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

You don't know what a mentor has been through. Appreciate them while you can. In this day and age, having a mentor is crucial for one's personal and professional development. A mentor guides you by advising you, relaying their experiences, and providing options for the mentee's growth. And on the other hand, a mentee enacts the provided advice (within reason) and does what they can to avoid the mentor's mistakes and misgivings. One thing that many mentees overlook, however, is the actual collection of failed life experiences a mentor has gone through. A mentor has probably made some mistakes, most of which the mentee wasn't present to see. See, a mentor is happy to pay it forward because: It's personally enriching to impact someone else's life. It's naturally built in them to pay it forward. To some extent, they don't want others to experience what they've been through. This may (not) happen. The sweetness of providing first-hand insights is unbeatable; a mentor is primarily a "directly from the source" kind of person. What's interesting about a mentor's crucifixion is that a mentor could be going through something right now that you may (not) know about, and even if you do, don't know how to help. If you do, great, but if not, don't sweat it. It hits different knowing that your mentor is openly suffering and in the middle of something, and there is merely nothing you can do to help since, after all, you're inexperienced. The best thing you can do is to learn. What's even more valiant is their dedication to the relationship nonetheless and their commitment towards enacting your growth; that is not only commendable but also rare. As a mentee, here's what you can do: Take their advice seriously. If a mentor is still fulfilling their parental mandate despite their current ongoings, take their advice seriously because it comes from the heart. It also dictates their commitment to the relationship. Appreciate the time they have. Even 30 minutes with them is a bargain. Reassurance. Remind them that they're doing a splendid job in whatever they are doing. Remind them, especially about their positive impact on your life, and let them know that you appreciate their investment in the relationship. If you're religious, pray for them that they may willfully traverse whatever they're going through. Be the best mentee possible. That's how they know their energy in the relationship is paying off. To all the mentors around the world doing the most, thank you. Sincerely, . . . ~T.K.K

Generative AI trains you to ask the good questions. If you've avidly used ChatGPT and co the past year, you might have noticed something. Generative AI trains you to ask the good questions. No one does that for you; you must learn to ask the good questions to get what you want from GenAI. It explains the classical concept of GIGO - Garbage In, Garbage Out. What you give AI is what you get, so the quality of an answer you get from ChatGPT reflects the quality of the question received. This phenomenon explains the magic in the prompts; the more specific your prompts are, the more you get what you want out of them, and the converse holds true too. And this translates to real life - Asking the good questions: in class, at work, in your ventures, etc. "Asking the right questions is as important as answering them." ~Benoit Mandelbrot. Another testament to why AI won't take your job - someone who knows how to use AI will. Curious to hear your thoughts on this. . . . ~T.K.K

Central Bank Digital Currencies: what are they? What is a CBDC? A Central Bank Digital Currency is a digital replica of a country's currency issued by the central bank. Unlike cryptos, CBDCs have the government's backing because the government produces them and can be used for daily transactions. CBDC = Digital Fiat CBDCs combine traditional money with digital transactions. While they're still in their premature stages, they have the potential to revolutionize the entire monetary ecosystem alongside blockchain. Also, unlike cryptos, you can't trade a CBDC - it's not profitable; this would only be possible if and when the forex market starts entertaining multiple CBDCs across their exchanges. The CBDC's Purpose A CBDC's uses are similar to its paper counterpart: making payments, storing money (in a digital wallet), investing, and accessing government services. According to the White House, a US CBDC should: Boost economic growth Facilitate efficient and low-cost transitions Support the continued centrality of the U.S. within the international fiscal system and Foster greater access to the financial system for people across all economic spectrums and CBDCs also reduce the risk associated with cryptocurrencies simply because of the federal government's backing. They would also provide financial inclusivity to those without banking mechanisms, i.e., those still using money orders and mail. The CBDC Chronology The earliest sign of a CBDC dates back to 1974 when Swedish economist David Langefors proposed one. And while the concept of digital currencies has existed since then, digital currencies have rapidly generated steam in the last five years. And interestingly enough, more countries are developing them as others have already implemented them. By the numbers As of June 2023, there are over 100 countries actively conducting CBDC research. By June 2023, 130 countries (98% of the world's GDP) are exploring a CBDC - an uptick from May 2020 when only 35 countries were doing it. 79 countries are in an advanced exploration phase - developmental, pilot, or launch. 