Ep496: Dr. Harish Pant – Think About Where You Are Focusing Your Attention

Andrew Stotz 00:02
Hello fellow risk takers and welcome to my worst investment ever, stories of loss to keep you winning. In our community. We know that to win in investing, you must take risk, but to win big, you've got to reduce it. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm on a mission to help 1 million people reduce risk in their lives to reduce risk in your life. Pause this episode right now and go to my worst investment ever.com And take the risk assessment I created from the lessons I've learned from more than 470 guests. It's time you start building wealth the easy way by reducing risk. Fellow risk takers this is your worst podcast host Andrew Stotz from a Stotz Academy, and I'm here with featured guest, Dr. Harish Ponte, Dr. Hirsch, are you ready to join our mission? Yes, yeah. And I know, I'm excited because I know you have missions too. So let me introduce you to the audience. Originally, I ran into Dr. Harish Ponte on LinkedIn, where he's very active and shares his thoughts and gives feedback and brings a lot of his years of experience. And in fact, Dr. Harish brings 38 years of global and Indian experience spanning aerospace and defense, aviation, automotive, steel, engineering, plastics, lightweighting and composites, industrial design, engineering services, and infantry. But that's not all that he's involved in. I will let him tell us a little bit more so. Dr. Hirsh, can you tell us take a minute and fill in a little tidbits about the value that you bring to the world.

Dr. Harish Pant 01:51
Thanks, Andrew to bring me here. I'm so happy to interact with you. I started at the age of 18 years and have worked now for 38 long years. And it has been very satisfying experience for me that having worked with a lot of diversity, the range and depth of working in multi sectors, all sorts of sizes of the companies have interacted with the many nationalities through many through all the continents. It has been very, very enriching experience. And one very, you know, interesting aspect was that I moved very fast in my career. Throughout I started my career as the youngest trainee then I was the youngest manager, youngest General Manager, the youngest managing director. So, by age of 40, I was managing aerospace manufacturing company in India. So I always like asking what's next, what's next, then I went into advisory role. And then ultimately, I said what next, then, one after another, multiple startups came, and now I am heading as Managing Director and as co founder five different startups along with that, my passion and mentoring is in the field of supply chain management, Lean Expert, I also very passionate about blockchain IoT industry 4.0. So, I said if I have to put this my wide range of, you know, technology domain and management experience and multi sector experiences and all if I have to put this whole thing in a basket or what, what is left, then I said that, if I have to get into a new, you know, constellation of my growth, it would be my wellness and well being for something is there. If I received that, then maybe next 38 years of my life would be even more rewarding, even more impactful to whatever I have done till it.

Andrew Stotz 04:31
It seems like I mean, if we look back to the history of India, and we look at, at cultures around the world, when we look deep into the history, we see awareness, we see healthy living. In fact, you could argue that nowadays, we've really gone off track with the way we interact with each other. The way we eat the way we make our food The family interactions I know coming from America originally seeing kids no longer really being with their parents. And I can imagine I know the changes going on in society in India, it's fascinating to think about, you know, what value you can bring to people in this area. And I really want to learn a little bit more about it. But I have a feeling based upon our discussion about your story, that we can tie what you're doing about, Well, Bill, well being, you've talked to me about tension, you've talked to me about time, and that type of thing that we can tie that into your story. So maybe it's a good time for you to share your worst investment ever. And since no one goes into their worst investment thinking it will be. Tell us a bit about the circumstances leading up to it and tell us your story.

Dr. Harish Pant 05:50
Yeah, I mean, in terms of investment, one thing I can tell you that I have been smart, if not the smartest, in terms of taking care of the risk associated with the money, and simple wisdom of don't keep all the eggs in one basket, spread your investment in various classes of investments, and different time horizon. Don't be greedy, to keep your life simple, and value many other things in life, which money can't buy. So if I have to say that, what has been my worst investment, I would say that I call it AI, you know, attention investment. Actually, this acronym, I talk as awareness investment, but many times people get confused awareness with a lot of spirituality and philosophy and those kinds of things. So to keep it simple, I will say, attention investment, and this attention starts from the day you regain your awareness when you get up in the morning. And it doesn't end till you are fast asleep. So if I have to take this 24 hours of cycle, I will say that, and I'm very happy that my investment of the attention in the all the 24 hours had been boring few hours of sleep had been full and complete. In that I have invested very, very heavily, and I would be competing, many people in the world, you know, like I don't sleep more than five hours ever. And I can work from early morning, four o'clock, to the late night I wake up what is called Brahmam worth, you know, which is about four o'clock in the morning. So now, when I was so smart in utilizing my time barring five hours of sleep, where has been the worst investment? Yes, at times I found that not only I have invested my attention in a poor way for an hour or two or so, but even a whole year passed by

