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Self described ‘mindset alchemist’ Uma Panch is committed to inspiring others to join her quest to become extraordinary.
What’s your story?
I am a life enthusiast in search of my “Extraordinary”. I am on a quest to become the grandest version of myself and inspire others to become extraordinary. At one point in my life, I had this burning question, “What is the purpose of my life?” That question was the catalyst that set me on a path to extraordinary. Through my triumphs and tribulations, I realised that living an authentic life and uplifting humanity is my life’s purpose. I have embarked on a journey to introduce people to the possibility of executing the power of the mind for positive transformations.
What excites you most about your industry?
What excites me most about my industry is the opportunity to transform people’s lives. As a mindset transformation coach, I work with emerging leaders and high-calibre professionals who struggle with various challenges, including imposter syndrome, negative thoughts, burnout, peer pressure, fear of failure and anxiety and much more. I help them tap into their personal superpower, break barriers and unleash their true potential. It is a pleasure to be part of my client’s exponential growth and I experience fulfilment in that.
What drives you in business to push beyond what other people consider normal?
I live by the Confucius quote, “The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential, these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence”. The fire to live a magnificent life and leave a great legacy pushes me beyond the normal. Success is not convenient, and I have the willingness to take discomfort head-on. It is about discipline, taking personal responsibility and showing up even when you don’t feel like it. I wake up at 4.30 AM in the morning, and “boom” go in the pursuit of my purpose.
What have been the most useful skills you have learnt and applied in your journey?
I consider myself a lifelong learner with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. As a result, I have recently added Personal Knowledge Management (PMK) to my arsenal. As per Tiago Forte’s words, PKM is the practice of capturing and putting to quality work the ideas and insights in our daily life, whether from personal experience, books, articles, podcast or socials. The challenge with knowledge accumulation is Knowing what you know, Knowing where what you know is, Knowing how to get to what you know, Knowing how to use what you know.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans – John Lennon. I found great advice from this quote. This quote helped me transition from “Human Doing to Human Being”. For many years I have lived as a workaholic and ended up burntout until I came across the concept of Mindfulness. By embracing a mindfulness lifestyle, I have been able to BE more, DO less and HAVE more. As a mindfulness researcher, advocator, practitioner, and trainer, I run mindfulness training to develop Mindful leaders and conscious organisations.
Who inspires you?
My greatest inspiration is the butterfly and its metamorphosis journey from a caterpillar to a butterfly. Like the butterfly, my inspiration has been from my desperation to find myself. When fate whispered to me, “You can’t withstand the storm”, I whispered back “, I am the storm”. I want to be the inspiration for those who are in desperation and frustration and help them live an inspired life. My work is hugely influenced by the teachings of great legends like John Kabat Zinn, Eckhart Tolle, Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, Oprah Winfrey and Carl Jung.
What have you learnt recently that blew you away?
I have learnt to hack my infinite intelligence by transcending the concept of time and embracing conscious language, connectivity and synchronicity. This has been a paradigm shift for me. You see, time separates us from our reality. What we want is already manifested for us and, at the same time, is still open for other possibilities (good and bad). Through evidence-based techniques, I help my clients to decode the secret to tap into their infinite intelligence and get them excited, inspired and energised to take action and see tangible results.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
Nothing. I wouldn’t be who I am today if not for what I had gone through in my life. It is not about what happened to you but what you do with that. We all go through pain, loss and suffering, but what do you do with that? It is my positive response to the negative events that have shaped my future. My state of existential crisis was the catalyst for my journey of self-discovery. If you feed your obstacles with an obsession for personal excellence, push through mercilessly and relentlessly, the world will bend to your will.
How do you unwind?
I must admit that as a full-time researcher, academic and entrepreneur, I have a very hectic lifestyle. Unwinding is very hard for me, mainly because I am so passionate about my work. So, I schedule activities in my calendar so that I will honour them. I unwind by going for long walks in the wilderness. Journaling, meditation and yoga help me to get grounded. I love adventure and recently went to Port Stevenson and enjoyed dolphin watching, ocean dip and sandboarding. I love long drives to exotic locations, and my recent visit was to the Bimbadgen Winery.
What is a major mindset change, belief shift or ‘ah ha’ moment that you’ve experienced in relation to your business?
A significant paradigm shift happened to me at the onset of COVID in 2020. Every year when I engineer my holistic goals, I choose a theme for my life: adventure, love, fun, gratitude, and so on, which in essence will be the primary state of mind and experience I intend to have. When COVID hit, just like everyone initially, I was paralysed with fear of the unknown but only briefly. I chose “FEARLESS” as the theme for the year. Every time I heard my inner voice hold me back with all the “WHAT IF?” questions, I would reply, “SO WHAT?”
Everyone in business should read this book:
I recommend “Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action” by Simon Sinek. “Why” isn’t just a word. It’s a powerful concept. This book is grounded in the fundamental question: Why are some people and organisations more innovative, influential, and profitable than others? Notably, people like Martin Luther King Jr, Steve Jobs and the Wright Brothers did not have much in common, but they all started with a WHY. This book explains that it’s not the WHAT but the WHY that is the formula for success.
Shameless plug for your business:
I am a mindset alchemist, and I have decoded the formula for rewiring our brain, reprogramming our mind and transforming our life. Using this skill, I am working towards my goal of self-mastery and self-actualisation. I am on a mission to help you discover your gift, unleash your genius and guide you to your greatness. You have one life, be legendary and leave a legacy. Every day has the power of a new beginning, and let this moment be the beginning of a radical transformation. Connect with me for a virtual coffee chat, CLICK HERE to book.
What next?
I am mighty glad to announce that I have embarked on my PhD journey, and my topic of research revolves around Mindfulness. Yay! This calls for some champagne!
With this new chapter of my life, just like everyone I had one compulsive question from my inner villain that clouded my mind “Uma, what have you got me into? I did not sign up for this?” Here is where my inner hero stepped up and said, “Uma, feel the fear and do it anyway. You’ve got this, and I’ve got your back.”
….True story! I am glad and proud of how far I have come. This was and will not be easy, but I know it will be absolutely worthwhile.
To become a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is my vision, what is yours?
The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps — we must step up the stairs — Vance Havner
How can people connect with you?
It doesn’t matter who we are, what we do, or what stage of life we are in, we can all use more people in our lives who “gets” what we do. Staying connected with like-minded people is the way to stay inspired and motivated. I am only one click away. If you want to connect with me for networking, consultation, collaboration, coaching, training, keynote speaking, media, or just for a cool catch up, join me for a virtual coffee chat. You see a lot can happen over a Coffee Chat. See you there!
Social Media Links?
www.umapanch.com
https://www.instagram.com/uma_panch/
https://twitter.com/uma_panch
https://www.facebook.com/Uma_panch-103503775294106
https://www.linkedin.com/in/uma-panchapakesan-08493a138
Email: uma@umapanch.com
This interview is part of the CallumConnects series.