11 countries have a fully-fledged digital currency: The Bahamas, China, Nigeria, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vicent and the Grenadines, and Ukraine. What's the big deal if the U.S. launches a CBDC? Being the superpower that it is and holding the global reserve currency, the U.S. would bring considerable attention to the CBDC space if it digitizes the U.S. Dollar. Massive adoption - A U.S. CBDC would be monumental in the global adoption of other CBDCs since the U.S. commands the global economy. Interestingly, a US CBDC itself would be catalyzed by the emergence of the Digital Renminbi. Bank disintermediation - Just like blockchain, a U.S. CBDC would threaten the banks' role of money storage. As quoted from Crowdfund Insider, "Why hold your money at a bank when you can park it directly on the Fed's Balance Sheet?" The same applies to local and international banks where you store your money. Competition with cryptos. As 4% of 65+-year-olds openly adopt crypto, a U.S. CBDC provides a safer alternative for the majority of the same demographic who want to transact digitally but not through Bitcoin or Dogecoin. Crypto adoption. Adopting a U.S. CBDC would escalate global crypto adoption as both are digital coins, and the public wants various transaction choices. Pros and Cons Pros Improved security. CBDCs have cryptographic techniques that make hacking, penetrating, or counterfeiting much harder. This also reduces the risks of fraud thanks to preconceived security considerations. Financial inclusion. CBDCs can reach traditionally underbanked folks through digital wallets. For instance, 33% of the Nigerian population doesn't have a bank account. Reduced transaction costs. Like blockchain, CBDCs can reduce the costs associated with traditional payment methods, such as bank transfers, withdrawals, and credit card payments, while also eliminating the middleman in some cases. According to the World Bank, remittance costs are currently 6.20% per transaction. Economic Stimulus. CBDCs can catalyze the economy through rapid stimulus so that central banks can send funds quicker to citizens during financial crises like during COVID. Enhanced efficiency and payment speed. One can use CBDCs to make instant payments regardless of people's localities. This is a faster way to transact goods and services both locally and globally. One question that is not answered by the paper is what is the value of a CBDC, and does technology already exist that can capture the desired benefits now? ~Crowdfund Insider Cons Financial exclusion. Funny when you think about a pro being a con, but in this case, it may be out of reach for those without internet access or a mobile phone. Privacy concerns. In increased government surveillance, central banks would have access to your transaction data and spending courtesy of a CBDC. Cybersecurity risks. Because a CBDC is a digital currency, it opens yet another avenue for cyberwars and unethical hacking. Monetary policy balancing. The Central Bank must balance the CBDC supply and public demand to avoid economic disruption or monetary shock. CBDCs can offer extensive benefits as seen, but it's also best to assess their risks before considering further implementation. My thoughts I think CBDCs are a tech worth watching. It makes sense that governments all over are taking on digital payments and services - 'twas about time they joined the bandwagon. My only worry is privacy concerns; for instance, imagine the government continuously monitoring your bank account, watching it 24-7, and all the transactions that go through. Assuming you broke the law (please don't) or evaded taxes, you could incur a freeze on your accounts and assets. From a social standpoint, people might not fancy government surveillance over their finances, hence the switch to crypto, which the government is also trying to break into. I suppose there will be a lot of conflict in digital payment preferences, so probably the government would have to reassure its citizens of their respect and right to privacy over their finances. Additionally, cyberwars could evolve to become more creative. If they're stealing from banks right now, what's not to say they won't devise new ways to conquer CBDCs? Conversely, CBDCs could also ease some processes like taxes. I imagine that since the government has e-records of your income, they can then file your taxes for free without you having to do them or meet a tax professional, threatening the existence of some occupations. Also, this oversight would highly reduce money-related illegalities - if you know you acquired your money legally (e.g., not doing drugs, trafficking, etc.), then you have nothing to worry about. Exciting times and innovations today, but