Iâve composed my thoughts in a journal that Iâve had this past year starting in May because I didnât know what Medium was pre-COVID nor did I have time or energy to do this.
I can say Iâve learned more these past few months than throughout my life. Maybe thatâs because Iâm getting older or I can say that quarantine was a blessing in disguise for me.
For sure.
Enjoy!
5/4/20
Quarantine has provided me the opportunity to test out my goals I thought were too unrealistic to achieve. I donât use the excuse, âI never have timeâ because that isnât true. We can always find time. Yet, Iâve always ran on a busy schedule and never knew what to do without one.
Iâve been forced to take a mental break and notice the benefits of leaving work aside to grow.
Receiving a personalized gift in my inbox is something I look forward to every morning. For years, Iâve evaluated various newsletters and took note of what was missing. I knew the last thing I needed was to be bombarded by sensational headlines or lengthy articles I couldnât comprehend during the most crucial hours of the day. I knew I needed a recap that was stress free and just enough to start my day.
5/10/20
For the past 5 years, as an only child, Fatherâs Day has been a Sunday my mother and I have felt awkward about celebrating. As hard as it is to write this post in front of thousands, I thought it was vital to share a message for children like me who have lost their parent unexpectedly at a young age. Iâve come to understand that remembering the fond memories with him is not disrespectful. He would have never wanted us to be sad and make this day about him, especially since he never liked attention. When loosing someone, as hard as it may be, your life and happiness needs to continue. He always reminded me, âHow can you become irreplaceable at what you do and be someone everyone is comfortable asking advice from?â
Especially during these times, volunteering is needed more than ever; during the best and worst times. He was more than my first mentor, but someone who instilled the importance of putting others first. I will always remember him after work exhausted, yet insisting his colleagues help serve at the YMCA. As an immigrant, I believe this is where he grew his dedication and energy to help his community.
As I leave you with this simple message, make sure to value everyday and be present with those you love because aiding anyone is the best reward you can give yourself.
6/2/20
We rarely take time to focus on ourselves. It is known to be selfish and frowned upon especially as someone who doesnât like attention. Yet, in order to live a fulfilling life with no regrets, we need to ask ourselves daily,
âHow can I get to know myself better?â
Iâm no preacher and meditative junkie, but I do believe it is crucial to observe and reflect the thoughts we are all subconsciously guilty of telling ourselves every minute of the day that influence our actions and the way we live.
As an avid reader of self-help, Iâve become increasingly overwhelmed by everything on the market.
We compare who can consume the most content, read the most, and complete work the fastest. It is unfortunate to notice we are more concerned about the number we achieve than the impact or how weâve changed our perspective afterwards.
Itâs typical for me to take a long time to finish a book. The reason being is because I apply not consume the information.
Iâve understood that it is ok to read 5 books per year and use those fundamentals to better my life and productivity, than waste my time reading 200 that go in one ear, out the other.
Next time you consume information, try to take a mental note of what you will DO with that resource and how you can CHANGE, not cross it off your list.
6/20/20
I invest in a life coach not to feel more confident but mentally secure. We meet a few times a week and discuss my goals, insecurities, and dreams. We donât mention the word passion because it implies perfectionism and I donât strive to go there.
Our health should be the most vital part of our lives. Yet, we tend to forget without it we cannot function. It struck me to realize that there is truly nothing more important in our lives besides family than our health.
During our meeting yesterday, we discussed something I realized has always been left behind and is a crucial step towards feeling fulfilled. He told me to treat everything the same. Spend as much time planning your goals through manifestation (Law of Attraction) as with your present work.
I have spent time on my weaknesses as equally on my strengths so they are not forgotten. Iâve aligned myself with those who have strengths in my weakest areas and paid attention to what I avoid. Life isnât about doing one thing well but rather committing truthfully and making sure you are present with what you enjoy.
Spending as much time being uncomfortable will lead you to become comfortable with the uncomfortable and achieve meaningful results.
What have you put on the back burner lately?
7/1/20
The only person I try to impress is myself. Donât get me wrong, itâs very helpful to understand othersâ points of view in order to receive constructive feedback, but most of the time if you try to impress others, you are in trouble.
