Why the popular advice 'don't take anything personally' backfired completely and how learning when to take things personally actually changed everything

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tags: boundaries, self-respect, toxic positivity, people-pleasing, emotional intelligence, personal growth, relationship red flags, workplace dynamics, self-advocacy

Hey everyone! In this video, we talk about the five most uncomfortable but transformative lessons I've learned over five years of building from zero. These aren't feel-good motivational quotes you'll see on LinkedIn - they're the raw, messy truths that actually changed how I operate in the world. We dive deep into why consuming self-development content can become mental masturbation, how to treat major life decisions as experiments instead of permanent commitments, the painful but necessary skill of letting go, why progress feels like you're going insane, and how to work with fear instead of against it. If you're in your 20s or 30s and tired of surface-level advice, this one's for you! :)

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T I M E S T A M P S 00:42 - Why these lessons are uncomfortable (not feel-good content)00:59 - Lesson 1: The Progress Illusion (Mental Masturbation)01:18 - The dopamine trap of consuming vs. creating02:17 - Why your brain can't tell the difference02:39 - My browser history wake-up call03:25 - The shift: Output over input04:03 - Action bias vs. information bias04:46 - Lesson 2: Experimental Mindset05:28 - Why most decisions aren't permanent05:50 - My corporate job paralysis story06:44 - How to reframe decisions as experiments07:19 - Why experiments can't fail08:24 - Lesson 3: Knowing When to Let Go08:58 - My pattern of clinging to everything09:19 - The "From Zero" question that changed everything10:05 - Letting go of projects, relationships, old versions of yourself11:33 - The "let go audit" system12:11 - Lesson 4: Progress is Not Linear12:32 - What the roller coaster actually feels like13:17 - Why everyone has valleys14:15 - What non-linear progress really looks like14:57 - Reframing valleys as necessary growth16:00 - Lesson 5: Fear is Not the Enemy16:42 - How resisting fear gives it power17:19 - My podcast fear story17:55 - Fear as information, not instruction18:39 - How others use your fear against you18:54 - Courage vs. fearlessness19:15 - These are ongoing practices, not one-time downloads!tags: building from zero, mental masturbation, self development, progress illusion, entrepreneurship lessons, personal growth, productivity tips, action vs planning, experimental mindset, letting go, nonlinear progress, fear and courage, analysis paralysis, stop planning start doing, 20s life advicemusic code: 4IZOJYLXTBDL5GEN

The story behind the rebrand from "Pivot with Anusha Kannan" to "From Zero" - and why this one actually makes sense. I'll share the real reason I had to change the name (spoiler: it involves a lot of confusing emails), what From Zero is really about, and why I'm excited to document this entire journey with you. Plus, what's coming next as I build everything from zero and move back to India :)

Topics covered:

1. The email that made me realize I needed a rebrand
2. Why "From Zero" captures what I'm actually doing
3. What to expect from the podcast and newsletter going forward
4. Building in public: the real, unfiltered version
5. Why authenticity beats perfection every time >

Perfect for anyone tired of highlight reel content and ready for the honest truth about building something meaningful from nothing.

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from zero: anushakanann.com/fromzerowithanushakannan

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tags: from zero podcast, building from scratch, startup journey, resilience podcast, entrepreneurship, business mindset, personal development, emotional intelligence, startup lessons, building in public, founder journey, business strategy, marketing insights, career development, self development podcast, zero to one, startup life, entrepreneur mindset, business building, resilience training, founder stories, entrepreneurship journey, startup tips, business podcast

In this episode, I'm getting real about why I choose to share my work, failures, and half-baked ideas before they're "ready."

I dive into my journey from engineering newbie to podcast host, why I started The Marketing Woman Podcast with zero credibility, and how it evolved into @The 360° Marketing Show. I talk about the brutal days when posts get 12 likes, the imposter syndrome that never really goes away, and why "ready" is just a lie we tell ourselves.

