If you put the work in. Here’s how I attempt to be excellent at everything I do. PS: Let’s start with one thing because doing many at once is diluting. Plus, if you learn how to excel at one, you can replicate it in another. PPS: I don’t know everything. 1. Know what you want. If you don’t know what you want, then everything else is futile. 2. Be reasonable Be reasonable with yourself that you can achieve what you want, given your circumstances. As a case study, I’m 23, with Math, Data, and Leadership experience. I can be a rocket scientist if I want because I can attain the necessary resources for this. On the other hand, I’m an immigrant, so I can’t be POTUS. 3. Start with the basics. I love the First Principles way of thinking - breaking down a problem into its simplest basics. With First Principles, I ask, “What are we getting ourselves into?” “What is this?” “What are our options?” And so on. It’s mostly from First Principles that I determine next steps. Let’s say I want to bake cookies. With First Principles, I can deduce, “Okay, I know what a cookie is and what an oven is, flour, milk, sugar, etc. How can I mix all these to get a cookie? A recipe. Okay, next step: Google ‘Cookie Recipes’ online.” 4. Execute The whole point of learning something is to execute it, correct? 5. Connect the dots The more you learn, the likelier you will expose yourself to new information that can relate to the old. You started with A and now find yourself at B - Learn how B relates to A. Similarly, if you get to K - make the connections from A to B to D to K. And so on. You want to be a Math guru, yet Math has numerous topics—Trigonometry (T), Calculus (C), Measurements (M), Logic (L), etc. Despite varying concepts, they relate to each other in some way. It’s your job to find these connections and identify their relationships. I think the ability to make connections and inter-relate concepts is a sign of high intellect. 6. Know the final outcome Step back to review what you’re learning and assess if it’s leading you to your goal. If so, proceed to step 7. If not, return to step 1. Don’t climb the stairs of the wrong building. 7. Bridge the “Connecting the dots <------> Final Outcome” gap. You will have some initial knowledge now that you’ve reached step 5. Between where you are currently and your final destination lies a massive gap to remedy. There are two possibilities: Using Learned Information: If the gap is something you know, repeat steps 4 & 5. If your goal is to run a marathon and you know how to run 100m, then repeat the 100m runs X more times because a marathon is essentially a 100m run X-times over. Using New Information: If the gap pertains to something new, restart from step 3 with the benefit that you’ll have new First Principles to deal with. If your goal is to start a business, you will begin with market research. Once you become good with research, you pivot into Product-Market fit - you’re a noob at this. You’ll have to start all over again learning the PM-fit essentials. 8. Review the process Do this once you’ve bridged the gap in step 7 - You’ll most likely have completed the intended task. Maybe you’ve done a lot, maybe you’ve done little. Maybe you put too much effort, maybe you did the bare minimum. Reviewing this will help you see if it suffices your final outcome. “I’ve just knitted my first dress…but did I like how I did it?” “Did the dress turn out as I wanted?” “Could it be any better - how I knitted, the final piece…or both?” Once you’ve accomplished your task, you should ask yourself these sorts of questions to comprehensively review yourself. 9. Refine Even though you’ve done the job, your process won’t be 100% efficient, especially if it’s your first time doing it. Find these defects in your learning and fix them ASAP to make your entire learning experience more efficient and execution more effective. The dress could be better. I can run faster in five minutes. The cookies should have more chocolate. Just because the job’s done doesn’t mean you did it right. Zero-defect your shortcomings. 10. Iterate Refinement and repetition go hand in hand. Iterate your learnings over and over. You don’t need 10,000 hours - You need 1,000 trials. People will say that’s unreasonable…and that’s why the elites are out of this world. Iteration coincides with mastery (step 12) because you feed your attempts into memory. 11. Document Document the process by journaling, vlogging, creating a manual, etc. When you document it, you’re subconsciously teaching yourself twice, further ingraining it deeper in your memory. It’s also here that you will have grand expertise in your skill. You now know what works and what doesn’t. You will save others from stressing out about finding a working methodology. Because you can always get better, the documentation is a work in progress. Play the Infinite Game, where the goal is not to win…but to keep playing the game. 12. Master Repeat steps 1 to 12 until you function on autopilot. Until it becomes your sixth sense. Until you do it effortlessly. If you can do this with one thing, you can do this with anything and excel at it. Peace, . . . ~T.K.K