It can be hard and no matter how much we try to defeat this thinking, it always comes back. What I do to defeat this is to stay present and understand that I should âinvest in time, not moneyâ(Warren Buffett). If everyone was the same the world would be boring. I believe, no one is dumb and genius/brilliant doesnât exist. There will always be someone stronger, smarter (whatever your definition is), faster, etc. What it comes down to understanding that you are not living in their shoes so assuming the grass is greener on the other side doesnât work.
Iâm paraphrasing a quote I frequently think back on that helps me stop comparing because it highlights the importance of being grateful.
âIf you do end up trying to impress others and all of a sudden you find yourself in debt or lose it all, they will not care one bit because that means you focused all your precious attention on their opinions instead of supporting your family financially.â
How can you focus on your own growth rather than waiting for judgments around you to make you more unhappy?
7/23/20
Iâve excepted that pain needs to happen in order to grow and although we donât want to admit it, failure is usually necessary to see major and impactful results.
Especially in the seed stages as an entrepreneur understanding there is a 97% failure rate and results come in years, not in due dates, is hard to internalize. As students, the worst thing we want to see is a bad letter grade. We blame it on ourselves and are fixated on that useless letter.
After freshman year of college, Iâve understood that people want to hear your stories, values, and meaningful projects, not the number of achievements and high grades that can be replicated.
The most rewarding projects and classes Iâve taken have been the most painstaking challenging things on my plate. Theyâve been the ones I was so close to quitting and knew that simply dropping them would relieve so much time and effort. Yet, of course, regret is the number one regret, and accepting failure is key because you are learning the most.
What would you try if you had endless time?
People donât buy into words on paper, they value your expereinces and how they have shaped you.
8/1/20
The number one thing people want in life is just to feel good. Thatâs it.
People donât remember you for what you said or did, but how you made them feel.
This is not the same as being happy because it is rather a temporary satisfaction. The best place to find happiness is from social media or in your guilty pleasures, a dangerous trap.
I take this in like a daily vitamin that I hope can help you feel more fulfilled as well:
-I make sure that everyone around me is thankful for my presence(vice versa) and that their time isnât wasted with me
-I take advantage of the most important part of the day (5 am mornings) to focus on myself-this is never considered selfish
-I donât scroll through meaningfulness garbage. Social media is not social anymore, it is promotional content that makes you feel bad, the opposite of what we want but is so addicting people cannot control themselves
-I donât consume things unless I APPLY them in my life
How can you embark on something challenging and shift your mindset to finally feel good long term rather than gain temporary pleasure?
8/16/20
Nearly 70% of Americans have less than $1,000 in a savings account and it is more frightening to hear that this number is only getting higher during this pandemic.
The best way to access your financial wellbeing or a prediction of a company is to test how stable they are right now. If you can survive now and not give up anything, then you are prepared.
As much as we donât like it, expect the worst. Plan during the best moments so when the worst does come, you have nothing to worry about compared to most who are scrambling now.
Personal finance is vital in all of our lives yet is not taught enough or at all in school and I still havenât figured out why. It doesnât take time. Iâve learned these strategies on my own and through my family. Knowing how to invest, prioritize for the worst moments is the best way to financial wellbeing.
This is a perfect time to develop strategic personal finance habits that can lead us all to achieving our personalized financial goals. Get rid of those distractions because they will only lead you to an endless loophole of depression and comparison. Start prioritizing your financial health.
You donât have to be overwhelmed, just realistic and take a step back on what you really need in life.
8/25/20
As a maximizer and someone who budgets, it was fascinating to find how COVID had an impact this time around.
After 5 months of WFH finishing up my freshman year Iâve saved:
-400 hours + $3500 transportation w/ 5:30 am/8:30pm train+subway rides 3x weekly
Implement student rate+walk from GC to NYU to slash 1/3rd.
-97% lowered my anxiety, sweat, tears+fear of being late
More comfortable with public transportation now, the better equipped I will be out of college+understand Iâm doing it to save money instead of leasing $1500+NYC apt.
-$900 food
Going forward will pack my lunch+order occasional deliveries b/c I eat out 1â2x a month anyway.
-Generated $600 monthly passive income+opened ROTH
-Found a wonderful teammate, investors+execs, pitched, and started my life long dream that was buried in my journal waiting to be forgotten
-225 extra hours of sleep
Rest>excess work+reduce amount of exercise so I donât wake up 3 hours before Squawk box
-$2000 gym membership, yes I know. My health is everything.
