Take a pause with Varun Duggirala

How You Can Get Past Your Fears

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

None of us are born fearful. But we all develop different fears over time. Our fears usually stem from one bad experience that we either overlooked or...

Hustling ≠ Happiness

16 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Does working longer hours really lead to more productivity? Does pushing yourself to the point  of exhaustion really lead to happiness and succes...

How Much Planning For The Future Is Too Much?

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you find yourself constantly planning your future? Do you also find yourself constantly anxious? Now take a pause, do you think the two may be inte...

Slow Growth: Hustle isn’t the key to growth.

09 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve all experienced life in the fast lane - fast-tracked careers, working 10 hours a day, rushing from one thing to the next, no time for a break....

Self-Love: The Key to Security, Confidence and Happiness

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There is no harsher critic than the voice in your own head. It calls you out for past mistakes and holds you back from reaching your highest potential...

Ankur Warikoo on How to say No

02 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we often say yes, when we really want to say no? In this episode, Varun and Ankur talk about the importance of being able to say no, and the st...

Learning is Not a Straight Path

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever taken a road trip? While the excitement of the destination is what everyone’s focused on, sometimes the journey can be fun too.  ...

Shifting Your Perspective = Better Results

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Quentin Tarantino is one of the most celebrated filmmakers of our time. Aspiring writers can only dream of emulating his creative process. In this con...

Learn how to be your confident self

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Is confidence inherent or can it be developed? Is confidence all that it’s made out to be? Maybe there are a few other factors that can help your co...

Book club: Anita Bhogle on what’s stopping women from corporate success

19 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to APause Book Club! Here we talk to authors and try to understand the unique process that went into creating the book. We also discuss passag...

Assert your Ideas, Not Your Voice

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve all been in brainstorming sessions where there are two kinds of people. One who is just sprouting ideas constantly and the other who is just a...

Prakhar Gupta on Tackling Trauma

12 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you been told to move on, look at the positives, be happy when you’re at a low phase in your life? What if experiencing that particular emotion...

Why You Should Create Your Own Feedback Loop

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It is common human tendency to think of the end result before beginning a project. It is our self-preservation that propels us to consider the possibi...

Prakhar Gupta on why you should stop being nice

05 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you find yourself often swallowing your opinion? Do you not feel confident enough to share your thoughts with the world? Maybe the main obstacle bl...

Is Hustle Good or Bad?

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve often heard the terms, ‘I’ll sleep when I die’, ‘I work 24/7’ or ‘Fake it till you make it’. Collectively these are all part of...

Dev Raiyani on (Not) Seeking Validation Online

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What do you need to be a successful YouTuber today? Is simply having an internet connection and decent editing skills enough? Or do you need to have a...

Rethinking What It Means “To Sell”

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Sales”, the term, is often followed by a shadow of negative emotions.  Sales are an integral part of winning both businesses and people. So ...

Making Time Work For You

22 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you constantly find yourself chasing deadlines? Does your to-do list overwhelm you?  In this episode of Take aPause, Varun shares his tips on ...

Happiness is a Bonus, Not the Goal!

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you heard the saying “Aim for the stars, and you might get to the moon”? Well, it sets us up for an eventual disappointment. If we tweak the ...

Leeza Mangaldas on Why Don’t We Talk About Sex in India

15 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Take aPause, Varun and Leeza discuss the hush-hush way sex is discussed in Indian society. Leeza presses upon the need to have open...

“What we radiate is what we reflect and feel”

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you had to equate yourself to an object, what would it be? Do you have an answer? Shonda Rhimes, in her book Year of Yes, shares an  interesti...

How you can remember everything you learn!

08 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The podcast revolution has definitely given non-readers something to binge on,  especially for the generation that has grown up through auditory ...

Build a System of Co-Creation With The Power of Interdependence

04 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We have all entered meetings with certain expectations. Either we expect to leave the room with all our ideas heard and accepted or we just want to be...

Change your life & mindset with these 5 lessons from Ryan Holiday’s The Daily Stoic

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We are often burdened by problems that we truly cannot control. We worry about things that we cannot change. In this episode of Take a Pause, Varun ex...

5 powerful learnings from Journaling & how you can start your journey with it!!!

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Journaling doesn’t have a specific process; everyone chooses their own time and purpose for it. Varun self-admittedly journals sporadically but now ...

