Everything here is a God willing, by the way. Until recently, I imagined myself on my deathbed (hopefully in 7+ decades) with $100M to my name. Of course, you can't take that to the grave. I get that. I think a net worth of that sort would amount to the contributions I'll have had on the planet by then. So, you have me, at 98, on my deathbed, with $100M about to dish out in inheritance, charities, etc. Then I remembered one of the most interesting quotes I found about goal-setting - either from Tim Ferriss or Jim Rohn. And if neither of them said it, I'll claim it. "Set a goal so audaciously high not for what you achieve, but for who you become in the process of attaining it." ~Carerra (until I find the source.) And that made instant sense. The Right Question in Setting Goals In setting goals, we often ask, "What should I do?" But we forget an even more critical question: "Who should I become?" The rationale is that you want to imagine yourself as having achieved that goal, asking yourself how you would feel like having accomplished the goal. Thus, I think visualization and clarity on the end goal are essential here, and the clearer your goal, the more aligned your pathway toward getting there. Read Mindvalley's Article on The Power of Visualization. "Visualization only works if you work hard." ~Oprah Winfrey Journey > Destination Another thing I noticed, and you might agree: We don't really like the goal itself. Rather, we like the pursuit of it instead. We like pursuing the goal rather than owning it because the goal itself becomes a momentary facade. You will enjoy years of chasing that promotion until you finally get it, then ask yourself, "What's next?" or, "Was it worth it?" And after hitting every goal we could think of, "What's next?" becomes a never-ending recurring question. Read this Evernote Article on Why the Journey Matters More than the Goal. Figures why, contrary to public opinion, the journey overrides the destination. The infinite game (loving the process) over the finite (hitting a goal). I like how Alex Hormozi puts the Infinite Game. And life is an infinite game. Play it that way. A summary of Simon Sinek's Infinite Game. Anyway, back to the original point: Setting a big and audacious goal that you evolve in the process. And that gave me an instant perspective switch. I don't want $100M at 95. Instead, I want $1Bn at 65. The Billion-Dollar Problem Now, here's the problem: I have a hard time visualizing myself as a billionaire. At least by 65. I've divided my life into seven different facets: Me at 8 - He's a proud kid right now. Me at 23 - Currently. Me at 30 - In six years. Me at 45 - At the boil of my career. Me at 63 - Retired. Me at 85 - Waiting for the Lord to call me Home. These facets are always talking to each other. And I talk most with Me at 30. Millionaire-Me vs Billionaire-Me I'm confident that 30-YO Me will be a millionaire; probably multi, but deca unlikely. He'd also be married with a kid on the way, fresh from an MBA and closing on corporate retirement. That's whom I converse with daily before I sleep. Now, back to my problem. I can visualize myself at 30 and a bit at 63.30-YO Me is a millionaire, 63-YO Me a billionaire. However, I can't get the answers right away to becoming a billionaire. I asked my 30-year-old self this, and even he doesn't know it. He asked 63-YO me, but the old man was, "Just figure it out. You've got this." "I have the secret sauce," he said, "but I don't want to spill it out yet, else you'll miss out on all the fun." And he has merit to say that. First, life offers no cheat code. You get what you want through the hard (and sometimes the only) way. Second, if it was easy, then what would've been the point of life if not enjoying the journey all along? Three, you won't always have all the answers, and that's okay. If 30-YO Me is my epitome of success, and even he hasn't figured it out yet, then who am I to do so? And four, you must know your place and work your levels accordingly. Make your first $100,000 before your first milli, and so on. Conclusion So that's how my mind looks right now as I chart my path toward (my definition of) success. ~I have the goal in mind - $1Bn. ~It's a SMART goal - by age 65. ~However, I don't have complete clarity on the plan yet, so that will be a work in progress. But I do know what will get me to a milli by 30, God willing. And in closing, recall that everything I mention here is a work in progress. I don't have all the answers yet...and possibly never will, and that's okay. And for transparency's sake, I'm starting right now with relatively nothing other than grit, curiosity, discipline, the internet, and the Will of God. And if you're a billionaire reading this, I happily welcome your mentorship. Let me know your thoughts. . . . ~T.K.K

The following are impactful quotes serving as splendid advice in one-liners - constantly updated. On Ambition “People who make things happen run into people who make things happen.” Codie Sanchez. On Art “I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music.” Johann Sebastian Bach. “I dream my painting and I paint my dream.” Vincent van Gogh. On Entrepreneurship “Start young…especially if you want to be an entrepreneur. I started at 58.” Irene Shimizu. On Health “Treat your body like a house you’d want to live in for the next 70 years.” A 94-year-old’s advice on life longevity, as mentioned by Sahil Bloom. On Leadership “If you can’t feed them, you can’t lead them.” Confucius. On Legacy “Let the work that I’ve done speak for me.” My ex-manager’s grandmother. “We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever. The goal is to create something that will.” Chuck Palahniuk. On the Neuros “The supercomputer of your brain is not the fore-brain — the part of the brain that formulates strategy. Rather, the supercomputer of your brain is the unconscious mind.” Dr. Paul Conti On Personal Development “Have your principles.” Ray Dalio. “I want to be remembered as someone honest.” Jordan Peterson. “Put