PVLF 2025

Interview with Sunder Rajan, Author “Beyond the Hustle”

An inspiring call to live consciously, Beyond the Hustle urges readers to seek true happiness through self-awareness, simplicity, and inner peace.
on Apr 16, 2025

Frontlist: Beyond the Hustle challenges the modern obsession with material success. What inspired you to write this book, and how does it reflect your personal journey?

Sunder: I actually started writing at a very early age. I would just jot down my observations and thoughts, more as a habit, and this was actually way before the term “journaling” was heard of and became fashionable. These writings were in different forms—sometimes poetry, sometimes just random points, and sometimes essays. At every stage, what really inspired me to write was human feelings, our interactions with others, and just the way we are.

Over the years, while navigating life, I often asked myself questions about the reasons for existence, the purpose of our lives, and other such basic questions that most of us never even start thinking about. I have always been a keen observer of humans and myself, and this process of seeking answers from within and from other seers has led me to a deeper understanding of life and our world.

Beyond the Hustle is essentially a mirror and a collection of my own personal experiences and thoughts, captured over three decades. The book, in a sense, mimics my journey through the ups and downs of life and reflects our thoughts, mindsets, and everything that drives us as human beings.

Throughout life, I have observed that, increasingly, fewer people are genuinely happy. They might smile at times, but they are clearly not joyous from within, and there is a constant undercurrent of unhappiness running through most of us. I believe this is because we now associate our happiness with material things. While these may provide momentary or short-term pleasure, we quickly return to being unhappy, still seeking something else.

We, therefore, need to identify those aspects of life that truly make us happy—and for a sustained period of time. I believe these are the softer areas of our lives, such as satisfying and nurturing relationships, love, peace of mind, contentment, the feeling of completeness, learning the joy of giving and spending quality time with loved ones. Essentially, it is about finding the divinity within each of us.

In this constant search for material comforts, we are actually losing out on genuine happiness. The idea behind the book is that we can find all the answers to life within ourselves through observation and introspection. We have all the answers right here within us; we just need to be tuned in to this awareness.

Frontlist: Your book emphasizes conscious living. What practical steps can individuals take to break free from the cycle of mindless hustle and embrace a more fulfilling life?

Sunder: To free ourselves from a life of hustle, I think we need to start with the very basic question of what we are here for and what the purpose of our life is. Once this becomes clear to us, the other steps will invariably fall into place one at a time. It is at this beginning point that we need to start living “consciously.” Every single act, small or large, should be undertaken consciously, taking into account all the pros and cons of its impact. At a certain point, this becomes second nature to us because every single physical step we take, we begin to take with awareness.

Some practical steps one can follow on this journey include practicing meditation. In case you find that difficult, just begin by spending time with yourself some "me time" with, let’s say, your first cup of tea in the morning. Be in silence, just with yourself, planning your day ahead. Then, as your day progresses, do your work whatever work you have undertaken diligently and to the best of your abilities. Along the way, avoid negativity and gossip, cultivate positive people around you, and be inspired by stories of success and achievements of those around you.

While going through a typical day, I often advise people to observe life and observe others by living an “aware” life. While practicing introspection, we need to consciously avoid comparison with others. The realization must be entrenched within us that we are all unique individuals and no two people or their lives can ever be identical therefore, there is no point in comparing any two people or their situations.

In this journey of going within and stepping away from the “hustle,” two aspects that clearly propel us forward are learning to take a break and relaxing, preferably in nature. By being around trees and in green spaces, we are in a place of openness and liberation that no other physical space can provide. This relaxes us to our very core.

The other aspect is practicing the art of giving. We may notice that any act of help, charity, or even a simple act of kindness elevates our minds and puts us in a state of happiness. Even the simplest act, like helping an elderly person cross the street, enhances our positive mindset and boosts our mood and self-esteem. Keep practicing these small acts of kindness and humaneness, and watch how your life transforms without you even realizing it.

Frontlist: Stress and burnout are common consequences of the hustle culture. What role does mindfulness or self-reflection play in overcoming these challenges?

Sunder: Mindfulness and self-reflection are key to our being at peace with ourselves because once we do this, we begin to see the difference between what is truly important to our lives and what is not. For instance, I have seen people take large loans to buy bigger houses or bigger cars, which they could have possibly done without at this point and which were not even crucial to their existence now. But merely due to social pressure or maybe even greed, they do so and are then trapped in a vicious cycle of trying to meet their financial needs. Understanding the priorities of wants and needs is very important in reducing burnout and also understanding what causes stress and burnout.

These clearly happen only when we are constantly chasing impossible dreams that don’t really help us in the larger context of life. In trying to chase these, we are constantly pushing ourselves physically and mentally. It is important for us to realize what is enough – and when we should stop chasing after more, some more, and still more.

I find it disturbing that, in today’s world, being constantly on the move and in activity is seen as a positive. I believe that sometimes this perpetual activity is akin to a barking dog chasing a moving car — and it keeps doing this for long periods of time. The dog probably has no clue about the car, driving, or anything else — it is mere activity without any purpose or reason. Surely, as humans, we can step back and think: why are we running around like this?