All you need to know about the Decentralized Web. I'm trying to make sense of this new and vast field, as I'm considering investing in it someday. It's the future of innovation, and I'm as futuristic as they come. It's the democratization of the internet as we know it. Welcome to Web3. What is Web3? Web 3 is simply a decentralized internet powered by blockchain. Think of it as the decentralized web. Meaning if blockchain can decentralize currencies (e.g., crypto), then it can decentralize the internet as well. Read more on blockchain here. Web3's main goal is to address some of Web 2.0's shortcomings - privacy concerns, censorship, and the lack of transparency in online communications. But what's Web2? Web2 is the current Internet as it is, characterized by the dominance of social media, e-commerce, and cloud computing. And while Web2 brought its own merits in innovation and connectivity, it also has its demerits in data privacy, censorship, and tech monopolies. Many enthusiasts consider Web3 a radical departure from the current web massively controlled by big tech. Web3's main principles Web3 builds on the principles of decentralization, privacy, accessibility, interoperability, and trustless transactions. *Why is Web3 unhackable? For three reasons: Decentralization, immutability, and cryptography. Decentralization—Blockchain distributes data across many computers, so hackers can't exploit a single point of failure. Immutability - You can't change data that's already on the blockchain. It's immutable. Unchangeable. Thus, it's hard for anyone to alter the data without the network's consensus. Cryptography - Blockchain uses cryptographic techniques to store data - the same ones used to make cryptos. Each block in a blockchain is connected to the previous block using a unique cryptographic hash (or ID) which makes it impossible to change past transactions. Pros and Cons Pros Users own and control their data. Users have greater privacy because they own their data. Imagine owning your social media and deciding who can access it. Transparency: Because it's on a blockchain, anyone can audit publicly available Web3 transactions. No intermediaries are required as transactions happen between peers. Innovation - Just as we innovated with Web2, who knows where we'll be with Web3? Cons Scalability—Web3's complex requirements for consensus mechanisms and node validation make it hard to scale. Hopefully, interoperability can fix this. Security—For every piece of tech that brands itself as "secure," hackers are always attempting to prove the contrary—hacking smart contracts, cryptojacking, etc. There are "51% attacks" where a chain breaks if malicious miners control more than 51% of it, and a broken chain is susceptible to manipulation. More here. Accessibility—Current blockchains have high transaction fees and slower speeds, which limits widespread adoption. Web3 Use Cases The Metaverse—A huge virtual reality space where users interact in a computer-generated pseudo-world. It is decentralized, allowing users to control their own data and assets. Cryptocurrencies—Digital currencies created through cryptographic techniques. In Web3, cryptos are the default medium of exchange. Read more about cryptos here. Blockchain Games—Just like a regular game, only that it's on the blockchain, meaning all your points are permanently stored and seen on the blockchain, and no one can take them from you. Transparent supply chains—Web3 provides an immutable record of transactions on the supply chain (because it's on the blockchain), so everyone can track their products along the delivery cycle. Decentralized Finance (DeFI): Imagine performing all your financial transactions without needing a bank. That's DeFi for you. Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs) are digital, unique assets minted and stored on the Ethereum blockchain. They showcase proof of ownership and authenticity of each asset. Watch this 90-second NFT video. Decentralized Identity (DID) - DIDs help users control their digital identities. Web3 apps use DIDs to confirm your identity. Decentralized Applications (dApps)—Apps built on blockchain. Since dApps are open source, no entity controls them, plus they use blockchain to store data and smart contracts to automate actions. Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs)—These are orgs run by rules in a transparent computer program controlled by DAO members, not a central government. Closing Thoughts Web3 is the future of the Internet, or, as Cathie Wood would say, the "unfinished business of the Internet." Most of it is still abstract right now, so it's hard to comprehend it fully right away. I think Web3 will be an online democracy for sharing ideas, which, as far as the current status quo is concerned, will bring forth free speech. Given our current standards, the promise of greater control, user privacy, and innovation opportunities all seem too good to be true. The convos for a decentralized internet have just begun, and we're still in the beginning phases. Looking at the decades ahead. And like I always say, The best is yet to come. Cheers. . . . ~T.K.K References Web3, metaverse, the next internet | Deloitte Insights What is Web3 and why is it important? | ethereum.org What Are the Scalability Issues of Web3? Blockchains Scalability (doubloin.com) The Rise Of Web3: What Cybersecurity Concerns Should We Look Out For? (forbes.com) Subscribe to The Weekly Chronicle for weekly bangers delivered in under a minute.