Andrew Stotz 08:41
and that was about this year.

Dr. Harish Pant 08:43
Okay, so what happened? I was about, you know, 25 RDS back, I was heading department, and certainly I came to know that a senior level person who had joined hardly a month back, he has been transferred to my department. And he has become now department head. So I was pushed to number two position. And it happened at the time. You know, like I was a rising star, blue eyed boy, sort of youngest of the department heads. So and I was rated as the best in whole Asia plastic. So with this kind of thing, this happened. And I went to the people and said, Why Why so I mean, what's the reason? And people said that it's a temporary and you're well taken care of don't worry about all this thing and all but I knew and everybody knew in the organization that it's not a right move, you know? And it's like you are putting a Gene on a horse who has won many races, you know, the best race horses right now. So, what happened? I tried to convince people I tried to reason it out, I confronted every moment and every situation every challenges with happen, and then it went on for months and months. And then, you know, some opportunity came and I said, if I had to make about turn in my career, and so, this is the time and I put in the papers and when I put in the papers, then it was a surprise to many. So, people asked that, what happened and why so, you know, so, I remember one incident that I had put in papers and I was taking a flight and I happen to meet the managing director of the company and the moment he saw me he said, Harish, this is not done, you should reconsider your idea of putting papers, I said it's too late you know, not because I have any complaint towards the person who became my boss or your decision to retain him, there could be situations circumstances, which might have led to it, but I feel like you know, I have been such a capable person, you know, working around the clock and very, very progressive person every month contributing something at a company level, which many employees have not, you know, raised anywhere near to me, and this calls for like, the, my attention investment, I'm not liking it. So, I have to call it a day. So, this attention investment, this period, I call in my 38 years of career, about a one year period, you know, it was just a dream, just a dream.

Andrew Stotz 12:18
So, how would you describe the lessons that you learned from that experience,

Dr. Harish Pant 12:24
this is learnt is that A times in in career things will go beyond your control, you know, you can only influence that much even if you are the best of the you know, in the capability best of your performance, you are recognized in all situations and circumstances could be such that even for your seniors, it might be beyond your control, you know, if that happens to you, there are no easy choices. And in fact, I will say that I used to be a department head of health small, you know, a bunch of people and then I said if I had to come out of this, then I have to become multiple times of what I you know, that would happen and then my growth phase started and I became managing director within you know, three, four years. So, to Yeah, I challenged myself and from department head to becoming a managing director of aerospace company, you know, this steep curve would not have been possible unless I would have taken this challenge by hand and I said that move on. So, the message is challenges would come and they will be devastating. So, to put and everything wiped off, like it happens in financial investment, you know, you put money thinking that it is one of the best of the investment and tomorrow you come to know because of earthquake or something happened in financial market and everything is wiped off. This is what happened to me, you know, so when that situation hits don't get into convincing mode justifying or adjusting a little you know, this thing that you lose a lot of valuable time Okay, make your call as early as possible. Make your call as a new person, you must have developed some intuitive capability, you know, and if you don't have you discuss with your well wishers, some of the friends who are in thick and thin have you know, they have gone through this kind of thing, they would be able to Mizzou something intuitively, so then you make a call. But your attention investment is a very, very important part of life. Because the moment it impacts in your professional life, it disturbs your You know, relationship, it disturbs your family life, everybody gets a concern. My family had been very happy, you know, young kids enjoying life and all. And suddenly this happened, you know, my kids and my family knew something's something of this person, suddenly this person who was coming, who was waking up every day, morning, five o'clock, shining eyes full of enthusiasm and all, and he was a role model, suddenly, he's getting sucked out, you know, like, everyday is donating blood sort of, you know, that kind of NFL. So, my advice and the lessons learnt is that the moment you know, something is not working out. As I said, good, fast. And, because, and things may not be easy, one must understand it, but come out, come out fast, smart. Be ready for the consequences, the struggle which you go through and on, but you will be able to avoid the trauma, the the near and dear, you know, and relationships which get affected the health which you you know, compromise the well being the wellness aspect of it, you become cranky, sort of, you know, so all these negativity, you will be able to minimize, and if you're a capable person, have confidence, you will have your way.