your house in order before thinking of changing the world.” Also Jordan Peterson. “Don’t be afraid to start stupid; stay learning. Stay curious.” Abdulhamid Ali, University of Washington. “The greatest value of life is not what you get. The greatest value of life is what you become.” Jim Rohn. On Personal Finance “Act your wage, not your age.” Obioha Okereke, CEO of College Money Habits, on financial responsibility post-college. “Live below your means.” Common sense. On Productivity “Automate and iterate.” Naval. “You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” James Clear, author of Atomic Habits. On the Pursuit of Success “Enjoy the process; enjoy the journey.” Ali Abdaal. In a similar light, “Patience with the results, impatience with the journey.” “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” Oprah Winfrey. “This is what hard feels like.” Also Alex Hormozi on endurance and perseverance. “Don’t ridicule another man’s hustle.” Gavin Mungai. “Do your best, no matter what.” Carerra. “If the ‘why’ is powerful, the ‘how’ is easy.” Jim Rohn. “Consistency is the only cheat code.” Terry Rice. On Relationships “Iron sharpens iron, just as one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17 On Resilience “I never lose. I either win, or I learn.” Nelson Mandela. “Failure and success are on the same path. Failure comes first.” Alex Hormozi. “Be courageous driving through uncertainty.” Carerra. On Self-Mastery “You don’t become confident by shouting affirmations in the mirror, but by having a stack of undeniable proof that you are who you say you are. Outwork your self-doubt.” Alex Hormozi. (My personal favorite.) “Fear of the worst is greater than the danger itself.” Keito from Bakugan. “If you’re a friend to everybody, then you’re an enemy to yourself.” Mike Tyson. On Spirituality “Do the Will of God.” Carerra. On Wealth “Get paid by results, not by time.” Graham Stephan. “Earn with your mind, not with your time.” Also Naval. “Money not found in a job is gotten by skills not found in school.” Dan Koe. Will add more as I learn. . . . ~T.K.K

The ten undeniable truths of life, and it's only by accepting them that life becomes easier to understand. Btw, I’m just spitting random thoughts from experience. I am not a motivational speaker (yet) nor a life coach; I am Carerra. :) Might lead to a sequel. Learn to take responsibility. Accepting responsibility shows growing maturity and experience. You’ll become wiser and headstrong in the adversities that lie ahead without excuses. You can’t change your past. The most you can do is appreciate the good moments, learn from the experiences, live in the present, and focus on what’s next. The future is unpredictable. The short-term is predictable; the long-term is not. Only God knows what will happen in the distant future. Until then, create your own via your actions. Success is different for everyone. Success is objective; my definition of success will be different from yours. Play down the comparison game, and compete with who you were yesterday. You are alone in life. You came into life alone, and you will leave alone. In the middle, make memories with your family, friends, and all those you love. Thanks to research, as you grow older, loneliness becomes but a state of mind. Failures are inevitable. Failures are a part of life. If you aren’t failing, then you aren’t trying. Remember, success delayed is not success denied, and failure is a detour, not a dead-end. Life is flawed. It isn’t fair. It won’t always go as planned, and that’s okay. Life isn’t always meant to be happy. Bad things will still happen, but regardless, be stoic and accept it for what it is. Nothing is permanent. Everything is temporary; nothing lasts forever. The only permanent thing is change. The perfect time doesn’t exist. There’s never a better time to start. Instead, make each moment perfect and begin as early as possible. Death is inevitable. You might as well live life and pursue your passion - whatever it is. Don’t foolishly YOLO, though, but within those fearful decisions lie the best moments of your life. A few bonuses: Money is important. It’s not everything, but it’s important - note the difference. Having tons of it is your choice, but undeniably, money is vital. Case in context: Think about how you will put food on your table tonight. Don’t make a sunk-cost decision. Among the few economics rules that apply to real life, don’t make a decision you won’t like just because it justifies the last action you still didn’t want. No one is perfect. We are all flawed as humans, which is natural to us. We can be self-aware, though; being aware that we are imperfect is the first step toward self-fulfillment. Also, flaws do make life exciting and worthwhile. What did I miss? . . . ~Carerra.

Don’t wait for the New Year to start hitting your New Year's Resolutions. Today is Sunday, December 26th, 2021, less than a week into 2022. It’s that time of the year when people plan their New Year’s Resolutions for the next year, hoping to achieve them. With resolutions coming up thick and thin, there’s no guarantee one will achieve all of them, and that’s okay. However, self-improvement and taking action don’t have to begin on January 1st. First, time itself is abstract; the concept itself doesn’t fathom whether it’s the year 2032, 1946, or 378 AD. It just is, and man made it seem that way - I’d love to know the construct behind this. Second, if you’re going to start your self-development journey, you might as well do it anyway. The whole idea behind self-improvement is to take action immediately towards improving yourself. That said, waiting 5-6 days to start taking action is already beating the purpose itself. While creating New Year’s Resolutions is still okay, only 8% of all people who set their resolutions actually achieve them, with 80% of resolutions already going down the drain in February. Today’s advice? Normalize not waiting for the New Year to chase your goals. Hunt them now. . . . ~Carerra, 2k21.

