PVLF 2025

Interview with Kaushik Ghosh Author Of The 8-H Principle: For Success at Work and Life

Kaushik Ghosh, CEO and author of 'The 8H Principle', shares insights on balancing work, hobbies, integrity, and spiritual growth for holistic success.
on Oct 16, 2024

A confluence of roles adorns Kaushik Ghosh—a traveller who aims to travel all the countries around the world, an orator, a lifestyle coach, a presenter, a radio jockey, a passionate photographer. As the CEO of a prominent Indian corporation, Kaushik Ghosh has scaled professional summits, but his heart remains tethered to the extraordinary stories woven by seemingly ordinary people.

Frontlist: Your book emphasizes eight key principles. Which principle do you think is most often overlooked in today's fast-paced world, and why?

Kaushik: In today’s fast-paced world, out of all the 8H’s, Hobbies mostly get overlooked. In the past few decades, there has been a cultural shift towards a mindset that prioritizes work and measurable outcomes over leisure and personal fulfillment. As a result, many people, particularly in fast-paced urban environments, feel the constant pressure to optimize every moment of their lives. This phenomenon, often referred to as the "hustle culture," glorifies long hours of work and frames any non-work-related activity as unproductive or a waste of time.

Rise of productivity culture

Hobbies, which traditionally served as spaces for leisure and personal satisfaction, are increasingly perceived as inefficient if they don’t contribute to career advancement or financial gain. The pervasive notion that “time is money” undermines the value of hobbies, which may not provide an immediate, tangible benefit. This leads many people to deprioritize leisure activities, viewing them as indulgences they can’t afford amid their packed schedules.

Digital distractions

Another major factor contributing to the decline of hobbies is the omnipresence of digital technology and entertainment. In today’s world, people are constantly bombarded with instant gratification through social media, streaming services, and video games, which offer quick and effortless forms of entertainment. Engaging in a hobby typically requires dedication, patience, and a learning curve—qualities that are less appealing when compared to the instant dopamine hits provided by the digital world. The paradox here is that social media often showcases hobbies and leisure activities in an aspirational way, but the time spent consuming this content detracts from time that could be spent developing those very skills or passions.

Burnout and Lack of Energy for Personal Interests

Even when individuals have free time, they may feel mentally or physically drained, leaving them without the energy or motivation to pursue hobbies. Burnout is a growing concern across industries, exacerbated by constant connectivity through emails and messaging platforms. After a long day of work, many people default to passive relaxation, such as watching TV, rather than engaging in active, enriching hobbies.

Disposable Income and the Cost of Hobbies

While some hobbies can be low-cost (such as reading or walking), many others—like travel, photography, or even certain forms of crafting—require a significant financial investment. People facing economic constraints may feel that hobbies are a luxury they cannot afford, both in terms of time and money.

The Pressure to Monetize Hobbies

In today’s economy, there is increasing pressure to monetize every aspect of life, including hobbies. Platforms like Etsy, YouTube, and Instagram encourage individuals to turn their creative pursuits into side businesses. While this can be empowering for some, it also shifts the focus from leisure to financial gain, transforming hobbies into yet another form of work.

Frontlist: The structure of the book is deeply philosophical yet practical. How did you balance conveying these larger life lessons with ensuring the book remained accessible and engaging to readers from diverse backgrounds?

Kaushik: While writing “The 8H Principle”, I had a vision to share transformative life lessons that are deep and philosophical yet remain practical and accessible to people from all walks of life. My book reflects the universal truths I’ve discovered during my journey so far, and my only goal was to communicate these ideas in a way that not only inspires my readers but also provides concrete guidance that can be applied in their daily lives.

Here’s how I approached this balance:

Clarity of Language: I avoided jargon and unnecessary complexity. By using clear, relatable language, I aimed to make complex ideas more understandable without diluting their meaning.
Real-Life Examples and Applications: Throughout the book, I included examples, stories, and scenarios from diverse aspects of life. This allowed me to show how the principles could be applied in real-world situations, making them tangible and relatable, no matter your background or experiences.
Practical Exercises and Reflection: I integrated exercises and reflections that invite readers to pause and think about how the principles can apply to your personal journey. These sections were designed to not just inform, but to help you embody the ideas in your own life.

Balancing Depth with Brevity: While some topics dive into philosophical exploration, I always aimed to balance these moments with concise, actionable takeaways. This allows you to ponder the bigger questions without feeling lost in theory.

