Discovering Your Life’s Purpose: Hari Nair Of Leela Life On How to Align Your Goals with Your True Self
An interview with Dr. Bharat Sangani
Understand your innate qualities and essential nature. This is the critical starting point of any individual’s personal wellbeing journey. Truly understanding our nature is key to ensuring our goals align with our true selves.
Finding and living in alignment with your true purpose can be a transformative journey. Yet, many struggle with identifying their life’s purpose and aligning their goals with it. In this series, we aim to explore how individuals discover their purpose and create a life that reflects their authentic selves, leading to greater fulfillment and success. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Hari Nair.
Hari Nair, founder of Leela Life, is an Indic well-being thinker, and a compelling communicator. Over the last decade, he has consciously focused on issues that affect contemporary well-being. He has done deep research on wide-ranging aspects of Indic civilization that have a bearing on modern well-being. In addition, he has also been a successful entrepreneur & management consultant. In his previous avatar, Hari was the host of the video series ‘Conversations With Hari’ where he had fascinating conversations with celebrities on Travel & the Journey of Life.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
My journey to creating Leela Life is deeply rooted in my academic and personal exploration of ancient Indic knowledge, which has had a profound influence on my own life. I spent the first decade of my career working as a management consultant on mega infrastructure projects in India, which was an incredibly rewarding experience as I got to witness some of these projects become key pillars of modern India. I then ventured into entrepreneurship in the consumer internet space, founding HolidayIQ, India’s first travel community that eventually reached over 8 million members.
As I progressed in my career and entered the world of “success,” I began to notice that many people who had achieved traditional markers of success — such as educational accomplishments, advanced professional careers, and financial stability — did not seem as happy or fulfilled as they had expected to be at that stage in their lives. It was almost as though they had a hole in their heart or a listlessness within them — something I couldn’t necessarily relate to at the time, despite having reached the same level of success. This set me on a journey to understand why I felt fulfilled while my peers did not. Ultimately, I found the answer in my background of ancient Indic wellbeing knowledge.
Now, in the third chapter of my working life, I am focused on spreading the power of this knowledge to the rest of the world. My interest in ancient Indian knowledge goes beyond simply being born into the heritage, though that certainly plays a role. It is rooted in a lifetime of personal experience, which has shown me that the wisdom of Indic traditions offers profound and highly practical insights that are deeply relevant to contemporary life.
My goal is to share the knowledge I’ve gained and to help others integrate these age-old, tested practices, insights, and products into their own lives. “Leela” means “playful joy” in Sanskrit. According to the Indic system, joy is the root of a good life and wellbeing. But what is joy, really? Joy is a consistent state of enthusiasm towards life, despite whatever circumstance you’re currently facing or the emotions you are experiencing. I aim to help others find the balance between success and joy, enabling them to live a deeply-centered life that is aligned to their true selves.
None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person that you are grateful for, who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
There is one person I met for just one year that really changed my approach to life. He was a 70-year old man that tutored me during my first year of pursuing my professional degree in accounting. He was a famous and accomplished teacher who had been paralyzed from the waist down for over 20 years of his life and spent all of his time bedridden. He taught a select group of students lying on his bed.
Because of his inability to physically move much due to the paralysis, he had to take a high dosage of medication to slow down his metabolism, which would make him drowsy and cause him to shift between wakefulness and sleep occasionally. But despite these difficulties, he was still fully engaged. He never let the difficult circumstances affect his engagement with life; he always approached the day — and his teaching — with a cheeky humor that was both endearing and awe-inspiring.
In watching him, I learned that the ancient Indian concept of “Leela” as the primary state for human wellbeing is indeed a continuously living truth and can be achieved even by people facing such extreme circumstances.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
There are many leadership traits that have shaped my journey to where I am today, but the three most prominent have been:
- Thirst for knowledge. The desire to learn has always driven me to the next stage of my journey, allowing me to continuously adapt, grow, and inspire others. Whether it was learning how to play the mridangam, one of the most ancient percussion instruments, anchoring the news, or even writing software code, my innate curiosity and eagerness to learn have guided me through several different chapters of life. Not only has this been integral to my own success, but it has led me to founding a movement that inspires that thirst for knowledge among others.
- Entrepreneurial spirit. Leaders frequently navigate complex, fast-paced, and dynamic environments. Thriving in these situations not only requires the right attitudes and mindsets, but also the understanding that when something isn’t working, we have the ability to either fix it or create something new that addresses the root of the problem.
- Self-awareness and self-reflection. Leaders who practice self-reflection can continuously grow, improve, and adapt, which is vital for both personal development and organizational success. Beyond this, however, reflection enables us to build a deep awareness of ourselves, allowing us to clearly hear ourselves in spite of the noise of the outside world. Self-aware leaders have a deep and intuitive appreciation of their own innate qualities and values, enabling them to rapidly adapt to changing circumstances without losing their underlying sense of balance and alignment. This ability to continuously be in a state of balance and alignment, I have realized, is a leadership superpower.
Ok, fantastic. Let’s now turn to the crux of our interview. Was there a defining moment or experience in your life when you felt a clear sense of your purpose? How did it influence the goals you set from that point forward?
