words of wisdom

2025-04-08
1 min

These used to be written down on an index card inside my desk. Then, I moved them to a spreadsheet. Now, they are here.

These cross my mind most often.

• You are the average of your five closest friends.
• Being on time is not a talent.
  • At the beginning of my internship at IBM, they put us all in a giant video call and gave out a bunch of advice. This is the only one that stuck.
• For every hour you dedicate to learning, dedicate two to application. Impose a limit on your research time.
• 99% of people do not step out of their comfort zone.
• An alarm is a promise you made to yourself. Do not break that promise.
  • I think I made this one up.
• As you become an adult, you realize that things around you weren't just always there; people made them happen.
  But only recently have I started to internalize how much tenacity everything requires.
  That hotel, that park, that railway. The world is a museum of passion projects.
  — John Collison, Co-founder of Stripe
• It works IF you keep going.
• If someone watched you for a week, would they believe you’re serious about your goals?