we'll see more moving forward. Conclusion CBDCs are revolutionizing how we see money and banking. From payment transactions to storing value, they are revolutionizing finance as we know it. It remains to be seen how widely CBDCs will be adopted globally. Striking the balance between convenience, privacy, and security is crucial to focus on during these assessment and implementation stages. Adopting CBDCs and digital currencies is essential for creating a more digitized world, and as with every new tech, we must proceed with caution and ensure it's implemented in a way that best serves humanity. Until then, there's a lot left to see about this space. References What Is a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)? (investopedia.com) Technical Possibilities for a U.S. Central Bank Digital Currency | OSTP | The White House D-Cash - Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (eccb-centralbank.org) DCash launched as Digital currency and Legal Tender in the Caribbean – Citizenship by Investment Journal Central Bank Digital Currency Global Interoperability Principles | World Economic Forum (weforum.org) The Ascent of CBDCs (imf.org) Central Bank Digital Currency Tracker - Atlantic Council A Wide Range Of Outcomes: U.S. Federal Reserve Paper Researches Impact Of CBDCs On Financial System | Crowdfund Insider Central bank digital currencies for cross-border payments (bis.org) Adoption of Cryptocurrency in the U.S. (banklesstimes.com) What are Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs)? | World Economic Forum (weforum.org) The Rise of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs): Impacts on the Crypto Market (financemagnates.com) China Is Doubling Down on its Digital Currency - Foreign Policy Research Institute (fpri.org)

My Communication Greatly Improved What happened in the last month alone: Threads, Twitter's supposed killer, came to life. Meta saw 10 million users sign up in seven hours and 100 million in five days. (Read more here.) Elon challenged Mark after Musk freed the bird.s which I highly doubt will happen - Why would billionaires do this? Twitter changed to X after Musk freed the bird. Speaking of X, Elon knew all along. Up to you if you want to join Threads. Anyway, here's how I've grown over a month of consistent online writing: I communicate better I noticed that my communication improved in all three aspects: verbally, nonverbally, and written cues. I now communicate clearer and more succinctly. Improving my communication was (and still is) a big deal for me. I noticed that I sometimes lose my train of thought, which then translates into nonsensical words, and before I know it, I've spoken more than I need to, half of which makes zero sense. Les Brown would probably be proud of me. My main communication goal is to get my message across in as few words as possible while hammering home the main point - 'saying more with less,' if you may. While I still have a long way to go, I'm generally happy with the improvement. Any metrics to show for it? Not really...at least not for any hard numbers. The only metric is intrinsic; I know this because I've yearned for the feeling, always imagining how it feels when my communication improves. Extrinsically, I can tell from others when they understand my point - they mostly agree with me. Not to say that all my ideas are necessarily correct, but if I can clearly articulate my reasoning, others either agreeing or responding vindicates my articulation. Perhaps for some hard numbers, my coherence, flow of ideas, articulation, and even vocabulary have developed...if my Grammarly insights are anything to go by. I relate more to my role models I realized that from how I communicate, I resonate more with my role models because they, too, speak similarly. I admire the likes of Alex Hormozi, Ali Abdaal, Nicholas Cole, Vusi Thembekwayo, and Shade Zahrai et al., whose content I appreciate and how they articulate it. With how they are going with their lives, running their businesses, and communicating as they are, I believe I, too, am on the same path to success. Now for my take, which is a hot one, by the way. Hot Take: X > Threads After a month of exploring Threads and reliving Twitter (now X), there isn't much fundamental difference between them. In terms of their user interfaces (UIs), X still leads here, and for the obvious reasons: Twitter (or X) has 237.8 million daily users, whereas Threads' daily active user base fell 82% to eight million users using it daily. Twitter is best suited if you want to connect with a large audience. You can log into X on the desktop or the mobile app. Threads is still limited to an app. You can sign into X with an email, phone number, and Google or Apple account, but you can't sign into Threads without an Instagram account. X has many features and a subscription plan for more visibility. Threads has limited features and no subscription model - hashtags aren't even a thing yet. X has ads; Threads doesn't. This could go either way with personal preference, though advertisers and big brands would choose the former over the latter. X is a juggernaut in the instant-replying social media ecosystem, which motivated Threads to become a thing. Threads, however, started on hype which died down after two weeks. Again, optional on which platform you want to use. Conclusion I'm glad I'm back into online writing, courtesy of Threads, which also made me return to X. I think it will take a while before I return to Quora and Medium, but for whatever it's worth, the momentum is there. I currently don't have any expectations with my X-Threads writing - at least not for now - but I am optimistic that it will help build my brand online from the social media standpoint: that, and more personal improvement, as mentioned above. . . . ~T.K.K