Welcome to The Law of Reverse Effort An idea I'm pondering on: Trying too hard is something we get entrenched in every so often in our lives. And ironically, the harder we try, the poorer our results. And inversely, the less pressure imposed on ourselves, the more we bloom. Crazy, right? This is The Law of Reversed Effort. It states that: "The harder we try with the conscious will to do something, the less we shall succeed." ~Aldous Huxley He goes on to argue: “Proficiency and the results of proficiency come only to those who have learned the paradoxical art of doing and not doing, or combining relaxation with activity, of letting go as a person in order that the immanent and transcendent unknown quantity may take hold.” And I thought that made sense. The harder we try to do something, the easier we make it for ourselves to fail...and the harder we fall. And we humans, the control freaks we are, want to micromanage everything to perfection—too much for our own good. Well, what are you going to do? I don't know. At least, not yet. I don't have all the answers yet. But what I can do, however, is the following: i) Rest As I mentioned last week, I'm incorporating more rest and relaxation into my regimen, and coincidentally (but not surprisingly), my output skyrockets after that, both quality and quantity-wise. ii) Do your best So long as I know, I've given my all to something—a project, idea, or relationship—that suffices for me. You won't regret doing your best ever. iii) Don't stress I'm of the school of thought that stress is self-imposed...and not worth reducing one's lifespan for. Especially, again, if I know I've done my best, I likely won't regret the outcome. Which leads to... iv) What will happen will happen. I always say that: I can guarantee the effort, not the outcome. But if the right effort is guaranteed, so is the outcome. It's The Art of Surrender—letting go of control, doing your best (again), and having faith that all will happen according to your best wishes. You can only do so much, you know - so do what you can and let the universe do the rest. The rest will happen as it should be. v) "If something fails, it wouldn't be my fault." Another mental model I'm practicing now. Essentially, I'll want to work so hard that if what I'm working on fails, then at least it isn't because of me—rather an external factor. Think Usain Bolt, the fastest man alive. The only reasons he'd come in second place in a race would be: His age Broken leg The weather Slippery track Maybe the winner was just faster And so on. Circumstances outside his control. But definitely not because of lack of personal effort. I want to imitate that. I'll work hard enough that if what I do fails, then at least it won't be because of me. vi) Play the long game Another good mental model I'm adopting. If I know what I'm doing now, I'll still do it 60 years from now (shamelessly), and I won't stress about it. I have a time horizon long enough to know that even thirty years from now, my output will be vastly incomparable to my output today. It all comes down to tweaking your weak points, refining, and iterating consistently over a stupidly long time. And that saves me the pressure of trying too hard too soon. Big Think explains The Law of Reversed Effort in a splendid article here. But that's it for this week. Until the next one, Peace. . . . ~T.K.K

My Week of Doing (Almost) Nothing. DISCLAIMER I don’t give advice - Just notes-to-self. This is a trial - I don’t know how far it will go, but the last time I did it, it worked. I just invented The Nothing Week. And, of course, there are many tunes to this. Here, I’m looking at it from a rest and relaxation perspective considering how fast-paced my life is getting these days. Hence, the case for the Nothing Week, which, as the name dictates, is a week to do completely nothing. Completely nothing? Not quite. But I downscale most tasks. First, it doesn’t take away the necessities such as working a full-time job (unless you take time off) or attending classes to get a grade. For me, I’m at a point where I over-optimize most of my free time during the day. Working on a side project. Playing chess. Reading a book. I will always have something planned for my extra time. And while that has its productivity merits, it also has its burnout demerits. I just had an epiphany: As hardworking as I am, most of what I do is self-imposed. “I must do this.” “I must do that.” I realized that I didn’t need to view all my self-imposed commitments as responsibilities, hence why I penned this idea. And from knowing that, I realized two things: Rest is productive. Recharge is productive. After all, you emerge a better, more productive, and energetic person from the rest you just had. And so I thought: "If I could just put off these unnecessary tasks and recharge for a week, that would be great." And what do I get in return? More sleep. More hobby time. Pushed back meetings. Delegated or eliminated micro-tasks. Guilt-and-worry-free for something I think I’d be doing. Lessons I’m learning 1. Rest is necessary. It’s just as crucial as work. Even God rested after creating the world. 2. Rest is productive. You’re energized to tackle more tasks. Think of refueling a car: You refuel it when it’s stationary, not when it’s in motion. Imagine doing so with the engine on. Catastrophe. 3. The unnecessary can wait. Or if possible, deleted. Eradicated. Completely. 4. Peace of mind is the reward. If you’re a naturally hardworking person like me, you deserve to treat yourself to time that’s dedicated to not working hard at all. Ironically, that’s the subconscious reward you’re seeking—Peace of mind. 5. You focus more on what matters. Think: Pareto’s Principle - The 80/20 rule. I’m a huge Pareto fan. “80% of the results come from 20% of the effort.” You’ll want to optimize the little time you have for results. Meaning you focus on the points that matter. 6. It’s never that serious. Nothing ever is when you think about it. The work we do, the things we say, the stakes at hand - They’re seldom that serious. Your 80-year-old self would definitely coincide with that. The things that matter: Your basic needs Living in the present Whether your life made meaning Your relationships - family, friends, and acquaintances. It’s interesting how a simple walk outside will remind you of these. Everything else? Not so serious. 7. You control your time. You can do whatever you want. Even though it’s your ‘nothing’ time, you decide what you want to do even if impromptu. Think Retirement: Why do retirees want to travel the world, go fishing, or visit their grandkids? Because that’s what they decide to do during their free time—their ‘nothing’ time. Same for you: If you have nothing to do, then you might as well do something. Ski trip, travel, cook up a recipe on a whim, attend a concert. You have all the time right now. You might as well use it somewhat. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 8. I realize what I can control. And I control a lot. Downtime tasks. How I do my work. My interactions with people. And many more. You have 52 weeks a year. 40 if you work full time. Try doing nothing once every four weeks. And see if it works for you. Peace. . . . ~T.K.K {Written during my Nothing Week.} Subscribe to The Weekly Chronicle for more bangers delivered in under a minute.

