Episode 1
About the podcast guest
From being a full stack developer at IBM to working on a carbon sequestration project called Cequest and preparing to go to Harvard University, our guest Devinder has had a large range of achievements for an 18 year old.
In this episode we talk about tools that have enabled him to follow his curiosity, such as being a polymath, having a growth mindset, and committing to daily habits like meditation and reading.
Some Questions We Ask
- What is a polymath in your view? Why do you think you fit into that mold and why do you think it is advantageous to be be a polymath?
- What advice would you give people that want to get into Harvard?
- Can you tell us about your project Cequest right now which you recently released a crowdfunding campaign for? What is your objective there?
- How are you balancing Cequest and IBM at the moment, amongst other activities like yoga, running, being a pilot, etc? Do you have any tips for time management?
- You have a very strong reading habit. Why do you choose to read a book a week and how did this habit develop?
Top Quotes
It boils down to what sets you apart, like why you over anyone else and thats kind of what you need to make clear. I kind of hate to say it but what is your value proposition to the school? Because the school itself is an entity right and they want to increase their image so its not like you are chosing the school the school is chosing you and you have to make sure that you are making that choice as easy as possible or as advantageous as possible for them.
Action Items
Learn something new that requires you to develop a new skill set. It does not have to be academic—it can be something creative such as painting but make sure to challenge yourself
Try to reflect by writing to someone; a parent, friend, etc
Read a book