Frontlist: The connection between honesty and success is a core theme. In an era where shortcuts are often glorified, how do you suggest individuals can maintain their integrity while striving for success?

Kaushik: Maintaining integrity while striving for success is extremely vital, especially in a world that often values quick wins over ethical behavior. Here are some suggestions which I can offer to individuals on how to uphold their integrity:

Define Personal Values

Please define your core values and principles. Understanding what you stand for helps decision-making in challenging situations.

Set Realistic Goals

I suggest people to set achievable goals that align with your values. This focus on meaningful success will motivate you to pursue your ambitions without compromising integrity.

Practice Transparency

Please promote the importance of transparency in both personal and professional dealings. Being open about intentions and actions fosters trust and reinforces ethical behavior.

Embrace Accountability

I encourage individuals to take responsibility for their actions. Holding oneself accountable, even when faced with difficulties, strengthens character and integrity.

Choose Quality Over Quantity

I advise individuals to focus on the quality of their work rather than the speed of completion. This mindset prioritizes thoroughness and ethical practices over shortcuts.

Surround Yourself with Like-Minded People

I suggest building a network of individuals who value integrity. Being in the company of ethical peers can reinforce one’s commitment to honest practices.

Learn from Mistakes

I believe mistakes are part of our journey. Learning from failures and remaining honest about them can lead to personal growth and stronger integrity.

Find a Balance

Its, important to balance our ambition with ethical considerations. Individuals who achieve success by dishonest means will not be able to sustain for long.

Reflect Regularly

I encourage regular self-reflection on personal and professional choices. Taking time to assess

decisions and their alignment with values can help maintain integrity.

Seek Guidance When Needed

I suggest that individuals reach out to mentors or ethical leaders for advice when faced with dilemmas. External perspectives can provide clarity and reinforce integrity.

Frontlist: You mention that hard work has a spiritual dimension. Could you expand on how hard work can transform not just our professional lives but also our spiritual growth?

Kaushik: In my book "The 8H Principle," the idea that hard work has a spiritual dimension suggests that our efforts, when approached with the right mindset, can transform not just our external achievements but also our inner lives. Through discipline, perseverance, mindfulness, and service, hard work becomes a powerful tool for spiritual growth. It refines our character, aligns us with our purpose, and helps us transcend ego-driven desires, allowing us to experience a deeper sense of fulfillment and connection to something greater. By embracing the spiritual aspects of hard work, we not only succeed in the material world but also cultivate a richer, more meaningful inner life.

Discipline and Self-Mastery

Hard work requires discipline, focus, and the ability to overcome distractions and temptations. In spiritual traditions, discipline is often regarded as a fundamental virtue. By committing ourselves to consistent effort, we develop the ability to master our impulses and desires, which leads to deeper self-awareness. This self-mastery enables us to rise above the ego and align our actions with higher principles, fostering a sense of inner peace and purpose.

Service and Contribution

When approached from a higher perspective, hard work can be seen as a form of service—not only to us but also to others. By dedicating ourselves to tasks with a spirit of contribution, we tap into a deeper meaning behind our work. The spiritual dimension of hard work reveals itself when we realize that our efforts contribute to the well-being of others, whether we are providing a service, creating something valuable, or uplifting others in our workplace.

Perseverance and Faith

Hard work requires perseverance, especially when we face obstacles, failures, or discouragement. In the process of overcoming challenges, we often develop faith—both in ourselves and in a higher power guiding our efforts. This perseverance shapes our character, strengthens our spirit, and reinforces our belief in the value of persistence, regardless of immediate results.

Mindfulness and Presence

When we are fully engaged in our work, we often enter a state of flow where time seems to disappear, and we become completely absorbed in the task at hand. This state of mindful presence is inherently spiritual. It draws us into the present moment, where the mind is quiet, and our sense of self fades. In this space, work becomes a form of meditation—a means to cultivate awareness and deepen our connection with the present moment.

Growth through Struggle

Hard work often involves confronting our limitations, failures, and fears. When we struggle, we are pushed beyond our comfort zones and forced to grow. Spiritually, this process mirrors the inner challenges faced on any spiritual path. By leaning into hard work, we become more resilient, compassionate, and humble, qualities that are central to spiritual development.