My Five Weekly Lessons in Under a Minute. This week The Top 1% Skill You'll never be fully ready. Start now. Macro action, micro problems The Power of Your Mind The Camaraderie of Success 1. The Top 1% Skill I learned this from Dan Koe. We either spend too much time planning or fantasizing about the end result. And too little time executing. Most of the time is lost in the middle. Instead, if we lessen the time between ideation and execution: It hastens progress. It creates momentum. It generates quicker feedback loops. You learn faster. Especially regarding hastening progress, if you're guaranteed success after 1,000 iterations, then you'll accomplish it faster in five years (or less) than you would in ten (or twenty...or more) if you decreased the time between each iteration. You probably won't need the 10,000 hours of mastery anyway—story for another day. But for now, decrease the time between ideation and execution, and watch the magic grow. 2. You'll never be fully ready. Start now. The perfect time doesn't exist. You'll never be perfectly ready. You don't wait for the right time to act. The time is now. Instead, act now and make the most out of it. Or more figuratively, Instead of waiting for the perfect time, start now, and make the action perfect. Of course, "perfect" will never exist. But the more you execute, the higher the chances your work looks like perfection. Maybe not to you, but to others, it's a masterpiece. That's when you know you're winning. You'll never be fully ready. So start now. 3. Macro Action, Micro Problems Seneca said: "We suffer more in imagination than in reality." And because of this imaginary suffering, we create imaginary problems blown out of proportion. Hence, macro problems. With micro action. (Ironically, the only action here is worrying, which is more inaction than not.) Once you start taking action, you'll realize the problem wasn't as big of a deal as you first thought. After all, the first step is always difficult. After that, everything becomes simpler. Action and problems are inversely proportional. More action equates to less problems, and vice versa. Macro action, micro problems. 4. The Power of Your Mind I first heard of this idea from David Goggins, and I agree: Your mind is your greatest asset. Metaphorically, your mind is your greatest weapon in this world. Because if you can control your mind, you can master anything you set it to. I'm currently piecing together a primer that demonstrates the power of the mind - it touches on some points from Think and Grow Rich, Manifest Anything You Can Imagine, and Earl Nightingale's lectures. But in the interim, understanding how your mind can navigate you during your most dire circumstances is crucial. Figures why they talk about mindset being everything. The toughest battle is the one you have with your mind. Win that one first, and you'll win any hurdle life throws at you. Master your mind. The rest will follow. 5. The Camaraderie of Success Self-explanatory. Until next time. . . . ~T.K.K Subscribe to The Weekly Chronicle for weekly bangers delivered in under a minute.

My Five Weekly Lessons in Under a Minute. The Rule of 36 You attract your own kind. You are stronger than you imagine. You have so much potential it's scary. Luck doesn't exist. You create your own. 1. The Rule of 36 People like instant gratification. They like seeing instant results. Quick money. Fast money. And the likes. If you achieve those in that short timeframe, consider yourself lucky. But from what I've seen, the real magic happens at around month 36. 36 straight months of focused daily consistent effort toward actualizing your dreams. Worst case: A (bi)weekly cadence. But the shorter the difference in iteration, the quicker your feedback loops, and the more metrics you can track your progress toward your goals. And by 36 months, it's not a habit anymore - it's a lifestyle. It takes one day to take action. It takes seven days to create momentum. It takes 14 days to create consistency. It takes 30 days to build a habit. It takes 60 days to build a character. It takes 90 days to build a lifestyle. You already have a lifestyle in three months. What about 36? 2. You attract your own kind You attract your character. If you're a good person, you attract other good people. And the converse is also true: If you're a bad person, you attract bad people. But here's the kicker - you don't just attract people; you attract characteristics. You attract values. You attract vibes. If you do good unto the world, you attract good people who also do good unto you. Similarly, if you do bad to the world, you also attract bad people who also do bad stuff...and they do it to you too, and that hurts. Be yourself. Be a good person. Be a person of value. And you'll attract the right people. Because you attract your own kind. 3. You are stronger than you imagine. There will be setbacks, Mishaps Inconveniences Tragedies Setbacks Traumas And other perils along your way. You will feel devastated. Lost. Uncertain. Hopeless. Guilt. Like you don't know what you're doing. You will feel many things. But one thing for sure is that you will rise up above it, no matter what. You will rise up again, more formidable than before, and more concrete than ever. And the fact that the setback still didn't stop you is a testament to your strength. You're stronger than you think you are Give yourself credit for that. You're stronger than you imagine. 4. You have so much potential it's scary. I wish people knew how much potential they possess in their minds - it's not even funny. I'm currently penning something on how the secret to success begins in the mind. And the good thing about human beings is that we all possess it—our own innate minds to cultivate our grounds for success. "If you're human, you have a mind." ~Carerra. However, it's sad that many people are trudging through life for life's sake. Wake up Go to school for school's sake Go to work for work's sake Return home for home's sake Eat Sleep Repeat It's sad, to be honest. It's like a pot that simmers but never boils. Living...but not really living. If only people knew how much potential they had, then life would be much more meaningful. Just know that however much you have of it, it's scary...in a good way. And if you do realize it, good. Use it. 5. Luck doesn't exist. You create your own. I'm starting to believe that luck in the presence of hard work doesn't exist. If you work hard enough to get guaranteed results - which, in many cases, you do - then luck is not a factor. Rather than being lucky, you were well prepared for the right opportunity and skillfully maneuvered it with the resources you had to your advantage. It's not luck when you put in 10,000 hours throwing 10,000 career shots, 300 of which won you games. It was all sheer hard work and intense preparation. "The harder you work, the luckier you become." ~Carl Karcher Successful people master this. They work hard enough to increase their luck surface area. They work hard. And thus, produce their own luck. They create their own luck. I go more in-depth here. . . . ~T.K.K Subscribe to The Weekly Chronicle for more bangers in less than a minute.