Varun Mayya on dropping out of college & the Entrepreneur mindset

24 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Take aPause, Varun Mayya and Varun Duggirala discuss their entrepreneurial journey and choices. While Mayya assesses projects with ...

Why create a Goal Board

20 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We often struggle to keep the evolving nature of our careers, life and the world around us in constant sync with our goals. And while systems serve us...

Confidence & how you can unlock it

17 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Being a public personality does not always mean that it guarantees public speaking confidence. Varun talks about an incident from childhood that deepl...

Why Strategic laziness can help you progress

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Is hard work the surest route to success? Or is there a way to strategically mix in slacking off with deep focus on the stuff you love to do. That’s...

What to Expect in Your 30's: Varun Duggirala on The Ranveer Show

10 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this snippet from The Ranveer Show, Varun shares his thoughts on family life, asserting that no matter how busy life gets, he ensures that his fami...

3 ways to Persuade others

06 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us believe that facts are the best way to persuade people to believe what we want them to believe. But Aristotle might beg to differ that ther...

Sohrab Khushrushahi on fitness, community and finding your own path

03 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fitness can be an extremely intimidating task for some. Taking that first step to enter a gym can be overwhelming. Many back out when the first issue ...

5 ways to remember better

01 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you struggled with remembering things and often look for ways to improve your memory? Varun shares tips from four time US memory champ Nelson Del...

How to Visualize your Day

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We work to achieve goals we set for ourselves. And often these goals are to attain a life we all want. But there might be a better way to achieve your...

How to put out the fire of self-doubt

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ever felt that crushing sense of self-doubt every time you set out to do something outside your comfort zone? A big presentation, talking to your crus...

Discover a hidden treasure

25 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you find yourself often looking for newer pieces to consume? In this episode, Varun talks about why it would be a good idea to re-read some of your...

What do you say while talking to yourself

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s ingrained in us to use a gentle tone of voice, to not raise our voice and use negative words when talking to people. But has anyone taught you ...

4 stages to achieve peak human performance

20 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us dream of achieving peak human performance and try different methods. American author Stephen Kotler has a 4 stage process through which we ...

Who are the supporting cast of your life story

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We often believe we are the main characters of our life, as we should. Well, what would the main character do without a strong supporting cast? Take a...

Why a “maybe” is a “no”

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you struggle with being decisive, especially when it comes to saying “no”? Are you someone who tends to settle on a more comfortable, non-confr...

Dr Sid Warrier on the Science of Motivation , Addictions, and Busting Neuroscience Myths

13 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When faced with a long to-do list, do you tend to feel ‘lazy’? Do you find yourself constantly self-diagnosing every symptom on Google? These odd ...

The right thing to do when you are right

11 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all hate that person who says “I told you so” when they turn out to be right about something. But let’s admit it… We love to gloat and say ...

“Candle Blowers” and why you should avoid them in your life

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you’re your best version, the light inside you shines at its brightest. In her book Atlas of the Heart, Brene Brown describes it as having a ca...

Find your inner Lion

06 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are you envious of confident people? Well, it might help you to know that they’re not always as confident as they appear to be. Here’s what you ca...

Relationships & the 15% rule to building them

04 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Building strong, healthy relationships that last is no easy feat. Oftentimes, for reasons unknown, you may find yourself in relationships that do not ...

This too shall pass

02 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Circumstances in life sometimes feel never-ending but they are in reality just finite events. The non-permanence of our state can often be seen as a c...

Meredith Arthur on Dealing with Anxiety, Overthinking & Embracing Awkwardness

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you often call yourself an ‘overthinker’? Do you feel an overwhelming sense of unease every time you need to do something that is outside your ...

What regret can teach you

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Haven’t we all seen ‘NO REGRETS’ stickers and tattoos? People embracing their decisions without regrets is most definitely a freeing thought. Th...

The only person you need to impress is YOU

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you want to change something about yourself or learn something new, but can’t seem to establish a disciplined routine? Ask yourself, why do you w...

Pooja Dhingra on challenges and lessons from them

22 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As much as we might hate them, it’s the challenges we face that help us grow. But most of the time we wait for life to throw us challenges. Instead,...

Your habits don’t make you ‘YOU’ ( reset your mindset)

20 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We love to hate on labels, as we should. And yet, we tend to label ourselves so many things – ‘lazy’ and ‘procrastinator’ being two common o...

