Hello, World.

I am not online.

In 3 years on LinkedIn I have engaged with 0 posts. In 10 on Instagram I have never uploaded a story. I have not changed my Facebook profile picture since 2016 - a regular source of laughter for my friends.

I do not post. I do not like. I do not comment.

But I do consume. My undying curiosity is appeased by captivating podcasts, interesting books, insightful subreddits and engaging YouTube videos. I’m always lost in some niche, burrowing further and further down the rabbit hole; fasting protocols, decentralisation, performance psychology, longevity, skincare, greek mythology, sleep hygiene, breath work, travel vlogs - in preparation for a holiday for two weeks all I consumed was Vietnamese bakery and banh mi content. How good is the internet!

I’ve learnt fundamental career and life skills from free and open sources and have been exposed to impossibilities that if I lived only a generation ago I would have never benefited from.

I’m searching for contrarian ideas that confront my norms and challenge my ways of thinkings.

I’m looking for inspiration.

Recently I’ve been enthralled with entrepreneurs building in the open and the communities they develop on the way. Their journeys of growth and failure courageously broadcasted producing nuggets of wisdom and inspiration.

I think I’m drawn to them because they’re the polar opposite of me. I’m terrified of public failure and so keep my ambitions, wins, and most importantly losses, fiercely guarded. I find online transparency confronting and see no reason why anybody would have any interest in what I’m doing, learning, or building. I have a counterproductive inclination to tackle challenges solo.

But, I’d like to be more like them.

So, I’m venturing online - slowly. And carefully. Baby steps…

I’ll build here and cross-share across LinkedIn. This platform provides an opportunity to explore and share my technical passions progression, and LinkedIn is home to the creatives, entrepreneurs, and communities that shape and inspire me. I’ll start calling my shots, hopefully do some cool things, and by sharing them publicly engage with those doing the same.

This is a radical shift for me, the result of a transformative 2023. I learnt a lot about what I want my life to look and confronted the anxieties holding me back. As a result I’m trying new things. And one of those things is simply sharing that I’m trying new things.

So, in the pursuit of learning in the open, public accountability, and the search for community, I am loosening my grip to reveal my upcoming goals.

Here we go…

🚀 Launch my portfolio website (✅ yay)

🧑‍💻 Build 3 full stack projects; a healthtech related product, a fintech related product, and expand my Wordle Clone & Solver application

🎓 Graduate with a Bachelor of Software Engineering & Bachelor of Finance in July

👬 Engage with 3 communities; a competitive programming club, a startup society, and a run club,

✍️ Write 4 times here, and 12 times on LinkedIn

🌆 Spend a month abroad in Taiwan

🤿 Get a PADI certification

📸 Share some photography

📚 Complete the NeetCode 150 and Crack the Coding Interview problem sets

😍 Land the graduate software engineering role of my dreams

The scariest task on that list is my commitment to writing.

I hate it. Every sentence becomes a sinkhole swallowing my time and thought as I circle around structure and cycle through a thesaurus - see what I mean, what a ridiculous sentence. But at the root, I’m not comfortable sharing. These content goals may appear menial to some, but are significant to me.

I hope to develop skills that enhance the speed and quality of my writing, and gain the confidence to connect with online communities and leaders I have been admiring from a far.

If any of these goals align with where you’re heading or you have some insights to share with me, I genuinely, genuinely, would love to connect. Starting today, I’m reaching out to those that inspire me in hopes of building a collection of friends and colleagues who resonate with my journey of self-discovery and learning. I warmly invite you to reach out to me and do the same.

Thank you for indulging me. This was my long way of saying…

Hello, World.

Made with 💕 in Melbourne, Australia LinkedIn • GitHub