Andrew Stotz 16:32
Maybe I'll share a couple things that I take away. I mean, it makes me realize, like, I moved to Thailand when I was 26. So I've lived longer in Thailand than I live in the US. And one thing I learned about Thai people in Asian culture, I saw it a lot in India, also is that it's not common to have strong confrontation. Whereas in America, confrontation is accepted confrontation between people. And in Thailand, it's not accepted. And there's pros and cons to that. Sometimes confrontation can help resolve the issue. But there's other times that confrontation, you just need to walk away and move on. And I think part of what I take away from you know, your story is the idea. Like you've got to know, when it's your time to say well, this isn't worth the energy or as you say the attention and therefore, I'm going to walk away. And I know, that's something I'm much more comfortable with nowadays, but I know when I was younger, it was harder, I fought, you know, some things that I probably shouldn't have, or could have just let go. So I think that that's kind of one of my big takeaways, anything you would add to that.

Dr. Harish Pant 17:47
Yeah, I mean, I was not a softy guy, you know, nobody could chew me for sure. And because I was a capable, be continuous learning C dedicated to the core, and for very strategic, you know, because of the lean because of my innovative bent, which happened throughout my career, you know, every month, I used to do something, which even managing director would not have thought. I remember in one instance, that there was a union budget published in India, and I prepared this report overnight, and the managing director was passing by and gave those slides to him. And he was looking at me what the hell you're giving me this sort of, but I said just flick through and you can throw in the dustbin if you like, and he was a US citizen, okay. So, then suddenly, he went and I had joined this company, only one month back, you know, so, I did not know this managing director personally, you know, so, the moment he went, he, he was touching me, where is this guy I met What is this guy name and where is he? So secretaries came and you know, I was pulled in? I was scholarship. I said is my last day sort of you know why? He said Hareesh first tell me, what is your qualification? I said mechanical engineer. He said fantastic. What made you work whole night because the profession which you have done is you have worked all night. What motivated you? I said do something great for the company. I said that is also fine. But tell me you know, then he said he said that I had just before your meeting with me. I had called my finance director. And I asked him that there was a union budget yesterday. When can I have presentation from you that what will benefit the company? And he said to me, it will take 15 days and you our youngest employee in this organization, within, I mean, less than 24 hours, you woke up all night and he made this presentation. And I can tell you, your presentation, I don't expect that even my finance director would be able to make anything you know, so, that kind of, so, I was that kind of a person, firebrand sort of, you know, so, even in the culture of India, where people do shit gets shit scared for their job, you know, because of so much competition, because your population and all so and so forth, I was not that type, but even my Thai face this challenge, you know, yep, this can happen to any person.

Andrew Stotz 20:57
So, tell me what if you think about a young person facing this kind of challenge that you face? What action would you recommend that they take to avoid suffering the same fate or to come out of it better, stronger, faster?

Dr. Harish Pant 21:14
He has to analyze the whole situation in two ways is it workable, you know, and for this to say, you must know what who you are a bit of a reflective person, you know,