Humility and Letting Go of Ego

Hard work, particularly in collaboration or service-oriented environments, teaches us humility. We learn to put aside our egos, accept constructive criticism, and embrace the fact that we don’t always have control over outcomes. This surrender of the ego is a key component of spiritual growth, as it allows us to recognize that we are part of something larger than ourselves.

Gratitude and Contentment

As we work hard and achieve goals, we can develop a sense of gratitude for the process itself—not just the rewards. This shift from focusing on outcomes to appreciating the journey reflects spiritual maturity. Hard work teaches us that true satisfaction comes from the effort and intention we put into our work rather than the external recognition or material success that may follow.

Frontlist: Was there a particular principle that was more challenging to write about or convey effectively in the book? If so, how did you work through that challenge?

Kaushik: One principle in particular—Hope—posed a unique challenge to convey effectively. Unlike the other seven tangible concepts, which are more tangible Hope felt elusive and almost fragile. How could I effectively convey such an abstract yet powerful force in a way that would resonate deeply with readers?

Hope, after all, is something we all seek, yet it often feels distant or intangible, especially in times of hardship. How do you bring it from the realm of the philosophical into the practical? How do you make it not just a feeling but a principle to be applied daily, as steadfast as the other elements in the 8H framework?

I found myself grappling with these questions throughout the writing process. Hope isn't something you can simply instruct someone to have; it’s something to be cultivated, fostered, and protected. Yet I needed to do more than merely inspire readers—I had to provide them with a roadmap to embrace hope in a way that was actionable, even when their circumstances might seem bleak. The weight of doing justice to this principle was palpable.

Hope, unlike the other principles, isn't always visible. People can hide their lack of hope behind a smile or a routine. Its absence can drain a person’s energy and resilience without them even fully realizing it. My job as an author was to unearth this deeply personal and often hidden aspect of life and bring it to light in a way that felt real and approachable, not distant or preachy.

I realized that the challenge of writing about hope lay in making it relatable. I couldn’t speak of hope in grand, idealistic terms; it had to be grounded, intertwined with the lives of those who read the book. I began thinking of the moments when hope had been difficult for me or for people I knew—times of uncertainty, loss, or stagnation. From there, I developed stories and examples that reflected the everyday challenges people face.

Rather than portraying hope as a distant, shining beacon, I redefined it as something that could emerge even in the smallest acts: waking up each day to try again, reaching out to someone for support, or daring to dream of a better future despite setbacks. I began to weave in stories of hope being rekindled in unlikely places—within the routines of daily life, amidst adversity, or through the support of a community.

What helped me most was shifting my focus from trying to describe hope to showing it. Instead of talking about hope, I let it unfold naturally through the journeys of people whose lives embodied this principle. Stories of resilience, of faith in uncertain outcomes, of taking the smallest of steps forward even when the future seemed dim—these stories allowed hope to be felt rather than explained.

I also turned to research, discovering how psychologists and social scientists define hope not as mere wishful thinking but as a cognitive process: the belief in our ability to achieve our goals despite obstacles. This provided a concrete foundation for readers to grasp, reinforcing that hope is not just an emotion but an actionable mindset that can be cultivated.

As I revised the chapter on Hope, it began to take on a new shape. The words flowed more easily as I no longer sought to define hope in its entirety but to reflect its many forms. It wasn’t about convincing readers to feel hopeful but about showing them that hope is a choice, even when circumstances try to rob us of it.

In the end, Hope became one of the most rewarding sections to write in “The 8H Principle”. It required vulnerability—both on my part as a writer and for my readers who may be wrestling with their own despair. But in facing the difficulty of articulating hope, I discovered that the very challenge mirrored the essence of hope itself: the belief that even in the hardest of moments, there is a way forward.

Frontlist: On World Mental Health Day, how do you think practicing these principles, especially health and humanity, can contribute to improving mental well-being both at work and in life?

Kaushik: On World Mental Health Day, the principles of health and humanity serve as vital pillars for fostering mental well-being in both professional and personal spheres. Health, as the foundation, reminds us to prioritize self-care, balance, and emotional resilience. It encourages practices like mindfulness, open communication, and healthy boundaries, which are essential for managing stress and nurturing mental clarity.

Humanity, on the other hand, emphasizes compassion, empathy, and understanding. By treating ourselves and others with kindness, we create environments where people feel valued, heard, and supported. This sense of connection can ease the burden of mental health struggles, enabling individuals to thrive collectively. Together, these principles promote holistic well-being, cultivating workplaces and homes where mental health is prioritized and people flourish.