Purchased at-home equip; no more monthly recurring charges
Although there are multiple benefits, there are always cons to everything. Weâve all found ourselves working longer, harder, and become easily burnout.
How can we find a happy medium regardless of any circumstance?
9/1/20
Itâs a Monday in the dog days of summer.
There is nothing more rewarding than keeping my pre-COVID routine on the weekends and throughout this time.
On my 6 am jog this morning, I asked myself:
Why do we have 24hr days?
This time frame was just set by someone and at times, has driven me crazy.
What I do is take the first 6 hours of my day and pretend it is all I have. With less time, you can get more done. Itâs a mindset.
We are told to get ahead of the competition, you have to do unordinary things. Hereâs something small I do and everyone can for free:
As the majority of us wake up at 7 am, the simplest thing you can do is wake up 2 hours earlier because you will gain 20 extra days in the year by doing so!
Sleep is vital and you can still get 9 hrs. Structuring your day in the mornings when you arenât bothered and the NYC streets are empty, is special.
How will you implement small changes? Now is the best time.
9/5/20
We are our biggest cheerleader but also our worst critic.
Striking a balance between the two is difficult especially when we are in our head too much. We spend the most time with ourselves and for some that can be therapeutic, for others a burden. Believe it or not, we think about ourselves the most.
In order to prevent this, donât âlook outside the boxâ because that doesnât help. Be a realist. Understand that you cannot control most things in life including how people perceive you, their thoughts, external factors, and the future.
But you can control how you react, your actions, and how you treat yourself. You only have one thing to control that dictates how you live your life: your mindset.
Next time you are not proud or mad at yourself, I wouldnât fixate on what happens next but HOW you can really improve so you donât feel that way again more than worrying if it will happen again. If you frame it that way, you will enjoy the process of learning rather than fixating on the outcome.
9/25/20
âTalk to someone about themselves and theyâll listen for hours.â
â Dale Carnegie
Too true and somewhat upsetting.
Whatâs fascinating is that it works with anyone, anywhere.
9/27/20
We have 2 ears and 1 mouth because the best conversations are for listening.
I believe to have a real conversation, itâs important to learn the power of silence.
Dealing with awkward silences can be unbearable but it can be an incredible advantage for both sides.
Why?
-You can let the speaker take a moment to open up more
-No pressure to provide an unthoughtful answer or random advice
-Free-flowing conversation = more relatable
-Time to think instead of speak
Embrace the silence donât shy away from it. Letting go can allow you to prepare for your most sincere, thoughtful response rather than filling it with less meaningful filler words just to make the conversation go by.
9/29/20
Envy is not always a bad thing. It can propel you to value important things, such as family time and support.
Everything in life requires moderation.
If you want to get in shape, eating only âcleanâ foods or the gym 24/7 wonât do the trick. Itâs eating until you are halfway full and portion control.
If you want to do well in an interview, cramming all the guides or self prep books you find wonât work either. It is enjoying the preparation over time.
The wrong envy: We never have enough. We always want more of the wrong things that distract us because it provides temporary pleasure.
Being envious can help you work harder if you have a positive mindset in moderation.
I choose to be envious of a life that Iâm working towards with more value and strive to find it with people, never with tangible or monetary incentives that will slowly deteriorate happiness overtime.
How can you find a healthy balance with envy?
Happiness = (personal definition) of success, not vice versa
10/1/20
Something I keep in mind daily:
You never fail due to a lack of effort because effort doesnât require skill.
I donât strive to be the smartest in the room instead be the person who is able to deal with tedious tasks, stay curious, confident, and inspire others to embody a growth, not fixed mindset.
Anyone can be taught hard skills but soft skills take practice and time.
âComputers are useless. They can only give you answers.â Albert Einstein.
Before we log on this semester, letâs all take a moment to think on our own; pen and paper in hand because I guarantee you will appreciate the process of learning and remember more this way.
Taking a breather from technology can help us more than we think.
We never want to accept this until it happens:
Things happen for you, not to you.
Whether itâs a loss or bad grade, afterwards we believe we will not survive, but of course, that barely ever happens.
