Wholehearted Podcast

Why This Conversation Matters

You've probably been told to pick a lane and stick to it. This conversation makes the case that in the age of AI, that advice might be exactly what's holding you back. Ong Whee Teck spent his career in the corner offices of Accenture and Ernst & Young, and now consults for Kyndryl across ASEAN and Korea. But he's also written 11 books, taught himself to sketch by reading 150 books, composes his own songs, and built a five part framework for learning literally anything faster. In this episode, he unpacks why he refused to "specialize" even when every professional speaker he knew told him to, why story might be the most important skill of the AI era, and why the thing separating people who do a lot from people who don't isn't time. It's energy.

What You'll Learn

• A five-part learning framework built from decades of self teaching — which means you can pick up almost any new skill faster once you know which part of the system you're actually missing.

• The one "technology" behind every world religion, every founding myth, and your own DNA — which means learning to tell a good story might be the highest-leverage skill you can build right now.

• Why being told to "pick your lane" could be the worst career advice going around — which means the specialists getting replaced by AI first may be the ones who followed it too well.

• A simple two-color calendar exercise for figuring out what actually fuels you — which means you stop mistaking a packed schedule for the real reason you're always running on empty.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

00:30 Wholehearted Meaning

01:14 Purposeful Happiness

03:23 Finding Your North Star

05:34 Obstacles to Wholehearted Living

07:45 Corporate Shift and AI

12:02 Money Time and Inequality

15:33 AI Transition and Key Skills

18:44 Calm Leadership Under Pressure

22:43 Systems Thinking and Craft

27:28 Storytelling as Technology

31:55 Identity Grit and Purpose

34:12 Be So Good They Cant Ignore You

35:50 Engineer Artist and Books

36:17 Writing Before ChatGPT

38:03 Orchestration As Skill

40:26 Books And Travelogues

42:13 Five M Learning Model

44:35 Learning Styles And Myelin

50:56 Polymath Versus Specialist

56:02 Operating Principles Shortcut

58:37 Deep End Learning Stories

01:00:26 Branding In AI Era

01:03:47 Energy Not Time

01:06:07 Quickfire And Farewell

Connect with Whee Teck

Ong Whee Teck is a former senior partner at Accenture and Ernst & Young, and currently consulting partner at Kyndryl for ASEAN and Korea. He's the author of 11 books, including The Job Apocalypse and The Story Essence DNA.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wheeteck/

Instagram: @wheeteck

Subscribe now and share this episode with someone who needs to hear.

Why This Conversation Matters

Most of us think safety is something we find: the right city, the right job, the right relationship. Melissa Indot spent the first half of her life testing that theory. Born in Malaysia, raised partly in the UK because of her father's job with Shell, then shipped off to boarding school at a young age, she built an entire identity around being a foreigner wherever she stood. In this episode of the Wholehearted Podcast, she and host Coen unpack what she learned instead: that safety isn't a place at all. It's a state of mind you can build, no matter where you are.

Who This Episode Is For

This is for anyone who's ever felt like a misfit, whether that's because you grew up between two cultures, spent your childhood trying to earn approval, or you're currently juggling five different passions and being told to just pick one. It's also for anyone who freezes up trying to make the "right" decision, or who's never been able to explain the difference between a gut instinct and plain old fear.

Key Takeaways

1.     There are three kinds of power, and only one of them actually works long-term

Melissa lays out a framework she's built her life around: power over (control, dictatorship-style), power within (self-awareness and personal agency), and power behind (a quieter kind of leadership that makes room for other people's truths without losing your own). She argues that power within is the one that actually holds up, because it comes from knowing yourself well enough that you don't need to dominate a room to feel secure in it. Power behind, she says, is what happens in conversations exactly like this one: two people holding different truths without either one collapsing.

2.  Instinct keeps you alive. Intuition tells you what to do with your life.

One of the clearest distinctions in the episode: instinct is fear-based and built for survival in the moment. Intuition, as Melissa describes it, is something older and quieter, generational wisdom she believes lives in the body and gets accessed by going still enough to feel it rather than think your way to it. Melissa reframes a trap a lot of people get stuck: waiting for certainty before they'll act. Instead of hunting for the "correct" choice, she suggests committing to whatever you choose and making the most of it.