This is my daily mantra that has yet to fail me. What keeps me going is knowing that I will succeed at my goals one day, God willing. I’m currently a Math senior at the University of Washington, and so far, the ride has been anything but easy. After a couple of failed classes, some imposter syndrome, and sleep deprivation, I end up questioning my sanity and life decisions sometimes. For the first time in my life, I’m living alone, so basically, I’m absorbing adult responsibilities: rent, a job, personal finances, etc. Being an adult isn’t as engaging as it seemed as a child. Digress: I’m on a personal mission to make it as fun - if not more - as childhood would be; I believe my adulthood is what I make of it, just that the definition of fun varies from childhood to adulthood. Since I’m graduating, the expectation is to land a job immediately after college. No pressure, though, but I can’t get complacent yet, so I must seek a post-grad leeway. A bit tricky here. All these, however, are the dust before me, and as always, dust settles. I know for a fact that God willing, I’ll be my own boss, my own CEO, and my own person. I will establish a brand that will change the world because that’s who I am: a go-getter, an achiever, a leader, and an optimist. I know friends who’ve achieved what I want, and my family and loved ones are rooting for me to succeed- that’s most of the motivation I’ll need. Of course, I have role models, too, from whom I’ll learn how to level up 1% per day towards my goal. Lastly, from my faith, I have God. I could be as determined and ambitious as Dwayne Johnson hitting another gym rep, but I’m seriously nothing if I don’t have God on my side. Fortunately enough, He always is. In case you’re wondering, I’m constructing my site, Carerra’s Chronicles, which is my repository of thoughts (I don’t like to call it a blog, but there’s no other way to describe it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) Iwante to span the plethora of thoughts I have surrounding my interests - personal development, technology, finance, business, leadership, etc. - and hope to share what I learn with the world. I consider Carerra’s Chronicles an extension of my personality where I wish to inspire people through my thoughts, words, and actions, and that in any way, shape, or form, I help somebody somewhere. Still a work in progress, but I pray for big things to emanate from it in the coming years. Looking at my goals, I know that the short-term turbulences are a speck in the eye - they won’t matter much in the long term. I’ll keep at it, stay focused and consistent, work smart, do my best, pray, and hope for something eventual. That said, I keep going. Keep pushing. Keep grinding. . . . ~Carerra, 2k21.

The one thing I recommend to anyone feeling that they wasted a significant amount of time in their lives. Set on to do something that will make up for those five years. This is, in part, a letter to my younger self. Not that I experienced it, but imagining what if I did, knowing what I know now. Time lost is never recovered. It’s good that you’ve realized you’ve “wasted” those years, but as long as you learned something, it’s not entirely in vain. The best action to take is to start now - don’t procrastinate or overcomplicate life more than it’s already been this past half-decade. Instantly get onto something that will compensate for your “lost” years. You don’t have to have figured out your passion yet, but that you’re doing the work to discover it already makes it a good use of your time. I mean, it’s either that or resuming the constant wailing about not finding one’s passion, in which case, is still wasting time. The sooner I realized at 19 that I’d been wary of others’ perceptions of me, the more I dropped them and visualized the path I wanted. A couple of years later, and so far, it’s paying dividends. Morgan Freeman got his big break into acting at 52. Colonel Sanders started KFC at 65. No one looks at those two and thinks they wasted a cumulative 117 years to make it big. We see their face value today; barely anyone cares about their past. I don’t think it’s about the time you feel you wasted before you finally figured out life - no one “wins” life anyway. Rather, it’s the fact that you have started your journey - whatever that could be until you hit your mark. Better started than not, and better late than never, so start. At this point of self-discovery, the final destination is unimportant - the process towards it is. Nonetheless, every second counts, so invest wisely in the process—progress, not results. All the best, and you’ll do well. ~Carerra, 2k21.

Medium will pay off for me in the future, God willing. What’s Medium? Medium is an exquisite online blogging platform for folks to read and write blogs on their interests - it’s arguably the best site of its kind yet. With topics ranging from culture to technology, lifestyle to crypto, and social entrepreneurship to personal development, Medium has it all. All like minds conjoin into their topic of interest, quote each other up, and take it off in a meaningful conversation. To get started, all you need is an active subscription ($5/month), whether as a reader or a writer, experienced or not. Furthermore, you can earn from your Medium writing by joining the Medium Partner Program; many PP writers started from the bottom and climbed their way to six figures through hard work, consistency, and relentless writing. Why did you return to Medium? To build Carerra’s Chronicles. I’m trying to build an audience that resonates with my content, as well as cultivate my voice, and one place to do that is on Medium. It’s through Medium that readers learn from others’ stories and emulate their inspirational examples. I plan to replicate the same on Quora too. Weren’t you on Medium before? Yes, I was. I’ve been a semi-avid Medium user, and it’s been worth every penny. I didn’t use the app much, though, so I canceled my subscription. I recently resubscribed as this would be a pivotal investment towards me launching Carerra’s Chronicles. I also like some writers on Medium, namely Nicolas Cole, Sean Kernan, Michael Thompson, and Tim Denning. They have a way with words and ideas that I wish to copy, and I’ll continue milking their authoring powers with my return to Medium. Closing. Here’s my Medium profile. Not much to see here (yet); I’m restarting the process. Let’s see what emanates in the long run, God willing. . . . ~Carerra, 2k21.

