In episode 28, we speak to the Group CEO of Etonhouse International Holdings - Singapore, Ng Yi-Xian who oversees schools from infant care to high school in 11 countries across 120 campuses. We discuss how mindfulness has changed his life, shaped his leadership and a lot more: 

??How mindfulness supported him in the toughest time in his career
??The idea of stupid grit
?How he balances advocating mindfulness and respecting boundaries in the workplace
?‍?‍?‍? How he manages to find time to meditate while taking care of 22,003 kids under his care

Mr. Ng Yi-Xian oversees the operations of the EtonHouse International Education Group which runs schools from infant care to high school in 11 countries across 120 campuses. As a second-generation entrepreneur and son of founder Ng Gim Choo, he is driven to take the group to the next level — he has been instrumental in the creation of new brands such as the Middleton International School, a revolutionary niche of affordable international schools in Singapore and The Eton Academy, that provides inquiry-led academic enrichment programmes from Nursery to Primary 6.

Prior to joining EtonHouse, Mr. Ng worked in a Hedge Fund in the United States. In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors, adventure sports, and pursuing mindfulness as he leads the culture of mindfulness and well-being in the organisation. A father of twin boys and a girl, Yi-Xian is experiencing the joys and challenges of parenthood while he also oversees the education and well-being of more than 20,000 students in the EtonHouse schools.

Transcript here: https://bit.ly/hol-ep-28-

Timestamps:
(03:00): Challenges faced in taking over Etonhouse
(06:00): Knowing your red zone and staying out of it
(07:30): Mindfulness as a lifetime adventure to Yi-xian
(09:17): Near-Death Experience
(12:00): As a Father of 3, where do you find time to go for retreats?
(13:08): Burnout and retreats. Different experiences from each experience
(19:49): Two would-be lies and being called a hypocrite
(21:00): Respecting other people’s boundaries with mindfulness in the corporate setting
(22:30): God and mindfulness
(25:43): Who would you be without mindfulness?
(26:51): Cheryl’s perspective on the question
(29:00): Kai Xin’s AnE experience
(20:59): Does mindfulness make one more obedient?
(33:05): Stupid grit
(35:27): Yi-Xian’s experiences with the Jhanas
(40:58): Enlightenment, maybe not

Resources:
About Jhanas: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:
Buddhist Youth Network, Lim Soon Kiat, Alvin Chan, Tan Key Seng, Soh Hwee Hoon, Geraldine Tay, Venerable You Guang, Wilson Ng, Diga, Joyce, Tan Jia Yee, Joanne, Suñña, Shuo Mei, Arif, Bernice, Wee Teck, Andrew Yam, Kan Rong Hui, Wei Li Quek, Shirley Shen, Ezra, Joanne Chan, Hsien Li Siaw.

Editor and transcriber of this episode: Tee Ke Hui, Cheryl Cheah, Koh Kai Xin