Ignite Your Neurons with Utkarsh Narang

“I’m someone who’s building life one day at a time—and loving it.” In this episode, coach, facilitator, TEDx speaker, and podcast host Utkarsh Narang checks in from Melbourne—“in the future,” as he jokes—and lays out a life stitched together by courage, curiosity, and conscious impact. This episode is sponsored by my new book BRANDJITSU, helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. In This Episode Raised in a family of doctors, he followed a straight path into physiotherapy, running three clinics in Delhi. But a restless question kept tugging: what’s my larger impact? That question pulled him into a start-up tied to Columbia Business School, where “I’ll figure it out” turned a three-month experiment into eight years of filmmaking, production, and later sales and operations. Then came another leap. In the middle of the 2020 pandemic, Utkarsh quit a stable corporate role to become a coach—despite understandable pushback from family. Those pivots, he says, weren’t acts of recklessness; they were experiments run in partnership with fear. Understand the fear, test it with small actions, then move. Utkarsh shares the values that anchor his days—freedom, growth, love, discipline—and why he recently replaced excellence with presence after a powerful retreat. He talks parenting two boys, starting the Ignite Neurons podcast to spark deeper conversations, and committing to an 800-plus-day meditation streak as a practice of simply “being.” Travel, too, shapes his worldview: Melbourne’s four seasons in a day, the energy of New York, and a romantic fascination with Paris. There’s lighter fare—kangaroos, garage spiders named Spidey, and table tennis battles in the backyard—but the thread is consistent: define success on your terms, keep learning, and cultivate the courage to choose your own road—even when you can’t see it to the end. His long-game ambition? Support a billion lives to create more clarity, courage, and conscious impact—one day at a time. Quoteable Quotes “I’m someone who’s building life one day at a time—and loving it.” — Utkarsh Narang “If you can see your path till the end, you’re walking someone else’s path.” — Utkarsh Narang “Courage to express love, to leave what’s not serving you, to try—courage is the point.” — Utkarsh Narang “Sometimes you just have to let shit go to make space for what’s next.” — Michael Dargie “Fear can be a guide if you run small experiments instead of freezing.” — Utkarsh Narang “What’s the most rebellious thing you’ve done?” — Michael Dargie Episode Highlights Melbourne Check-In | “I’m in the future” and yes, the lotto joke. Many Hats, One Line | Coach, facilitator, speaker, author—“building life one day at a time.” Doctor’s Son → Physio | Three clinics in Delhi and a fitness centre. Bigger Impact Itch | From local care to wondering about global reach. The Three-Month Bet | A start-up gig linked to Columbia Business School turns into eight years. Filmmaking to Ops & Sales | Stacking skills across creative and commercial lanes. Pandemic Pivot | Quitting a stable job in 2020 to coach—family shock included. Values Upgrade | Swapping excellence for presence after deep inner work. Coaching Focus | Clients across Australia, the US, and India—especially in tech. Define “Rebel” | Freedom to choose your days; a path you can’t fully see. Face Fear Thoughtfully | Identify the real trigger, then test with small actions. Meditation Streak | 800+ consecutive days; “not about success—just being.” Travel & Empathy | Melbourne’s weather, NYC’s energy, and a Paris daydream. Backyard Life | Kangaroos in the Grampians, a respectful détente with “Spidey.” Sport & Play | Table tennis with his kids; tennis fandom lives on. Rebels-in-Waiting | Know your why, keep learning, define success for yourself. The Big Goal | Touch a billion lives with clarity, courage, and conscious impact. LINKS FROM EPISODE Utkarsh Narang Website (http://www.utkarshnarang.com/) Utkarsh on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/utkarsh-narang/) Utkarsh Narang TedTalk (https://youtu.be/5aj0btxnBLo) Utkarsh on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ignitedneurons?igsh=MTB4aGJyMTdsdmMwdw==) Get Your Copy of Michael's Book: "BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable" Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com