I took a break from writing partly because I wanted to reflect on the kind of things I usually write about. If you go through my articles, you’ll notice that most of them are about life experiences, what we can learn from them, and how we can make the best of them, even within constraints. When I thought about it, I wondered whether I should instead be writing something more technical, perhaps related to my field of work or other areas of interest. And rightly so, if I could.
That consideration was one of the reasons I paused writing here for a while. But now, I’ve decided to return.
I’ve come back to my original idea of writing: to write even if it helps just one person.
I had anticipated that writing something more technical would enhance my career and perhaps present me as an authority on whichever subject I chose. And again, rightly so… but to what end? I can’t do everything exclusively for the sake of “enhancing my career”—whatever that may mean. I should also be able to do some things simply because I enjoy them, regardless of the benefits—or lack thereof—that come with them.
One of the things that helped me reach this conclusion was reflecting on what has actually mattered most to me. What helped me most were not technical papers or detailed industry insights, but the very kind of writings I produce myself—reflections on life, ideas, and perspectives. And that’s also how I’ve managed to help people the most. That matters to me. I want what I write to be useful to at least one person.
Over the past ten years, I’ve referenced Dale Carnegie’s book far more than I’ve referenced Michael Webber’s (and yes, you probably don’t know who that is). I’ve cited the article Don’t Be a Donkey more often than Architecting Data-Intensive SaaS Applications. Why is that? Because the former category has been far more helpful to me—and I believe it can be for others as well.
This is not to say I won’t write the kinds of pieces that could be considered “career accelerators.” Rather, one form of writing will not stop me from pursuing the other. I’ll write whatever ensures the best experience for me. Just like this one.
That phrase implies that your career path is not a linear progression from one job to the next. Instead, it is more like a jungle gym, with many different paths that you can take. You may move up, down, sideways, or even backwards at different points in your career. This is because the world of work is constantly changing, and the skills and experience that you need to succeed may change as well.
The idea of the career jungle gym was first popularized by Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook. She argues that the traditional model of a linear career path is no longer sustainable in today’s economy. Instead, she encourages people to be flexible and adaptable, and to be willing to take risks in order to grow their careers.
There are many benefits to thinking about your career as a jungle gym. First, it allows you to explore different interests and opportunities. If you find that you are not happy in your current job, you can move to a different position or even a different industry. Second, it allows you to build your skills and experience. By taking on new challenges, you can develop new skills that will make you more marketable to employers. Third, it allows you to find your passion. By trying different things, you can discover what you are really good at and what you really enjoy doing.
If you are thinking about your career, I encourage you to think about it as a jungle gym, not a ladder. Be flexible, be adaptable, and be willing to take risks. By doing so, you can create a career that is both fulfilling and successful.
Here are some tips for building a successful career jungle gym:
Be curious and open to new experiences. Don’t be afraid to try new things, even if they seem outside of your comfort zone.
Build your skills and experience. The more skills and experience you have, the more valuable you will be to employers.
Network with people in your field. Networking can help you learn about new opportunities and make connections that can help you advance your career.
Be patient and persistent. It takes time and effort to build a successful career. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately.
There are three things to optimize for in any job that would bring you the most satisfaction.
One observation I have is that not a lot of people have genuinely given thought to the question, “What do you truly desire from a job?” And no, it’s not just the monetary compensation. You typically require more than that to have satisfaction in your job. So what are the three things that I’ve identified as essential?
Recognition,
Respect, and
Responsibility. I call them the three Rs.
You want a job that recognizes you for your hard work. You want the respect of your colleagues and managers, which is earned through various means. And lastly, you want a job that expands your responsibilities all the time to ensure your growth and that you are appropriately challenged.
Often, when all of these are present, you experience the most fulfillment in your job, even if you aren’t all that satisfied with your pay. And because all of that is there, you often have the option of negotiating your pay. But that’s beside the point.
My challenge to you this week and for the next 6 months is to figure out how you can find the 3 Rs in your current job and hence have a better sense of fulfilment.
The world is more polarised and people are more conflated about their identities. This has been followed by an endless series of finger-pointing, scaled division in society and in some way the rise in the confidence disease as Shakespeare put it “the fool doth think he knows what he does not know.” I was reflecting on this when I remembered the wisdom of Marcus Aurelius, the last good emperor of the Roman Empire.
