SayKiat / Essays /

Things I Can Do Better

A pastry almost finish eaten.

For the first time in a while, I'm able to pause, reflect and appreciate how far I've come, and more importantly, doing the opposite - acknowledge what are my other shortcomings that is impeding my life.

This essay is not a complaint about my current condition. I’m grateful with what I have, but I’ve also done things with mediocrity.

I want to live genuinely, so here are some areas where I see room for improvement:

  1. I should approach bodybuilding more holistically. Constant bulking has made me appear overweight and tired. I should incorporate some cardio.
  2. I need to dedicate more time to learning rather than always doing. Lately, I’ve been learning about DesignOps, so I’ve put a pause on learning 3D. I’m satisfied with my progress so far, but I believe I can do better (?)
  3. I should be more active on LinkedIn. It’s not about demonstrating employability, but more about establishing personal credibility and also contributing to the open source community.
  4. More rest is crucial. Constant stress doesn’t make me the most creative person in the room. Like driving a long journey, braking is as important as accelerating.
  5. I need to gather more courage to (re)connect with strangers and friends. Socialising can be costly, but I think there’s something about acknowledging people’s presence in a genuine way that makes me a more fulfilled person.
  6. Improve my earning power. There are matters that I still struggle to comprehend, but I’m working on increasing my knowledge pool. Let’s see where it brings me.
  7. Accept that self-discovery benefits both parties in a relationship. I think, maybe, the term “don’t be picky” is a false virtue that harms both sides.
  8. Build rapport with colleagues. I think a lot of my fears in workplace stems from me working in silo too much.

As we’re approaching the end of year, here’s some quote from my favourite author to inspire me (or ourselves) to become a better someone:

  • The better ambitions have to do with the development of character and ability, rather than status and power. Status you can lose. You carry character with you wherever you go, and it allows you to prevail against adversity.
  • You should be better than you are, but it’s not because you’re worse than other people. It’s because you’re not everything you should be.
  • Face the demands of life voluntarily. Respond to a challenge, instead of bracing for catastrophe.
  • Truth, virtue, and courage are not necessarily enough, but they are our best bet.
  • You need to consider the future And think, ‘What might my life look like if I were caring for myself properly?’
  • The successful among us delay gratification and bargain with the future.
  • It’s better to do something badly than to not do it at all.
  • Always place your becoming above your current being.
  • If you cannot bring peace to your own household, how dare you try and rule a city?

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