Why 99.9% is better than 100%

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Growing up, did your parents and teachers tell you to give it your all? Even as an adult, do you feel the pressure to perform at your 100% all the tim...

Megha Rao on Being Present, Making Your Own Identity & Creating A Legacy

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you feel the need to overshare on social media out of the fear of being forgotten? Perhaps it would be helpful for you to learn about NOMO - the Ne...

Don’t fear failure ! You can learn from it

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How often do you let fear decide for you? Do you end up not trying something simply out of fear? But growth and evolution cannot happen without failur...

Don’t Try to be a Genius! You should focus on being a Scenius!

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Is brilliance an outcome of one mind or the coming together of many minds? In a world that champions the likes of Elon Musk and Steve Jobs, it’s har...

The “Truth” about Work-Life Balance according to “The 4 Burner Theory”

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re constantly juggling the various spheres of our life – work, family, friends, health – trying to find a balance. Our inner juggler may not ...

Why you should not fixate on problems

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Problems can appear at times like a whirlpool, surrounding you entirely and pulling you in deeper. The small, mundane ones to the bigger, life-alterin...

What you should do when life doesn’t go as planned (according to stoicism)

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Does it feel like the world is out to get you? Like fate is not benevolent in your specific case? In Stoicism, there is a concept called Amor Fati. Va...

Ankur Warikoo on Consistency, Inner-negativity & growing your passion

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the first chat episode of Take a Pause, Varun is joined by entrepreneur, content creator, and author Ankur Warikoo on approaching creativity as a p...

#1 Question you should ask yourself before you share knowledge

30 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Every time you choose to learn something, are you only learning enough to hold conversations about it, or are you trying to understand the subject in ...

3 secrets of The Rock’s Success

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How is it that everything The Rock touches turns into gold? Find out on today’s episode, as Varun decodes the formula for success. Music used - cov...

The true value of being imperfect and authentic as told in the Bhagavad Gita

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ever been asked this question – Who do you want to be like? Have you ever found yourself emulating someone you truly look upto? Then you might love ...

The truth about Luck vs Effort

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Luck shows up in all our lives. More for some, less for others but luck does show up.Varun shares an example from his book, 'Everything Is Out of Syll...

You can find true success & progress through small wins in work & life

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all want BIG victories in life. Pop culture has glamourized them with the scenes of big tournaments and boardroom sessions. Before getting to those...

The Surprising reason you should not Fear the Future

18 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We keep worrying about the future and all it entails. What's going to come?  What's going to happen?  Where you're going to end up How thing...

Why you should focus on intentions not results

16 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Often we are guided by the results we see instead of our goals, this leaves us disappointed and give up on them. Instead if we focus on the intentions...

The best way to reach your goals( it’s not what you think)

14 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"Slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want to be" this line by Andre De Shields, the American Tony Award winning theater actor hits hard in t...

#1 reason you can't focus and how you can beat it

11 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We try to do too many things at the same time. This leads us to feeling stretched, burnout and dissatisfied with the level of focus we can give all ou...

5 “Powerful” steps that help you perform better in life

09 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all have moments before a big meeting, an important exam or anything that has a lot of stakes to it. And in the brief pause before the big moment w...

"Take a Pause with Varun Duggirala" Trailer

07 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all need to “Take a pause”, a moment in-between the chaos. To reflect on the past, to focus on the present and prepare for the future. A pause ...

How you can find the genius inside you? (Classic)

13 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all have a zone of genius inside us. Something that’s inside us all along, we just need to spot and use it right. I dig into this in today’s cl...

Fear can actually help you grow in your life!! (classic)

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fear is something we all run from. But, it can also be a great tool to thrive and grow in our lives. This holds true especially in the practise of “...

How I deal with pressure situations and uncertainty in my life ( and you can too) ?

06 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our lives are filled with uncertainty. Things happening around us that we have no control over. Yet, we need to get up everyday and move forward. And ...

I used this “Simple” 4 step process to write my book (classic)

03 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

My first book drops on MONDAY the 7th of February and today’s episode is a throwback/ (Best of ) episode where I spoke of my process of creation and...

How you can Visualise your Ideal day (classic)

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks episode is a throwback to an episode I did a few months ago on how visualising your ideal day can drive balance in your life. That’s what...

How you talk to yourself directs how you feel and act in life ? (Classic)

23 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week is a throwback to an episode I did a few months ago on talking to yourself and it’s one thing that deserves a revision. That’s what’s ...