In a scene in Gladiator, and in what would be the last scene for the good emperor Aurelius, Commodus was seen lamenting how he doesn’t possess the fundamental virtues his father has told him were important for anyone who will fill his shoes. The virtues were wisdom, justice, fortitude and temperance.
“As I read the list, I knew I had none of them. But I have other virtues, Father. Ambition. That can be a virtue when it drives us to excel. Resourcefulness, courage, perhaps not on the battlefield, but… there are many forms of courage. Devotion, to my family and to you. But none of my virtues was on your list…” – Commodus
What shall we make of the son who grew up with a father who was in no doubt clear about what was required? But still, he failed to build and develop in the right way. But I digress with that. This isn’t about Commodus and his failures as much as it is about what kind of virtues are required to lead the zen (for lack of a better word) life in today’s conflated world.
Initially, I believed that the four values of Marcus Aurelius would suffice, but I was mistaken. In our modern world, we require different virtues, just as the old and new Testaments of the Bible have different virtues. Upon examining my life, I considered the factors that have kept me away from trouble, helped me form strong and long-lasting relationships, set a good example, and provided me with peace. As a result, I have compiled a list of seven virtues that I find essential.
Fundamental virtues that guide me
Responsibility, Self-awareness, Temperance, Wisdom, Fortitude, Love and Curiosity
Responsibility
“There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you.”J K Rowling said in a 2008 Harvard speech. Many years ago this was the first lesson that set me on the right trajectory in my life. I read in a book the meaning of the statement above and decided from then that I would take responsibility for everything in my life, good or bad. I was the architect and there is no one to blame or hold responsible. I remember defining it then from a perspective of money and I told myself “The only set of people I believed I could expect money from were my mother and father. Anything outside of that is not to be expected.” Invariably it meant I must learn to live within what they gave me and never have to look at an uncle, aunt friend etc with a bad eye for not extending cash to me. I was right. But beyond that narrow definition, I took virtue seriously ever since and it has helped me to lead a happy and fulfilling life.
Self-awareness
“With self-awareness, you triumph over trivialities.” For a world conflated about its identity and constantly burdened by trivialities and innuendos rising from a ‘lack of backbone’, those with great self-awareness arm themselves with a shield that’s not easily broken. We need to spend more time with ourselves. How much of yourself do you know? When you are angry, why are you angry? When you comment silly things on SM, why do you do it? When you argue endlessly, why do you do it? When you love what some hate and hate what some love, why is that? When you are riled up because some strangers assume an identity for you, why is that? Do you know thyself? “You must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.” Richard Feynman
Temperance
“Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation” – Ben Franklin. Increasingly, the virtue of moderation or call it self-restraint is becoming an important one in our world more than ever before. We are a world that doesn’t know when to pause or even hit the stop button. We do and overdo. We need to be temperate to control our emotions and live a more balanced life. I used to pray a prayer that I have taken as one of the most important prayers: “Give us the grace to let go of details that won’t matter in a decade and the wherewithal to make the most of the moments whose memories will endure beyond decades.” Think about this.
Wisdom
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding” – Proverbs 4:7. For the most knowledgeable, the world is complex enough and extremely difficult to navigate (see the words of King Solomon in Ecclesiastes). What about you? Yes, you, with no apparent wisdom to make sense of the world around you. Can you see that the news that you read is driven by some incentives? Can you see that the division around you is to some people’s advantage? Can you see that the seeming peace was traded for freedom? Wisdom amidst all of these helps you to be rightly placed and to avoid trivialities.
Fortitude
“No good story is without failure. May we have the fortitude to stand failure.” I genuinely feel like the quote and the image is enough to drive home the importance of this message. So I will link one of my conversations on Twitter here if you want more.
Love
“…On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Which two commandments? “Love God and love your neighbour as yourself.” The world has always needed love and it still does. It’s one of those things that is universally agreed. Of course, the degree of love that each ‘divides’ of the society subscribes to differs. But I am not aware of those with a zero-love philosophy. And I agree that you may not love equally universally. But have you experimented with your home… If you loved your wife unconditionally and gave yourself to her, what kind of home would you have today? If you loved your husband with all their faults, what kind of home would you have? If you operated with this principle, how would your comments on SM read differently?
