Penpositive Podcast
Penpositive Podcast is an Active Learner's Journal that reflects on the multitudes within us, covering topics about Life, Work, and the Life at Work. Hosted by Vinod Narayan, founder of PENPOSITIVE.COM, a community of Active Learners, the podcast delves into learnings from conversations, articles, books, movies, podcasts, and more. Vinod shares insights and reflections to inspire continuous learning and personal growth.
Episodes
EP-454 Thank You, Teachers by James Patterson - Book Recommendation
On this Teacher's day, Sharing a few thoughts from Thank You, Teachers by James PattersonPlease email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn: https
EP-453 The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga - Book Recommendation
The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga explores a provocative idea: much of our unhappiness comes from living according to other people’s expectations. Drawing on Adlerian psychology, the book asks what might change if we stopped seeking approval, accepted responsibility for our choices, and found the courage to live on our own terms.Please email your thoughts to
EP-452 Situation By Angela Duckworth - Book Recommendation
What if changing our lives isn’t always about changing ourselves? In Situated, Angela Duckworth explores how our environment, the people around us, and the situations we create can shape our behavior and choices.In this episode, I share three ideas from the book that stayed with me — about willpower, designing our environment, and choosing the people and situations that help us become who we want
EP-451 Close to Home By Thor Hanson - Book Recommendation
Sharing some thoughts from Close to Home By Thor HansonPlease email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinodn/
EP-450 Wasteland by Oliver Franklin-Wallis - Book Recommendation
Today I want to introduce you to Wasteland, Oliver Franklin-WallisPlease email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vino
EP-449 Open To Work - Book Recommendation
Today I want to introduce you to this book Open To Work.Please email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinodn/On
EP-448 If people hate Mondays, something is broken.
Monday is a beginning. A reset. A fresh page. And yet, for so many people, it feels like something to endure rather than look forward to. Let us talk what we can do. Please email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn:
EP-447 Meetings and How we attend them
A lot of our professional life is spent in meetings and some are very exhausting while some feel good. Let us talk what we can do. Please email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn:
EP-446 Rethinking Our Mornings and Evenings
When I started seeing my therapist mid last year, the issue I brought into the room was my mornings. And then I found out that it was not just mornings but also evenings. Please email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn:
EP-445 Why Some of the Most Important Things Are Invisible
Is all value visible? When does value become invisible? And how long can invisible value keep you going? Please email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://
EP-444 How do office meetings change us as a person ?
Today's journey is through the act of office meetings. Please email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinodn/On Social MediaPenP
EP-443 The Idea of a Scrum Master
Today's journey is through the idea of the Scrum Master. Please email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinodn/On Social MediaPenPos
EP-444 Having a Good attitude for no reason
Today's journey is about having a Good Attitude for no reason. Please email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinodn/On Social Media
EP-445 Why do we feel good about Fridays?
I often wonder why we feel good on a Friday. Please email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinodn/On Social MediaPenPositive YouTub
EP-442 Some New Learning on Confidence
Today's journey is through the idea of confidence and some new learnings I had. Please email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinodn/
EP-441 Having a Decade View of our Life
Today's journey is through how we look at life in decades. Please email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinodn/On Social MediaPenP
EP-440 Our Relationship with work
Today's journey is through our relationships with work. Please email your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinodn/On Social MediaPenPositive
EP-439 Being Authentic
Sometimes it is a coincidence when you end up watching or listening to something that you have been thinking about.If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPen
EP-438 My love hate relationship with AI
As the title says I don't hate AI. I mean AI does not care. It is just that I explore how I should see it. If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositi
EP-437 I don’t know how to do it
We start learning only when we acknowledge we don't knowIf you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive YouTube Channel
EP-436 A Flash Fiction - Fixing IT
After a long while I wrote a Flash FictionIf you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive YouTube Channel
EP-435 Freedom is nothing but the distance between the hunter and its prey
There was something so profound I read a few days back.. "Freedom... is nothing but the distance between the hunter and its prey" This is a line from Chinese American poet Bei Dao's poem Accomplices. If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@
EP-434 Meaningful Work: Goldfishes, Community, Contribution and Challenges
As we look towards meaningful work here are a few things I recently learned from a bookIf you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive YouTube Channel
EP-433 My journey of recovery and the process
The only person on whom we can experiment is ourselves. Even when we want others to change, the closest person we can work on changing is ourselves.If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comC
EP-432 Bukowski Choices: Learn or Die
Today's episode was inspired by a quote by the poet and novelist Charles Bukowski “Let’ em learn or let’ em die”If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive YouT
EP-431 Emotional Intelligence
Today let us talk about Emotional Intelligence. A must sought out skill among managers and leaders in corporate sectorIf you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive
EP-430 Growth Mindset
Today let us talk about Growth Mindset. We live in between a world of scarcity and Abundance and Growth mindset is a lot introspective as well.If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on S
EP-429 Managing the Limited Time
Time is a limited commodity and life involves managing it. But what does that mean..? Let us exploreIf you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive YouTube Channel
EP-428 That Collective Understanding
Sometimes we know it is going to be tough. We know we have a lack of knowledge. We know we have less time. We know the expectations are high. The stakes are high. What do we do ?If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
EP-427 We don't need to like everyone
Do we need to like everyone. We don't need to.. But there are a few things about liking and disliking.If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive YouTube Channel
EP-426 Why do we work ?
