The Productivity Reset You Didn’t Know You Needed

You’ve been thinking about productivity all wrong, this episode will change that.I sat down with Steven Puri, a former Hollywood exec turned venture capitalist. Our conversation will change the way you think about creativity, leadership, and what it actually means to be productive.In this episode, we dive into everything from intelligent failure in entrepreneurship to the surprising role physical spaces play in innovation. Steven opened up about his company, Sukha, which is all about helping people find fulfillment and effectiveness in their work, and let me tell you, the way he breaks this down is incredibly powerful.We also explore how technology (yes, even AI!) can become your creative partner, how pain can shape character, and why community and openness are essential to any meaningful work.If you've ever felt like you're doing "all the right things" but still not finding flow, this conversation is the reset you didn’t know you needed. I walked away rethinking not just productivity, but how we show up for ourselves and others, and I think you will too.Key Takeaways:Productivity is about the effect you have towards a goal.Leaders need to trust their teams to be productive remotely.Creativity often flourishes when individuals are allowed to monotask.Physical spaces can significantly impact creativity and productivity.The goal of work should be personal fulfillment, not just output.Focusing on three tasks increases productivity by 77%.AI should enhance human creativity, not replace it.Everyone has something great inside them waiting to be expressed.Community support can significantly boost individual success.Resources Mentioned: Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: https://www.amazon.com/Flow-Psychology-Experience-Perennial-Classics/dp/0061339202 Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299 Deep Work by Cal Newport: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0349413681/?bestFormat=true&k=deep%20work%20cal%20newport&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k1_1_9&crid=2AQG78SS0ZYBF&sprefix=deep%20work The Net and the Butterfly by Olivia Fox Cabane: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0735216770/?bestFormat=true&k=the%20net%20and%20the%20butterfly&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k0_1_15&crid=1PUJ3YOMYZLUC&sprefix=the%20net%20and%20the Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well by Amy Edmonson: https://www.amazon.com/Right-Kind-Wrong-Science-Failing/dp/1982195061 Connect with Steven: Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.thesukha.co/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri More About Building Thinkers: I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.