Scaling content is somewhat harder than I expected. Documenting my Journey I watched an Ali Abdaal video in which he details starting a business from nothing in 2021. In the video, he emphasizes documenting your journey- narrating your entire entrepreneurial experience from the start. And I agree with him on three accounts: First, it gauges your progress from the start. It reflects your transparency and authenticity, and It creates a vulnerable, likable, and resonating image to which your audience relates - Someone retelling their journey inspires their audience. That's why I'm officially documenting my journey here - the buildup of Carerra's Chronicles - and how it is along the way. So...what's hard about scaling your content? I'm at a point where I'm contemplating what to include as content. I'm currently working on a piece explaining the supply chain crisis, but I occasionally stumble, asking myself, "What do I write here?" "What do I include there?" "Are my facts right?" Did I research this enough?" Besides, it's not this article alone; I have a few prior ones that took me weeks to complete because of these doubts and commitments like school, extracurriculars, etc. What are you learning from this? I'm thinking: When it comes to making content (e.g., blogging), your work should be seamless and natural-flowing...or so I think. For instance, it's taking me fifteen minutes to write this post because of the straight-up flowing ideas from my mind right now. Contrastingly, it's taking me five-plus days to author the supply chain article, which remains unfinished btw. Additionally, (re)creating content is storytelling in your own words, from your own angle; more like paraphrasing. You teach what you learn, which afterward becomes what you know. Summarizing a story from your perspective, I believe, is an inherent skill to learn in narration. Consequently, you understand it better, and your audience gets another nuanced perspective to comprehend. What's your solution? I'll focus on my niche; motivation. I'm naturally optimistic, and my optimism is one of my more noticeable traits. That said, I don't mind focusing on writing motivational content as a trademark of Carerra's Chronicles. I'm also holistic, so I like talking about other topics such as finance and technology. Por supuesto, my shortcoming here is that I take excruciatingly long to finish a post in other categories thanks to added research and vigorous fact-checking. While I'll put them aside (for now), I'll still edit them whenever I get the chance. Conclusion Being world-class entails focusing exclusively on one thing and one thing only - the rest can wait. This will give me some leeway to work on my niche meantime, and the rest will arrive later. I think I've just found a solution to my problem. Let's see how it goes. . . . ~Carerra, 2k21. ***EDIT*** As of 1/20/2024 I'm laughing at myself for how things didn't fall into place as I imagined...and that's okay. I never finished the Supply Chain Article. Carerra's Chronicles has vastly improved (at least in my own right) since I first published this article. I've graduated from school since and had a sumptuous amount of time to fix the website and publish more articles. This is time I would have doing homework if I was still in school I just realized my true niche (probably.) It's not just motivation, even though that's a huge component of it. Rather, I'm a Generalist - a man of many talents. I came to terms with my Generalistic nature, and so far, I'm loving it; That's what I'm using to build Carerra's Chronicles. I talk more about being a Generalist right here. . . . ~T.K.K

From the Archives: Stuff I've Written Over Four Years Ago I read an article from the Harvard Business Review titled, “Don’t Just Lead Your People Through Trauma; Help Them Grow,” from my LinkedIn and some positive reviews from prominent figures, so I gave it a look. I liked Jamil’s statement in his second paragraph: “The science of trauma offers some insight about this moment, and some surprising hope: Instead of asking how we will recover from these painful times, we should ask how we will be changed by them.” Immediately, I thought, “Wow! COVID really did change me!” I liked the article for Jamil’s optimism despite the turbulent times we’re facing — Thoughts of hope, empathy, resilience, and compassion among colleagues, making them feel included despite today’s rough incidences. I also like his insights on affirming (a company’s) values and emphasizing community, going a long way in enhancing Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG.) Reassuring employees of a company’s values recreates a feeling of importance to the company, reminding them of how they fit into the broader picture. Top that with an awesome community, and you earn a PTG so fast that you hardly recall any recent trauma. But I digress. You may learn more here. How COVID changed me for the better- that’s the deal here Twisting the article into my own narrative, I recall five months ago when COVID infiltrated the earth. And all factors considered (which I don’t take for granted), and thanking God, it was an overall net positive for me. As a COVID skeptic at first (‘Covidiot,’ as they say), it astonished me that the entire US was into a lockdown, no state spared. No leaving the house (cheers to my introverted self), no physical contact, and social distancing — a puzzle piece for many to come. Just the fact alone of quarantining for God-knows-how-long was startling in itself - good thing it wasn’t the end of civilization…yet. “So, I’m staying at home this long, right?” Soliloquying. “We'll see how it goes then.” It then hit me that not only were we saving the world by staying indoors (arguably), but there’s no guarantee of having this much time ever again in our lives, considering other elements such as family, social interaction, and retirement. The time was there, at least for now. You could learn a skill or two from scratch, call up an old friend, check up on family, finish past projects, etc. — an endless list. With that in mind, I considered making the most of it, seeing where it takes me. 1. Elevated my Piano Game I play the piano, having done so for a decade now. I’m not Mozart-esque yet (and might never be), but I massively improved chordwise plus the number of keys I know — 6 out of 24. I also had a virtual music class with fellow choir members which, now that I think about it, was interesting — I never learned music while learning the piano. I’ve probably forgotten 98% of the concepts by now, but I don’t mind revisiting them, especially when I consider doing my own pieces. Edit: I know all 24 now. Yay! 