Yes, there was — it was during the Covid lockdowns. When I observed the deep confusion, anxiety, and fear that beset even the most seasoned of leaders, I realized that the state of wellbeing and joy was not just a “good-to-have” for contemporary leaders, but a critical need to empower them to easily adapt to large, rapid, and complex changes.
It was then that I decided to transform the knowledge I had acquired and the framework I had built into a global movement to support successful leaders across the world to achieve that finely balanced state of wellbeing and joy.
What practical steps can someone take to begin uncovering their life’s purpose if they feel lost or unsure about their direction?
In ancient Indic knowledge, discovering one’s purpose is a consequence of achieving a balanced state of wellbeing and joy. And the knowledge provides us with a highly practical method to achieving this balanced state that consists of a few specific steps. The first step is to uncover your innate qualities. As humans, we acquire a number of learned qualities, but our innate qualities are the underlying ones that we enter this world with, the qualities that make us who we truly are. The second is to analyze the circumstances of your life — from a physical, mental, emotional, social, relational, spiritual, environmental and professional perspective — and determine which of your innate qualities aren’t flourishing. The third is to then develop focus areas and enhanced life routines that enable you to bring other aspects into your daily life that let those innate qualities flourish.
The quest for purpose or direction isn’t found in one single step, but in the journey of aligning our life to our innate qualities. Once we recognize who we truly are and craft a life that increasingly aligns with our deepest, innate qualities, our purpose will gradually start to unveil itself. We will realize that the best way to find our purpose is to allow it to present itself before you.
How do you differentiate between external pressures — like societal expectations — and the inner calling that aligns with your true self?
External pressures come from outside of you and include expectations that others may have of you — whether that’s from society, your family, colleagues, or even the media. These external pressures often cause us to act in certain ways because we think it’s expected of us, or in ways that are considered the “norm.” Adhering only to these expectations can ultimately lead us to being out of alignment with our innate qualities, leaving us feeling imbalanced, as though we are lacking in life.
Our inner calling, however, comes from within. But in order to truly hear that calling, we must first take ourselves to a state of fine balance where our daily life is superbly aligned to our innate qualities. Our purpose that unfolds in front of us once we are in a balanced state of wellbeing and joy will not only be coherent with our personal values, passions, and long-term vision, but will also continue to inspire and motivate us throughout life, regardless of external influences or circumstances.
What advice would you give to people trying to pursue their purpose while managing the demands of day-to-day life, such as work, family, and other responsibilities?
Often, when balancing so many different responsibilities, it’s easy to feel guilty when prioritizing personal needs over the demands of our everyday life. However, prioritizing and setting boundaries is essential to achieving a state of wellbeing. If we aren’t taking the necessary steps to nurture our innate qualities, then we cannot find fulfillment in other aspects of life, such as work or other external expectations. Our personal lifestyles need to be sustainable in the long-term, on both an individual and societal level.
What are “5 Ways to Align Your Goals With Your True Self”?
- Understand your innate qualities and essential nature. This is the critical starting point of any individual’s personal wellbeing journey. Truly understanding our nature is key to ensuring our goals align with our true selves.
- Be aware of your life contexts. Throughout life, we find ourselves in constantly evolving situations, or contexts. These contexts could be something simple, such as the weather of the city we live in, or something more complex within ourselves. However, no matter the context, it is a result of the choices we’ve made in life, which means we ultimately have the power to change these contexts. Just like our life contexts, we have the power to realign our goals throughout life to ensure they reflect our true selves.
- Monitor for misalignments. Once we’ve understood our essential nature and our life contexts, we can then appropriately look out for misalignments, which are the life contexts that are not well aligned to our essential nature. An example of this could be working remotely, when an individual thrives off of in-person interactions and human connection.
- Build your capacities. A straightforward solution to misalignment is to change the life context leading to it. However, sometimes individuals either aren’t in a position to make such a change, or they may not necessarily even have the desire to. In these situations, the solution is to develop the necessary capacities — a unique mixture of physical, emotional, and spiritual qualities — to navigate the misalignment effectively. An example of a human capacity is the capacity for resilience, or the ability to overcome adversity.
- Revisit yourself often. The world is constantly changing. We owe it ourselves to check in on our current situation at least once a year to ensure there are no misalignments and that we’re still on the right personal paths.
How can our readers further follow your work?
You can follow me on LinkedIn and also check out Leela Life to learn more.
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
About The Interviewer: Dr. Bharat Sangani is a cardiologist and entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience, practicing in Gulfport, Mississippi, and Dallas, Texas. Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology, he specializes in diagnosing, treating, and preventing cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and hypertension. In 1999, Dr. Sangani founded Encore Enterprises, a national real estate investment firm. Under his leadership, the company has executed transactions exceeding $2 billion, with a portfolio spanning residential, retail, hotel, and office developments. Known for his emphasis on integrity and fairness, Dr. Sangani has built Encore into a major player in the commercial real estate sector. Blending his medical and business expertise, Dr. Sangani created the Life is a Business mentorship program. The initiative offers guidance on achieving balance in health, wealth, and relationships, helping participants align personal and professional goals. Now based in Dallas, Texas, Dr. Sangani continues to practice cardiology while leading Encore Enterprises and mentoring others. His career reflects a unique blend of medical expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication to helping others thrive.
Discovering Your Life’s Purpose: Hari Nair Of Leela Life On How to Align Your Goals with Your True… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.