But I also share the unexpected opportunities, meaningful messages, and genuine connections that came from building transparently. Because here's the thing- most people only show you the highlight reel, but the real magic happens in the messy middle.

If you've been sitting on an idea, waiting to feel qualified, or wondering if anyone would care about your journey, this one's for you. Sometimes the best thing you can share isn't your expertise, it's your confusion, your questions, and your process of figuring it out.

The destination isn't the point. The journey is the point. And when you build in public, you get to take people along for the ride.

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https://www.anushakannan.com/

🎙️ The 360° Marketing Show : ⁨@The360DegreeMarketingShow⁩

If you're the one everyone turns to… this one's for you.

In this video, I open up about what it really costs to be the ever-reliable friend. From constantly showing up for others to realizing it became a performance rooted in approval, I share the identity shift no one claps for, & why learning to preserve your energy is the real growth. If you've ever felt like you're carrying everyone but yourself, this might hit home.

✨ Let me know in the comments, have you gone through this pivot too?

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🎙️ The 360° Marketing Show : ⁨@The360DegreeMarketingShow⁩

VIDEO ONLY ON YOUTUBE! “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” Yeah... I hate that question too.

In this episode , I walk you through 5 career questions that have actually helped me find clarity, when nothing else did (very recently!). These aren’t vision board prompts. They’re practical, reflective, and brutally honest :)

If you’ve ever felt lost, stuck, or just done with cookie-cutter career advice, this one’s for you.

Let’s pivot the way we think about success.

T I M E S T A M P S

02:33 – Question 1: What problems do I never get bored of solving?

04:06 – Question 2: What kind of decisions do I want to own?

05:46 – Question 3: What did I tolerate in my last role that I won’t anymore?

07:13 – Question 4: What career experiments am I willing to run next?

09:10 – Question 5: If I could rewrite everything next year, what would I do today?

11:30 – Final thoughts on evolving instead of overplanning

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Current sub: 82 💛

tags: career clarity, career advice, feeling stuck in career, pivot podcast, anusha kannan, pivot with anusha, solo podcast, career questions, 5 year plan, career growth, how to find career direction, career tips 2025, marketing career, podcast for career growth, podcast for self growth, finding your path, career change, young professionals, no 5 year plan, self awareness podcast

music code: 4IZOJYLXTBDL5GEN

In this episode, I break down the science and structure behind real self-reflection. Not journaling for dopamine. Not spiraling in your notes app.

We’ll talk about how your brain forms loops, why most “reflection” is just rumination, and how to build a system that helps you notice, reframe, and reroute patterns.

Whether you’re stuck in a cycle or just tired of your own BS, this is where the pivot starts! :)

💌 GET MY NEWSLETTER: anushakannan.com/newsletter

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X: https://twitter.com/anusharkannan

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🌐 WEBSITE

https://www.anushakannan.com/

🎙️ The 360° Marketing Show : ⁨@The360DegreeMarketingShow⁩

Articles you could read:

1. Raichle, M. E. (2015). “The Brain's Default Mode Network.” Annual Review of Neuroscience.- https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-neuro-071013-014030

2. Barrett, L. F. (2017). How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain.

3. Craig, A. D. (2002). “How do you feel? Interoception: the sense of the physiological condition of the body.” Nature Reviews Neuroscience - https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn894

4. Daniel Kahneman (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow.

→ The classic breakdown of fast (intuitive) vs slow (reflective) thinking, and how most of us stay stuck in System 1.

5. Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond.→ CBT's core idea: it’s not the event, it’s the interpretation. Useful for framing how meaning impacts emotional loops.

6. Cognitive Reappraisal

Gross, J. J. (2002). “Emotion regulation: Affective, cognitive, and social consequences.” Psychophysiology. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0048577201393198

7. Donella Meadows (2008). Thinking in Systems: A Primer.

→ Excellent source for understanding patterns, feedback loops, and why repeated behavior often makes sense in context.