🎹🙌🏽 2. Improved my (online) school grades There was an upsurge in my grades, something uncommon in in-person classes. Of course, there were anomalies with online school — academic dishonesty (cheating), low attention during classes, truancy, etc — and that still has its fair share of debates today. Something that helped me was having periodical appointments with my instructors and Zoom meetings with accountability buddies (shoutout: Jay) to study for tests and collaborate on homework. However, what I appreciated most about online school was the flexibility it presented to my schedule. The fact I could get some yogurt from the fridge during Linear Algebra or relax in the Fall sunrise of an Epic History class amazed me. That flexibility, I would say, gave me the peace of mind needed to thrive in my classes in my natural habitat. 3. Workouts and Exercise I also managed to shed some quarantine weight — good thing. The lockdown gave me reason to thank the fact I’m nowhere near the school cafeteria as most days were just fries for lunch, which was perhaps unhealthy. Maybe within reason, but still unhealthy. Eating healthier, cardio, calisthenics, and sleep (trying to), all shed me 15 pounds in two months. I’ve taken a long rest since, though, but I have an accountability buddy who’s helping me get back on track in no time (shoutout: Tabby.) 4. Family and Friends Self-development would not suffice without my circle of family and friends. These days, I’ve found myself being more compassionate on family stuff - asking, “How was your day?” or “How was work?” once they arrive home before ensuing into a friendly chat. That also helped my interpersonal communication, I would say. I also checked in on friends during this lockdown: schoolmates, work colleagues, and international friends — glad I remembered them all. I’d have a convo going on with them for days, all of which would have me reminisce on how far we’ve come and my gratitude to have friends like those. 5. My Writing My biggest pandemic takeaway was the effort I invested into Carerra’s Chronicles, my brainchild. I’ve got ample time to develop it and figure out what articles to write and how to edit my website. I’ve worked on Carerra’s Chronicles for months on end while simultaneously practicing my articulation. I’ve learned a lot from Quora, Medium, and even Nicolas Cole, so I’m putting all that into practice right now. I still have a long way to go, but I’m glad I started it all in 2020. And a bonus one... 6. Duolingo I started Duolingo as a linguistic pass-time more so as I didn’t want to let Duo (the bird) down. Fast-forward 3.5 years later, I’m on a 1140-day streak learning Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, and Music. What started as trying not to let the bird down eventually led to what’s potentially a lifelong habit of learning multiple worldwide languages, and that’s paying off in its own respect. Working out better than I thought, I’d say. :) Closing 2020 wasn’t the best year for most of us — myself included — and I acknowledge all who haven’t had the best of terms yet. For those who’ve tried to turn the tides and make it memorable, hats off and kudos to you. See you in Canaan. . . . ~T.K.K

A higher-up is someone higher up than you in a company. They could range from a (senior) vice-president, program manager, managing director, or a c-suite executive (CEO, CIO, CTO, etc.) Even your direct manager is a higher-up, but for this blog, think >2 levels up. Why > two levels up? Because when you start your career, depending on your goals, you'll want to climb the ladder at some point to see how far you can go. If you hear of promotions, this is such. To ascend the ladder, you'll want to find people who are where you want to be, most of whom are higher-ups. They've done the work, they're making bank, and it's now your chance to learn from them. Why do you like reaching out to higher-ups? #1 - Higher-ups make for good mentors Many people at the upper echelons of their careers acknowledge that they had support from their network and mentors, creating a repetitive cycle of paying it forward. Thus, it would make spiritual sense to pay it forward to someone in need and eager to learn. Even if they don't mentor you per se' because of what's on their plate, they're happy to occasionally catch up to check in with you and ensure you're doing okay. One of the superiors at my company said something I like: "Titus, thanks for stopping by; it's always great getting to know you. Now my schedule is all mixed up and my calendar is crazy these days, but if you find me at a hallway and have something burning to say, just ask for a quick five-minutes to listen through. Or you can have my secretary throw something on my calendar for next month." They care and are happy to see you grow. Best case you make it in life - they'll be glad to have been part of your journey. #2 - They see opportunities you don't Depending on how well the senior knows you, they can keep you in mind for fitting opportunities that come their way. The more you converse with them, the more they'll know your interests, strengths, and capabilities. If that opportunity comes up by happenstance and you fit it, they'll let you know. Similarly, if you're looking for something that's not within their parameters, they can then refer you to their network. Part of it has some self-interest, of course (since everyone wants the best talent on their team). Still, it becomes a trifecta win-win situation - the higher-up gets a capable person under them, the team has yet another competent member, and you get a better opportunity. #3 - They have a plethora of experience you can borrow Some of the higher-ups I've talked to have been in their jobs for over a decade; others have had theirs for 26+ years, and they like it. Some are industrial experts in their game; others are highly sought-after speakers during conferences. By scheduling 30 minutes with them, I can condense 20+ years of experience into half an hour. Sure. They can't tell you everything in that span, but they'll give you the highlights to consider in accelerating your career. All the better reason to approach these meetings with carefully drafted questions that you'd like answers to, else they'll see it as a waste of time. Plus no guarantees that you'll get another chance with them. Once you establish camaraderie with them, you can then meet them during other times (e.g., outside work, during events) to continuously learn from them. Since I like talking to people who are where I want to be, chatting with them is a good precursor for what "up there" feels like. And since they won't tell me everything, I'll have to figure out the rest of the dirty work myself. They have varied perspectives They think differently. They've experienced a lot. I like to see how they think because that provides insight into what they do, what they've been through, what's at stake, and how that's evolved