When I created my first playlist at the beginning of 2025, my intention was to do a quarterly check-in on what I’m listening to, reading, or watching.

For the most part, I’m still tuning in to the same artists, but here’s what I’ve been gravitating more toward lately:

• Sushant KC: I guess he’s one of the new up-and-coming Nepali artists. I first heard his music in a YouTube Short not too long ago—while trying to watch how to make Nepali cauli aloo, and there was this beautiful song playing in the background and it made me look up the song. I suppose there are many ways to discover music these days, once of which is while trying to cook the food you want to eat.
  
  
• Seth Godin: My natural comfort zone lies in tactics. I like fixing things. I’m wired that way. But lately I’m trying to embrace something I’ve always resisted: strategy. For some reason, I’ve always disliked the concept of strategy. Maybe because I’ve been part of too many ‘strategies’ that looked good on paper but fell apart in execution. So over time, I began to associate strategy with failure, with fluff—something disconnected from results. But lately, I’ve been relearning what strategy actually is. And the more I understand it, the more I realize: strategy isn’t about planning or managing—it’s about direction. It’s your compass. As Seth Godin says, ‘It doesn’t matter how fast you’re going if you’re headed in the wrong direction.’ So here I am, working hard to think more strategically—to see the big picture, to weigh risks, outcomes, and long-term impact. It’s still a struggle. It’s uncomfortable. But I’m grateful for the abundance of resources out there—especially voices like Seth’s—that help guide the way.
  
  
• Multidimensional leadership: In a world where people are forced create their niche personal brand, the most powerful leadership comes from those who embrace their full dimensionality. This article on leadership by Tony Martignetti really hit home for me. Creativity lies at the heart of human nature. Now more than ever, we need leaders who embrace creative energy and lead with curiosity.
  
  
• Tribal Rain: While I was listening to Sushant KC, this band’s music showed up on my playlist. I come across all kinds of artists every day—most I forget, but a few leave an impression. This band was one of those few that stuck with me.