We are stronger than we think and the way to prove that is how you are able to bounce back and take care of yourself after these hard situations.
To identify your grit level, take on a challenging task, not an easy one which will only give you temporary satisfaction and not help you progress.
10/3/20
Underappreciated skills/traits that arenât traditionally taught but I believe are vital:
-Emailing to the point
-Dealing with and embracing awkward silence
-Small talk
-Googling
-Listen more, speak less
-Accepting + knowing you are not always right
-Time management
-Self-control over distractions + emotions
-Asking questions in stressful moments
-Reaching out for help or simply check-in
-Wanting a challenge rather than a win
-Dealing and bouncing back from a failure or setback
10/5/20
We always hear we should venture out of our comfort zones and be unique.
But we have more similarities than differences between each other.
Forcing it upon ourselves to take on an entirely new activity or task can seem intimidating because most of us do the same tasks and routines that are necessary already.
Creating a whole new industry or market requires a lot of free time, funding, and freedom. It is okay to not create the next vaccine or become mini Musk.
But what differentiates you from boring is adding your own twist(uniqueness) to everyday things we all do.
My definition of unique is this.
You donât have to do something outrageously different to be unique. The fact that you are contributing your own ideas and experience is already enough.
If you can identify:
-Why you love what you are doing
-Have the best reason for continuing it
-Prove you enjoy it more than anyone
Your approach is already unique this way because no one can emulate the unique dedication and true happiness you have for it.
10/8/20
I believe EQ is far more important than IQ. Grades and test scores only show one piece of you and can certainly be manipulated.
At the end of the day, I strive and would rather be with someone who is comfortable to be around, easy to have a quick moral check in with, not afraid to ask questions, not socially awkward but not popular as well, has a curiosity to constantly learn, able to adapt with no complaints, and has a positive attitude with tedious and challenging work.
Knowing all the hard and technical skills could be beneficial but learning is a life long process that never stops, not a destination. Soft skills will help you be personable, something that cannot be learned overnight and are as or more vital.
You can always be taught hard skills and will be trained on the job. In the long run, generalists not specialists are those who are able to adapt, lead with integrity, love growing, and be relatable, something we all need to value more in life.
10/20/20
David Epstein, author of #1 NYT Best Seller RANGE: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, was my top pick this summer. He examined the worldâs most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters, and scientists. He discovered that in most fields, especially complex and unpredictable domains, generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel.
As a FinTech & Entrepreneurship student at a liberal arts school inside NYU, this has allowed me to feel confident that having an interdisciplinary holistic overview is best for me versus a so-called stern approach with just a business degree.
âGeneralists often find their path late and juggle many interests rather than focusing on one; theyâre more creative, agile, and able to make connections that more specialized peers canât see.â
Think broadly, embrace diverse experiences and perspectives as a recipe for excellence and to thrive.
10/23/20
Less is more.
Put more emphasis into things that matter to you. It doesnât have to be 10 activities, 1 is perfectly fine but make sure, you enjoy it and it adds value to your life not for temporary monetary gain to ride the hedonic treadmill.
If you can explain 1 thing you love with enthusiasm and impact, that is 10x more valuable than listing activities that you forgot you put on your resume.
Life is an incomplete game and the outcome is usually uncontrollable so at least enjoy the process.
11/2/20
We tend to focus on the negatives.
Letâs remember what we have provided ourselves as well:
-Patience
-Value of Time
-Identity
-Vision
-Self-Care
-Sympathy
-Stillness
We must take each day at a time and appreciate how we are getting through to stay grounded and perform better.
11/6/20
On this Labor Day, we need to remind ourselves that everyone deserves recognition and works hard in different ways.
What looks easy takes countless hours of hard work and judgment is never an option. Global studies reveal that 79% of people who quit their jobs cite âlack of appreciationâ as their reason for leaving.
How can we show gratitude? Everyone who is reading this deserves credit because you are taking time out of your long weekend to be proactive about your career here on LinkedIn.
Donât seek recognition from anyone because we all want it for ourselves.
Everyone is special and to truly show it, we need to put our differences aside and appreciate everyoneâs work even if you can do it better.
11/7/20
Mindset Shift:
Letâs make sure we build a life not a resume
11/9/20
Pressure is viewed as a negative force in our lives becuase we have to deal with something.
