A former medical school prodigy, Dilshan tracks every bodily metric humanly possible, from sleep, diet, urine color, to mood, inspirations, and intelligence quotient. Beneath the peculiar obsession lays a personal but ambitious pursuit.

Life seemed limitless to the young Sri Lankan immigrant growing up in Australia. However, an encounter with the actual Disneyland (a study exchange to Florida) unwound his internalized Disneyland reality. During years of “spiraling regression”, the once high-flyer was held back from living fully by his own insecurities and limiting beliefs.

Now having cracked a little bit of the puzzle, Dilshan is on a mission to bring back that superhuman mental state where nothing appears impossible. In this episode, he shares a framework for everyone to optimize their experience of life, consisting five pillars:

1. Sorting out the physiology: sleep, nutrition, exercise
2. Meditation: for being present
3. Dopamine fasting: for hunger/drive
4. Consuming positive content: countering the brain’s natural proclivity for indolence
5. Setting goals but focusing on the journey not destination

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:02:09) Tracking Sleep, Fitness, Hydration, Intelligence
(00:07:43) Early Foray Into Self-Improvement
(00:24:03) Overarching Philosophy on Success
(00:33:09) The Power of Meditation
(00:42:39) Dopamine Fasting
(00:52:54) Socialization, Brain Nutrition, and Being Present

Dr. Caleb Tse is a business professor at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. This podcast was originally scheduled 3 months ago to discuss his research, until an unexpected health crisis upended Caleb’s life as he knew for over 30 years.

In this episode, my guest tells his unfiltered firsthand account undergoing an emergency open-heart surgery, from the initial shock, to seeing the blood on the surgery table lights, to waking up to a more profound reverence for God and life. It is a vicarious meditation on mortality and what really matters in life.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:01:52) A Rare Heart Condition
(00:20:08) Bypass, Metal Valve, or Pig Valve?
(00:26:34) Undergoing Surgery and The Next Day
(00:32:48) Anesthesia Wearing Off
(00:36:16) The Worst Pain: Removal of Chest Tubes
(00:46:49) Final Days of Hospitalization
(00:48:49) Faith, Meaning, and Life's Purpose

One of New Zealand’s finest home-grown basketball successes, Jordan Ngatai is a regular on the world stage leading his squad’s pregame Haka, as recent as the 2023 FIBA World Cup where he was the starting Small Forward. In a storied career spanning over a decade and counting, Jordan won multiple championships in New Zealand and Australia, and was honored as an All-Star Five in 2020.

In this slam-dunk episode on the back of his FIBA tournament return, Jordan takes us through the nuts and bolts of his career, and dissects the anatomy of a hoop dream. How to transition from college to pro? What sets great teams apart from the mediocre? How to lead by example? How to overcome injuries and prolong the playing career?

Where it gets more interesting, we dive deep into the lesser-known business side of the sport - landscape of overseas opportunities, earnings potentials, agent conversations, player contracts, choosing the right organization. It is truly a treasure trove for fans and aspiring athletes alike. Nylon, folks. Let’s lace up!

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:07:31) NCAA and Turning Pro
(00:33:57) Organizational Culture and Leadership
(00:48:32) Injuries and Career Longevity
(00:58:49) New Zealand NBL vs Australia NBL
(01:04:11) Business of Basketball and Playing Overseas
(01:22:40) National Team & Steven Adams
(01:29:02) Michael Jordan, Olajuwon, Manu Ginobili
(01:36:21) Next Chapter & Family

Dr. Clincy Cheung obtained his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from UCLA. This episode is a layman’s introduction to radiopharmaceuticals, a class of radioactive drugs with transformative implications to cancer diagnosis and treatment. 

Besides the science and applications of radiopharmaceuticals, we also discussed their production process, key players, and recent industry trends. The most interesting revelation came when Clincy brought up how unlike most of the traditional pharm supply chains, the radiopharmaceutical value chain is very much dictated by the "half-life" of the radioactive compounds. In other words, it is a business “at the mercy of physics”.

DISCLAIMER. The content provided is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:03:29) Cancer and Radiopharma Overview
(00:09:10) History of Radiopharma Science
(00:14:07) Development of PET Scans
(00:18:49) Radiopharma Compounds
(00:23:32) Industry Landscape & Production Process
(00:27:22) Radioactive Decay
(00:33:49) Supply Chain & Unit Economics
(00:43:59) Regulatory Regimes
(00:48:55) Cost of Different Treatments
(00:50:33) The Future of Radiopharma

Jonas Gjesdal is a liquefied natural gas (LNG) originator at Equinor, Norway’s largest company and a critical supplier of gas to Europe. Recorded on August 15, 2023, this episode is an unparalleled masterclass on Europe’s delicate balancing act between energy sustainability, security, and affordability, also known as the “Energy Trilemma”.