How to Win Life - 1st Edition Preface This was originally meant to be, "How to cultivate self-respect," but after reading it a bunch of times, it looked more like a life cheat code. This is a first edition - I'm pretty sure more will come as I grow older (and hopefully wiser.) I’m likely also going to make this a personal primer. Idk — we’ll see. I'm only 23. Without further ado, let's go. Enjoy. 1. Set your values. Have a creed. Have your core values. Faith Love Vision Family Valiance Courage Integrity Dexterity Hardwork Community Determination Et cetera Whatever works for you. Don't negotiate them. They are non-negotiable. Don't compromise them. Have a personal philosophy by which you live. The older you grow, the more personalized your philosophy. Understand it's susceptible to change as you progress throughout life. 2. Have a mission. Set goals. Big goals. Audacious goals. Life-changing goals. Goals that change who you are as a person for the better. Find an obsession. "Obsession isn't something you tell yourself to start—it's something you force yourself to stop." ~Zach Pogrob. Exploit a niche. There are millions around you. Play the long game. Play it long enough to see your magnified Future-You and start living by their standards. If you don’t know what to do (yet), that’s okay. Try. Keep trying. Try different things. Multiple things. Because by not trying different things, you will never realize what you like vs what you don’t like. And when you do realize what you like, your skills can always transfer to that in one form of another. (Think: Transferrable Skills.) A man on a mission cannot be stopped. Find something that will give your life meaning. Set a lifelong goal for you to achieve within your lifespan. Visualize it everyday. Pursue it daily, no matter the cost. 3. Do hard things. Do the things people are scared to do. Math Chess Fitness Marathons Consistency Public speaking Personal Finance Hard Conversations Etc. Your 2.0 Self is on the other side of accomplishing something hard. Life is hard already. Choose your hard. Good habits are hard. Bad outcomes are also hard. Refer to no. 8. 4. Put yourself first. You can't fill from an empty cup. Put yourself first, then you'll be in a better place to assist others. "I'll take care of me for you if you take care of you for me." Jim Rohn. You have to be at your full capacity first before being able to help others. How can a car take you places if it's on E? Of what use is a tired camel if it can't carry you? How can you take a 3-hour call when your phone is on a five-minute charge? You're not selfish for taking care of yourself and putting your needs first. If you don't respect yourself, no one will respect you. And no one will do that for you. If you put yourself down for others, they likely won't respect you or the help you give them. 5. Set your standards. Aim high. Don't settle for less. Have your boundaries. Raise your bare minimum. Know your worth. Else, people will disrespect you. Whatever your goal is, add 20% to it, then add 20% on top of that 20%. Shoot for the galaxies, not the stars. Everyone can see the stars - few notice the galaxies. 6. Be self-accountable. People don't like hearing, "It's on you." Back your words up with actions. Few people master this. You should ensure that you are indeed who you say you are. Do the things you said you were gonna do when you said you were gonna do them. If your alarm is for 7:00 AM, wake up at 7:00 AM. If you were to attend a meeting at this time, attend the meeting at this time. If you have three tasks to complete that day, complete those three tasks that day. Own up, accept responsibility for your shortcomings, and make amends. Fewer people do this. 7. Take care of yourself. A more subtle way to self-care. Prioritize all aspects important to you. Physically. Don't drink. Don't smoke. Proper nutrition. Rest when needed. Work out regularly. Get a good night's sleep. Prioritize physical fitness. Protect your health and well-being. Drugs aren't good. Stay away from them. Financially. Have a good income. Live under your means. Ensure positive cashflow. Secure your investments and retirement accounts. Career. Find your Ikigai. Find your mission. (See no. 1.) Corporate isn't for everyone. Neither is entrepreneurship or freelance. Do what fits you. Ensure you're doing something meaningful with your life—a meaningful job. It's what you do in these 80-or-so God-given years that brings fulfillment to your life. Socially. Have mentors. They're a cheat code. Have a support system. Amass a personal board of advisors. Keep your family and friends close. You need the right people in your circle. Gather a tribe of soldiers and kinsmen around you, not leeches. Nurture the right relationships because life is 80% relationships. Spiritually. Practice your faith. Live it. Make yourself right with God. See no. 13. Ensure you're spiritually attuned with yourself. It's an eternal battle between the flesh vs the spirit. Mentally. Read good books. Have positive affirmations. Be careful what you feed your mind. Your self-talk. The apps you scroll. What you see everyday. The media you consume. The people you surround yourself with. Et cetera. Stress isn't worth it. Don't bag it. Don't stress yourself. It shortens your lifespan. Practice gratitude - It could've been worse. Your mental health is more important than you think. It won't matter in three months. Don't fuss about it now. 8. Practice self-awareness. Know your limits. Be brutally honest with yourself. Understand what you can and cannot do. If you can do something, do it. If you can't, don't. Let others know upfront what your capabilities are. Self-awareness is a good pivot point to start challenging your limits. See no. 9. Self-awareness will come at the cost of disappointing others because you won't fulfill their expectations of you. That's okay so long as you fulfill your own. Check no. 10. 