3.  Being multi-passionate isn't a flaw you need to fix

Both Coen and Melissa talk openly about being pulled in multiple directions at once, and the pressure to "pick a lane" that comes with that. Melissa shared about the unique perspectives that spending her life between the U.K. and Malaysia has given her. Coen shares how a random perfume-making class he took just for enjoyment taught him powerful lessons on storytelling, and recounts how a stray piece of wine knowledge that saved him in front of a client years after he'd forgotten why he even knew it. Their shared point: knowledge doesn't have to be useful on paper to be worth having.

 Connect with Melissa

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissaindot/

Instagram: @melissaindot

Subscribe now and share this episode with someone who needs to hear.

What happens when the life you’ve built on the outside lookssuccessful, but inside, you feel drained, restless, and disconnected from yourself?

In this episode of The Wholehearted Podcast, I sit down withCindy Tien for a deeply honest conversation about self-confrontation, identity, and the courage to tell yourself the truth. Cindy shares her journey from seeking validation through power, success, and external approval to recognizing the patterns, beliefs, and “BS” that were quietly shaping her life.

This conversation is a reminder that the real work is not aboutfixing everything at once. It is about having the courage to face what is really going on inside, your blind spots, your stories, and the parts of yourself you would rather avoid, and realizing that truth, when faced fully, begins to lose its power over you.

In this episode, we explore:● Why facing yourself honestly is the first step toward realchange, not fixing or performing

● The hidden ways we create “BS” through our blind spots, belief systems, and the stories we tell ourselves

● How chasing validation, power, and approval can look successful on the outside but feel empty within

● The emotional roots of jealousy, insecurity, and the need to be seen, and how they shape our behavior

● What it costs to live misaligned, constantly performing aversion of yourself just to belong or survive

● How unprocessed pain can show up as addiction, self-sabotage, and disconnection from your own body

● The difference between numbing your truth and learning how to face it with honesty

● How taking ownership of your patterns removes their power and opens the door for real transformation

At the heart of this conversation is a simple but weighty truth.Transformation does not begin when everything is fixed. It begins the moment you choose to be honest with yourself. When you stop covering, justifying, or performing, you start to weaken the hold those patterns have and make room fora life that is grounded in what is real.

Episode Chapters:

00:01:08 – Introduction to Cindy Tien: EQ Maven and Executive Coach

00:02:04 – Wholehearted living and its barriers

00:07:20 – From invisibility to aggression as a way to feel seen

00:13:00 – How childhood trauma shapes behaviour

00:24:18 – When your dream job breaks you from the inside

00:30:16 – Developing emotional awareness through survival

00:34:00 – The tension between femininity and strength

00:36:02 – When coping turns into self-destruction

00:42:21 – Your body will haunt you back

00:44:20 – Inside: Owning up your own BS

00:52:05 – The moment you stop lying to yourself

00:56:20 – How unhealed wounds affect who we attract

01:02:03 – The support that kept Cindy grounded

01:03:00 – Quitting everything with no safety net

01:03:47 – Connect with Cindy Tien

01:04:20 – Closing thoughts on owning our story

Cindy Tien is an EQ Maven, Certified Speaking Professional,executive coach, and speaker. She helps leaders and teams uncover blind spots behind burnout, overwhelm, and behaviour patterns, while building emotional intelligence, resilience, and self-awareness.

Her work is shaped by over 20 years of corporate experience and a personal transformation journey that fuels her mission to help others face themselves truthfully and turn pain into purpose.

Connect with Cindy:

● Website: https://www.cindytien.com/ 

● Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its_cindy_tien/

● YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cindy_tien

● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindytien/

● Book: https://a.co/d/062Z89QL

If this episode resonated with you, I invite you to reflect onone area of your life where effort has replaced alignment. What might shift if you chose wholehearted living instead?

For more conversations on leadership, identity, and living froma place of love, follow The Wholehearted Podcast and share this episode with someone who may be standing at a crossroads.

Stay curious, stay brave, and stay WHOLEHEARTED!

What does wholehearted living really look like when it’s notpolished, performative, or driven by fear?

In this episode of The Wholehearted Podcast, I sit down with Judy for a deeply reflective conversation about what it means to live from a place of love rather than lack. We explore alignment, truth, and the quiet courage it takes to stop performing roles that no longer fit who we are.

This conversation challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. Itreminded me that wholehearted living isn’t about trying harder or becoming more confident on the surface. It’s about noticing where our actions are coming from and having the honesty to choose differently.