And why do you work..?If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive YouTube Channel @PenPositive Instagram at
EP-425 The safety to be Vulnerable
To be vulnerable needs courage...If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive YouTube Channel @PenPositive I
EP-424 Stories that hit us hard
Yes Stories....If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive YouTube Channel @PenPositive Instagram at
EP-423 What happens most weeks
There are two things that can happen most weeks. One is achievement and other is Learning.If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive YouTube Channel
EP-422 Embracing our Limitedness
How long do we have? How many weeks more? Before we leave this world.If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive YouTube Channel
EP-421 When my daughter came to visit me at work
The other day my daughter came to visit me at work. It was a pleasant experience. She works a few blocks from where I work. If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.comConnect on Social MediaPenPositive YouTube Ch
EP-420 Return To Office | What can Motivate us ?
More and more companies are asking their employees to return to office. There are debates and concerns as leadership and teams try to find the best ways. I want to share with you and explore what are the things that motivate me to go to work in the office everyday. These are my thoughts and I understand my thoughts are not the same for everyone.If you are listening on Spotify please share add your
EP-419 Hope for Cynics by Jamil Zaki | Book Positive
The last book I read in 2024 is an important book that gave me some insights foe 2025. Let me start this year by talking aboit that book. The book is Hope for Cynics by Jamil Zaki.
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
EP-418 How do we define success in our career?
This week‘s question is “How do we define success in our career?” let us travel to explore that a bit further.
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
PenPositive YouTube Channel
EP-417 The Friction project for Professionals
The Friction Project by Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao is one of the most important books I have read this year and highly recommend to people in the industry who deal with friction at workplace day in day out. It tells us how to identity good friction and bad friction and how we can try being friction fixers. Here is my review
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If no
EP-416 Why I took a PMP Certification
After many years of doing it, I guess now I am officially certified to do it as well... I wrote my PMP and they have confirmed I passed. But why now.... after so many years being in this profession why a certification now.... Here is why.....
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to
EP-415 Are you Afraid? I am...
This is something I wrote on LinkedIn as well as Medium. Thought I will try a Spoken word on it. The goal is if you feel like trying something new, Just try it. There are some things in life where waiting is worse than failing
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail
EP-414 What are your long term career goals ?
This is one question that I have seen coming too often now a days. Let me share some thoughts with you.
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
Book Positive YouTube Channel
EP-413 Is Agile Dead ? - An Agile Positive Podcast
This is one question that I have seen coming too often now a days. Let me share some thoughts with you.
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
Book Positive YouTube Channel
EP-412 The Psychology of Stupidity by Jean François Marmion - A Book Positive Podcast
The Psychology of Stupidity by Jean François Marmion is the book this episode. Stupidity as explained by some of the smartest people in our world.
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
Book Positive
EP-411 What motivated you to get into your current career ?
This episode onwards I am trying something new. I will take up one question and spend time writing about it from my experience and then create this podcast. You can read the article on my website: https://penpositive.com/
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your though
EP-410 Motivation and Stress at work
The questions for today deal with stress and motivation. What motivates you to excel in your job? How do you handle work-related stress?
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
YouTube Channel
EP-409 Staying Updated on Industry Trends for enhancing your Career
This episode there are two career related questions we will tackle. How do you stay updated on industry trends and changes? and Can you describe a challenging situation you faced at work and how you overcame it?
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
EP-408 Career Goals | Career Success and Inspiration
A new series where every episode I will ask myself a few questions and try to answer them from my experience.
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
YouTube Channel @penpos
EP-407 Madonna - A Rebel Life by Mary Gabriel - A Book Positive Podcast
Madonna‘s biography by Mary Gabriel is the book in thia episode. I listened to the Audio book here. Here are my thoughts
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
YouTube Channel
EP-406 What Agile Certification should I take? - An Agile Positive Podcast
Someone asked this question that came up a few days back. What certification should I take? Sharing some personal thoughts in this regard.