Curiosity
We live in a constantly evolving world and the rate of change in our generation is so much that if we are not careful, we get lost and forget change is happening or worse we get overwhelmed by the change. Curiosity is how you grow, learn and evolve.
This is not a blueprint for a perfect life. Rather they are virtues that I have cultivated over the years that have helped me love my life. And I thought by sharing it you also could pick a thing or two and eventually lead you to love your life. In 2020, I read the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. In the course of his life, he identifies 13 virtues that he wanted to live by. I was driven to also live by these virtues after reading them. But Ben Franklin is brilliant. He said, “A perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance.” I share this to highlight how good your life can become when you choose to live by a set of virtues. Your life could be so good that you will become hated for being faultless.
In a recent podcast, the CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, spoke about his work philosophy, which, in my opinion, aligns more with reality than the average idea that’s thrown around.
He said, “A lot of people say, find something you love. I don’t know about that. I guess I’ve fallen in love with many things that I do. I loved it when I was a dishwasher. I loved it when I was a busboy. I loved it when I was delivering papers. I loved it when I was waiting tables.”
I wrote on another platform about a similar idea some days back, noting that “the quest to separate work from life is a product of a mismatch between the work we are doing and the work we think we should be doing.” Jensen’s idea implies that we should “stop” looking for the work we think we should be doing and love what we are doing now, for therein lies self-emancipation.
I completed the article with this summation: “The most important thing then is a recognition that 1. We are meant to work, and there’s no escaping it. 2. Satisfaction can be found in any work. It’s a matter of perception in most cases. 3. Looking for an opportunity to bring your total self to work is key to attaining satisfaction. 4. Solving problems that give you a sense of pride and fulfillment is all that you need.”
Most people do their work with great dissatisfaction because they think that is not what they should be doing. But what could happen if, for a moment, they give up the idea of “what I should be doing” and embrace the idea of “my working is adding value to XYZ so I will do it well”?
Reminds me of this fine quote by Martin Luther King Jr.:
“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.'”
These are my reflections on the transformative year of 2020
The world shifted in an indescribable way in 2020, and its significance will continue to unravel for decades to come. It’s impossible for any individual to fully comprehend the profound changes that occurred. Nevertheless, I’ll do my best to articulate some of the things that I’ve observed. Please join me on this journey, as it’s complex, and I hope I won’t stumble too much.
My perspective is that 2020 was a year of profound change, but it’s important to recognize that many of the trends and issues we saw were in motion long before then. In fact, some of the things that came to the forefront in 2020 were the result of underlying trends that had been building for decades.
One trend that had been developing since the 1980s was a decline in the rate of borrowing. By 2008, this decline had reached a historic low of nearly 0%. Despite this, the world continued to experience unprecedented growth in almost every area. People became accustomed to seeing growth in all aspects of life, which led to a perception that taking risks was not only safe, but necessary.
In 2020, the world was hit by Covid19, and as a result, governments started printing more money, leading to too much money in circulation. This caused inflation, and interest rates began to increase. Money custodians were left in a difficult position, and as a result, Bank 1 collapsed, followed by Bank 2, and Bank 3 was closed before it could collapse. These events have led to a period of higher uncertainties in the market, and no one knows for certain what will happen to interest rates, which is a terrifying prospect.
In addition to the financial uncertainty, Covid-19 also brought about an “employee market” where companies were aggressively hiring and competing for talent with higher pay. However, this was short-lived as the economic reality of higher borrowing costs and dwindling revenue set in. This led to thousands of layoffs, which continue to this day. Interestingly, even tech companies, which were previously seen as immune to such layoffs, are now partaking in them. It appears that these tech giants have become like any other mature company that needs to optimise its costs to sustain and continue to grow. In fact, some of them have even hired consulting firms like McKinsey to help them in this endeavour.
It’s interesting to note that tech analysts in 2020 were discussing how unexciting the tech industry has been in the last decade. There hasn’t been much groundbreaking innovation like the iPhone or Facebook. Even attempts to hype up Blockchain technology fell short due to its lack of utility beyond payment. However, there have been some recent developments that have caught the world’s attention, such as Mid-Journey, Dall-E, and the various iterations of ChatGPT. Suddenly, people are once again intrigued by what innovation may bring. This has put companies like Microsoft and Google on high alert, recognizing that it is no longer “business as usual.”