In this episode, we explore:

●  Why wholehearted living starts with recognizing whether our actions come from love or fear

● The hidden cost of performing leadership, confidence, and belonging

● How we lie to ourselves in subtle ways that keep us stuck onpaths that look successful but feel empty

● The difference between effortful confidence and confidence that comes from alignment

● Why so many of us miss “the train” not because it never arrived, but because we were waiting for permission

● How creativity fades as we grow older and what it takes toreclaim it

● What it truly means to choose wholehearted living even when it creates tension instead of harmony

This episode moves through leadership, identity, culture,belonging, creativity, and courage. There are no quick fixes here. Instead, it’s an invitation to inquiry. To pause, reflect, and notice where habit, fear, or expectation may be shaping our choices more than truth.

For me, the core message of this conversation is simple butpowerful. Wholehearted living is not about doing more or proving ourselves. It’s about telling ourselves the truth and allowing our lives to align with it.

Episode Chapters:

00:00:00 Love vs Lack and Real Confidence

00:00:45 Introduction to Judy Liu and Beyond Belonging

00:03:10 What Living Wholeheartedly Means

00:05:40 Fear and the Obstacles to Living Authentically

00:09:40 Why We Lie to Ourselves About Career and Success

00:15:00 The Myth of “Missing the Train” in Life

00:22:25 Growing Up Across Cultures and Feeling Like an Outlier

00:34:15 Confidence Through Alignment Instead of Effort

00:46:15 Success, Dopamine and the Hedonic Treadmill

00:58:35 Harmony vs Self Expression in Asian Culture

01:10:00 The Power of Inquiry and Self Awareness

01:12:20 Coen’s Key Takeaways from the Conversation

01:13:55 Episode Closing

About the Guest

Judy is the author of Beyond Belonging and the founder of The Outlier Mind. Her work supports individuals and leaders in reconnecting with themselves, embracing their differences, and living with greater clarity and integrity.

Connect with Judy:

● Website: https://www.judyliucoaching.com

● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judyliucoaching

If this episode resonated with you, I invite you to reflect on one area of your life where effort has replaced alignment. What might shift if you chose wholehearted living instead?

For more conversations on leadership, identity, and living froma place of love, follow The Wholehearted Podcast and share this episode with someone who may be standing at a crossroads.

Stay wholehearted!

In this soulful yet strategic conversation, Dr Azhar — a former doctor turned “Careerologist” — reflects on the courage to pivot, the humility to return home, and the quiet wisdom of designing a career that honours both ambition and meaning.

From decoding the invisible rules of corporate life to navigating the emotional complexity of coming home, this episode explores what it really takes to grow without betraying who you are.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• The emotional turning point of returning home — and how to recognise when family matters more than geography.

• The “unwritten rules” of corporate success — why understanding the hidden game matters as much as performance.

• The myth that “hard work speaks for itself” — and why strategic visibility is essential, not arrogant.

• The elusive “X Factor” — what leaders truly look for beyond credentials and competence.

• The power of “muka tebal” (thick face) — using small acts of courage to dismantle limiting beliefs.

You’ll Walk Away With:

• A clearer strategy for visibility — so your impact is seen, not just felt.

• Permission to redefine success — beyond traditional ladders and borrowed definitions.

• A practical tool for forward visualisation — designing your future before it arrives.

• A renewed relationship with learning — reconnecting with curiosity at any stage of life.

• The courage to step onto your own Career Autobahn — with intention, not recklessness.

Who Should Listen:

This episode is for you if:

• You’re quietly questioning your current trajectory — feeling capable of more, yet uncertain how to move without losing stability or identity.

Tune In:

Listen now to Dr Azhar’s story of reinvention, resilience, and strategic courage — and discover how to navigate your career with both clarity and heart.

Connect with Dr. Azhar:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doktoraz/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@doktoraz.my

Want More?

Subscribe to the WholeHearted Podcast for more soulful, strategic conversations on living, leading, and creating with intention.

Timestamps

00:03:00 – Reverse Culture Shock

Navigating the “re-entry” into Malaysia, dealing with family expectations, and the shock of the two-hour lunch break versus the 20-minute American sandwich break,.

00:05:47 – Power Distance in Asia

Adjusting to a culture where teams wait for orders rather than challenge the boss, and how to create psychological safety.

00:07:30 – Redefining Success

Why success doesn't always mean "going to Germany"—learning to accept that some employees dream of global careers while others dream of staying close to family.

00:10:13 – The Trap of “Potential”

Why telling an employee they have "potential" can sometimes have a shaming effect rather than an empowering one.

00:17:06 – Becoming the “Careerologist”

Moving past the identity of "ex-doctor" or "ex-corporate" to define a new professional label.

