Do Cool Sh*t summary

The aftermath of September 11 was a life-altering period for Miki. A profound realization dawned upon her: life is ephemeral, and she needed to live hers on her own terms. Fueled by this newfound clarity, she wrote down her dreams – to play soccer professionally, create films, and launch her own business. Her first stop was exploring opportunities in women's soccer leagues.

Even though Miki lacked the requisite experience, she didn't let that deter her. Her nine-to-five banking job was another hurdle, as minor league tryouts required her to leave work early. But for Miki, that just meant getting her employers on board. She confronted her managing director with a heartfelt plea about following her dreams – and ended up making a convincing case.

After a foray into professional soccer and an exit from her banking job, Miki found herself at a crossroads. It was a moment to pause, reflect, and consider what direction her life should take next. She described this as the “I-EX” – Internal Examination. Instead of rushing into any opportunity that knocked on the door, a method that could lead to burnout, Miki emphasized the importance of introspection to discover a path more in tune with her aspirations.

Her self-exploration began with two pivotal questions. The first was, “What am I genuinely good at?” This query went beyond professional abilities and delved into personal strengths as well. For Miki, her list of competencies extended from sports and fitness to marketing, business, writing, languages, and building connections. These were the areas she could potentially leverage in her future endeavors.

After her adventures in the film industry, Miki Agrawal was ready for a new challenge. Her journey took an unexpected turn when she discovered the alarming practices in America's dairy industry: hormones are pumped into cows to increase milk production. As a pizza lover, this discovery was unsettling – it made her stomach turn with each slice she consumed.

Her predicament sparked an entrepreneurial fire within her. There were hardly any decent alternatives in the market, and it was time to change that! She envisaged a different kind of pizzeria, one that aligned with her values. And to go from her vision to a tangible, successful business, Miki devised a four-step approach.

Miki remembers the many birthdays, games, and moments shared with her family and friends throughout her childhood. These formative experiences laid the foundation of her “tribe,” highlighting the fact that achieving remarkable endeavors is tightly knit with cultivating a robust community.

As an analogy, Miki cites the example of the Burning Man festival. This annual event, which began in 1986 with just a few attendees, has expanded into a thriving community of hundreds of thousands – affirming people’s inherent tendency to seek togetherness. Larry Harvey, the cofounder of this festival, laid out ten principles that embody the spirit of a strong community.