PhD students are starting to worry about the value of their research in light of ChatGPT and other LLMs. And I can understand why they’re concerned. It’s amazing how we now have access to all the knowledge in the world in a truly transformational way. Some even argue that AI alone is enough, and we don’t even need AGI. The possibilities are endless and within reach. It’s mind-blowing. And what’s even more incredible is that someone like David, who doesn’t even know Javascript, can build a functional website that can do everything he wants it to.
This is one of the most exciting things to happen in recent years! It’s incredible to think that we are now able to see more of the universe and gain a deeper understanding of it. The James Webb telescope has been in development for so long, and it’s amazing to finally see it come to fruition. With its advanced capabilities, we’ll be able to observe the universe in a way that we never have before. It’s truly mind-blowing to think about what we might discover and what new questions we’ll be able to ask about the cosmos.
Certainly, it is overwhelming to comprehend the magnitude of changes happening in our world. It’s like we are living in a new reality altogether, with new rules and new possibilities. The shifting world order, the rise of China, and the struggles of many African nations have added to the complexity of this new world.
As we try to make sense of it all, it’s important to ask ourselves where we fit in. What role do we want to play in this new reality? How can we adapt to the changing times and make a positive impact? These are the questions that we should be asking ourselves. It’s easy to feel small and insignificant in the face of such immense changes, but we must remember that every individual has the power to make a difference in their own way.
So, let’s take a moment to reflect on our values, our strengths, and our aspirations. Let’s think about how we can use them to contribute to the world around us. We may not have all the answers, but by asking the right questions, we can start to carve out our place in this new trajectory of the world.
Here’s a piece of advice to guide you amidst the cruellest type of uncertainties.
“When you are confronted with choices amidst uncertainties, say yes to as many options as you can. Since you are uncertain, what you should be optimizing for is regret minimisation, not efficiency optimization. And minimising regrets comes with knowing that you did attempt all that you could.
There should never be if I’d done that, I might have this option now. You would take comfort in the fact that you said yes to all options possible.”
It does not apply to all uncertain situations but watch out for situations when it is applicable and it will be your saving grace.
One prevalent example of this in my world is venture investing. A highly uncertain environment where 1% of what you said yes to tends to determine your outcome.
Another application is about your work. Many times, we aren’t even sure of what we want from work. And while the temptations might be there to optimise for certain types of experiences, a more sustainable strategy is to take as much and diverse experiences as possible. Broaden then narrow.
I want to share with you some helpful advice to help you lead a great life. They are simple and effective. They ensure you have a great relationship and become the best version of yourself.
Be a Learning Machine
Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger are two great delights to watch and learn from. They have not only built successful companies that few can only dream to dare. They have also both taught us and me in particular some of the most enduring life lessons.
Here’s one that Charlie Munger teaches:
“I constantly see people rise in life who are not the smartest, but they are LEARNING MACHINES.
They go to bed every night a little wiser than when they woke up.”
Be a learning machine.
That’s the prerequisite. You don’t have to be the best or first. Just go to bed smarter than you woke up.
How to respond to someone who have acknowledge their fault
When people have recognised their faults, the best thing for you to do at that point is to make them feel not alone. Make them realise it is not an uncommon fault and if you have made a similar fault before, it presents you with a unique opportunity to share it and how you are dealing with it or dealt with it.
You are making them see that they are not alone, not because it’s a nice thing to say. No. Rather, it’s because it is a complete truth. We are all humans with many faults. And no fault is unique to any one person.
What you must not do is gloat. What you must not do is make them feel worse than they have already admitted. What you must not do is shame them.
One success nullifies 99 failures
When you have faced rejection for far too many times, the next thing is that you begin to doubt yourself and your capabilities.
Unfortunately, there’s no antidote to this feeling than for you to persist because all you need is ONE success and the shadows of doubt that surrounds you will disappear.
Let me do a quick reflection that’s just for me as it can be for anyone who may read this later.
