Life-(IAN)-span

“A legacy that you were a decent, kind person is all you really need to leave behind. All your professional achievements won’t matter but it would be great if fifty years down the line people remember that he was a really nice man.” These words by Dr Anil Abraham, a distinguished doctor, professor, Stanford alumni, theatre artist, stand up comedian really shook me and my family. We couldn’t help remarking how incredibly sorted and grounded he was. What also stood out for us was the way Ian Faria framed his questions to the doctor to get these answers out of him.

I was playing his interview with Dr Anil Abraham on YouTube in the Mind Talks series. I had partly seen that interaction in the morning and I was elated. So I told my wife and elder daughter to join me for watching it on the larger screen. It was well worth a watch and Dr Anil Abraham’s life story was a treat to watch. We liked the way that Ian engaged him and did what he always preached- “Ask better questions.” They say the quality of questions determines the quality of answers. At the end of the podcast, a question that remained with me was “what is the dominant question in my life ?”

A lifechanging experience

I had the opportunity to meet Ian for the first time in 2016. It was on Republic day that I came face to face with him. It started with a coaching relationship but today he is more than a coach to my family as my entire family knows him including my mother. In fact, when we were watching the video my younger daughter walked in and her face lit up when she saw him on TV and she shouted: “That’s Ian Uncle!”

My wife tells me that I have changed after that coaching stint with Ian Faria and radical candour with Kavitha Garla. Some people come into your lives and you are never the same.

The other day, on his FB page, I saw a podcast by Ed Mylett with David Sinclair. Ian’s comment drew me to check that video. He mentioned, ” We can live way beyond 100 or even 120. Let’s prolong life and be more useful to our world”. I was fascinated and saw the entire interview and it was informative. I thank Ian for sharing that content and I particularly liked this quote, “Aging, quite simply, is a loss of information“. In the last four years, I am benefited by his inner greatness.

How do you define greatness?

Somebody who makes a big contribution in the lives of others, who believe in you and says “I stand with you.” His content grips me and being an avid note-taker, I try to max out with those concepts immediately and others for posterity. I had the opportunity to be part of the TILT community and also mentor a few leaders and get feedback from leaders in the process. Today when I look back at those 4.5 years plus years of association with Ian I can confidently claim that I have Educated, Motivated and Inspired (EMI reimagined) myself to do the things which were not in my orbit like writing. His content educated me, his words motivated me and moreover have inspired me to take action.

I aim to become a life simplifier, people connector and community giver. I am sure my association with Ian over this life span will make this dream possible. Robin Sharma said it best, “All it takes is one idea on how to change the way you see the world, to change your world“.I will continue to look up to Ian for his ideas so that I can pay my (EMI) forward to the community and the world.

Ian’s interaction with Dr Anil Abraham made me redefine vanity. Taking care of yourself and looking good is not vanity. Dr David Sinclair’s video made me reimagine longevity. The question I asked myself is “How can I create a life that I want to live longer for?

Happy birthday Ian! Live longer and as you heard from David Sinclair 120 is the new 80 and you have made a very important place in my life span. You are the force of nature.

In today’s world we are not in the room but we are on Zoom

We are not seen but we are in the scene

Your content always influences and creates a confluence of ideas in me

My salute to a coach, mentor and friend