Do Cool Sh*t

"Your life isn't just meant to be lived – it's meant to be savored, shaped, and celebrated." Miki Agrawal challenges us to break free from the expected and embark on an unapologetic journey of doing cool sh*t.

1. Sell Your Ideas by Highlighting Benefits for Everyone

Changing someone's mind starts with showing them how they benefit too. Miki learned this when she convinced her parents to let her study in London by treating her idea like a business proposal.

During her London adventure, stepping outside the norm — such as joining locals for a soccer game instead of sticking with her tour group — taught her the value of embracing the unknown. She also discovered that making friends and connections requires effort and preparation.

Miki advises fostering genuine relationships with strangers through simple strategies: dress in a way that sparks conversation, smile warmly, and approach people with lighthearted icebreakers. These practices help create opportunities for personal and professional learning.

Examples

• Miki sold her London trip idea by showing her parents how it aligned with her academics and personal growth.
• She made new friends in London simply by striking up conversations in informal places.
• Her degrading PR internship reinforced the idea that relationships and investments in life should create mutual benefit.

2. Break Up with the Things That Drain Your Energy

We all have people, jobs, or habits that leave us feeling burned out or uninspired. Miki stresses that it’s essential to identify and remove these negative influences from your life.

To do this, she suggests mapping your life into two columns: one for things that uplift or inspire you and another for what drains your energy. Then, start eliminating or reducing the roles, obligations, and relationships that don’t contribute positively.

Your time and energy are valuable. Choosing to focus on the activities or relationships that bring you joy will lead to more purposeful living — even if it means facing some tough decisions or uncomfortable conversations.

Examples

• Her decision to quit her toxic PR internship led to a fulfilling opportunity at the House of Lords.
• A paper split into "uplifting" and "draining" columns clarified what to prioritize in her life.
• Replacing draining commitments with ones that inspire her gave Miki the courage to chase her passions.

3. Let Dreams Be Your Compass, Even When the Path is Rocky

Miki’s personal awakening after September 11 inspired her to revisit her core dreams: becoming a soccer player, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. Even though she lacked experience and resources, these aspirations became her guide.

She stresses the value of asking people in power to meet you halfway. By sharing her soccer ambitions with her banking director, she secured permission to train while still working full-time, proving that bold requests can yield surprising results.

Though she didn't succeed in soccer, her willingness to try something risky led to enriching experiences. Asking for what you really want — and staying flexible as you adapt to setbacks — is key to fulfilling your ambitions.

Examples

• Miki overcame her inexperience by boldly trying out for professional soccer leagues despite the odds.
• She convinced her director to support her dream by showing how she’d balance work and training.
• Taking risks and failing at soccer taught her resilience and opened new doors.

4. Understand Yourself to Chart the Right Path

Taking a break to self-reflect — or an “internal examination,” as Miki calls it — gave her clarity during big transitions. Instead of jumping blindly into the next opportunity, she sought alignment between her skills and passions.

Two guiding questions helped her: What am I good at? And what do I genuinely love? For Miki, this exercise revealed her affinity for storytelling and her natural knack for connecting with people.

Pairing reflection with action, she transitioned to the film industry. This move reinforced the importance of honoring your authentic abilities and interests to design a meaningful career.

Examples

• Miki mapped her skills in marketing, languages, and fitness to identify roles that suited her.
• Her passion for storytelling led her to production work in the film industry.
• Choosing projects that combined her skills and passions accelerated her career growth.

5. Move an Idea to Reality with Research and Community

The quest for hormone-free pizza sparked Miki’s first major business — a project she approached systematically. Her four steps to realizing an idea involve research, leveraging your network, finding mentors, and validating demand.

By diving into research and gathering detailed feedback, she ensured her concept would succeed before investing significant resources. Shadowing an experienced restaurateur gave her a clear perspective on what opening her pizzeria would take.

Building something meaningful isn’t just about the big idea; it's about thoughtful planning and tapping into people who share wisdom and enthusiasm to make it happen.

Examples

• Miki shadowed a restaurant owner to gain crucial hands-on experience.
• She held surveys to confirm that people were ready for hormone-free pizza.
• Meticulously planning branding and raising seed capital proved pivotal when opening her restaurant.

6. Embrace “Radical Doing” Over Passive Observing

Taking action transforms your aspirations into reality. Miki encourages active participation in all areas, whether that’s asking for advice, pitching your ideas, or stepping into unfamiliar spaces.

She shares principles from Burning Man, such as valuing self-expression, teamwork, and leaving no ethical trace behind. These rules foster collaboration and encourage meaningful interactions with others.

By adopting this “doing” philosophy, you stop waiting for ideal conditions and begin shaping your journey through action.

Examples

• In business, Miki sought advice and expertise from experienced individuals.
• She adopted the Burning Man mindset of living in the present while engaging purposefully with her community.
• Actionable steps like pitching her pizzeria idea solidified its path to success.

7. Lean into Risk for Growth

Leaving stable paths, like her banking career, in pursuit of her dreams was a calculated risk Miki embraced. She believes that risk allows for innovation and personal growth.

Her early businesses weren’t guaranteed successes, but addressing obstacles head-on helped her reevaluate and refine her direction. Operating with resolve meant she was always moving forward.

Leaning into risk means accepting uncertainty but also realizing new and rewarding possibilities.

Examples

• Miki pursued entrepreneurship despite fears of failure after leaving her corporate job.
• Her refusal to stay in unsatisfying roles, like PR, often led to unexpected successes like new internships.
• Business pivots, when faced with difficulties, improved her approach and final results.

8. Seek Connection in Building Community

Miki highlights the value of building your “tribe” — a supportive, nurturing group that uplifts and inspires. Her own childhood experiences of family-centered connection influenced her belief in collective strength.

Events like Burning Man showcase humanity’s yearning for togetherness. Miki’s focus on fostering genuine connections, rather than competitive or transactional relationships, created a powerful and far-reaching network.

A strong community is more than professional partnerships; it’s a space that celebrates individuality and shared growth.

Examples

• Miki prioritized meaningful bonds over surface-level relationships.
• Drawing lessons from her upbringing, she sought both professional and emotional support in her tribe.
• Burning Man principles encouraged collaboration and showcased the beauty of mutual aid.

9. Live Fully by Combining Passion and Purpose

For Miki, the ultimate reward of doing cool sh*t comes from authenticity — allowing passion and purpose to guide your life. Whether pursuing a business, art, or self-discovery, it’s about harmonizing what genuinely excites you with practical action.

Her journey emphasizes that meaningful work is rooted in self-awareness. With the right clarity, even the hardest challenges lead you closer to living the life you dream of.

Embodying this mindset shifts you away from monotony and closer to a colorful, fulfilling existence.

Examples

• Choosing passion projects like hormone-free pizza demonstrated her commitment to values and practicality.
• Balancing creativity and execution allowed her to build authentic yet viable businesses.
• Her dedication to storytelling shows how she continued chasing intrinsic motivation.

Takeaways

1. Create a two-column list of inspirations and energy drainers to figure out where to focus or cut back in life.
2. Directly ask for what you need from mentors, employers, or peers — bold requests often lead to surprising outcomes.
3. Align your skills and passions before pursuing a big idea, ensuring it resonates with your authentic self and goals.