Since joining my new company, if there’s one lesson I have learned that determines a lot of your success, it’s the importance of seeking help and feedback early.
We work in a fast-paced environment where keeping up is itself a lot of work. Aside from the environment being fast-paced, the complexity of nearly all your tasks also means you are most likely not going to have all the answers in the palm of your hand. If you observe enough, that’s what you will see. And I think that point is obvious enough that it sometimes doesn’t need to be spelt out.
So no contention.
Where the bulk of work is though is knowing the balance. Knowing when to seek help, when it is too early to seek help when it is too late to seek help and balancing them all.
Seek help and when to seek help dynamics
You need an understanding of what is expected of you. If you don’t know what it is you need to find out immediately. Often not by asking but by reflection. I said that because I believe the job wasn’t handed to you over a platter of gold. You interviewed for it and it was made clear. What reflection also adds are other subtle expectations or boundaries of expectations.
Knowing this is critical because if you are not clear on it and you ask for help for what should be an obvious thing (consistently), it may impact people’s perception of you negatively. And in a world where perception is the bulk of what takes you far, that’s something you want to protect.
3 things I’ve introduced now. Seek help, the time to seek help, and the perception you have to protect.
Again, you can’t do all the work alone. So to seek help can be eliminated from what needs serious consideration. That is a given, you will have to seek help.
When to seek help is what most people struggle with the most.
Seek help too early, and you appear clueless. Some people might even see you as not taking initiative. Seek help too late and you might run the risk of slowing the whole project down and that’s not good for you my friend.
So what’s the in-between? Before I answer that let me tell you that seeking help also builds a collaborative environment. Humans like the saviour status. We like to be there for others and to have contributed to the success of others. Fostering a collaborative environment also means people want to work with you. And since they will need help now or later, they will also feel confident to come to you for such help.
Now to my question when to seek help?
In my experience, the best time to seek help is when you have given thought to the challenge/task yourself enough to come up with what can be termed a v1. That is version one of the potential final state.
Sharing a v1 would have allowed you just enough time to do some research and enough time to show that you have put in some effort.
Most importantly though, it also makes helping you easier.
It is easier to say, “oh, you are thinking about it this way, but this is how to think about it” than to go expecting the helper to do all the work for you. Remember it is your burden in the first place.
Sharing a v1 also means you are iterating fast. Like in an agile environment, you get feedback fast enough to change course when needed or maintain course when you are in the right direction. And this also boosts your confidence.
Do it this way, and your reputation will also be preserved. No one will see you as being clueless and no one will say you have delayed a deliverable. And until the end of the project, as you implement the feedback, go back with a v2 to confirm again. Repeat until the end of your task. It helps.
Hey, I know these can’t be applied to all tasks. But I trust that you will understand the spirit of the word.
Leadership has always been dear to my heart. Can’t remember how that grew but I know it has always been there.
The first attempt I made at bringing people together far back in the University was when I created a group on Leadership. It was after I have taken a course on edX on Inclusive Leadership (also the first course I ever took after discovering the beauty of MOOCs).
When I join any organisation, the first thing I am looking to understand is also Leadership. How do they lead? What kind of examples do they set? What sort of behaviour do they incentivise? and so on.
It matters greatly because humans thrive and fall based on the quality of the Leadership that guides them. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to witness some of the finest Leadership. And often, I wonder if I will ever match them, yes they are the finest. I also never shy away from asking them about their mindset to understand why they can lead finely.
I got a few of those this week that I love and it resonates.
1. Be yourself ( granted that you are fundamentally not broken) 2. Trust your team and 3. Know your people beyond work.
I find those 3 awesome because when I look back, it summarises a bunch of what I have observed in a lot of those I admire.
The most subjective is #1, it’s why I added the clause as well. But it also drives home an important point that if you are not a good person yourself, it will be hard to be a great leader. It also means different people will do leadership differently and that’s okay. As long as it helps achieve the goal and sets people up for success.
Important to add here that being a great leader doesn’t mean everyone has to like you. No! And your goal should never be to be liked. That’s a journey you don’t want to embark on. Rather, your focus should be on bringing the best out of your people, giving them a sense of purpose (building something bigger than them), and delivering on your core responsibilities. Otherwise, everyone will go home if they can’t deliver.
