Ideas For The Few — A Conversation With Dr. Kapil Gupta

Over the past 4 years, I have learned more from Dr. Kapil Gupta's work than everything else put together. I had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Gupta recently and we decided to record our conversation in case it is useful for others. This is a pretty direct, candid conversation. The ideas in this video will not resonate with everyone. The only thing I can say from my own life experience is that they point to the Truth. If you choose to listen to it, I hope you do that with an open mind and a learning mindset.
-Shreyas

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Chapters:
00:00 - Highlights
01:05 - Only a few will understand the Truth
05:42 - Decomposing genius
12:49 - Truth is the most logical and practical thing
15:05 - There are no steps to becoming world class
19:33 - Removing the garbage
25:57 - The power of questions
30:08 - Dr. Gupta's relationship with the Truth
32:37 - Making an impact vs. mastering your craft
39:52 - Ideas on parenting

Dr. Kapil Gupta quotes from this video:

 "The greatest mistake humans make is to consider truth an esoteric or spiritual or philosophical pursuit. It's more relevant and acute and necessary and tangible than anything else in one's life personally and professionally."
 
"You can dumb down dumb things. You can't dumb down art."

"The heart and soul of what makes someone what they are, and what makes them unique as opposed to the others, is that which cannot be explained."

"I think most of human beings' problems is not because they don't know enough. It's because they've been taught too much."

" You have to know what the garbage is first. And then you have to know the depth of the garbage because you could be removing only the top layer of the garbage."

" I can promise you that just about everything that you call not garbage is also garbage too, but you haven't moved it into the garbage pile yet."

"If the scriptures have depth, you have to have depth to understand them."

"Everything is about the level of capacity, the level of readiness, and the DNA of the individual."

"You can't take one single step on this earth without everything already having been hijacked. There's nothing pure. Nothing is left. That's why to speak is to lie."

"The rare should always be kept for the rare, and whether it should or not, it always has been. This is not a democracy, DNA wise."

" You will never experience more problems in your life than when you try to help someone
  The world is a place where a wise human is actually careful to tread and the idiot runs right into it with arms waving, hoping to get all kinds of joy from it. "

"Any truth which bows down to the common man to make itself common isn't truth.  A person should have to reach, not the truth come down."

"Any mountain that crumbles in order to make the climb easier for the human is no mountain that's worth climbing."

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[HimanshuSingh-oxig]

I always knew you have spoken to or listened to kapil. Your ideas and insights about product management were always so unique and profound. This is my favourite crossover

[vimal-cliobconsulting]

The level of clarity Kapil Gupta has is exhilarating.

[sairam]

Background music is unnecessary and distracting

[-Jimmy]

Listened the whole conversation without any pause. 🙌 to shreyas. Can’t believe but was able to relate a lot of things said by both Shreyas and Dr. gupta but still I reflect and re question everything I know, because my awareness that I’m 24 makes my brain reassess everything cause I believe by the time I’ll reach 28, 30, 35 I’ll be surprised by how much garbage and cluttered thoughts I possess in this age despite having being able to relate to this deep conversation.

[rahul_sidhha]

Thank you Shreyas, it's hard to find such a talk anywhere.

[dhiveshjoshi]

A very clear conversation. It's about internal inquiry, asking the right questions to yourself, & figuring out the way that is unique. Nobody who has tried to change the world for the sake of external validation has been able to do so, but that intention definitely ruined themselves. Help only when helping itself is a genuine byproduct. Also, wise people are careful to tread is quiet hard hitting. Thanks for the conversation!

[vineet]

Loved this one. I had sensed from your sessions and talks about the Vedic wisdom and spiritual path, inner work, understand human psyche and depth of self awareness.
Great to see this session with Kapil Gupta and getting more direct glimpse into this.

[vikasmikado]

After reading two books by Dr. Gupta, my perspective on life and its purpose has changed. Great conversation, Shreyas! ❤🎉😊

[skepticalplatypus]

Dr Gupta is a fascinating person. Shreyas, have you considered a 1 hour weekly interview-style podcast where you interview tech leaders? I think it could have tons of listeners.

[VikramSeth]

"Everything has been hijacked" hitting truth

[devjitsinha]

I always knew that a person in top is mostly luck, they were in the right place at the right time with the right resources/ skills. But I couldn't speak on this thought. Thanks for let me know I'm not just the only one who thing in "you can connect the dots by only looking back" - steve jobs

[jworm]

This was amazing, Shreyas. So appreciative of your vulnerability in this. More of these please

[atulminocha]

Shreyas I must say this keeping Dr Gupta sparked with answers needs original and authentic questions which are rare . Not at a single point Dr Gupta appears disinterested which is rare . Thanks for being as authentic as you could have been . Hope you are alright post this interaction with him ? For me after listening him for years not left with anything unimaginable and any outstanding questions .

[samikshrotriya]

i just took your product sense course!! i kept thinking this guy would be interested in kapil gupta writings

[kausbh]

I guess we all get it at some level that any form of language articulation of a method that could allow more people, the means to elevate - is a romantic poetic idea. Its a worldly idea and only us humans can appreciate the intent and efforts.

Really appreciate your questions. At the same time, also appreciate the hard hitting statements from Kapil Gupta.

This is the duality we may have read in some other places.

[BG]

Complaining about background music at this point is more about parroting Kapil’s preferences.

He said he doesn’t like background music a few times, now multiple people will complain about it on every video of him with background music.

Whereas if he didn’t say this, you people wouldn’t utter a peep about it.

[theSportsBox]

Thank you for doing this Shreyas, brought a lot of clarity

[coldesthouse]

This should be re-edited without the background music.

[studio_mekapunk]

You really screwed this with the background music dude.

[SamuelEtoo-fe]

Pls the background noise is very distracting. Like kapil said everything is dump down for the masses. Any ways thanks