9. Challenge yourself everyday. Question everything. Challenge your limits. You are your limits. Raise them. Challenge your beliefs. Evolve first before life forces you to. Relocation is a good life hack - It literally forces you out of your comfort zone. Do the things you said you couldn't do - Things you never thought you could do. If you don't challenge yourself, life will challenge you...and more so beyond your limits. Do the things they said you couldn't. Do it twice; thrice just to make sure, and take pictures. 10. Constantly reflect on yourself. Embrace growth. Embrace learning. Embrace self-mastery. Foster a growth mindset. You're never gonna have it all figured out. That's okay. Nobody does. You're always a work in progress. Accept that. There are always lessons to tell your: 10-year-old self 17-year-old self 34-year-old self 50-year-old self 71-year-old self. Continue reflecting on and learning about yourself. Refer back to no. 8. 11. Have a life of your own. Have your pastimes. Live life on your terms. Have your own hobbies. Be unique. Be authentic. Be yourself. Everyone else is taken. It's okay for others to ridicule you for not going out Friday night and choosing instead to stay in by the fireplace and reading a good book. 12. Don't force things. Let things be. Embrace stoicism. Don't force relationships. Don't force circumstances. Don't force life to happen. What will happen will happen. The people who will stay will stay. The universe repels neediness - neediness is unattractive. It's repulsive. Don't force anyone to stay in your life who has clearly shown they don't want to. 13. God above all. Acknowledging the presence of God puts you in your place. At any moment, your achievements could be wiped out in the blink of an eye if God says so. When you read the Bible, you will relate to many characters whom God led just like you: Judges: Gideon, Deborah, Samson, etc. Prophets: Moses, Elijah, Jeremiah, etc. You're walking the same path as the men and women of the past. Put God first. TLDR Set your values. Have a mission. Do hard things. Put yourself first. Set your standards. Be self-accountable. Take care of yourself. Practice self-awareness. Challenge yourself everyday. Constantly reflect on yourself. Have a life of your own. Don't force things. God above all. . . . ~T.K.K Subscribe to The Weekly Chronicle for weekly bangers delivered in less than a minute.

Transforming responsibility into privilege in three words. Last week was a huge epiphany in pursuing my projects and passions. My job (Business and Data analysis), my association (Kenyans in STEM Association), and Carerra's Chronicles. And it's easy to get lost in the thick of things. What initially started as a passion or a hobby, if left unchecked, can often become a burdening responsibility. Most of these, I think, are self-imposed simply because "we have to." "I have to write a blog post this week." "I have to do three podcasts next week." "I have to attend my child's recital tonight." "I must pick my kids up from school every other day." "I have to fly out to LA for multiple business meetings." Self-imposed burdens, which, when we fail to achieve, cause some self-deprecation within us. But as I learned last week, it's more of a perspective switch. I look at the things I'm doing and the tasks I have to accomplish, then note one commonality between them— I wanted to do them. I volunteered to do them. And now, I get to do them. That's the big reframe. By switching from "I have to" to "I get to," I notice the privilege in what I do - the work I nearly started taking for granted. Not everybody sings in the choir. Not everyone gets to work for a huge bank. Not everyone has a gym they go to everyday. Not everyone gets to build a STEM association. Not everyone gets to publish a blog in their free time. And so on. By saying, "I get to," I've noticed that I'm grateful for what I volunteered to do. It was fun when I initially wanted to pursue them, and now that I'm pursuing them, I wouldn't say I like that fun to deteriorate under the name of responsibility. Sure, of course, something can scale so big that you'll need multiple functions to operate it, most of which are outside your expertise. Instantly, you think you must do it (or 'you have to'), not remembering why you started—to enjoy it. That would have me beckon in a growth mindset: "I get to enjoy the fruits of my success and share them with someone as well." And with that, instantly, I delegate the miscellaneous tasks to others who get to do them. And just like that, you don't have to lead people - you get to lead people. You get to be a leader and lead others. Also, this is not permission for me to lower my standards and do the bare minimum. If anything, I can't take it for granted that I'm doing these things, and that motivates me to pursue them with the highest enthusiasm possible. I advocate a healthy balance, of course —doing something at your optimum best while still finding the love (or passion) to do it. "I don't have to do this—I GET TO DO THIS." And watch your worldview change. Until next time. Happy Easter. . . . ~T.K.K Subscribe to The Weekly Chronicle for bangers delivered in less than a minute.

