The first was of a one-time neighbor who was killed by a speeding car. He was 29.
The other is of a schoolmate who helped me a lot as I was graduating high school and hoping to go to university in Singapore. He was one year ahead and was in school where I wanted to go. Sadly, he was diagnosed with a challenging mental illness and withdrew from society over the years.
We didn’t have the closest relationship at the time – but, it was warm and cordial. I remain grateful to him for all his help. It made a meaningful difference in my life. I hope he’s found peace.
I think of these events as a gift of perspective from the universe.
There’s nothing quite like a reminder of our mortality to shift our perspective.
Shreyas Doshi, a product advisor, shared this post on good strategy recently.
Incorrect: Good strategy is about how we will be 10X better.
More correct: Good strategy is about where we will choose to be 10X better (differentiate), where we will be 1X (meet table stakes), where we will be 0.1X (below table stakes), and the rationale for these trade-offs.
In virtual discussions with groups larger than 8-10 people, it is almost always a bad idea to go around the room – i.e., to hear from each person – when discussing a topic. Many group members inevitably (and understandably) zone off – either to do something else or to think of what they want to say.
An alternative approach that works significantly better is to use a shared spreadsheet to facilitate the discussion. Give each person a cell/row and some time to to write out their point-of-view. Then, give everyone else a chance to read each other’s point-of-view and comment.
As this approach is more engaging and information dense, the discussion that follows is richer.
I was setting up a Nest Thermostat today and ran into some trouble figuring out the wiring. I called the Nest helpline and the support was fantastic.
As we were waiting on the Thermostat to turn on, I asked my support representative if she was from the Philippines (I recognized the accent). When she said yes, I asked her what time it was.
It was 3am.
She explained that she had been doing the “graveyard shift” for 3 years now on Nest support.
It was one of those moments when I became deeply aware of the privileged I’ve accumulated in the past years.
I work fairly hard during the course of the week. I don’t complain about the work – I love it, aim to give it my best shot, and make the associated trade-offs consciously.
But, I don’t have to weigh the trade-offs of a graveyard shift. That speaks to more privilege on a daily basis than I often realize and a reminder to never complain about the trade-offs I get to make.
For Manchester United fans, yesterday was all about the return of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo left Manchester United just as he became the (joint) best football player in the world. In the 12 years since, he’s won everything there is to win and returned to United for his final act.
36 years of age is typically when most footballers retire. But, Ronaldo has always defied logic. And, today’s return was marked with 2 goals. He’s made it clear that he’s here to win. Few would bet against a prolific 2-3 year run.
I felt more of that warm fuzzy feeling watching him score than I expected. There was something fitting, nostalgic even.
Seeing him at the top of his game was a reminder of the power of focus and dedication. He’s known for how well he takes care of himself and his obsessive pursuit of excellence.
There’s a lesson there somewhere for all of us in our chosen paths as well.
“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” | Albus Dumbledore
It is so much easier to have a tough conversation with someone you don’t know. But, being candid and forthright with those around you is a whole different matter.
I listened to Jax’s “Like my father” this morning. It brought a tear to my eye.
The song (lyrics below) got me thinking about the many things I can do better as a father and husband. And it managed to do it while still making me feel good about myself.
The best kind of feedback. :-)
I wanna come home to roses And dirty little notes on Post-it’s And when my hair starts turning grey He’ll say I’m like a fine wine, better with age I guess I learned it from my parents That true love starts with friendship A kiss on the forehead, a date night Fake an apology after a fight
I need a man who’s patient and kind Gets out of the car and holds the door I wanna slow dance in the living room like We’re eighteen at senior prom and grow Old with someone who makes me feel young I need a man who loves me like My father loves my mom
I want a road trip in the summers I wanna make fun of each other I wanna rock out to Billy Joel And flip our kids off when they call us old He’ll accidentally burn our dinner And let me be the scrabble winner And when my body changes shapes He’ll say, “Oh my God, you look hot today”
I need a man who’s patient and kind Gets out of the car and holds the door I wanna slow dance in the living room like We’re eighteen at senior prom and grow Old with someone who makes me feel young I need a man who loves me like My father loves my mom
And if he lives up to my father Maybe he can teach our daughter What it takes to love a queen She should know she’s royalty
I need a man who’s patient and kind Gets out of the car and holds the door I wanna slow dance in the living room like We’re eighteen at senior prom and grow Old with someone who makes me feel young I need a man who loves me like My father loves my mom I need a man who loves me like My father loves my mom
In the years preceding my move to the San Francisco Bay Area, I never wrote a check. Time spent in places like Singapore and the UK drove home one point – checks were antiquated. We lived in the age of online transfers.
But, as I pulled open my check book recently, I realized that I’ve written many checks during my time here.
It is fascinating because it’s been more than 2 decades since online payment took its roots here. And, at this moment, many an entrepreneur in the area is focused on reinventing payments again with crypto.
And, yet, here I am writing checks.
The idea that “the future is here, it’s just not evenly distributed” rings so true.
A Learning a Day 