What 1 year of podcasting taught me

December 22, 2025

Welcome to another beautiful week. When an idea sparks that I think is worth sharing, it becomes this weekly newsletter. If something hits home, write back. I love conversations. This is Weekly Spark #31.

This is a special week… We released Episode #52 of the IgnitedNeurons Podcast.

That already puts us in the top 10% podcasts in the world.

By just showing up each week… We have crossed 130,000 views on YouTube.

I want to share with you 10 mental models that 1 year of building a podcast has given me and they will be useful for you as you enter into 2026.

Think of these as lenses.

You don’t need to adopt all of them.

But even one, applied consistently, can change how you show up.

Here are 10 mental models I keep returning to.

1. You are accountable to your past, present, and future selves

Every decision is a conversation across time.

Your past self made choices that brought you here.

Your present self decides what happens next.

Your future self will live with the consequences.

Choosing growth right now will be in service of your future self.

2. Growth begins with clarity about who you want to become

Most people focus on goals.

Few people focus on identity.

Before asking what you want, ask: Who do I want to become through this journey?

Clarity creates momentum.

3. Conscious procrastination can unlock meaningful action

Not all procrastination is bad. 

I consciously procrastinated before starting the podcast and it served me well.

The key is to procrastinate consciously and create some action. 

Not the final outcome but a small action.

4. Love is non-negotiable in anything worth building

If love isn’t present, for the work, the people, or the process, resentment eventually takes over.

This applies to: relationships, careers, teams, organisations, podcasts… to life.

If you want something to last, love must be part of the design.

5. Everything worthwhile is hard - choose your hard wisely

Staying stuck is hard.

Changing is hard.

Building something meaningful is hard.

There is no easy path — only intentional difficulty.

Choose the hard that aligns with who you want to become.

6. Authenticity makes people notice and trust you

You don’t need to be louder.

You don’t need to be perfect.

You need to be real.

Authenticity cuts through noise faster than any strategy ever will.

7. Success should be measured internally, not externally

When the podcast reached 100,000 views, it hit me that this is the number of people who come to watch Taylor Swift at the MCG. For her, it’s one night… for me, a year.

External success is loud.

Internal success is quiet.

One fades quickly.

The other sustains you.

Ask yourself: Do I respect the way I’m living — even if no one is watching?

8. Cold emails can open doors you never imagined

Most opportunities don’t come from being chosen.

They come from being brave enough to ask.

You’d be surprised how often doors open.

9. Vulnerability builds trust and a deeper human connection

People don’t connect with perfection.

They connect with honesty.

Vulnerability isn’t oversharing.

It’s telling the truth without armour.

That’s how trust is built… slowly, but deeply.

10. Sharing your story permits others to start

You don’t need to have it all figured out.

Your story — especially the messy parts —

can be the spark someone else needs to begin.

When you share honestly, you don’t just help yourself.

You expand permission for others.

Final Spark

Mental models don’t change your life overnight.

But they quietly change how you make decisions every day.

If one of these stayed with you, sit with it. Apply it. Live it.

And if you haven’t yet, Episode #52 of the IgnitedNeurons Podcast dives deeper into these ideas.

Until next time, keep choosing clarity, courage, and conscious impact.

With gratitude, Utkarsh