My Five Weekly Lessons in Under a Minute. Intro Hi there! Welcome to my world! I’m starting this Weekly Wisdom series where I share my insights on life ,  business, careers, etc., all from the past week. So grab your coffee, stuff your chocolate bar or favorite snack, and relax on the couch as you explore what my mind is digesting from the previous week. Hopefully you learn something too! And, of course, let’s make this conversational — I would love to hear your thoughts as well. :) 1. If you have people genuinely rooting for you, keep them — they’re rare. True friends are hard to find and harder to keep. If you have friends that genuinely want the best for you, root for your success, and want you to win in life, then keep them close by - your success amplifies their belief in you. And if they believe in you and support you throughout, reciprocate it. It’s Ubuntu, not transactional. Eagles thrive with fellow eagles, not with chickens meddling in front of KFC. Be an eagle and keep your co-eagles close. Fly together. Soar together. Believe together. Live together. Laugh together. Love together. And die together. Because that’s what eagles do best. 2. Don’t dwell on the problem. Dwell on solving the problem. When a problem arises, it’s easy to exacerbate it and avalanche it into an endless corundum of other escalated issues. That, of course, doesn’t work. Never has, never will. However, if you switch to a problem-solver’s mindset, you will levitate towards formulating the solutions that solve what you’re (which you shouldn’t be) complaining about. Stop focusing on the problem. Focus on solving the problem itself. Channel your energy from complaining to eradicating what you’re complaining about. Complaining doesn’t solve the problem. Solving it does. 3. Don’t criticize without offering a solution. Criticize but also offer a solution. The point of (reasonable) criticism is to identify someone’s deficiencies and fill them accordingly. Constructive criticism is an excellent example of this — it shows where to grow and improve. Plus, one or two actionable insights to accompany the feedback for improvement are helpful. Criticism without a proposed solution, however, is as empty as the gap found in the critiqued. 4. Admit your fault when you’re wrong. Stand your ground when you’re not. The fine line between accountability and assertiveness. If you’re doing your job to your ability, you affirm that you did the right thing to your knowledge. (Deciding or executing the task with the limited resources available.) If the outcome was not the intended one, take accountability for it. Own your mistake and make your amends. Also, it's most likely a system error if you did the absolute task but the wrong outcome. Needless to say, it’s not your fault. And ideally, you’ll want to put in an undeniable amount of effort to clarify that it’s not your fault if something fails. Admit when wrong. Stand up when not. Which leads to my final point: 5. If you don’t teach someone how to do a job, don’t get mad at them when they get it wrong. This should be a top Management 101 lesson. You will have the desired outcome for a job - the perfect picture of it. You also acknowledge that you can’t do it all alone. You don’t know it all. The least you could do here is show your subjects your vision, which is why leaders are often visionaries. And if possible, explain the procedure for doing things to them. If you don’t, they will most likely try figuring it out on their own, which often goes only so far. Don’t blame them for the results they brought if you didn’t show them how to do it. I love this Computer Science principle: GIGO — Garbage In, Garbage Out. What you put in, you get out. What you sow, you reap. Put 100, get (at least) 100. Put 0, get 0. Easy. Show them what to do, and you’ll get what you show them to get…with the inverse holding true. Until next week. . . . ~T.K.K

I don’t think luck exists. Here’s why. Or maybe it does...but I refuse to acknowledge it - just a mindset hack. This is a mental model and personal philosophy I’m currently incorporating myself - susceptible to change in the future. I don’t quite believe in the existence of luck in the presence of hard work. Say you work extremely hard at something, dedicating your blood, sweat, and tears to creating an outcome many dream of. And the comments can come in as: “Lucky you.” “Lucky this.” “Lucky that.” And maybe you too fall into that “Was I lucky?” trap again. From what I see, luck derogates the preparation and effort needed to seize and capitalize on the opportunity. Disclaimer As I type this, I fully acknowledge the existence of circumstantial luck—you just happened to be in a better spot than others to achieve your goals. However, I’m referring to consequential luck (or outcome luck), where your efforts—not luck—vindicate your success. And from what I’ve seen, most people with circumstantial luck don’t achieve consequential luck mainly because of one thing—privilege. We move on. Luck Surface Area There’s a concept of Luck Surface Area, pre-eminently used by Jim Collins, and he describes it as “the amount of exposure an individual has to opportunities and resources that can lead to success.” However, I won’t use that definition - I have my own. Back to the first principles: Surface area is the area of a surface. Easy definition. Luck surface area thus becomes your scope of luck - how much luck you can generate and access. Basically, the harder, smarter, more intentional, and more strategic your work is, the greater the chances of luck happening. And hence, the greater your luck surface area. Let’s use an example. The Allegory of the Arrows Say you’re at a shooting range. You have two bows: A simple one and a mechanical one. With your simple bow, you have one arrow. With that arrow, your chances of hitting a bull’s eye are abysmally small. Now, say you have a mechanical bow—handmade, structured, and concretely made. You have 58 arrows, all of which you can shoot simultaneously if you want—your chances of hitting the target become humungously large. You increased your chances of hitting the bull’s eye because you purposefully crafted your bow: You measured the correct dimensions. You sourced the right material. You applied the proper Physics. You created slick arrows. You’ve probably practiced 1,000 times. You’re not lucky if you hit the bull’s eye nine times out of ten. You prepared for it. Now, others will claim you’re cheating - fair game - but were there rules to the game to begin with? And if there were, then in the game of success, the rules are either: Meant to be broken, or Redefined I’ve learned that successful people mostly play by their own rules, even if it means breaking some of them. They are the mavericks of society who aren’t afraid to challenge the norm to