over the years. How Peter, some VP, thinks now is vastly different from how he did 20 years ago as an associate. By knowing how they think, I can also position myself on how to interact with similar people with that mindset. This is more like prep work for tolerating divergent schools of thought and perspectives at work. How do you approach your higher-ups? With courtesy, genuineness, and curiosity. Courtesy - Being humble and acknowledging that you're in front of someone who has achieved a lot in the firm is akin to knowing your place. That should put things into perspective. Genuineness - Being real and authentically yourself, hiding no ulterior motives (e.g., looking for a promotion and such.) Curiosity - There is much to learn from someone who has achieved a lot career-wise. Grab a pen, paper, and an open mind to soak it in. A mentor recently told me, "Complement and ask," so I'll twist it to "Complement genuinely and ask." So if I meet a higher-up, it would look something like this: "Hi Sir/Ma'am, I genuinely appreciate your leadership and the results you've brought to the engineering team this quarter. I was wondering if I could schedule 30 minutes with you next month to learn more from you." Many of them are happy to meet with juniors and disseminate their wisdom. Sometimes, during their busy schedule, you conversing with them is a breather in between projects. You don't know if you don't ask, so shoot your shot. The worst case is they could say no because they don't have the time. What are some good questions to ask? Depends on what you're looking for, but for purposes of career growth, I like to ask the following questions: What are some ways I can contribute to the company? Seniors have different perspectives on how employees can increase their value to the company and themselves, so asking this question to different execs can give you a scope of where the company is and the direction it will take. By asking different superiors this question, you can connect the dots from the answers you get and follow up with similar insights you heard from them. "Thanks for mentioning this. I was talking to manager Y who suggested this, and I thought both of your insights make sense because they touch on this. What do you think?" From what I've seen, you impress these higher-ups with your initiative and networking ability, so not only will they share more, but they could also recommend you to other colleagues within their network to learn from. Before you know it, you know four higher-ups at the price of two. If you could talk to your 23-year-old self today, what would you tell them? This is probably the most interesting question I could ask anybody - it presents some of the most interesting answers I've ever heard. The people I could talk to lie between ages 35-68; the older they get, the deeper the answer. By asking this question, I get profound one-liners that, at times, help me rethink life. I asked this question to an ex-CEO and a major general, both retired and in their early and late sixties, respectively. "Don't take yourself so seriously." The CEO said. "I would mortgage a duplex, triplex, or quadruplex, live in one room, and rent the others. That would pay my mortgage and build home equity." Said the army general (pretty much househacking.) If it were a peer mentor a few steps ahead of me (3-5 years), I'd ask them a variation of the question. "What would you tell yourself if you could go back five years now?" "Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently in your senior year of college?" They haven't lived it out yet, but that's a good enough timeframe to provide some critical answers. Neats out a good perspective in mind. Asking the good questions - works like a charm. 😉 Did you ever imagine being where you currently are today? Another good one. Most of them will say no - they did not. Those who did probably worked their lights off to get it. For those who did not, they certainly had a mid-career realization that they could make it big in a different industry elsewhere - think of a career pivot like from construction to tech or nonprofits to consulting. So they probably sought an advanced degree (usually an MBA) and worked up the ranks in a few companies that gave them a chance before settling on where they are today. Many higher-ups barely imagined themselves being at their current point today, so they have a mix of hard work, lessons, realizations, grit, determination, and circumstances that all propelled them to their current situation. This question should also elicit unique answers. Do you have mentors you look up to? Another good question. As previously mentioned, your higher-ups most likely have a dependable support system from inside and outside the company, plus influences from their personal lives. They share their stories with them, some of the best advice ever received, and perhaps connect you with them...if you want. Conclusion Go for it. Shoot your shot - you may be surprised. They may or may not remember you, but if you authentically maintain the relationship with them and demonstrate your enthusiasm towards keeping it, they'll remember you for a minute and appreciate your audacity. Education is eternal, and to learn it from career veterans can propel your career a hundredfold in half the time. And best of all, one day, you'll be at that point where someone looks up to you - then you'll know. Peace, . . . ~T.K.K

A mental note to self to focus on learning this year because I'm not there yet. Reality checks I must learn. I'm not there yet. I don't know a lot. I have a long way to go. I don't know everything. There is a lot for me to learn. I'm not at an end-all-be-all state. I'm not where I want to be at yet. There is a lot that I indeed don't know. Times are changing - I can't stay stagnant. I probably won't know everything forever. I'm no longer a student in school, but I am forever a student of life. I must learn if I'm to stay relevant to the times and self-actualize myself. I shouldn't be entitled as a college grad making real money for the first time. As a recent college grad, you aren't entitled to it all. Making more money than in your undergrad doesn't imply that you've made it yet. I have a predestined destination that I want to reach, and to get there, I must learn all there is to it. Mantras Learning is an underrated superpower. We start out of necessity and then gravitate towards luxury. We all start somewhere; small beginnings are pivotal to our greater success. I must know my place always: In my job, my relationships, within myself, and with God. For now, I must know where exactly I want to go within X years, and so far, I have an idea of that. 2025 or sooner (Fall 2024) will be a season of execution - executing on what I've learned. No guarantees, of course - we'll see when we get there. Until then, I must learn. Peace, . . . ~T.K.K