Continuous Improvement: The Core Essence of the Japanese Kaizen Philosophy Kaizen Definition The Kaizen Philosophy, originally from Japan, highlights the importance of continuous improvement in all aspects of life by making small, incremental changes to achieve significant progress over time. Kaizen is the brainchild of Masaaki Imai (1930 - 2023), a Japanese management expert who believed that long-term success was possible through minor, constant improvements in all facets of life, including work, personal character, and organizational culture. Kaizen is also critical in the Toyota Production System, which explains the company's lean approach to continuous developments in its fleet production. Kaizen's primary focus is process improvement - analyzing each step in accomplishing a goal while identifying growth areas. It's the small tweaks that generate massive growth, vindicating Kaizen as a beacon of powerful transformation. "Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out." ~Robert Collier Kaizen isn't all just about business - one can apply it anywhere, from personal productivity to business operations. Either way, long-term success is guaranteed. With a Kaizen mantra, problems are nothing more than opportunities for advancement, hence another embodiment of the growth mindset. Change is gradual, whether big or small, fast or slow. The underlying constant is to "always progress, never regress." Kaizen also emphasizes teamwork and collaboration in achieving a common goal, with everyone growing professionally and personally in the process. The small, incremental changes, whether in a group or out of it, create the most sustainable progress, helping you build momentum while sticking to the process. Principles of Kaizen Kaizen Mindset: Adopting a mindset that embraces change and growth. It is being proactive and open-minded towards improvements, regardless of scale. Continuous Improvement: Kaizen aims for ongoing enhancements in every area of life, from the workplace to personal development, fostering an environment of perpetual growth and innovation. Respect for People: Kaizen values every individual's contribution to the improvement process. It involves all employees, recognizes their insights, and empowers them to contribute to change. Standardization: Establishing standard processes helps measure the effectiveness of improvements and creates a foundation for further advancements. Elimination of Waste: Kaizen eliminates wasteful practices and processes, streamlining operations and optimizing resources. Examples of Kaizen Applications Kaizen in the workplace Identifying, automating, or streamlining repetitive tasks for efficiency purposes. Regular training and skill development to empower employees to adapt to evolving challenges and contribute to the improvement process. Kaizen is also a utilized competitive strategy in many successful companies today. If you do not improve and grow individually or as a company, you will eventually fall behind. Fostering a culture of constant adaptation, learning, and innovation to stay with the trends. Kaizen in your personal life Creating a weekly cleaning schedule at home to keep your place organized and tidy. Starting a budget to track your finances. Walking everyday for 30 minutes to improve your fitness. Learning a new language to engage with a new culture. Reading a few pages of a book daily to gain intellectual breadth. Meditating for five minutes to cultivate mindfulness and living in the present. Goal Setting: Breaking down large goals into smaller chunks and celebrating progress along the way. Mindful Reflection: Regularly reviewing your actions and outcomes to identify potential areas of improvement and adapt accordingly. It's all in the habits - adopting small, positive changes into our daily routines. How to apply Kaizen in any aspect of your life Identify a potential area of improvement. There will always be gaps in our lives - identify the ones worth filling. Break down the area into smaller, manageable tasks. Trying to achieve massive, instantaneous goals is severely unrealistic - break the goal into bite-sized tasks accomplishable in shorter timeframes. Plan on how to improve each task. Until the ultimate and most straightforward way to complete a task is reached, there is always a way to improve the process more efficiently. Execute your plan and track your progress. Once the plan is in place, execute, then mark your performance from the start, through midway, and to the finish. Adjust if needed. Depending on the