Episodes 93
Avg. Duration 40m
Activity Declining
Since Oct 2021
Latest Episode Dec 2025

Publishing Details

Schedule
Monthly
Format
Episodic
Hosting
feeds.buzzsprout.com

About This Podcast

Two former monks, a former startup founder/CEO, and a former equity derivatives trader dive into how to be our best selves, free from the ego. Our egos are the identities we create for ourselves and wish the world to validate, but when we are not seen as we want to be, we feel insecure. This podcast lives at the intersection of leadership and spirituality. It will help you understand your ego and shed light on your inner world so that you can act with greater clarity, compassion, and the freedom to be your best self.

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Recent Episodes

Our New Podcast: The Upbuild Enneagram Library

Dec 18, 2025 1m

We are excited to share that we launched a new podcast called "The Upbuild Enneagram Library." It offers a deep and practical exploration of the Enneagram and how it supports the journey from ego to…

The Ego Trap of Parenting

Aug 18, 2025 44m

Carl Jung famously stated, "The greatest burden a child must bear is the unlived life of its parents." In this episode, Michael, Rasanath, and Vipin explore the connection between ego and parenting,…

[Part 2] Book Distribution: Timeless Lessons Learned By Two Monks on the Streets and Subways of New York City

Jul 29, 2025 1h 2m

In Part 2, Hari Prasada and Rasanath vividly share what it was like in the heat of the moment distributing books in the streets and subways of New York City. They open up more about pivotal struggles…

[Part 1] Book Distribution: Timeless Lessons Learned By Two Monks on the Streets and Subways of New York City

Jul 09, 2025 46m

If you’ve spent time in New York City, or many other cities around the world, you’ve likely seen monks on street corners or in subways, holding out books and trying to spark conversations. This…

Self-Preservation, Sexual, or Social: Which Instinct Drives You? Unlocking a Key Piece of the Personality Puzzle Through the Enneagram

Jun 17, 2025 1h 19m

Each of us is wired with a specific hierarchy of three core instinctual drives, shaping how we move through the world. The Instincts (sometimes referred to as Instinctual Variants) is part of the…

Is Compartmentalization Really a Good Thing?

May 22, 2025 48m

Many of us pride ourselves on our ability to compartmentalize. We like to keep our personal and professional lives separate, push aside difficult emotions, and stay productive in the face of whatever…

Why Feedback Fails…and How to Make It Work

May 05, 2025 1h 8m

Most of us are terrible at feedback. It’s awkward, forced, or worse, completely ineffective. In this episode, Michael, Hari, and Vipin break down why that is and how to fix it. They draw from their…

Blame: Our Addiction To It and What To Do Instead

Apr 16, 2025 57m

Why do we blame even when we know it’s harmful? It’s a behavior so woven into our daily experience that most of us hardly notice it, let alone question it. In this episode, Michael and Hari Prasada…

What If I’m Not Fulfilled At Work?

Mar 29, 2025 53m

Most of us spend the majority of our waking hours at work, yet so many people feel dissatisfied with their jobs. In this episode, Michael, Vipin, and Hari Prasada explore why work so often feels…

Coaching vs. Therapy, The Tension Between Ego and Success, and Spirituality in Coaching—Michael Sloyer on the Lovelink Podcast

Mar 11, 2025 39m

Today, we’re sharing something a little different. Michael was recently a guest on the Lovelink podcast, hosted by Brooklyn-based therapists Dr. Signe Simon and Dr. Simone Humphrey. Their show has…

How to Take a Compliment

Jan 22, 2025 46m

Compliments are the currency of love and something we all crave. Yet, paradoxically, somehow receiving a compliment is so hard for most of us. In this episode, Vipin and Hari dive into the dynamics…

What To Do With Guilt

Dec 23, 2024 50m Transcript

Michael, Rasanath, and Hari Prasada dive into guilt—an emotion we all encounter but often misunderstand. Through engaging examples—from battling inner critics to avoiding plastic bottles—they reveal…

Moral Superiority: The Cost of Needing to Be “Better” Than Others

Dec 03, 2024 49m

Moral superiority is a trap that almost everyone falls into, often without realizing it. In this episode, Michael, Hari Prasada, and Rasanath unpack the ways in which the ego drives us to feel…

Effective One-On-One Meetings: From Transactional to Transformative

Nov 12, 2024 41m

One-on-one meetings are an unavoidable cornerstone of work life, yet many of us find it challenging to lead or engage in them effectively. In this episode, Michael, Rasanath, and Vipin share insights…

Can I Be Successful If I Give Up My Ego?

Oct 24, 2024 47m

My ego drives me to achieve, and if I were to give up my ego, wouldn't I also be giving up that drive and all my future successes? With this prompt as the starting point, Vipin, Rasanath, and Michael…

Time Management Is Chaos Management, and Upbuild's Tips and Tricks for Productivity

Sep 12, 2024 56m

Time is the most valuable resource in the world. And yet, most of us are not so great at managing it.In this episode, Michael, Hari and Vipin delve into the relationship between time management and…

Trading Derivatives and the Shame-Based Fear of Being Ordinary

Aug 20, 2024 44m

It’s November 2010 on the Goldman Sachs trading floor in New York City. Just two years removed from the depths of the Global Financial Crisis, but you would never know it. The stock market has nearly…

Learning to Carry Our Shame and What’s At Stake If We Don’t

Jul 30, 2024 43m

As Rasanath shares in this episode, “Walking through our shame is the deepest experience of authenticity.” But what does it really mean to “walk through our shame” and how does one actually do that?…

Our Complicated Relationship with Accountability

Jul 12, 2024 1h 3m

Do you like being held accountable? Do you like holding others accountable? In this episode, Vipin, Hari Prasada, and Rasanath delve into different aspects of accountability. They explore the often…

Saying the "Right" Thing vs. What We Actually Feel

Jun 27, 2024 37m

Whether we are writing birthday cards, telling somebody how we feel about them, or giving a speech at a funeral, most of us find ourselves trying to say the “right” thing,” rather than what we…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Upbuilding The Self have?

Upbuilding The Self has published 93 episodes since October 2021, covering topics in Business, Education.

Is Upbuilding The Self still active?

Upbuilding The Self is currently declining with new episodes monthly. Average episode length is 40m.

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