Leadership Journeys [130] - Srikant Chellappa - "You have to train your brain to do hard things."

This is the Leadership Journey series on the Choosing Leadership Podcast.I believe we all have a lot to learn from each other's stories - of where we started, where we are now, and our successes and struggles on the way. With this series of interviews, my attempt is to give leaders an opportunity to share their stories and for all of us to learn from their generous sharing. If you know a leader whom you would like to see celebrated on the show, please send me a message on LinkedIn with their name.Join us for an engaging conversation with Srikant, a seasoned entrepreneur with a diverse portfolio ranging from technology to filmmaking and real estate. In this interview, Srikant shares his journey, emphasizing the power of curiosity and the willingness to push boundaries. He delves into the art of starting something new, the importance of resilience, and the need to embrace discomfort for personal growth. Discover his insights on leadership, the critical role of self-leadership, and how to maintain composure and humor in the face of challenges. Don't miss this chance to gain valuable wisdom from a multifaceted leader who believes in creating fulfilling careers and workplaces. You can find Srikant Chellappa at the below linkshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/srikantchellappa/In the interview, Srikant shares"I've done a lot of things along my life, but they all had the same principle of being an entrepreneur and working with people essentially.""Starting something new is actually very easy. A lot of people do that, right? Everybody starts something. Everybody starts going to the gym.""You cannot be developing unless you're on the edge of discomfort. If you're getting comfortable, you're not developing.""If you believe that you can do something, your mind and your body will follow in that, but it starts with the belief that it is possible.""We are on a mission to provide people with fulfilling careers by helping organizations align the organizational goals with people's aspirations at work.""Scaling a startup is actually one of the hardest things to do. It is somewhat easier to be a CEO of a billion-dollar company, which is already set up and running and profitable.""You had to start before you can lead others. You had to lead yourself first, and then the whole journey is you lead yourself first, and then you lead others.""You cannot be developing unless you're on the edge of discomfort. If you're getting comfortable, you're not developing.""As a leader, you can't give that unless you have your house in order, in your own life, in your own work that you do.""The biggest challenge for us, I would say is us. Not the external environment. The environment is the environment. I cannot change the environment."