689: Navigating the Long and Messy Midlife | Deepak Jayaraman | Ravi Venkatesan

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Midlife is a phase when we find ourselves pulled in multiple directions—across work, home, health, friendships, and hobbies.

In this session, Ravi Venkatesan delves into themes from Deepak Jayaraman’s recent book, Play to Potential. The book offers a nuanced exploration of how to unlock human potential—not just professionally but holistically—by embracing life’s highs and lows. Drawing from his acclaimed Play to Potential podcast and his experiences as a coach, Deepak introduces the FLAVOUR framework, a practical guide to navigating the intricate interplay of family, aspirations, values, and relationships.

Deepak emphasizes that life is a team sport, with family serving as an essential support system. He argues that personal growth and achievement are deeply intertwined with our family contexts, a perspective often overlooked in self-help literature, particularly in cultures where family plays a central role.

A key insight of the book is the recognition that life unfolds in seasons, shaped by transitions—some intentional, others unexpected. Using real-life examples and case studies, Deepak illustrates how navigating these transitions thoughtfully is vital to realising our potential.

This discussion will resonate with anyone in their 30s to 60s, offering valuable strategies to lead a multi-dimensional, purposeful life. A Q&A session will follow.

The Book: Play to Potential - Lead a full life, become the best you (Published by
Penguin RandomHouse) is now available to order (1-30 copies) on Amazon - https://qr1.be/29Z6

Published on February 2025.

ABOUT THE BOOK: 

Play to Potential offers a refreshing exploration of human potential, emphasizing discovery through play rather than work. Deepak Jayaraman weaves insights from his eponymous podcast, his coaching work and his lived experience to share a powerful yet simple framework (FLAVOUR) that can act as a guide to navigate the pulls and pressures of life.

This book is a guide to living a fulfilled life, integrating family, aspirations, value creation, and deep relationships. It transcends traditional career advice, providing actionable insights for personal growth and fulfillment.

While there are many books that act as a North Star for people to navigate their journey, this book strives to be a torch light that can show people the way through the imperfections and the messiness to lead a full life and unlock their human potential.

HOST

Deepak Jayaraman's mission is to help individuals with a growth mindset play to their full potential. He works as a coach and a sounding board to growth-minded leaders on multi-year journeys as a trusted confidant and counsel. He does that by immersing himself in the full context of their lives - professional and personal. Deepak has been curating the Play to Potential Podcast since 2016, where he has distilled the wisdom of 100+ distinguished guests across disciplines (business, academics, sports, art, politics and more). Prior to setting up his independent practice in 2016, Deepak has worked across US, UK and India with KPMG Consulting, McKinsey & Co and EgonZehnder. Deepak is an alumnus of IIT Madras, IIM Ahmedabad and London Business School (MBA) and is a certified CEO Coach. 

DISCLAIMER

All content and opinions expressed in the podcast are that of the guests and are not necessarily the opinions of Deepak Jayaraman and Transition Insight Private Limited. Views expressed in comments to blog are the personal opinions of the author of the comment. They do not necessarily reflect the views of The Company or the author of the blog. Participants are responsible for the content of their comments and all comments that are posted are in the public domain. The Company reserves the right to monitor, edit, and/or publish any submitted comments. Not all comments may be published. Any third-party comments published are third party information and The Company takes no responsibility and disclaims all liability. The Company reserves the right, but is not obligated to monitor and delete any comments or postings at any time without notice.