00:19:42 – The Unwritten Rules of Corporate

Understanding that corporate life is a game—you either play it strategically to win, or you get out.

00:21:44 – The Myth of "Work Speaks for Itself"

Why hard work is not enough and why you must ensure the right people know who you are.

00:23:38 – The X-Factor

What hiring managers really look for (curiosity and the desire to learn) and why "thinking like a rocket scientist" matters.

00:31:26 – Childlike Curiosity

How Dr. Azhar maintains his zest for life by hanging out with his 28 nieces and nephews (and learning about nuclear energy from an 11-year-old)

00:44:03 – The 10% Discount Challenge

Building confidence by intentionally doing uncomfortable things, like asking for discounts at Starbucks.

00:46:08 – Career Regrets

Why he would still be a doctor if he could go back, but would have left the corporate world five years earlier.

In this deeply reflective and wide-ranging conversation, Dr Azhar shares what it truly means to live and work wholeheartedly — not by avoiding fear, but by repeatedly choosing growth over comfort.

From leaving medicine just before becoming a consultant, to rebuilding his identity in the pharmaceutical industry, to starting over again across England, Germany, the U.S., and finally returning home — this episode is a powerful reminder that a meaningful life is built through small, courageous decisions taken consistently over time.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• What “being wholehearted” really looks like in real life — beyond motivation and buzzwords

• Why fear of the unknown keeps so many capable people stuck

• How confidence is built through small, repeatable actions (not big leaps)

• The emotional weight of making life-and-death decisions as a medical doctor

• What it takes to walk away from a prestigious career and start again

• The hidden complexity — and purpose — behind pharmaceutical innovation

• How cultural transitions shape resilience, humility, and learning

• Why boredom can be a powerful signal that growth is needed

You’ll Walk Away With:

• A grounded understanding of how confidence is earned, not summoned

• Permission to take small steps — without needing certainty or validation

• A reframed view of career transitions as evolution, not failure

• Insight into how high performers make decisions under pressure

• A powerful metaphor for designing a career with intention — not limitation

Who Should Listen:

This episode is for you if:

• You’re quietly questioning your current path — even though it looks “successful” on paper.

• You’re wrestling with fear, boredom, or a sense that you’re capable of more — this conversation will meet you where you are.

Tune In:

Listen now to hear Dr Azhar’s remarkable journey across continents, careers, and identities — and discover what wholehearted commitment looks like when it’s lived, not preached.

Want More?

Follow Dr.Azhar:

Website: https://doktoraz.my/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doktoraz/

Subscribe to the Wholehearted Podcast for more soulful, honest conversations on growth, courage, and living with intention — even when the path isn’t obvious yet.

Time Stamps

00:00:00 — Welcome & Introducing Dr Azhar

Opening and setting the context for the conversation

00:00:27 — What Does It Mean to Live Wholeheartedly?

Wholehearted vs half-hearted living, and why commitment matters

00:01:28 — Fear of the Unknown: The Biggest Barrier

Why fear keeps capable people stuck imagining worst-case scenarios

00:02:54 — Building Confidence by Starting Small

Why confidence comes from small actions, not big leaps

(Coen’s podcast + Dr Azhar’s “3-person event” story)

00:06:52 — What People Don’t See Behind Success

The long, unseen years behind “overnight success”

(Early struggle, consistency, staying power)

00:08:55 — Early Adopters & the Law of Diffusion of Innovation

Why the first believers matter more than mass approval

00:10:31 — Leaving Home at 18: England, Education & Identity

Fear, freedom, cultural shock, and learning how to think

00:14:00 — Practicing Medicine & Life-and-Death Decisions

The emotional weight of nephrology and why medicine no longer fit

00:18:57 — Leaving Medicine & Reinventing Through Pharma

Walking away from a prestigious path, stigma, and finding meaning

(First-in-50-years drug + teaching doctors at scale)

00:28:09 — Germany, the Career Autobahn & Living Without Limits

Reinvention abroad, learning German, and the “career has no speed limit” metaphor

00:38:46 — The US Experience & Returning Home

New York, learning hunger, and the quiet moment that led him back to Malaysia

“You can adapt without abandoning who you are — and you can grow without sacrificing your soul.”

In this heartfelt conversation, Leila Boutaleb-Brousse opens up about the values, experiences, and life transitions that shaped her into the woman, mother, and coach she is today. From growing up in Morocco to navigating culture shock in France, to thriving in the fast-paced world of tech — Leila’s story is a powerful reminder that authenticity isn’t static. It’s something we practice, refine, and protect as life evolves.

