When we think about Covid š·Ā (who would have thought we would have spent a year and counting wfh and socially distanced!?!), we also look back and think how life was before. Sometimes this becomesā¦ āif you knew Covid was coming, what would you have done differently?ā As French musician Edith Piaf sang āNon, je ne regrette rienā (š¼ no, I donāt regret anything). Yet, maybe there are some things (going to that restaurant, traveling to a far away country āļø , that one last time at Coachellaā¦.)Ā that you have postponed and will be able to do again, while others that have been lost and there is no going back. So what advice would you have given the former you? Letās take a little time travelā¦ā¦
Network
With the advances of technology and the ability to very cheaply remain in contact with people (FB, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, GroupMe, Zoom, etc.), it has never been easier in the history of humankind to keep alive any relationship. Precisely because you never really know where your path may lead you, it is always better to know more people than fewer. If there was only one piece of advice that we would give the past us, itās to adopt a concept of quantity and not just immediate proximity (outta sight outta mind š). Especially in a globalized world, where the network can be many miles apart, you never know where your next travel or business opportunity might be. Additionally, with remote working continuing to take center stage, you may actually want to reach out to your former classmate in Singapore for that new job. Keeping these relationships alive is obviously work, but the low effort needed means they are usually worth the risk/effort rewards. Like any fire š„, you need to keep on feeding them or they will eventually die down. Over the years , this will lead to a vast web šø of connections.
Trajectory
We have touched numerous times in the newsletter the concept of: making goals, sticking to them, and accomplishing long-term objectives. At different moments of our lives, we will have different needs and desires, yet the journey that we have embarked on, with its twists and turns, remains a path well-defined. Too many times we are either distracted by the flavor of the month or what sounds or feels good for us in that moment š (NFTs, soft underwear). We tend to invest in people or situations that have no real future. It takes real courage and time to accept the fact that our current comfort zone is not conducive to what we have decided for our future. As much as working for a company where you get along with everyone sounds great, that is only a short term win if the job itself leads you to a dead end. As the Silicon Valley motto goes, āfail often, fail quicklyā and the quicker you understand it, the easier it is to pivot, save time, and move towards what you are really trying to achieve.
Landscape Awareness
The world we live in and the environment around us changes at an incredible speed. Just as Keane sang in their famous song āBut everybody's changing and I don't feel the sameā. Seems yesterday that the friends you used to have late nights with in less than respectable dive bars, now are married, have dogs š¶, and are responsible for looking after new life! Similar to that, companies also evolve. How many here still remember Blockbuster and Kodak dominating their industries š?! And yet here we areā¦
Adapting to how things change means finding yourself prepared and ready for new challenges. Working on your skill set and changing the dynamics of your relationships as life progresses, is easier said than done. However, it will allow you to find yourself prepared to any new challenge. While it is near impossible to predict the future (look at the price of Bitcoin!!! š¤), trying to preserve the status quo rather than understanding the shifts around you is what keeps you feeling stuck. Be the disruptor; donāt get disrupted.
Smile Beautifully š š¦
If there is one thing I wish someone told me over and over again, is that everyone loves positive energy and a smile (please, just donāt tell others to smile). While bringing your A-game every day on the job is unrealistic and pure corporate hypocrisy, being your best-self is not. People love being surrounded by positive attitude. Even when it is raining outside, there is a sun behind those clouds š¦ā¦just donāt over do it. Positivity should be natural, not forced. That way of approaching tasks leads to a self-reinforcing cycle that leads to better results. Colleagues and friends will remember how you made them feel, and how you were always looking for the silver lining. That goes a long way in building your network.
Anything else you wished you knew back in your 20s? Well, besides to invest in AAPL, NFLX, and the winner of every major sporting eventā¦Let us know!!!!