Be grateful that you have a challenge in front of you and you care about it. If you didnât you wouldnât consider it pressure.
It means youâve gotten somewhere where you needed to be. Donât overthink it.
BJK: Pressure Is Privilege.
11/12/20
Just becuase you carry it well, doesnât mean itâs not heavy.
Donât bother taking the easy route.
You donât have to prove anything to anyone, except to yourself.
We talk to each other more than with each other.
We prefer to spend time with people that are like us because nothing is better than supporters and reaffirming we are correct.
Diversity is key because if you donât bother to listen to opposites, it means that you are too weak in your opinions and afraid to be persuaded too easily.
Nothing in life needs to be a debate, we choose to make them.
Listen to different perspectives, itâs really okay.
It has made me stronger.
11/14/20
When things are free, we are the product.
Many tools that once tried to solve a problem are now here to manipulate us.
The more eye balls on the screen = more money for the giants.
Do you use LinkedIn as a real beneficial tool for yourself?
Itâs a privilege to have the chance to fail and make mistakes.
I took it for granted until I realized that it is truly the best way to grow and too much time is wasted taking the easy route.
We always hear about winning the position and our successes, but behind that is countless failures.
How you deal with failures define you not your successes.
We value temporary wins over more meaningful rewards long term.
It only hurts you.
Letâs change that.
We have 2 choices with anyone, anything.
To be frustrated and angry or patient and positive.
11/18/20
2020 is the year of the rat.
Not the most ideal animal that first comes to mind to symbolize new beginnings, unless you embody that mindset shift.
Rats represent stability and longevity.
Today, businesses are learning to prepare for the worst in order to be stable during these volatile periods and as a society, we are being reminded of longevity.
We have more similarities than differences and to refuse to listen to someone with opposing views only means you are weak in your opinions.
Listen more, speak less and add value rather than judgments.
Letâs stop getting wrapped up in our own heads and learn from the rat.
Your frame of mind is all that you have to keep you going.
Never lose sight of it.
11/20/20
On the eve of Mental Health Day, I donât know if this is the best place to be on but is vital to address as this platform is advancing to become another social media site.
Especially during recruiting season, Iâve limited my time here becuase regardless of what we do, we will never feel enough and believe we have to boast about our positions to feel accomplished.
It is hard not to be envious and rather feel like an imposter. To mitigate this, since joining, I made it an obligation to only write value-driven posts and discuss projects Iâm working on to benefit you, not my ego. No updates on my positions or achievements because frankly, you probably donât care and it only makes you feel worse.
Putting myself in othersâ shoes before any action I take online and having empathy whenever I post makes me feel best when you are content with yourself. From my posts, I want you to gain advice, insight, and understand that what you are doing now and where you are is enough and always on the right track.
Our mental health is always a top priority and the one thing that controls everything we decide in life.
11/21/20
What is average and why does it get a bad rep?
I define it as being a strong EQ open-minded generalist, not a close-minded specialist unable to adapt to tasks and new methods in an intuitive and adaptable manner.
Average is not boring because no one is.
There is nothing wrong with being average and most of us in fact are. If we werenât, we wouldnât be as relatable and personable, the main thing that drives human connection, productivity, teamwork, and efficiency.
I consider myself a work in progress and never establish my goals based on fame, monetary gain or a title. Set your expectations high but realistically average that will drive more fulfillment.
Too much of a good thing is bad. Being relatable and showing you are a human is all we need to work better.
11/22/20
Silence is thought to be a weakness, not knowing what to say and embarrassment. As a blogger and entrepreneur, I get thousands of comments full of hate, emotions, and arguments daily. I could spend all day contemplating them or live and grow life.
When starting out it was almost impossible for me to let go of refreshing the updates.
Now I have no impulse to and feel refreshed + proud when letting them sit there.
How?
-You have nothing to prove to anyone
-Iâm only on 1 social platform=less noise/distraction
-No one is right all the time
-Accept that there will always be judgments
-You canât please everyone
-Our arguments are usually trivial based on emotion
Silence is your best friend.
No matter how you respond, people never want to let you win.
The only person who will get more out of life, time, achievement, and enjoyment is you this way. Donât bother wasting your energy on someone who is having a bad day and killing their own time.