scenario, make the necessary adjustments - it could be in your goal, timelines, or even methodologies. Benefits of Kaizen Improved productivity: Your input/output ratio improves, and you get more essential stuff done. Increased efficiency: You articulate processes better and achieve more with less effort and time. Enhanced product quality: You can better identify and correct defects in your products because you're constantly tweaking them. Increased customer satisfaction because they receive better products from the above. Improved morale: Employees feel like they own the improvement process, making them proud of their work and thus wanting to contribute more. “Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way.” ~Bob Parsons. Carerra's Take I like the Kaizen Philosophy a lot, and it was not until I recently learned its name that I realized I've been practicing it for a while now. My main Kaizen application was (and still is) in building Carerra's Chronicles - my thought wagon - and how I did it is as follows: I first analyzed the website and noted many things to be done - front-end design, layers, mobile outlook, etc. Next, I realistically concluded that the website couldn't be finished in weeks - it would probably take months at the worst case. Third, I divided the workload into small, workable bits, then attacked each every last hour of the day. Through these workable bits, I can tweak them in a never-ending, always-developing process. No sooner than later, the website that took me four years in school (which remained unfinished, by the way), I completed it in three months, an hour a day; astonished is an understatement. Now, I'm done with the website (for now), but not with Carerra's Chronicles. For starters, I'll keep writing stuff till infinity, so Kaizen will be dominant here. For instance, it's taken me five days to write this blog, and I split the work by days: Day 1 = Content Generation, Day 2 = Piecing & filling the gaps, and so on. Throughout the journey, there'll be ways to improve my writing, content delivery, efficiency, and other factors that will improve Carerra's Chronicles. There will definitely be ways to improve the process, so until then, I'll be doing the best I can progress; I discuss it more here. I'll continue applying Kaizen in my life, so you might as well consider me a Kaizen Philosopher already. Conclusion Kaizen is a beautiful philosophy that embodies the wisdom that greatness is achieved through continuous, incremental improvement. It's powerful for personal and professional growth, providing a rational and stoic approach towards achieving success. Individuals and organizations can progress significantly over time by continuously improving and collaborating to achieve common goals. Through Kaizen, people embrace change, value each other's contributions, and commit to lifelong learning and growth. Whether applied in the workplace or daily life, Kaizen creates a culture of excellence and innovation, plus lasting personal and professional transformation, thus being a guarantor of long-term success. If you want to improve your life, try Kaizen - you'll be in it for the long haul. . . . ~T.K.K

Bit by bit, and slowly by slowly, I'm headed somewhere...and I know it. So...I graduated from school, finally. And for all the right reasons, school was an impediment to my constructing Carerra's Chronicles. I'm now free-er than ever...for now. Still, I'm determined to build this thing. I'm currently adopting the Kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement via small, consistent, and incremental changes over a long time, thus motivating me to take this process slow by slow. I'm not creating something drastically huge or implementing humongous changes instantly...but rather fine-tuning stuff bit by bit. If it's the website, one small section per day. If it's a blog, one paragraph per day. Worst case: one edit, sentence, or idea per day. I noticed two things: The bits are stacking up. The best part is that it's all unconscious & 'behind-the-scenes' growth while I focus on what I can do. By the time I realize it, it's already a significant change. It's molding a subconscious habit. Since I'm well over my 21 days of cultivating a practice, it's now ingrained in me that I must tweak Carerra's Chronicles daily...and I've done this for four months now. From this habit, I've improved my skills repertoire of web development & design, writing, communication, and vision, among other skills. Slow progress > no progress. This is self-explanatory. When I work this way, time is on my side; it's only a matter of time until this blows up - compounding will play its bit in the meantime. I'm playing the long-term games - the infinite games. My goal isn't to win, but rather to keep building and inspiring people alongside me. That will get me ahead, God willing. Rome wasn't built in a day, but over decades. Similarly, I'm making my own Rome. I'm optimistic about how all this will turn out. While I don't know how long it will take, I'm ready to embrace the journey. What I know for a fact is that bit by bit will get me there...one day. Until then, I'll take it slow. And take it easy. . . . ~T.K.K