Alok Appadurai - Maximum Impact Potential

Copyright 2022 by Alok Appadurai

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. To request permissions, contact the publisher at .

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of nonfiction. Nonetheless, some of the names and identifying character traits of people featured in the stories herein have been changed in order to protect their identities (including stories used with the subjects full permission). Any resulting resemblance to persons either living or dead is entirely coincidental.

The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties of any kind with respect to this book or its contents, and assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any other inconsistencies herein. The content of this book is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease, including mental health conditions. You understand that this book is not intended as a substitute for consultation with a licensed practitioner. The use of this book implies your acceptance of this disclaimer.

At the time of publication, the URLs displayed in this book refer to existing websites owned by the author and/or the authors affiliates. WorldChangers Media is not responsible for, nor should be deemed to endorse or recommend, these websites; nor is it responsible for any website content other than its own, or any content available on the internet not created by WorldChangers Media.

Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-9993991-6-3

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9993991-7-0

E-book ISBN: 978-0-9993991-8-7

LCCN: 2021911011

First hardcover edition: January 2022

Cover photo by Jade Beall / www.jadebeall.com

Design & Typesetting by Bryna Haynes

Published by WorldChangers Media

PO Box 83, Foster, RI 02825

www.WorldChangers.Media

This book is dedicated to

My son, Sequoia: the day you were born was singularly the greatest day of my life. Thank you for choosing me to be your daddy. I love you with my full heart.

My late mother, Carol: you taught me how to be a good human being, and showed me what love is all about. Not a day goes by that I don't think about you. I love you, Mom.

My dad, Arjun: youve been by my side as my best friend and confidant through all my ups and downs. You've cheered me on and believed in me. You've been a rock in my life. Thank you for being the best father you could be, and providing the best life for me you could. I love you, Dad.

Caitlin, my partner in love and life: thank you for believing in me.

Jason Cohen, my oldest friend in the world, who passed far too early: I smile thinking about all the late-night debates this book might have instigated between us. Row-Sham-Bow my dearest friend.

All those who backed me when I first conceived this book project back in 2016: Top Backer John Wilson, Bozoma Saint John, Kathleen Kulenych, Lynn Kaufman, Raphael Emmanuel Fuchs, Stacey Cavin, Mindy Sperlin Mercado, Riisa Mandel, Deb Oliver, and Bonnie Gradillas. Thank you for your faith in me. I'm so proud to finally deliver on my promise to you!

Suzanne Evans: there's a good reason why yours is the only testimonial at the front of this book. You took a chance on me and it changed my impact trajectory forever.

And finally, to all those who have made an impact in my life and helped to shape me into the man I have become: the entirety of this book could not contain all of your names, but know that you are recognized and loved.

In a world where people are so hungry to make an impact but so lost as to their own potential, Alok gently opens the door for people to see their own light. Maximum Impact Potential is a rare find: a book that stirs you, encourages you, and rattles you to step up to the life you were meant to live. Read it in one sitting because life is short and your potential is waiting!

Suzanne Evans, New York Times best-selling author and founder of Driven, Inc.

WAKE UP

ILL NEVER FORGET the day my dad took me to Pier 67 on Manhattans West Side and shared his experience of coming to America.

Looking out over the dark, choppy water of the Hudson River, I tried to picture what it must have been like for hima young intellectual, recently accepted to Brandeis University, setting foot on those teeming docks after a days- long journey with nothing but his suitcases and a dream.

My father was born in Mumbai to a large Brahmin family. As the youngest of all, he was steeped in the Indian culture of the time. His brothers would go on to choose more traditional paths: One was a railway engineer. Another was in the Army. But my dad wanted something different. He had a prodigious mind and a vast curiosity about both past and present cultures and social orders. Engineering, while a worthy career, was simply not going to cut it for him.

And so, in 1966, while in college in India, he tracked down brochures from American universities and began applying for admission. After being accepted at Brandeis, he flew to London, where two of his brothers were based, and then boarded a boat for New York. I cant imagine the level of courage and conviction it must have taken for him to relocate, alone, to a country across the world.

My dads career is long and accomplished, so Ill give you the short version: He went on to teach at top-tier universities like the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, NYU, and the University of Chicago. His theories and published works on globalization, financial crises, ethnic violence, and numerous other commentaries on our social fabric have reshaped the field of anthropology more than once. He has spoken at the UN, UNESCO, World Economic Forum, and numerous other international forums in more countries than I can count. To say I am super proud to be his son would be an enormous understatement.

But thats not why Im sharing his story.

You see, my parents were my first examples of what it means to pursue your Maximum Impact Potentialthe biggest, farthest-reaching impact you can create in a single lifetime. My father is a genius. He could have succeeded in any profession he chose. He could have been a lawyer, an engineer, or a politician (any of which may have been easier for his parents, siblings, and peers to embrace than anthropology). Instead, he has used his limitless intellectual curiosity, research, writing, teaching, and speaking to reshape the way we think about globalization and human societywhat it means, how it functions, and where we go from here. He had a dream to change something about how we see the world, and he followed it, even when it would have been easier to do otherwise.

My father, Dr. Arjun Appadurai, chose the path of impact. And for that, he is my hero.

My dads work inspired me to see the world differently. We arent a collection of separate individuals who occasionally bump into each other as we make our way through life; we are like molecules of water, part of the great ocean of humanity. When we act, we create waves that ripple far beyond the space we occupy. And, because we are so inter-connected, we cant separate from the whole without losing something fundamental about ourselves.

When I first conceived the idea of Maximum Impact Potentialwhat it means, how it happens, how our choices increase or diminish itI thought immediately of my dad, and the two biggest lessons I learned from him. I want to share them with you, because they are vital to helping you get the most out of this book.

First, stay curious. If you want to keep expanding the ripple of your presence, your voice, your work in the world, you will need to commit to learning and growth. When your work is informed by an understanding of what people and groups actually need (as opposed to what you think they should want), you will create amazing magnetism in your impact-driven work.