Frontlist: You have led both a mundane and an interesting life. How have your personal experiences shaped your philosophy on living beyond the hustle?

Sunder: Most of us have a part of our lives that involves how we make a living, follow a profession, do our work, and earn money, among other things. This is the worldly part of us that is more about trying to achieve all our physical, tangible goals – this is what I call a mundane life, wherein you do your work, get paid for it, and accumulate wealth and pleasures.

The other part of our existence, I believe, is the more interesting aspect of living, where we try to figure out why we are doing whatever we are doing. That is the mind-body complex at play, and once we understand our reasons for existence and purpose, the dimensions of our lives change dramatically. There is complete clarity in our minds about our goals, targets, and the reasons for wanting to achieve them.

Like most people, I have faced a life full of challenges. Life has not been easy, with constant obstacles, some caused by circumstances and others by us and our co-humans. But this is not unique to me. I came to realize that life is not meant to be easy. Life is essentially about the small happy and joyous moments interspersed between longer sequences of pain and unhappiness. We need to acknowledge and understand this fundamental truth of our existence. The task at hand, therefore, is to extend these moments of joy so that they replace the long phases of pain and suffering.

Through continuous learning from my life experiences, I am now clear about what brings me peace of mind and happiness and what causes stress. Often, in our search for happiness, we end up rushing toward something illusory, which ultimately makes us unhappy. I have also realized that there is immense joy in the smaller things of life, naturally and abundantly available through emotions and feelings like love and friendship. However, in our relentless quest for more, we postpone enjoying these simple joys, believing we will have time tomorrow. The truth is that life exists in the now, but unfortunately, this realization often comes too late and manifests as regret.

I have seen many people accumulate wealth at the cost of their health and relationships, only to find themselves unhappy, isolated, and alone. Another important realization from my life is that we cannot make everyone happy, nor can we achieve everything we desire. We must learn to accept this inherent lack as a part of our journey and stop seeking perfection in everything. Gratitude for what we have in the present moment is essential, and when we reflect on our lives, we often find that we are not as badly off as we may think.

Frontlist: In today’s digital age, where distractions are constant, how can people cultivate deeper awareness and presence in their daily lives?

Sunder: It is now much easier for us to be distracted and less focused, thanks to the overriding control digital media has over our lives. Clearly, every technology and every new invention has merits as well as demerits. The moment we get into a state of overuse and abuse of technology, we move into discomfort territory.

The primary requirement today is to control our digital usage and move back to having human interfaces and connections. I find that most people now, both the new and even the not-so-new generation, are not as socially connected as before. The younger generation, in particular, is therefore ill-equipped to deal with life and its challenges. This will naturally lead to psychological issues and difficulties in social adaptability.

We must step out of our digital and mobile worlds and engage with real life and the world around us. Interact with flesh-and-blood people, talk, communicate, and observe. Be open to learning from the environment instead of constantly staring at our mobile phones.

Most people are perpetually scrolling through social media channels, flipping through mindless pages of information, humor, and gossip that add no value to their lives. "Time-pass" has become the operative word for many. This is precisely what we need to move away from and become more aware of. Instead of seeking time, we need to seek and provide value addition. We should consider how we can enhance our lives and the lives of others, truly living instead of merely existing.

We must learn to behave like the evolved humans we are rather than behaving like clones controlled by technology and machines. It is important to remain positively curious and not get trapped in one of the endless mobile games we often find ourselves playing.

Frontlist: If you could give one piece of advice to someone struggling to find meaning amidst the chaos, what would it be?

Sunder: In order to find meaning in our existence, it is important to first identify the prime reason that drives our happiness. To begin with, we need to find answers to some very basic questions, like: Who am I? Why am I here? From there, a series of truths and realizations will unfold as answers once you begin asking these questions.

We then gradually realize the need to prioritize between need and greed, between love and sex, between hustle and peace, and between running after pointless goals and genuinely uplifting ambitions.

We must understand that material pleasures will only provide temporary happiness, and we will quickly return to feeling unhappy once that euphoria fades. Lasting happiness can only be found in being loving, being kind, and, above all, in giving. The more we are in a state of unconditional giving and surrender, the closer we are to being truly happy.

Frontlist: What key takeaway do you hope readers will walk away with after reading Beyond the Hustle?

Sunder: I hope that after reading Beyond the Hustle, readers first start the process of introspection as a means toward self-improvement. From there, I believe they will find the answers they seek and discover their “true” reasons for happiness. We, as humans, seek happiness at the very core of our existence, and I believe we can move toward this ideal goal by following the nine-point charter I espouse.

I would love for people to follow the practical tips I have shared in the book. We need to focus on just the very basic framework because our entire existence revolves around these few lines. We need to be in love and live an honest life, enjoy our work, have gratitude, and maintain a sense of contentment. We need to be attached yet detached and be aware of the transient nature of life that everything good and bad must end, and therefore, even life itself must end. We are not going to be here forever!