As Tim Denning put it best, âwin the comments battle with silence.â
We have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason.
11/23/20
Itâs never the right time to do anything.
We can plan as much as we want but that only leads to a higher chance of disappointment.
The hardest part is always starting.
Excuses are our best friend, regrets are the enemy.
We always figure it out as we go.
âA real decision is measured by the act behind the decision, not planning or pondering about it.â -Tony Robbins
11/24/20
Definitely one of the best pieces of advice Iâve ever gotten and would recommend reframing the way you view yourself:
âYou can determine how confident people are by listening to what they donât say about themselves.â -Brian G. Jett
Genuinely confident people show their trust in themselves through their behavior. They donât feel the need to impress, and donât need to be loud. I thought this was impossible as an introvert until I discovered how powerful it is to let go of the urge to refute, comment or not be myself.
Try to impress yourself and you have nothing to prove to others. You will achieve more and enjoy the process. Strive to have a higher self-worth and become most comfortable with yourself since we have to live and deal with ourselves the most, forever.
11/25/20
The most miserable periods in my life have been the result of not quitting. Itâs hard to strike this balance between knowing if something is worth dealing with because the best rewards come long term sacrificing short-term time, money, and friendships that most refuse not to give up in order to stay comfortable and not grow.
In most cases, if you follow your intuition, you can gauge when something tedious, mundane and confusing is worth it to pursue. From jobs to school, if you dislike it and cannot quit, make sure you evaluate the long term benefits because it all lies in your frame of mind. Tasks like these are not always fun but are the greatest investments.
But quitting is not for losers, itâs for a strategizer.
Evaluate what is worth your time and understand that even though benefits donât come immediately and nothing can be completely to your liking, patience and realization are required everywhere because itâs your happiness whatâs at stake.
Trial and error is the best way to learn. Donât undermine it. Life will always move on and adopting this will mindset will help you know earlier than later what you enjoy.
11/26/20
Why do young people create so much innovation?
We have so much time to waste and can explore the most.
I used to dread the weekends and always felt the need to occupy my time. I could never stay still and simply be bored with my thoughts. As a result, my mind would be racing and no productivity came.
Boredom is the best thing you can do for yourself. It means you are different. You arenât seduced by the traps everyone else has no self-control over. Quitting social media (except here for professional purposes) 6 years ago was the best mental decision I have made.
My happiness skyrocketed, I appreciated what I had, got my time back, and uncovered my interests. We are trained not to be bored and always look busy but be miserable inside.
Since I started to layout âthinking periodsâ in my calendar, I got more done, started a biz, blog, boosted my self-worth, self-esteem, and fostered better relationships.
There is no way to get things done if you donât have time to think and unleash your curiosity. I advise you to cherish taking breaks because it is never being lazy but the best way to mentally grow and get more done long term. Without time to waste, no innovation or change can happen.
Amos Tversky said it best, âYou can waste years by not be willing to waste hoursâ
11/27/20
Yesterday I completed 100 days of rejection therapy. Although it was difficult to talk to strangers and perform bizarre tasks, there is no better way I could have gotten over my fear of imposter syndrome and sensitivity to rejection. I started working when I was 13 and the youngest on the trading floor in HS surrounded by adults and corporate life, so I was used to this culture but it was still hard to let go of this anxiety, especially as a female in a field with a wide gender gap.
We all feel this way, most of us are good at hiding it, especially online. Almost halfway through college, I knew I didnât want to have this feeling of social anxiety and fear. Rejection is hard. It hurts our self-esteem and our brain is activated in the same way when we experience physical pain.
I went from asking the waiter at a restaurant for something that wasnât on the menu to offering to walk someoneâs dog.
You donât have to do this every day for 3 months, but the earlier you start realizing that the only person people pay attention to is themselves, your life will be easier, more discoveries will come and you will want to make more mistakes.
We all focus on ourselves, and not until we go through these activities or get older, we realize that rejection is necessary to become resilient.
11/27/20
Self-help doesnât mean bragging about all the books, resources, retreats youâve tried to impress someone with. If you really value something, you donât feel the inclination to tell everyone. Youâll be better off reading 1 book and remembering what you read than 10 that wasted your time and gave you temporary inspiration.
