainable ‘corporate mouse’ (as he puts it) I know. In this revealing conversation with someone I’ve known for over 18 years, we learn from Kaivan’s journey, perspective and superpower - compartmentalization. Hope his journey and this conversation helps you with your own burnout, exhaustion, career transitions and growth. Part 1 of the episode explores Kaivan’s early life, the perspective he gained from his family, his community, and early boarding school experience. We reflect on things that brought him joy and how he structured his life around that, the importance of your ‘village’, and why the hard culture of Amazon was a blessing for him. If you are burned out, or exploring a career transition, or pondering your purpose, I can help. Check out my book Burnout Highway, releasing 10th Feb 2026. Or reach out via WideWorldView.Com / wideworldview.getintouch@gmail.com.

    59 min

  4. 12/17/2025

    "The Sabbatical gave me Time to Reflect" | Wall Street Trader & IITan Finds New Perspective

    Episode 3 | Part 2 Does a highly successful career and education prevent you from feeling exhausted by your path? Can it give you perspective on the hustle? How do you make the most of a sabbatical? Should I take a break? In this episode, we learn from Shouvik Sachdeva's journey from Chandigarh to IIT-Kanpur to New York City.  Shouvik is a trader with Tower Research in New York City. He has previously spent a decade at World Quant and is an alumni of IIT-Kanpur, one of the premier technical institutes in India.  While winter might have set in, this gezellig chat in the Scottish countryside will definitely warm you up!  While part 1 of the episode explored Shouvik’s early life paths and what set his career up, part 2 delves into some emotional challenges he faced through it. On a sabbatical, Shouvik framed a fresh perspective on the role of work in his life, the importance of work life balance and some of the mental models he has set up to feel more emotionally sustainable at work. We go into his love for music, tennis, philosophy and reading to build a sustainable life, and find joy in things beyond work.   Join the conversation & community: 🌐 Website: WideWorldView.Com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wide.world.view/ 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anmol-diddan-8a44643a/ 🔗 Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shouvik-sachdeva-85035065/ ### Timecodes 0:00 - Intro  1:32 - Emotional intelligence & education 3:10 -  Being in touch with feelings 05:20 -  Going against ‘general wisdom’ 06:57 - Looking back to find awareness 10:00 - Frame of reference for the trite questions  11:35 - Are you really making your own decisions? 13:12 - Checkpoint based education 16:42 - Using the sabbatical to prepare for the next role 19:52 - Questioning the 9 to 5 routine 21:32 - Acting on inspiration 22:25 - Setting up mentally for the path ahead 24:56 - Accepting your daily choices 27:58 - Realizing the languishing 31:20 - Power over your time 32:00 - Lack of families and burnout 37:27 - Final thoughts - The Wide World View 45:24 - Outro ### Episode Summary In the third episode of the Wide World View Podcast, Anmol Diddan, author of Burnout Highway, met Shouvik Sachdeva, a trader, philosophy lover and aspiring guitarist. This episode provides a guide for anyone who is looking to solve questions of purpose, career transitions and dealing with burnout in your career. Reach out if you'd like to work with me 1:1 as a coach.

    47 min

  5. 12/10/2025

    "I was just trying to be a good kid" | Wall Street Trader & IITan Talks Burnout & Life Path to NYC, Living The Indian Dream

    Episode 3 | Part 1 Does a highly successful career and education prevent you from feeling exhausted by your path? Can it give you perspective on the hustle? Do years of being a good kid and following a path burn you out? Or can it empower you? Does society force you down certain paths? Are our choices are own?  In this episode, we learn from Shouvik Sachdeva's journey from Chandigarh to IIT-Kanpur to New York City.  Shouvik is a trader with Tower Research in New York City. He has previously spent a decade at World Quant and is an alumni of IIT-Kanpur, one of the premier technical institutes in India.  Enjoy this gezellig chat in the Scottish countryside that is touched by so much of American and Indian Culture.  Part 1 of the episode  is about early life paths, expectations and the discovery of that languishing feeling. We talk through Shouvik's early life in Chandigarh, the impact of his family and siblings, his boarding school experience at Lawrence Sanawar in the Himalayas in India, the impact of sport on his life and what the emotional setups of a good Indian kid are. ### Timecodes 0:00 - Intro 1:40 - Explaining why we're by a highway 2:17 - How we met 02:47 - Shouvik’s path and career 04:49 - How Chandigarh, North Indian culture & IIT shaped him 06:59 - Kids are different in Scotland 07:25 - Middle class Indian family values 09:39 - Boarding school at Lawrence Sanawar 12:39 - Early expectations from life path 15:28 - Preparing for IIT and engineering 19:22 - Dopamine to crack engineering exams 22:43 - Exit from IIT and path to New York 28:00 - The not so thought out decision into finance 31:03 - Needing a new challenge, languishing 33:57 - Expectation vs reality mismatches 37:52 - Outro

    38 min

  6. 12/01/2025

    Ex-Googler Kate Howells on Emotional Fulfillment at Work | Make or Break Work Culture