How you can create your future ?

16 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When we plan where we’re headed in life we often start with what we know and what we have available to us. But that might not be the best place to s...

The “biggest” roadblock to your progress might be you!!!

09 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Often times there is a voice in our mind that tells us we will fail. And there is a way to ensure it doesn’t become a roadblock to your progress. I ...

The “Hidden” path to finding happiness

02 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The world around us seems to have many a defined path to find happiness in life. But the truth to how you can find happiness might not lie that far aw...

The “Real” reason why following your curiosity is more important than following your passion

26 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When you observe the journeys of most creative geniuses you find that passion wasn’t as big a factor as curiosity in their process and achievements....

The “Eye opening” value of elimination & focus in our lives ( and why it’s also changing this show)

19 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We often find clarity and perspective in places we least expect. And a line from a sitcom on focus and elimination made me reflect and change stuff ab...

How you can overcome your fears!

12 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We run away from all the things we’re afraid of. However, evading them only makes them increase and tougher to evade. But, the trick to facing your ...

The “powerful” method to find confidence without letting your ego win

08 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We often veer between over confidence and holding ourselves back. But there is a middle path that I learnt from a “Muhammad ali” quote and I dig i...

How Zen moments can make you more productive and focussed

05 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When we struggle from a lack of energy, focus and productivity the answer isn’t to push ourselves. The answer might actually lie in moments of zen a...

The “secret” formula for success that lies between short term and long term thinking

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The choice between short term action and long term thinking isn’t actually a choice and I dig into it in today’s episode of “The Varun Duggi Sho...

The “surprising” reason why your lack of confidence can help you succeed 💡🧠

28 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of us lack confidence even when we actually possess all the knowledge to do the task at hand. But, this very combination could be the secret of ...

The 4 step process to create anything ( I followed it to write my book) 🚀🧠

24 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I recently submitted the final draft of my book and on reflection I realised I had followed a four stage process that David Epstein wrote about in his...

The “hidden” value of repeating what we say 🗣🧠

21 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We try finding newer things to say and avoid repetition because we worry that we’ll sound stale. But there is great value in repetition and I dig in...

Why the most interesting part of learning isn’t what you think it is ?💡🧠

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When we often set out to learn something we tell ourselves to keep our total focus on the path to learn the thing. But, there might be something essen...

The Power of building a “Feedback loop “for yourself 🚀🔁

14 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One of the core systems and tools that the internet enables for all of us is a “feedback loop” and I dig into it in today’s episode of “The Va...

How to make your goals seem less scary by switching your perspective 🧠🚀

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our lives are filled with goals that seem too large and scary to ever accomplish. But, an excerpt from Will Smith’s memoir “Will” gave me an ama...

The “Surprising” reason why we should all choose what to be bad at 🧠💡

07 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We often look at being bad at anything as something to avoid. But, there is a surprising reason why choosing to be bad at some things can make you gre...

How can “Fear Setting” help you thrive in your life? 💡🧠

31 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Fear is something we all run from. But, it can also be a great tool to thrive and grow in our lives. This holds true especially in the practise of “...

My “Secret” method to build deeper connections with people 🧠

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We spend a large part of our lives interacting and connecting with people. But, what we often don’t realise is that the way to build deeper connecti...

Hustle isn’t the problem with Hustle culture 🚀🧠

24 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The conversation around the pros and cons of hustle culture has many threads and many perceptions. I’ve fallen into the trap of taking a side myself...

How you speak and sound doesn’t define your ideas🧠🚀💡

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We often equate the way we speak with the confidence and quality of our ideas and our own perception of them. Adam grant has an amazing pov on this an...

Why are “humans like mirrors” and what can we learn from it ? 🚀🧠 🧠

17 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

To equate human nature to an object often leads us to various realisations about ourselves. Shonda Rhimes in her book “year of yes” equates all of...

The hidden truth about “Selling well” that we don’t realise 🧠🚀

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We all end up having to sell something in our lives. And often we equate selling to taking something away from the people we’re selling to. But, Dan...

Why do we all have Survivorship bias and how do we avoid it ? 🧠🚀

10 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We all suffer from survivorship bias and it more often than not blinds us from the reality of the broader picture. I dig into how we can avoid its eff...

How to achieve your goals by visualising your Ideal day 🚀🧠

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We work to achieve goals we set for ourselves. And often these goals are to attain a life we all want. But there might be a better way to achieve your...