Use advice as a building block. Donât take it and leave it, thatâs not how learning works. Apply, test it out and then you can say you read the book. Rushing through anything will only push you back. Patience is key in learning.
Hard technical skills and soft emotional skills are weighed differently but at the end of the day, you can teach anyone SQL and Linux but it takes time, dedication, and internal motivation to be personable, relatable, comfortable around, and not feel the need to act like a genius.
The biggest mistake someone can make is trying too hard to act like someone else. Be selfish and work on yourself to be a better person for others. Make sure you are a person you want to work with becuase you spend 1/3 of your life working so you might as well get along with others to produce better results.
âWork at your job and make a living. Work on yourself and make a fortuneââââJim Rohn.
11/27/20
The most essential skills are not taught by a lecturer, they are learned through trial and error, patience, and exploration.
Over the years, Iâve trained myself to become mindful and practice these daily. They are extremely valuable in any environment and donât take much effort, are free, and applicable to any field.
These include:
-Small talk
-Having fun knowing you donât know everything
-Making friends easily & keeping them
-Practice real networking, not handing out your biz card/resume and reaching out a year later for a position
-Being curious about others, not comparing
-EQ > IQ
-Being an open-minded generalist not a close-minded specialist
-Making mistakes-not accepted at school, so have to do it on your own
-Remember: No one knows what they are doing
-The only thing that is certain is uncertainty
-Small acts lead to big changes, not the reverse
-Time is your most precious asset and cannot buy it
-Taking a break is not being lazy
-Be a producer, not a consumer
-What works for someone else, doesnât have to for you
-Learning/education over anything
-Embarrassing yourself
-Wasting time to create
-Googling
-Financial literacy #1
Prioritize these. No time to waste!
11/27/20
As much as WFH can be seen as a luxury, it is easily a stressor.
These are some of the reasons:
-Workday never stops
-Barely any interaction
-Zoom fatigue
-Distractions
-Longer hours = more work
Of course, there are also pros:
-Big-time savings
-Family time
-More sleep
-Eating healthier meals, more exercise
-No commuting
-More productivity
-Less spontaneous meetings
60% of people feel more stressed working from home.
55% of employees feel punished for taking a mental health day.
Companies such as Deutsche is proposing a 5% salary tax on employees who choose to stay at home.
Burnout is real. I face this daily as a student.
Although Iâm getting 10x more done, is it really worth it?
I always dreaded commuting 3 hours a day to school but now since Iâve experienced both sides, I donât mind it anymore and miss interacting with city life, dealing with hiccups, getting lost, knowing I need to be on time somewhere, etc.
My solutions:
-Dedicate 5am for workout
-Knowing this will end sometime next year
-Vitamin D is a must every day for mindset-even on rainy days
-Itâs okay to say no
-Taking a break is not being lazy
-Longer or harder doesnât mean more efficient
-Standing Desk
Unknown
âKaroshiâ in Japanese translates to âdeath by overworkâ.
Japan has one of the longest working hours in the world and 63% of employees feel guilty for taking paid leave.
This cultural challenge has major repercussions for their productivity as a country.
Believe it or not, Japan has the lowest productivity among the G-7 nations according to the OECD.
Taking a break does not mean you are lazy.
It is necessary for growth.
Long work hours does not mean high productivity.
Burnout is real.
Work smarter not harder.
Unknown
A true sign of mental strength and perseverance in this day in age is if you can leave an abandoned post and not worry about it.
Yes, this happens to me constantly with most of my posts. I get a few reactions and comments, nothing crazy but at least 300 DMs each time. I work hard to compose them but that time is NOT wasted becuase Iâm learning through finding these great lessons from books and articles I read daily.
We always start somewhere. Zero fans, zero experience, zero money, zero networks, just zero. Zero kills dreams but is the only way to move forward. This is not a post to find fame. This is an encouragement to kill those fears of rejection and opinion. Tomorrow no one will remember what you wrote.
Trust me, no one pays attention to you as much as you do.
Post becuase you want to learn how to write more succinctly, teach yourself, and spread value. Even to one person is enough or no one!
Donât be scared like everyone else.
Unknown
Most problems involve people. The biggest asset you can have is knowing how to work with people and control your emotions. You cannot change others but you can change perception.