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
YouTube Channel
EP-405 Until August by Gabriel García Márquez - A Book Positive Podcast
Until August is a novel by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez published posthumously in March 2024. It was released on the 97th anniversary of his birth, March 6th 2024.
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
EP-404 Some Self Reflection on Focus and Content Creation
There are two problems I have one is about Focus and the other is about stretching thin. I have not found a solution on that but I am exploring
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
YouTube Channel
EP-403 Van Life by Naomi Grevemberg - A Book Positive Podcast
Sharing another Book Positive podcast and this time it is Van Life by Naomi Grevemberg. A book that helped me learn about Vanlife beyond the idea of romanticizing with it and understanding the commitment and effort needed to lead that life.
If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@g
EP-402 Hidden Potential by Adam Grant - A Book Positive Podcast
Sharing another Book Positive podcast and this time it is Adam Grant's book Hidden Potential. If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
YouTube Channel @penpositive
EP-401 Elon Musk By Walter Issacson - A Book Positive Episode
I have started doing Book introductions in my YouTube channel Book Positive and I will share the audio of those here in the podcast as well. If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
YouTube Channel
EP-400 My Learning Week
Since I made an episode on being uncomfortable last week coincidently I started recognizing my discomforts this week. This opened up so many ways to learn. If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
YouTube Channels
EP-399 Try Being Uncomfortable
Happy new year to all. It has been a while after my last video and this is the first one this year. I want to set the tone for the year and discuss how important I think it is for us to try being uncomfortable. If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
EP-398 Scheduled Downtime, Staying Flexible & Expressing Gratitude | Planning the New Year 5/5
Final part of the 5 part series. Today we will discuss Scheduled Downtime, Staying Flexible & Expressing Gratitude. If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
YouTube Channels @penpositive
EP-397 Personal Development, Healthy Habits & Connections | Planning the New Year 4/5
The 4th part of the 5 part series on New Year planning. Today we touch on three areas Personal Development, Healthy Habits & Connections. If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
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YouTube Channels @
EP-396 Focusing, Organization and Finances | Planning the New Year 3/5
3rd part of the five part series. If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
YouTube Channels @penpositive
Instagram at @penpositive
EP-395 Goals and Action Plans | Planning the New Year 2/5
Second episode on our welcome to the newer. If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com
Connect on Social Media
YouTube Channels @penpositive
Instagram at @penpositive
EP-394 Selection, Achievements and Improvements | Planning the New Year 1/5
The new year is in a month. There is no magic that will happen on Dec 31. If we need to change anything we have to do it now.
You can also watch the video of this podcast https://youtu.be/fmFrXGeERsg?si=YYNJFEx8iB8dFCqZ
EP-393 What do I want from my life ?
This is a very important question. What do I want from life? In the podcast I talk about an exercise I started. Here are the questions I mention in the podcast. This is no exhaustive list. Just a few I took up to do my exercise.
What interests me?
What makes me happy?
What makes me unhappy, sad or worthless?
What I don’t enjoy?
What do I want from life?
What is the kind of life I want f
EP-392 We should keep experimenting
We should keep experimenting because I think it can help us accept feedbacks better
EP-391 Things that excite me today
What are those things that excite me today is a question that came to my mind.
EP-390 Writing and Completing
Today let us talk about writing and a thought on how a writing gets completed.
EP-389 How easily we quit
Why do I quit..? What makes me quit... Let us talk
EP-388 My Audio Books decision
I listen to Audio books on and off but I have decided to do it more seriously.
EP-387 Feedbacks, Horror Movies and Reading Books
I missed podcasts two days. That does not mean I will be doing a 30 minute episode. Just some random thoughts
EP-386 Random things and Kannur Squad
Today I did not have much to speak but then I remembered that I had seen the movie Kannur Squad yesterday
EP-385 A painful memory of abuse
Sharing with you an incident from a few years back. Even today it is painful
EP-384 The idea of Brunch
I love brunch and I realized I did not know about it till I came to the US
EP-383 Gandhi Jayanthi
Oct-2 is Gandhi Jayanthi and let me talk about Gandhi.
EP-382 The Agam Band
Yesterday I went to a concert by ‘The Agam Band’.., Here are some personal thoughts
EP-382 The Creator Movie
Today I want to share some thoughts with you. I watched the movie and thesw thoughts came to mind. You should watch it. It is a very interesting thougtful SciFi Movie
EP-381 We are not Separate
I heard something very simple yet profound. We are not really separate from one another.
EP-380 We are not Brands; We are Human Beings
Are we brands… we might be but we are not just that. We are human beings
EP-379 Algorithms and Humans
Continuing from a thought I left in yesterday’s episode. How can we fight being influenced ?
EP-378 Liberal or Conservative?
The question that came to my mind today is if I am a liberal or a conservative.
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