Summary : Modi’s landmark Lex Fridman podcast 🧵
Narendra Modi vanished into the Himalayas at age 17.
Two years later, he emerged with a philosophy that would change India forever.
Now, he leads 1.4 BILLION people.
Here’s that philosophy — and 11 other mind-blowing insights from Modi’s landmark Lex Fridman podcast🧵
1. The Canvas Shoe Hack
Modi grew up in extreme poverty in a one-room house with a mud floor.
When his uncle bought him canvas shoes, he collected discarded chalk from classrooms, mixed it with water, and used the paste to keep them white. This poverty shaped his entire life.
2. The Himalayan Self-Test
Modi left home at 17 & spent two years wandering the Himalayas, searching for purpose and deeper spiritual truth. During this time, he pushed his physical limits by sleeping outdoors with no coverings in freezing temperatures.
3. The Water Droplet Meditation
A Himalayan sage taught Modi a unique meditation:
He placed a leaf to catch stream water, dropping it onto a bowl below.
Modi would focus only on these drops for hours. This developed the intense concentration that shaped his leadership.
4. The Extreme Fasting Routine
Modi’s fasting routine:
- 4-5 months/year: One meal per day
- Navratri festivals: 9 days of only hot water
- Special fasts: Single chosen fruit once daily for 9 days
Yet he maintains his intense work schedule throughout.
5. The Hot Water Dinner with Obama
Modi recalls meeting Barack Obama while fasting.
When the White House discovered Modi wasn’t eating during their formal dinner, they were concerned.
When the waiter brought Modi hot water, he joked to Obama: “Look, my dinner has arrived!”
6. The Devil’s Advocate Strategy
Modi has a stunning technique for always being prepared in meetings:
While officials brief him on topics, he deliberately plays devil’s advocate, asking challenging questions from multiple angles.
“My information channels are numerous and very active,” he explained.
Officials know he has insights from various sources beyond their briefing.
7. The Eye-to-Eye Principle
As PM in 2014, Modi declared: “India will neither look down upon, nor look up to anyone.”
“India will see eye-to-eye with her counterparts.”
This principle still guides his international diplomacy.
8. The Trump Stadium Walk
During his “Howdy Modi” event in Houston, Modi suggested he & Trump take a lap around the stadium to greet thousands of attendees.
Without hesitation, Trump agreed – shocking his entire security detail but revealing the trust between the two leaders.
9. The Servant Mindset
Leading 1.4B people, Modi stays humble:
“I can never claim to be powerful. I’m not the Prime Minister, but the Prime Servant.”
To him, serving people is serving the divine.
10. The One Plus One Philosophy
On feelings of loneliness:
“I never experience loneliness because I am a believer in the philosophy of one plus one – the first one is Modi, and the other one the Almighty.”
His belief system eliminates the very concept of being alone.
11. The Certainty of Death Perspective
When Lex asked if Modi fears death, he replied with a question:
“Why fear what is certain? That’s why you must embrace life, instead of fretting over death.”
This stoic clarity guides his approach to both life and leadership.
Modi’s rise from poverty to leading the world’s largest democracy shows us:
Vision, service, and unwavering faith can overcome any obstacle.
But what fascinates me most about this interview?
The fact that Modi chose this format deliberately:
Not a press conference, TV interview, or carefully crafted press release.
But a long-form podcast conversation, choosing authentic dialogue that reaches millions directly.
This reveals something crucial about how communication is changing:
(Article Courtesy : Fernando Cao @thefernandocz on X.com)
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