Shows
Aryan's OperaSeason Finale: What One Fool Can Do, the Other Can Also DoIn this heartfelt season finale, I reflect on the lessons, fears, and small acts of courage that shaped my very first podcast season. “What One Fool Can Do, the Other Can Also Do” is more than an episode it’s my reminder that you don’t need to be ready to begin, you just need to start.Through my personal stories and quiet reflections, I explore what opportunity truly means, why perfection is overrated, and how every dream starts with a bit of foolish faith.If you’ve ever wanted to create, to speak, to try this e...
2025-11-0705 minAryan's OperaBarstools #6: Aditya & Ajay on Basketball, Rational Mindset and Long Term SatisfactionPull up a chair for Barstools #6, where Aditya and Ajay join me for a grounded, reflective conversation about finding balance between ambition and peace of mind. We talk about what it means to build a rational mindset in a world driven by impulse how to make decisions that last, stay composed under pressure, and choose growth over instant gratification.From navigating competition and ego to finding long-term satisfaction in a world that rewards instant wins, this episode explores what it means to stay grounded, think clearly, and build something that actually lasts. It’s thoughtful, real, and ju...
2025-10-3134 minAryan's OperaGood Luck Comes to Those Who Accept OpportunityIs luck really random or do we create it by the choices we make? In this episode, we explores the hidden connection between luck and opportunity, and why “good fortune” often finds those who say yes when others hesitate. From stories of accidental genius to the psychology of serendipity, this episode unpacks how awareness, courage, and curiosity turn everyday moments into turning points.Because maybe luck doesn’t come to those who wait it comes to those who act.📚 Sources & References1. Dr. Richard Wiseman — The Luck FactorBook & research on why “luc...
2025-10-2409 minAryan's OperaBarstools #5: Kanav & Ajay on Being a Mentor, Loneliness and Did Covid Change You?Pull up a chair for Barstools #5, where Kanav and Ajay join me for a conversation that hits close to home. We talk about what it really means to be a mentor, the quiet weight of loneliness, and whether Covid changed us more than we’d like to admit.It’s part reflection, part storytelling the kind of talk that drifts between laughter and late-night honesty. Think of it as a reminder that growing up doesn’t mean having it all figured out.
2025-10-1730 minAryan's OperaBarstools #4: Shayaz on Network Effect, Talking to People, Being Comfortable & What's the End GoalPull up a chair for Barstools #4, where I sit down with Shayaz to unpack what it really means to connect. From the strange magic of the network effect to the art of talking to people, we explore how comfort, curiosity, and conversation shape who we become. Somewhere between ambition and meaning, we also ask the big one — what’s the end goal, really?
2025-10-1030 minAryan's OperaIn the World of Opportunity, Not All Opportunities Are Worth HavingWe live in an age where every door seems open careers, connections, adventures, side hustles. But saying yes to everything can turn freedom into a cage. In this episode, we unpacks the hidden cost of chasing every opportunity, weaving together ancient parables and modern reflections on choice, commitment, and the courage to say no.
2025-10-0305 minAryan's OperaBarstools Ep 3: Deema & Ajay on The Destiny Debate, Thanking ChatGPT and Why Resilience?Pull up a chair for another round at Barstools, where ideas spark and collide in ways you might not see coming. This time Deema and Ajay join me to tackle the puzzle of destiny, unpack the big “thank yous” (including one to ChatGPT), and explore why resilience might just be the secret thread tying it all together. It’s part laughter, part late-night philosophy, and part digging into what keeps us moving forward when life throws its curveballs.
2025-09-2629 minAryan's OperaShort-Term Pessimism: The AI StoryEvery revolution breeds fear first. Keynes told how, during the Industrial Revolution, people saw “extraordinary economic pessimism” as they became convinced machines would cause despair rather than deliver change. Today we are in the same place with AI. This episode juxtaposes Keynes’s 1930 reflections from Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren with modern reports on AI, unraveling why we so often overestimate the dangers of change and how history shows us that most fears are temporary.📄 Keynes — Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren (1930) — PDF via Brian Weatherson's Blog
2025-09-1908 minAryan's OperaBarstools Ep 2: Aryaa & Ajay on Reels, Statistics and Nature or NurturePull up a chair for another round at Barstools, where the conversation twists and turns in ways you don’t expect. This time Aryaa and Ajay join me to unpack the addictive world of Instagram Reels, wrestle with what statistics can (and can’t) really tell us, and dive headfirst into the age-old debate of nature versus nurture. It’s part banter, part big questions, and part wondering what actually makes us who we are.
2025-09-1229 minAryan's OperaTrust Me, I’m Wearing a SuitWhy do suits make us look more trustworthy, feel more confident, and even think differently? In this episode we dive into the psychology of dressing up, looking at how clothes shape our mindset, how first impressions are made in seconds, and why a blazer can sometimes be as powerful as a business card.References & Further Reading:Adam & Galinsky (2012) – Enclothed Cognition ScienceDirectSlepian et al. – Formal Clothing Shapes Abstract Thought & Perceived Power ResearchGateHow suit fit influences first impressions ResearchGateBook: Steven Landsburg – The Armchair Economist
2025-09-0507 minAryan's OperaBarstools Ep. 1: Varun & Ajay on Zombies, Death & Where We BelongPull up a chair this is Barstools #1, where I sit down with my friends Varun and Ajay to wander through big, messy ideas. From the strange appeal of zombie stories to what death really means to us, and ultimately, how we find belonging in a world that often feels uncertain his episode is a mix of laughs, reflection, and raw honesty. Think of it as late-night bar talk, minus the actual bar.
2025-08-2829 minAryan's OperaThe One Who Asks the Questions Owns the ConversationWho really controls a conversation: the one who talks the most or the one who asks the questions? In this short episode, we explores how curiosity shapes power, why listening builds influence, and what research says about the balance between asking and speaking.📚 Sources & References:Dale Carnegie — How to Win Friends and Influence PeopleHuang, K., Yeomans, M., Brooks, A., Minson, J., & Gino, F. (2017). It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask: Question-Asking Increases Liking. Harvard Working Paper PDFAnderson, C., & Kilduff, G. J. (2009). Why Do Dominant Personalities Attain Influence in Face-to...
2025-08-2210 min