    **How do you feel more emotionally fulfilled with work?** Episode 2, part 2In this part, we learn about some of the tactics Kate has used in her career to feel more emotionally fulfilled and less burned out. She looks back to her 20s and thinks about things she would tell herself - like don’t worry about the socks. Learn from her battles to make your own a bit more sustainable. ### Timecodes 0:00 - Intro 1:20 - Make or break culture 3:01 - They’re just socks! And, one sheeters. 5.56 - Riding a bike 8.23 - Addiction to productivity 12:15 - Path back to a ‘regular job’ and enjoying seasons 15:00 - Becoming open to being wrong, and pivoting 16:37 - Values as a driver 20:22 - Perception pressure at Google 21:58 - Community & vulnerability post lay off 24:04 - Deep feelings & dating interesting people 26:38 - Global exposure at work 31:06 - The office as a space to build bonds, even for introverts 34:12 - Kate’s Wide World View

    38 min

  7. 11/19/2025

    Kate Howells on Burnout as a Woman in Corporate America | Wide World View Podcast Ep2 Part 1

    **How do women in the workplace experience burnout differently?**In this episode, we learn from Kate's journey, who left the quaint suburban life to build a long career in corporate America. She brings a unique perspective on the experience of women in the corporate world and how burnout might manifest differently for women. ### Timecodes 00:00 - Intro01:26 - Guest intro and background 03:51 - Early Life & Family 06:59 - Leaving for the Big City 07:49 - North Star in Career 11:01 - Role of Education 13:20 - Living her Dreams for Women 16:22 - Becoming too Independent 17:29 - The Importance of a Village 20:50 - How Individualism affects Community Skills 22:50 - Role Models 26:10 - Women Voices in Business 28:00 - 'Lean In' Toxicity & Burnout 31:08 - How it has and hasn't changed for working women 33:25 - Women's Movements and Lack of Communication 36:20 - Women's 'Breakfast' events 37:34 - Equitable Time Commitment at Work 38:20 - Women Always Planning Off-sites & Expectations for Junior Women 39:00 - Making Space for Allies 41:19 - Burnout In Women & Extra Tax on Time ### Episode Summary In the second episode of the Wide World View Podcast, Anmol Diddan, author of Burnout Highway, met Kate Howells, who is a mother, marketer and Google Alum, with over 20 years in the corporate world. This episode provides a guide for anyone who is looking to solve for questions of purpose, career transitions and dealing with burnout as a woman. Reach out if you'd like to work with me 1:1 as a coach. ### Connect with Wide World ViewSubscribe for a different perspective:➡️ 🌐 Website: WideWorldView.Com 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wide-world-view/ 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anmol-diddan-8a44643a/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wide.world.view/ ---Guest: Kate Howells 🔗 Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-howells/

    43 min

  8. 11/03/2025

    Aditya Puri on Banking's Hardo Culture, Burnout and his Sustainable Life Outside Banking | Wide World View by Anmol Diddan

    **What does it take to find a path out of burnout at the top of the corporate ladder| Wide World View Podcast Episode 1 - Burnt Out Banker**In this episode, we delve into Aditya's journey, climbing high up the corporate ladder within banking, to being burned out in his early 30s. To now finding a path to an emotionally sustainable life. ---### Timecodes00:00 - Aditya's introduction and past career in banking04:17 - Aditya's experience with burnout in his career and how he quit07:50 - How Aditya's burnout was influenced by his early experiences12:15 - How lack of connection with work and people led to burnout17:02 - Purpose and Provision18:55 - What would Aditya have done differently at the beginning of his career22:32 - Weighing the pros and cons as an immigrant24:58 - Aditya's culture shock when moving to the US27:40 - Support and how being burned out changed Aditya's corporate experience30:16 - How the job wasn't emotionally sustainable32:26 - Vulnerability at work and banking's hardo culture37:45 - Rain Delay! Turn up the volume!38:30 - Emotional state associated with burnout41:30 - How burnout affected relationships 43:40 - Redesigning life with anchors that are important to Aditya 48:28 - Aditya's emotionally sustainable path as a real estate investor 51:36 - Emotional, financial challenges of a major career transition54:19 - Why Aditya quit as he rose to the top55:30 - Aditya's Wide World View for people who are burned out### Episode Summary In the first episode of the Wide World View Podcast, Anmol Diddan, author of Burnout Highway, sat down with Aditya Puri, who quit as a Vice President at a global investment bank to build a more emotionally sustainable life. This episode provides a guide for anyone who is looking to solve for questions of purpose, provision, career transitions and burnout. Reach out if you'd like to work with me 1:1 as a coach. ### Connect with Wide World ViewSubscribe for a different global perspective:➡️ https://www.youtube.com/@WideWorldViewbyAnmolDiddan?sub_confirmation=1➡️ https://wideworldview.com/blog/Join the conversation & community:🌐 Website: WideWorldView.Com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wide-world-view/🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anmol-diddan-8a44643a/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wide.world.view/---Guest: Aditya Puri🔗 Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aditya-puri-9a4b9b55/*Thank you to Nilesh Mali for the fantastic video editing!*#WideWorldView #burnout #corporatelife #podcast #banking

    1 hr
  • 8 Episodes

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Conversations that help you build emotionally sustainable careers, through personal and social insight.

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