As a student, I constantly hear writers to family members say, âgrades donât matter when you get to my age.â Itâs hard to believe that at this period in life since that is our only job; to excel and do well. Of course, we will feel bad about ourselves if we donât have a sense of accomplishment. The truth is, the earlier you realize that there is more to life than tests and grades, it will be more enjoyable and you will get more done.
What Iâve really learned from school are not the fun facts about Mesopotamia or Hamlet but how to deal with people, speak confidently and comfortably, learn to embarrass myself, and do the free easiest thing that will get you farther than expected: simply being optimistic.
Learning to work with people is the answer to any business problem and optimistic people are sadly rare. These are free to obtain and will have the biggest ROI in your career. Of course, they take more willpower and grit to reach out to strangers and put a smile on your face when you donât feel like it than studying for tests, but they will reward you 10x more in the long run.
Today
One of the best things I have done in college to propel my career, mental health, strengthen my character traits, become more comfortable, casual, and confident is to assign networking as a class.
Networking doesnât mean meeting someone at an event, handing them your resume or business card, and not speaking until a few years later when you need a job.
It is a connection, providing as much to your mentor as to your mentee. Treat people as you would like to be treated and prioritize relationships. Connections are vital and will help you get ahead if you act like a person and treat people right.
More Today
The number one predictor of how you will cherish and guide the decisions you will make in life is through your appreciation for what you already have.
Maybe itâs because I was born on Thanksgiving or that I lost a parent at 16 that I have the impulse to stop and reflect daily on how grateful I am. As a society, we try to constantly âKeep up with the Jonesâ and believe the grass is greener on the other side but that brings you nothing. There will always be someone with something you want. The earlier you can accept that you have what you already need and cannot waste your life any longer comparing yourself to others, every part of your life and worries will be put into a more realistic context and you will enjoy everything more.
Success is about feeling fulfilled in multiple areas of your life from family to the value you bring to people, working on projects that are important for you. Money only keeps us stable and secure but cannot buy an appreciation for what you already have. Donât get caught up in this endless loop.
I strive to make Thanksgiving every day because if you are in good health, supported, and have an endless dedication to learn and serve, there is nothing more you need to make yourself fulfilled long term.
I turned 2 decades old last week and wanted to compose a list of insights that Iâve learned over the years. Regardless of your experience or age, anyone, anywhere can learn something from someone. That is the beauty of learning.
-Your dreams shouldnât be someoneâs elseâs that worked for themb/c it worked for them
-Drinking water-free energy booster and satiety enhancer
-Sleep>Diet, Exercise. Without sleep, nothing works
-Working hard or hardly working
-Burnout is real. Taking a break is not being lazy
-What is certinain is uncertianty
-Impress yourself
-EQ>IQ
-Your mentality controls everything
-Cannot control people, but can control what they think of you
-For the last 5 years Intermittent fasting: 16/8 diet has provided me better quality sleep, less hunger cravings, more enegery used from stored fat and less mood swings
-You are as strong as you believe and brave as you allow
-You already have everything you want. What is standing behind it is a call to action
-Fail early
-Tell people your mistakes
-Maintain relationships more important than starting them-In order to succeed in this world, you must look past credentials, status, fame and otherâs people opinons
-2 ears 1 mouth for a reason
-No one wants to hear your accomplishments, they want relatability and to be personable
-Tell the truth and embarrass yourself than lie and worry until its never over
-There is no chase for time. Life isnât linear, you have plenty
-Donât expect school to teach you much
-Financial literacy =most important thing to achieve your goals and live-regardless if you study it or not
-Index funds: contribute $300 a year for 20 years well on your way to 1m at 40 adj for inflation
-Social media isnât social
-Be a producer not a consumer
-You really donât know what something is like unless you try it
-THere is no such thing as a perfect job, firm, partner, profession
-Time =asset, only thing you cannot buy
-Moderation with exercise, eating, sleeping, working anything in life
-Posture-invest in a good chair
-Downplay>Upscale
-Nervousness = excitement
-Make yourself feel like an idiot a yr ago
-More questions=more answers
-Challenges are a privileged
-Learning is a goal not a destination
âStrive to make yourself 6 months ago look like an idiotâ + fail early and hard.