2. Akshay Nanavati - The Fear Fueled Route to Happiness

“If you don’t seek out struggle, it will find you anyway.”

Today’s guest persuaded the Dalai Lama to write the foreword of his new book - FEARVANA: The Revolutionary Science of How to Turn Fear Into Health, Wealth and Happiness.

Akshay Nanavati is used to living life at the extremes.

Akshay has battled with drug addiction in high school, was diagnosed with PTSD after serving as a marine in Iraq, and is now obsessed with all kinds of extreme sports ranging from marathon running to cave diving to skydiving.

It means his story is riddled with struggle, pain, and survivor’s guilt.

While the demons still haunt, Akshay has manifested a way of life that transforms fear into a powerful tool for growth and happiness. By actively seeking out and immersing himself in the struggle, Akshay has architected a revolutionary path to success and fulfilment for himself while sharing his message with millions around the world.

And in this episode he shares some practical strategies that you can use to revolutionize your relationship with fear and emotions.

“The biggest mistake when it comes to happiness is that we live in a world that has us think that happiness is an end result.”

We all seek happiness, but Akshay has found a route along a path that many of us would be reluctant to walk. Instead of allowing agonizing experiences to define his life, he’s found a way to use them as a key to unlock success and fulfilment.

In this episode, Akshay explains the importance of a ‘worthy struggle’ and argues that we should all proactively seek out ‘Spark Moments’ (or instances of inspiration) to create more happiness.

He explores the value of intentional living and the importance of taking control of your emotions so you can decide how you want to feel.

Akshay has some brilliant insights and I was in awe at the value of everything he shared when I listened to the episode again.

I’m so pumped for you to listen to this podcast as we explore an approach to fear-based living that could change your life.

“Being conscious and proactive about how, when, and what emotions you want to experience is a game-changer.”

Some questions I ask:

• How do you cultivate a practice of consistently having Spark Moments? (6:31)
• What does your daily routine look like? (13:09)
• What role does gratitude play in your life? (18:01)
• What have been some of your biggest Spark Moments and in what format did they come? (22:19)
• Do have a process for reflecting and collecting your Spark Moments? (25:05)
• You have some powerful motivators pushing you. Do you have a daily practice that helps you stay focused and keep the demons away? (33:22)
• How do you #StayGrounded? (45:00)

In this episode, you will hear about:

• How Black Hawk Down got Akshay off drugs almost overnight. (3:42)
• Why pain is a very strong motivator for behavior change. (5:03)
• Why Spark Moments are the key to a fulfilled life. (5:55)
• What Fearvana means. (7:04)
• Akshay’s definition of happiness - and how to find it. (11:19)
• The power of simplicity and the benefit of removing decisions from your day. (13:11)
• Why Akshay used to struggle with gratitude and what it taught him about life. (18:15)
• The two things that all growth has in common. (24:30)
• The reason Akshay was inspired by someone who started at a blank wall for 24-hours. (26:20)
• The importance of NOT judging your emotions.
• The role guilt plays in Akshay’s life and how it’s become a powerful motivator. (30:08)
• How Akshay persuaded The Dalai Lama to write the foreword in his new book. (42:40)

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