Together, we explore the difference between fear, worry, and anxiety, how intergenerational patterns subtly shape us, and why resilience often gets confused for self-sacrifice. Leila shares the mindset shifts that allowed her to set healthier boundaries, parent with intention, adapt to new environments, and stay rooted in her values even when everything around her was changing.

If you’ve ever wrestled with doubt, felt torn between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming, or struggled to find your voice in demanding environments — this episode will feel like sitting with a wise friend who hands you clarity, compassion, and courage.

In This Episode, We Explore:

You’ll Walk Away With:

Who Should Listen:

This episode is for you if:

Tune In:

Listen to this episode now to hear Leila’s journey of courage, adaptation, and wholehearted leadership — and learn how to apply her insights to your own life with compassion and agency.

Want More?

Follow Leila Boutaleb-Brousse:
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/leilaboutalebbrousse/

Subscribe to the Wholehearted Podcast for more soulful, strategic conversations on living, leading, and creating with intention.

“It’s not about shouting the loudest — it’s about showing up with the most heart.”

In the second half of our conversation, Crystal Lim goes beyond her leap-of-faith story and lays out the practical mindset and methods that helped her build a trusted personal brand, create opportunities, and grow her influence on LinkedIn — all while staying true to her voice.

Crystal unpacks the reality of content creation as a long game, sharing the principles of “fluid consistency” and why chasing viral moments will never match the power of showing up steadily, authentically, and with value. She also shares her approach to turning online conversations into genuine connections — the kind that lead to unexpected collaborations, career shifts, and even serendipity.

In This Episode (Part 2), We Explore:

You’ll Walk Away With:

 Who Should Listen to Part 2:

If you’ve started building your presence but feel stuck, inconsistent, or unsure how to turn content into opportunities — this episode is your blueprint for the next level.

Listen to Part 2 now where we’ll dive into the practical strategies Crystal uses to sustain her personal brand, create consistently, and turn opportunities into long-term growth.

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase — but you do have to take the first step.” — Crystal Lim

Want More?

Follow Crystal Lim:
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/limcrystal/

Subscribe to the Wholehearted Podcast for more soulful strategies to lead, live, and create with intention.

"I realised… the worst-case scenario wasn’t as scary as the no-case scenario — staying stuck forever." 

In this powerful first half of our conversation, Crystal Lim — B2B storyteller, LinkedIn creator, and former Miss Malaysia finalist — peels back the curtain on the real fears, doubts, and “what ifs” behind leaving a secure corporate career to step into the unknown. 

With raw honesty, Crystal shares how she navigated the messy emotions of transition — from wrestling with imposter syndrome to finding courage in curiosity. This is not your typical “quit-your-job” pep talk. It’s a grounded, heart-forward look at how change actually feels, and why embracing uncertainty might just be your fastest route to growth. 

In This Episode (Part 1), We Explore: 

You’ll Walk Away With:  

Who Should Listen to Part 1:  

If you’ve been sitting on a dream, fearing the leap, or wondering how to start showing up more authentically online — this episode is your sign. 

Watch out for Part 2 and discover how to create work and connections that feel both strategic and soulful. 

“Opportunities don’t just come to those who wait. They come to those who are ready.” — Crystal Lim 

Want More? 

Follow Crystal Lim: 
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/limcrystal/ 

Subscribe to the Wholehearted Podcast for more soulful strategies to lead, live, and create with intention. 

In a world that glorifies hustle and perfection, many are silently suffering — caught in cycles of burnout, body shame, and the belief that they must “do more” to be enough.

In this soul-stirring episode of the Wholehearted Podcast, we sit down with Michelle Mah — psychotherapist, TEDx speaker, mindfulness educator, and eating disorder survivor — to unpack what it truly means to heal from overcompensation and rediscover one’s voice.

Michelle shares her personal journey battling bulimia nervosa, body dysmorphia, and high-functioning burnout — and how her healing began not with discipline or productivity, but with self-compassion and reclaiming her “enoughness.”

This conversation is a must-listen for high achievers, caregivers, leaders, and anyone navigating shame, stress, or self-worth.

In This Episode, We Explore:

You’ll Learn:

Connect with Michelle Mah:

Follow her on

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellemahsg/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebalancewithmichelle/

Subscribe now and share this episode with someone who needs to hear:

"Stillness is not slowness — it’s power."