Hi [FORMATTED_SUBSCRIBER_NAME GOES HERE],

Soundarya here, author of 1000 Days of Love. :)

Last week's Secret Session was pure magic. So... we're doing it again.

Tomorrow, I'm joined by a therapist to talk about the patterns we don't notice and how they shape our relationships, careers, and everyday lives. These Secret Sessions are intentionally small with only 100 spots. And, they're super fun ;)

As always, there's a gift hidden in the newsletter 😉 Make sure to send us a screenshot of where you find it along with what it is!

A short story

About two years ago, a girl reached out to me and asked for help.

I offered it to her, since she came through a friend and seemed eager. We talked about her career and came up with next steps for her to pursue (she really wanted to start podcasting!).

But then... radio silence.

I didn't hear from her six months. And then one day (paraphrased):

😅

...

The thing is, we all do this. All the time. And I include myself too.

We constantly look for new people we can meet with and take help from. And then we ghost them until we need the next thing.

It wasn't until I began to be on the other side - receiving requests of my time from hundreds of people - that I realized how counter-intuitive this is.

If your goal is to truly find mentors, you're much better off meeting a few people who you keep updated on your life frequently than "spray and pray."

My godfather, Rajesh, and I talked about this in a course that we shot last year:

~~~

Rajesh: When you ask for a piece of somebody’s life, and take up time that they could’ve done something else with, it’s like committing a crime.

Me: Whoa. That's harsh.

Rajesh: Think about it. Any 1:1 time - if they give it to you, they can’t give it to someone else. If you don’t plan to use the help, don’t ask for it.

Me: Yeah... closing the loop is a skill that I've seen VERY few people have.

Rajesh: Yes. How do you do it?

Me: I actually have a simple method. When I began working on my novel, 1000 Days of Love, I did three things: (a) created a Notion database to keep track of everyone I met, who gave me their precious time; (b) obtained their permission to send them all a thoughtful update on the project every 2-3 months so they know I’m making progress; (c) and always look for an opportunity to help them back (something I learned from you).

~~~

Sending this update takes me about ~2 hours every 3 months.

But it has led to someone connecting me with a top publisher in India, invite me to speak at a conference, and even be interested in making a feature film of the novel.

It's not about how many people you meet.

It's about how few you let down.

A tiny experiment

Experiment: For the next week, if you take help from someone - whether it's their time, support, or an introduction they made - close the loop. Tell them how it impacted you.

Reasoning: The person who helped you almost never finds out if it mattered. If nothing, your thank-you note will be a tiny "storyworthy" moment in their day (remember from last week? ;)).

A question for you

Question: Who was the last person that helped you in your personal or professional life? Did you close the loop with them, even if it's a simple thank you?

Hit reply and tell me. I read and respond to all emails.

Last week, I asked you to share a StoryWorthy moment from your life. I received so many beautiful responses. One of my favorites came from Suraj (paraphrased):

👑 Winner: Srividya Narayanan 👑

Srividya Narayanan found the hidden surprise first and won a free copy of 1000 Days of Love (pre-orders open August 16. Book comes out early 2027). 🎉

This week's hidden surprise is somewhere in this newsletter too. Find it, send me a screenshot, and you might be next. 😉​

Quote of the week: What’s more terrifying that the realization that nothing you do matters is that everything you do matters.

~ Jordan Peterson