This episode is brought to you by Your Clockwise Week—a personalized weekly structure built around your actual life, not an ideal one. If your week feels full but not fitting, you can learn more at mikevardy.com/yourclockwiseweek.

I had the chance to sit down with Neil Ghosh, a seasoned executive whose work has spanned the nonprofit, government, philanthropic, and private sectors. He’s also the author of Do More Good: Inspiring Lessons from Extraordinary People, a book filled with stories of leaders, visionaries, and everyday people who embody the power of empathy, courage, and action.

In our conversation, Neil and I dove into the importance of perspective, why empathy isn’t a “soft” skill but a strategic one, and how small actions can have extraordinary impact. We explored how his upbringing in Kolkata shaped his worldview, the lessons he learned from people like John McCain and Shimon Peres, and why legacy is something you influence—but never fully control.

Six Discussion Points

• Why doing more good is different from simply doing more.
• The value of travel—both near and far—in broadening empathy and perspective.
• Lessons from John McCain about honoring principles and bridging divides.
• The role of humility and how serving with it can reshape leadership.
• How listening deeply—not just hearing—creates space for meaningful change.
• Why legacy is less about control and more about the small, consistent actions we leave behind.

Three Connection Points

• Neil’s book: Do More Good
• 5 Steps Anyone Can Take to “Do More Good” and Make a Lasting Impact | Success Magazine
• Your Time is Not Thine: Rethinking “Know Thy Time”

Conversations like this remind me that productivity isn’t about output for its own sake—it’s about impact. Neil’s perspective reinforces the idea that empathy, humility, and legacy aren’t separate from our work, but central to it. I hope this episode leaves you inspired to do not just more, but more good.

If this episode resonated, I’m exploring ideas like these more deeply in my upcoming book, Productiveness. You can follow along as it takes shape at mikevardy.com/productiveness.