What's it like to know a lot of things and be really good at them, but specialize in none? Imagine what it would be like to know everything...or pretty much many things. Imagine being so well-versed across vast domains that it's easy for you to not only hold a conversation but also show your prowess and understanding in it. Concurrently, imagine existing amongst people who are so good at one thing and go all in on it, leaving you questioning your niche. Sometimes, I feel that way. I'm a Generalist. Define "Generalist" A Generalist is simply a versatile person knowledgeable in many fields. What's interesting about a generalist is their breadth of knowledge in these fields; though a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none, the generalist knows a lot more than the average Joe. So...not that I just realized that I'm a generalist, but rather accepted myself as one. How did it feel growing up as a generalist? Interesting, to say the least. I've always had this intrinsic sense that I'm interested in many things, and this psyche originates from my early days...say Class 2 (2nd grade) when I was seven. Math, Science, History, Social Studies, Geography, Physics, Biology - I loved them all. What's more interesting is that I didn't quite feel 'mentally settled' in a class since some of my knowledge surpassed it, and the rest only caught on a decade later when others knew what I knew. I credited this mindset to the early conversations I had with my Dad on our way to school, plus the broad exposure to many subjects at a young age. Those were perhaps the formative years of my generalist self to be. Generalist or Polymath? I wouldn't consider myself a polymath yet, though, I'd be humbled if I was considered one. Essentially, the difference between a polymath and a generalist is the depth; while the generalist knows, a polymath knows, does, and contributes. Plus, a polymath doesn't contribute for contribution's sake, but rather to make significant, impactful contributions that potentially revolutionize the entire field. Generalist x Depth = Polymath Leo da Vinci, for instance, is a classical polymath in the fields of art, architecture, and literature. Another would be Galileo Galilei, a polymath in physics and astronomy. Some modern-day polymaths would include Elon Musk, a mega-entrepreneur, investor, and engineer, and Mark Cuban, also an entrepreneur, Shark Tank investor, and media mogul. I wouldn't consider myself a polymath yet because I can't determine my domain depth of expertise to qualify me as so. Like, I know a lot (and I know I know a lot - perhaps why I'm a generalist for the time being), but I don't know how much "a lot" is enough to classify myself as a polymath. Furthermore, a polymath contributes to these fields; a generalist needn't; I have yet to contribute to these domains, and only God knows the humongous effort it takes to do so. Good thing I don't mind any of that. Again, you'll be the judge of that. Until then, I'm happy to be a Renaissance Man, though. 🤗 What would you say are the pros and cons of being a Generalist? Let's start here: We can't change who we innately are, so we all come with our gifts and our shortcomings, though it's our gifts that we use to make meaning of ourselves in this world. The same applies to being a Generalist - it has its blessings and its not-so-blessings. Pros You're gifted (or at least knowledgeable) in a lot of fields, obviously. You possess several attributes that build up your character: creativity, curiosity, and open-mindedness, to mention a few. You're an innate problem-solver; you love to solve problems with your creative acumen and your interdisciplinary approach. I call this crossdimensional problem-solving. You're agile. Agility can be quite useful in your career, especially when you want to pivot between fields, e.g., from human services to tech to education to consulting. As Indeed puts it, you have an array of transferrable skills that cut across multiple jobs. Cons You're in the shadow of the specialist. A Specialist is so good at one thing (two at most) that they make up for their weaknesses by being ultra-world-class in it, gaining most, if not all, of the limelight. Like, you probably won't want to take financial advice from Cristiano Ronaldo. Subpoint: Generalists are likelier to be the behind-the-scenes person to a Specialist. I've been there - a #2 or #3 in places where I could (and should) have been a #1. Generalists are not (and might possibly never be) as super knowledgeable in one specific domain as Specialists. If a Generalist is in the top 5%-20% of a field, rest assured the Specialist is in the top 0.05%-1% of the same field. Career-wise, Specialists get paid more than Generalists because the higher (and often more pressing) job roles require solid expertise to thrive. Thus, in a high-stakes job, a Specialist is preferred due to their assuredness in delivering as opposed to the Generalist. Jack of all trades, master of none, is an actual depiction of a Generalist. How do you like it so far? I like it a lot, not gonna lie. I like the sensation of always learning new things and satisfying my curiosity about them. By my standards, unless I put my heart into it, I wouldn't yet consider myself a subject matter expert in the topics I'm talking about, and I'm readily happy to admit so whenever I opine on something. What's interesting, however, is that others praise me for my expertise. Many say that they've either learned something new or considered a perspective they never considered before, and that humbles me. I will attribute that to two things: My self-awareness to admit that I know a topic to an extent- the Dunning-Krueger effect. I will do my best to candidly explain something from a first-hand perspective. In other words, if I've done something and others ask me about it, I'll first explain what the thing is, then exactly how I did it, and lastly, valid takeaways from it. Understand that I'm not selling myself short nor underselling myself here - no. Rather, I'm being consciously self-aware and keenly sharing what I learn unless I'm 1,000% confident I'm an SME, in which case I'll let you know. I'll do what needs doing and teach what needs teaching; I'll let you be the judge of that. How is it helping you in your career? A lot. My skills are not only cross-sectional but also highly transferable, as I can apply them in multiple settings. For instance, if my team needs help with database analysis and I'm the only one with that experience, then I can gladly help them out with whatever sorting is needed. If my group is making a presentation and they need a video, and I'm the only one with such skills, then I can create a video that adds depth to the