A buzzing alternative to fossil fuels, we take particular interest in the promises and perils of hydrogen. We learn about its production methods (grey, blue, and green), and the unique challenges associated with building out renewables capacity as a bottleneck for scaling green hydrogen production. We also touch on the potential of LNG, Russian-Ukraine conflict, and why geopolitical risks are amplifying as we sail into a more sustainable world - each on its own a topic of immensity and growing relevance. I learned so much from this conversation, and I hope you do too.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:05:31) Equinor's Threefold Strategy
(00:21:45) Hydrogen 101: Grey, Blue, and Green
(00:27:32) Challenges with Scaling Green Hydrogen
(00:44:41) Balancing Priorities
(00:48:47) Liquified Natural Gas
(01:04:04) The New Geopolitical Landscape
(01:12:38) Technological Breakthroughs

In some sense, Tony should have been either killed, incarcerated, or locked-up in a psychiatric ward. At 14 and abandoned by divorced parents, Tony was living alone with his teenage brother. Every night, every criminal gang from the area would move in-and-out of the house. Drugs, alcohol, parties, violence - Primrose Lane wasn’t a place you’d want to mess with, as your chances were slim. So was Tony’s odds to last.

However, somewhere along the way, Tony got a shot to turn his life around. Fast forward, now settled in Singapore, he enjoys wife, kids, a beautiful life, and a successful career in high finance. Tune in, this will be the craziest but most inspiring story you hear this week.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:05:10) Growing Up Long Island, New York
(00:11:38) Divorce of Parents
(00:18:24) The Descent Into Chaos
(00:29:23) Finding a Lifeline: First Saviour
(00:32:32) A Rocky Road to Stability
(00:35:52) The College Years: Shadows of The Past
(00:42:24) The Downward Spiral: Pain Medication
(00:52:10) Corproate World and The Next Angel
(00:55:29) The Redemption Journey to Sobriety
(01:00:45) Trauma and Mental Meltdowns
(01:08:02) Finding Purpose and Faith
(01:29:07) Empowering the Next Generation

Fraser Waldron is an experienced law enforcement officer currently serving at Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization). After a brief stint in finance, the sudden transition from a small town Canada “pristine bubble of loveliness and naivety” to an isolated and hostile environment where “rubber hits the road” made Fraser realize the need to inoculate himself with some strategies to navigate the harsh realities of life.

In this episode, we explore the theme of narratives, learn about Fraser’s framework at overcoming adversities, the “compassion/empathy switch”, how to get a win out of negative experiences, and above all else, how to suffer well by developing your own “internal meaning generator”. 

I can’t wait to bring him back on again. Meanwhile, you can hear more about his philosophy on life and football at his channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fbutters1

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:07:22) Transition Into Policing
(00:13:10) Compassion vs Empathy
(00:18:27) Perception: Car Theft vs Home Break-In
(00:21:25) Diving Into Philosophy
(00:27:45) Loneliness and Solitude
(00:45:25) Back Injury: Turning Adversity Into A Win
(00:51:20) Stoicism and Hierarchy of Values
(01:01:39) Suffering, Essence, and Existence
(01:12:44) Maintaining Integrity of The Soul
(01:16:45) Free Will and Criminal Justice
(01:28:38) Operating In Hostile Environments
(01:37:54) Craziest Story

“The cosmos is within us. We are stardusts contemplating the stars.” In the inaugural episode of this moonshot project where I traverse the multiverse to learn just about everything under the sun, I invited Dr. Thomas Tuloup to shed light on the genesis story of our universe.

Dr. Tuloup obtained his PhD in quantum computing from National University of Singapore (NUS) where he spent most of the spare time orbiting around the stars. We spend the first half of the show discussing his academic odyssey, motivation, and general nature and properties of the “knowledge industry” past and present. In the second half, we embark on an interstellar journey from the Big Bang to the foreseeable demise of our solar system. The latter, we realized, will likely also spell the “orbituary” of our camaraderie, as our reincarnated particles drift towards different star systems - making the commute an astronomical ordeal. Enjoy our conversation!

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:10:50) The Mechanism of Scientific Progress
(00:18:45) Incremental Knowledge Production Now vs Then
(00:25:45) Motivation and Role Models
(00:29:05) How To Discover Your Passion
(00:33:08) The Beginning of The Universe
(00:40:30) Thermonuclear Fusion: A Star Is Born
(00:46:38) Formation of Galaxies
(00:49:00) The Lifecycle of Stars and Death of Sun
(00:50:39) Countdown To Extinction
(00:56:00) Quest For A New Planet
(01:00:40) Supernova: Runaway Nuclear Fusion
(01:12:10) Can Earth Outlast The Sun?
(01:14:50) Atomic Reincarnation: A Reflection on Existence