achieve their dreams. And one of those rules is to work ridiculously hard that success becomes inevitable. And when you’re in that state of hardwork, you increase your chances of luck. Simply because you can’t lose. In fact, I like to twist it this way: You don’t need luck—luck needs you. Luck needs you to stay relevant. The Relevance of Luck Interestingly, I learned this from a popular figure. First, some got extremely lucky where the effort doesn’t justify it: gamblers, crypto pumps, excessive risk-takers, etc. These folks skew the numbers against the commoners’ odds, making the latter dislike them…and, thus, any following sense of “luck.” When you think about it, it’s something popular in the online guru culture; many “gurus” are likely to host a $25,000 mastermind course, which, counterintuitively, earns more than what got them rich in the first place. However, these phenomenons lack one thing: The skills and character that necessitate their success. (I’ll give a parable on this soon.) Regardless, they took the shortcut to success. And as far as success is concerned, there are no shortcuts. And so, by that merit, they haven’t succeeded. They only succeed when they go through what it really takes to succeed. The dirty work. The failed attempts. The late nights and early mornings. The empty fridges and cold floors. Everything that validates the success they have today - they skipped that. To Jim Rohn’s analogy, a duck will always be a duck even if it convinces itself (and others) it’s an eagle simply because it’s in eagle school. That’s why, despite the quick windfall, 70% of lottery winners are likely to declare bankruptcy within three to five years. Re-enter Luck Surface Area It can be argued that most successful people got lucky at some point - no doubt about that. However, they determined their luck and how often they would get lucky. Or rather, they capitalized on their Luck Surface Area. I learned from Alex Hormozi that the more times you do stuff and the more iterations you make, the luckier you become simply because you increase your chances of success by +1 each iteration. You’re increasing the likelihood that, at least by one more trial, you’ll get the big hit. You’ll likely get that one viral video if you post 1,000 times than you do 10. You’ll likely close a sale if you cold-call 1,000 times more than you do 10. You’ll likely return 750% from one investment as a VC firm if you invest in 1,000 startups than you do 100. (Andreessen Horowitz and Y Combinator as examples.) And so on. I like how Hormozi sums it: “Volume negates luck.” Back to the successful If someone got extremely lucky and made a fortune from a quick buck, credit to them, even though it’s likely a one-off. But I don’t think it would be considered luck anymore if a person got lucky even seven times along the way - that’s too many chances of (un)intentional luck. A person of that caliber is just built differently. Conclusion And for that, I don’t think you need luck to succeed. Again, I personally dismiss the notion of luck, though that might change in the future. We’ll see. I like intentionality. I like strategy. I like anticipation. And I like preparation. I like being ready, prepared, and qualified for when the right opportunity comes, coupled with the ability to skillfully maneuver the situation to get an ideal (or even better) outcome. That, to me, replaces luck. You work so hard that luck needs you. You create your own luck. . . . ~T.K.K If you like this, definitely subscribe.

Embrace uncertainty and take the first step. One thing I’ve learned looking back is that it’s not all quite clear who we will become in the future. “Who will I become 10 years from now?” “What do I wanna do for the rest of my life?” One probably won’t get these answers instantly…but that’s okay. And if you do, you’re gifted. Sometimes, having faith and taking the first step is all you need to do. Scary as it is, it’s necessary. It likely won’t be the perfect step, but it’s definitely a good first step…and given the circumstances, that’s all that matters. Plus, at least you won’t die…lol. The more steps you take, the more of an identity you develop, slowly finding yourself in this world of chaos and instant gratification. You probably don’t need a final goal in mind—you need faith that you will get somewhere if you just take the first step and make the leap. You try things you think you like. If you don’t like them, okay - you can start over again. No effort is wasted. If you do like them, the better. And the more you figure out what you like and don’t like, the closer you get to your purpose. The likelier you’ll find something you love…and the more your way manifests. And just like my guy Rumi says, “As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” So start walking on the way today. God bless you. . . . ~T.K.K

The two kinds of stubborn; which one are you? Most successful people I know share one quality: They are stubborn. But wait…hold up. Lemme explain. We normally think of “stubborn” as a negative word because we associate it negatively - fair point. But the dictionary definition shows us otherwise. The successful people I know fit the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th definitions of stubborn seen above. They refuse to conform. They refuse to sink into mediocrity. They refuse to fit in when they know they can stand out. They’re the kind of people who would go right because there’s nothing left. I call them Stubborn-Persistent - Persisting to their goals no matter what. Those who fit the first definition of stubborn above are Stubborn-Obstinate. And truth be told, helping these people is futile. Give them the right thing to do - they won’t do it. Advise them on the tips to succeed - they won’t listen. Try convincing them that a product will benefit them - you’re better off grazing a dog. And unfortunately, Stubborn-Obstinate never ends well. They’ll see it for themselves. By definition, I like to think of stubborn in two ways: Stubborn-Obstinate: Refusing to listen to wise counsel and things that will benefit you. Doesn’t end too well in most cases. Stubborn-Persistent: Refusing to bend to others’ declarations of you when you want to achieve this (your dreams), but they tell you otherwise. Staying the track, unrelenting focus. I prefer no. 2. So, given the choice, I prefer stubborn persistence - The art of relentless persistence toward your goals no matter what. However, with all good things, there should also be moderation. After all, don’t let your persistence lead you to obstinance toward your success catalysts - proponents that should vindicate your persistence in the first place. Balance + constant self-analysis = key here. Peace. . . . ~T.K.K An interesting article from 16Personalities - “I’m Not Stubborn, I’m Persistent.”