presentation. Being a Generalist also encourages my career prospects because I can seamlessly play in different fields. For instance, I remember before I got my current job, when I was considering anywhere for a job; I had prospects in tech, finance, business, and consulting, and finance took the day. As aforementioned, I can decode my hard skills into soft skills. If I have hard skills in coding, computational math, and team leadership, I can correspond them to soft skills such as rational thought, attention to detail, and communication. So long as I can clearly show (and not just tell) these trajectories, then I can cut it in any field I delve into. How is being a Generalist helping you build Carerra's Chronicles? This is the best part. :) For six years now, Carerra's Chronicles has been my brainchild where I share my ideas and learnings. The only problem was (which now isn't) that I couldn't specialize on what to talk about. Again, we're in a Specialist's economy, and that's a good thing - you need extreme A-gamers to make the world go round. On the flip side, Generalists aren't super niche, so it can be hard to stand out. When building Carerra's Chronicles, I could specialize in topics I'm fervently interested in, if I wanted - leadership and personal development. The only problem is that I would be limiting myself to what could be. One moment, I'm ideating on why technology leadership is important today, and the next could be me dissecting my favorite Alex Hormozi quotes. One minute, I'm exploring the NFT-AI intersect, and the next, I'm imagining a unified Goldman Sachs-JPMorgan transactional blockchain. I don't want to miss out on what else could interest me, and that bothered me for a long time. A serial blogger would reprimand me for this (that is, after they read this article), but my settling on the fact that I am indeed a Generalist is liberating in itself. I now find satisfaction in knowing that I have diversified interests, and I can thus share my insights on them. And, in the meantime, that's what Carerra's Chronicles is all about. Role Modelz: Sahil Bloom & Ali Abdaal I like the examples set by Sahil Bloom and Ali Abdaal. Ali started as a medical student at Cambridge University to become a doctor, which he eventually became. Over time, he shared his academic study tips and guides on acing med-school tests, but as his YouTube channel grew during the pandemic, he sought to diversify his interests. Ali would then go on to become the world's leading productivity expert as he shares advice on how to be more productive in your daily doings. Through his YouTube channel, Ali is more than a productivity expert - he does tech reviews, book summaries, finance and investment tips, and life lessons learned along the way. He is also an avid podcaster as he hosts Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal where he interviews successful people to learn their strategies towards success. Finally, Ali also hosts the Part-Time YouTuber Academy (PTYA) where he teaches aspiring YouTubers to kickstart their channels and grow their niches on the platform. Needless to say, Ali is a Generalist (and probably a Polymath) in his own right. Sahil Bloom would be another person I can consider a Generalist. Currently an investor, entrepreneur, and creator, Sahil is one who likes exploring his curiosity and sharing his knowledge with the world. Interestingly enough, he started out as a baseball pitcher in his Stanford Baseball Team (I'd assume he still plays today.) He also had the privilege of being a mentee of Tim Cook, the current Apple CEO. Sahil has extensive leadership experience, having served as a board member in four companies and the current Vice President of Altamont Capital Partners. Sahil is also an educator whose mission is to demystify financial concepts and make them available to everyone. He believes that the current financial education system is set up to protect insiders, creating structural inequalities. This is why he is mostly pervasive on X where he mostly educates the masses on his learnings. He is one to condense complex financial information into understandable and digestible tidbits. Sahil would be considered a generalist in the sense that not only are his interests diversified, but he is excelling at them - finance, venture capitalism, investing, education, content creation, and leadership. He crafts his brand around these subjects and leverages that to share his ideas and inspire the world that way. By these criteria, I feel like I relate well enough to both Ali and Sahil. Any advice to other Generalists? Honestly, just be yourself. It's an interesting spot to be in because the world is radically advancing daily, creating room for specialists to thrive in. However, when you think about it, you as a Generalist are in a good spot too. Hypothetically imagine that if a specialist is in the top 0.01% of experts in doing something, consider yourself in the top 5% of the same category (or 20% at worst.) I also learned that it's good to be a 'specialized generalist' as per Tim Ferriss. By this, you have an advantage in choosing two distinct fields you're interested in, finding the intersection, and capitalizing on it. Think: Computer Science and Law to be a Legal Tech Consultant Biological Research and Art to be a Medical Illustrator Mathematics and Music to be a Music Data Analyst And so many more. What's more interesting is that a Generalist is one to thrive (and survive) in the upcoming digital renaissance because of the need for interdimensional problem-solving. Like, the world will evolve so rapidly that not only will one need field knowledge in different domains to connect the dots, but also hone the adaptability needed to navigate uncertainty as per HBR. In the upcoming digital economy, one will need massive skills to sustain oneself through the ever-evolving economy - a testament to why self-education remains a must-have today. I'll leave you with some additional videos for reference, but yeah, being a Generalist is a good position to be in, so kick it! How Generalists Win in the Information Age - Till Musshoff Generalist vs Specialist: Which is Better? - Freethink Become a Digital Renaissance Man (And Join The New Rich) - Dan Koe Conclusion Now that that's out of the way, I'm finally happy to be a generalist. I'll hold on to my generalist ideals and use that to tune Carerra's Chronicles. If I'm to specialize in anything, it's to specialize in generalism or weirdly specializing in as many things as possible. It may be unreasonable to some extent, but it won't stop me from sharing what I learn in all that I learn. Other than that we'll see how things emanate he has to come from this decision. Cheers to all the generalists in this world; the best times are yet to come. 🥂💯 . . . ~T.K.K