Andrew Stotz 21:29
awareness, it is yes. You used before Yes, right. So,

Dr. Harish Pant 21:34
if you are shooting scared, and you have to, you know, pull up your pants and you have to get running, you know, Blasi kind of thing, and that is a course correction happening and all and when you take the deep learning, get going, you know, pick yourself, you know, that is only okay. But at the same time, if you think and there is a very thin line divides, no one can say the same situation as a politics or same it can be said that it requires improvement. So this fine line, you know, a person need to understand, and there are three, what happens, bit of a help is very, very important. Unfortunately, what happens in India particularly, and it happens world over the people at a junior level, they don't have access to coaching, they don't have access to mentoring, they send you if you are a bit harsh in your, you know, interaction, they will send you to the software skill training program, where one guy will come and he will bore you for three days, you know, this upskilled is that and I'll find out, and after you come from the program, everything is washed out within 24 hours. You know, it doesn't help. So what happens, if you, you have your network in your network, few people who can mentor you, coach, you advisee then they will be able to a bit of, you know, put things in perspective for you. Got it from that and your assessment. If you think it's real politics is not your cup of tea. Put in the papers as fast as you can. Should when it comes to you faceid With all the graciousness, move out, yep, more fast. You will come back.

Andrew Stotz 23:28
Okay, you're gonna come back stronger. Ladies and gentlemen, there is some great advice. Now, last question, what is your number one goal for the next 12 months?

Dr. Harish Pant 23:40
It is to help transform people having a struggle, having seen a lot of issues, problems and all and also knowing that my attention investment if those factors would not have been there, if it was not that worst investment, sort of, you know, there were a couple of them, had it not happened. I would have been impactful in times. You know, so that's why I said my next goal, and not only coming 12 months, but longer will be to help people transform their lives. And how is it going to happen? I have designed a complete process, the complete structure part of it, given a shape to a startup. And I have my co founder, a lady who comes with a medical background. So I said let the medical background medical wisdom you know, join hands with the corporate wisdom and offer something to the world you know How we can help people transform their life?

Andrew Stotz 25:03
And how do people find that where do they go to they follow you on LinkedIn, do you have a website for that? What's the best way for them to stay in touch?

Dr. Harish Pant 25:14
I am so passionate about this subject, you know, I go to Management Institute's top management institutes in India. I have conducted so many webinars, I'm associated with the Board of Governors Board of Studies, I'm into entrepreneurship programs and all at a national level at a state level at the university levels and so, I advise anyone who is interested in taking this transformation path A they can follow trigger Cosmos, very soon, we are going to come out with the website where people can log in and on. Just to tell you that we have started registration and we have created a founder Club member, we have created executive console, and we have structure of implementing it pan India and pan work great. And we are bringing some 15 innovation in this you know space. So it will be the best of the technology best of the structure, you know, payment gateways, all those funders put together. So, my goal is to transform 1000s of people across India across where whoever needs help, can get connected with me, I will immediately introduce them to the membership Africa cosmos. And here today will find chain from day one, great, I will be transforming myself along with them. We, I mean, I and my co founder, Dr. Sharda, we have, you know, agreed that a first we will be the role model for transformation. And we will engage all the members to transform themselves. They're not together. And this is how the journey will happen.

Andrew Stotz 27:20
Fantastic. And I'm gonna have links to all of that in the show notes, ladies and gentlemen, so you can learn more there, listeners. There you have it another story of loss to keep you winning. If you haven't yet taken the risk assessment, I challenge you to go to my worst investment ever.com right now and start building wealth the easy way by reducing risk, as we conclude Harish, I want to thank you again for coming on the show and joining our mission. And on behalf of a Stotz Academy, I hereby award you alumni status for turning your worst investment ever into your best teaching moment. Do you have any parting words for the audience?

Dr. Harish Pant 28:02
Attention investment, the most fundamental thing a person can do to bring his or her awareness alive. And for that to happen. Just observe your breathing. If you want to go and level Next, do some trial. You can google search there are a lot of exercises and a simple exercises simple list of the exercises. Just sit comfortably, spine erect. Watch your breath. Nothing doing do it every day without fail. Preferably first thing in the morning when you get up. You don't have to bind this as a concept. You have to practice it and realize the benefit.

Andrew Stotz 29:04
That is simple and powerful advice. Just observe your breathing each day in the morning. Well, that's a wrap on another great story to help us create, grow and protect our wealth. Remember ladies and gentlemen, this podcast is about one guest. One story. One mission to help 1 million people reduce risk in their lives fellow risk takers. This is your worst podcast host Andrew Stotz saying. I'll see you on the upside.