214: From Independence Day to Interdependence: Designing Work That Feels Like Sukha With Steven Puri

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All platforms & past episodes: https://coffeeforthebrain.com/podcasts/
Direct Link to This Episode: https://coffeechug.simplecast.com/episodes/2134

Resources Referenced in Podcast

• Book referenced in podcast: The Net and the Butterfly
• Podcast 213: Tools, Totems, and Totalities

Learn More & Connect:

Learn more about Steven: www.TheSukha.co/media

Community: Join over 34K members at The Sukha

Instagram: @the_sukha_co

Twitter/X: @stevenpuri

What We Talked About

This is not your typical education or leadership interview. This conversation has us chatting about:

How Hollywood taught Steven the true art of collaboration

The myth of “just work harder” and why outcomes and not hours matter most

His “Two-Problem Creativity” strategy and what neuroscience reveals about ideas in the shower

The power of having dedicated spaces and rituals to unlock deep work

Why being bored is essential for creativity and how education might be missing this entirely

What Transformers and middle school students have in common when it comes to learning environments

Why the culture you build in teams, families, or classrooms matters more than any productivity app

“If you give someone one thing to work on, they’ll overthink it. But give them a second task and the creativity starts to breathe. It’s always about the other thing.” – Steven Puri (modified from the convo)

Why This Episode Matters

Steven brings a rare blend of technical depth, storytelling mastery, and raw honesty. He talks candidly about failure, what he learned from Hollywood burnout, and why he believes today's generation is at risk of having their lives stolen by the scroll.

For educators, this episode offers real-world insight into how to design space for curiosity, not just content delivery. And for leaders, it's a reminder that trust, clarity, and mission-driven work beat micromanagement every time.

If you're a teacher, creator, parent, or just someone navigating the chaos of modern work and life this episode will shift how you think about focus, learning, and growth.

Resources Mentioned

The Sukha – https://www.thesukha.co

Join The Sukha community – 34K+ members and counting

Book: The Net and the Butterfly by Olivia Fox Cabane and Judah Pollack

Related Episode: Podcast 213: Tools, Totems, and Totalities

Follow Steven:

Instagram: @the_sukha_co

Twitter/X: @stevenpuri

Media + bio: www.thesukha.co/media

Episode Highlights

[00:01] Steven’s Hollywood-to-tech origin story

[00:09] Why creativity is never “on demand” and how boredom fuels innovation

[00:15] The “two-problem” rule for creativity & the neuroscience of distraction

[00:22] Designing remote teams around flow, not control

[00:30] Culture, mission, and what makes people actually show up

[00:38] How education and corporate systems both crush curiosity and what we can do about it

One Final Thought

“Productivity isn’t about squeezing more out of your day—it’s about creating space for what really matters. Including your life.” – Steven Puri (modified from the convo)