My guest today is Priyanka Chopra Jonas – arguably one of the most famous people on the planet. She’s a household name in India, a country fast approaching a population of 1.5 billion and not only has she climbed to the submits of the Indian film industry, she is now doing the same in Hollywood. She became Miss World, all the way back in 2000 and since then has developed a bit of a reputation for continually breaking through glass ceilings. She has become the first South Asian lead on a major US TV network show and she’s also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Her resume is long and varied – not only is she an actor, she is also a singer, an entrepreneur, a producer, an activist and now, she is also an author.
During the downtime afforded to her because of the global pandemic and travel restrictions, she decided to write her very first book, Unfinished: A Memoir. I spoke to her right in the middle of her launching this book in four different time zones and despite the exhausting schedule, she remained resolutely upbeat.
Priyanka and I really connected during this conversation and we went deep into many different areas. We talk about where her drive and positivity comes from, how she defines success and the powerful effect her childhood has had on the choices she makes and the way she interacts with the world.
From a young age, Priyanka was taught to walk her own path and that her opinions were valid and important – something she encourages all parents to foster in their own children. She was also taught that finding the good in any situation takes away the power of the bad. This came into question when, like myself, Priyanka suffered the loss of her father in 2013. We talk through how that grief manifested in her and how she managed to emerge from that deep pain. She found that making small changes – tiny shifts to her usual pattern or environment – were key to rediscovering her true self. I think this is a really powerful perspective that we can all apply into our own lives.
We talk about our shared Indian heritage and our own experiences growing up, especially in relation to the clash that we both felt between Eastern and Western cultures. For Priyanka, it was only when she started working in the entertainment industry and realised the lack of representation that she understood why she’d always felt ‘different’. It became her aim to push boundaries and ‘make the table larger’ for the next generation.
Success, says Priyanka, is not about career or fame or money. It’s about waking up excited for the day ahead and going to bed with contentment in your heart. I think this a powerful conversation and the life lessons that Priyanka shares are relevant to us all.
Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/157
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Actionable Insights
1. Cultivate Self-Worth & Confidence
Develop a strong sense of self-worth and confidence, understanding that failure in an endeavor does not equate to personal failure, which empowers you to try new things.
2. Redefine Personal Success
Define success by waking up excited for the day and going to bed with contentment in your heart, rather than external metrics like career, fame, or money.
3. Process and Accept Emotions
Instead of running from emotions, allow yourself to sit with and fully feel all your feelings, practicing acceptance of what you’re experiencing to emerge stronger and more balanced.
4. Be Adaptable Like Water
Cultivate adaptability, learning to be both powerful and persistent like a waterfall, and calm and comforting like still water, to navigate life’s challenges effectively.
5. Practice Journaling & Reflection
Engage in journaling or writing about your life to gain perspective, reflect on experiences, and uncover forgotten aspects that may need re-evaluation, investing in self-reflection.
6. Break Toxic Routines
If your routine becomes toxic or holds you back, change it by introducing spontaneous activities like meeting a friend, taking a walk, or changing your usual environment to reconnect with a more confident self.
7. Prioritize Trusted Opinions
Filter external criticism by prioritizing the opinions of your core circle (family, friends, team) and giving less weight to anonymous or unresearched online negativity, especially if it doesn’t impact your core responsibilities.
8. Foster Children’s Individuality
Parents should empower their children by encouraging them to have their own thoughts, opinions, and dreams, rather than imposing their own expectations.
9. Advocate for Representation
For those with opportunity, take responsibility to expand opportunities and advocate for better representation in various fields, especially for underrepresented groups, to normalize diverse presence.
Develop and express your own opinions, even if they differ from others, as having an opinion is crucial for personal growth and contribution.
11. Embrace New Beginnings
View new places or changes as a ‘blank slate’ where you can redefine yourself, free from past failures or perceptions, fostering a sense of power and opportunity.
12. Find Good in Every Situation
Actively seek out the positive aspects in any situation, as this practice diminishes the negative power of adverse circumstances.
13. Choose Not to Wallow
When facing sorrow or self-pity, make a conscious choice not to be consumed by it, instead taking stock of your achievements and choosing to protect what you’ve built.
14. Disempower Online Trolls
Consciously choose to remove the power from online trolls and negative comments by not giving them importance, as doing so is essential for your well-being and ability to live freely.
15. Pursue Diverse Career Paths
Explore career opportunities beyond traditional fields by identifying gaps in the market and leveraging available information, allowing ideas to transform into viable vocations.
16. Encourage Children’s Dreams
Parents should encourage their children to dream big and pursue their own aspirations, even if they deviate from stable, traditional career paths.
17. Find Inspiration for Motivation
To maintain motivation and perform your best, actively seek out and identify things that inspire you.
18. Get Out of Your Own Way
To overcome feeling stuck, actively try to ‘get out of your own way’ by shifting your perspective to find a positive aspect in the situation.
19. Prioritize Lifestyle Changes
Understand that making lifestyle changes is always beneficial because improving how you feel directly enhances your overall quality of life.
20. Share Valuable Content Kindly
Share content that resonates with you with friends and family, adding a personal note, as this act of kindness benefits both the receiver and your own happiness.
21. Explore Health Resources
If interested in topics like nutrition, sleep, stress, or behavior change, explore the host’s books and newsletter (Friday Five) for practical tips and valuable information.