Photo courtesy of ABC 7 News NYC

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated with stories of people who took the unconventional path to success.

I study their thought process, their habits, and their strategies to figure out why they did what they did.

Maybe because I knew I was at a disadvantage. Coming from a third-world country. Being a minority in North America. Growing up as a sick kid. Failing 17 courses in my undergraduate degree. Failing 2 startups.

Or maybe because I’m very competitive.

Whatever the reason, finding an unconventional path towards achieving my goals has helped me throughout my personal life and career.

I started my New Year reading about Darius Bazley, an NBA player that chartered a completely different path to playing professional basketball.

The conventional path for most NBA players was to play for a year in college. He already signed up to play for Syracuse University but eventually decided to give up college. He took a year off from organized basketball to work on his game individually and work as an intern for New Balance.

A year later, he signed up as a rookie with the Oklahoma City Thunders and eventually played for the Phoenix Suns.

While I’m not a sports guy and by no means have any expertise to comment on his playing abilities, I can easily identify patterns that lead to success. Because these are the same patterns that I see in people who have achieved similar levels of success in other fields.

Let’s take a look at what Bazley did differently that allowed him to end up in the big leagues – without following the traditional path.

He had a bold goal

His early interviews had a consistent theme: “My dream, for as long as I can remember, has been to play in the NBA.”

Everyone who achieved something great had this in common: BOLD GOAL.

They knew exactly what they wanted.

And regardless of the path they take, they keep their eyes on their goal.

It’s also interesting how this simple statement – play in the NBA – packs so many details in its simplicity.

Obviously, it’s an incredibly audacious goal.

The NBA is considered to be the premiere professional basketball league in the world. You don’t get to that level and not be considered the “best in the world.”

In an attempt at oversimplification, Bazley dreams of being the best in the world in the area of professional basketball.

In contrast, most people early in their careers start off with “I want to get a full time job.”

I’ll let you come up with your own definition of what that statement means.

But one thing is for sure. That goal doesn’t scream, “I want to be the best in the world at what I do.”

If I was running an NBA team, I’m definitely going to recruit somebody who can win championships.

Question: Is your career goal championship worthy? Or do you simply want a job?

He was a trailblazer

Trailblazers are people who are willing to pursue unchartered territory.

That’s a scary thought.

The mere fact that you are trying to do something that nobody has ever done before should be enough reason not to do it.

You’ll be criticized.

You’ll be ridiculed.

You’ll be mocked.

You’ll hear insults.

People will call you stupid.

Even experts will say “You won’t make it.”

And that’s exactly what Syracuse University coach Jim Boeheim said about Bazley. Ouch.

But trailblazers are wired differently. They also think differently.

In one article, he commented on going to college this way, “I looked at all of them the same way: As a one-year stop before declaring for the NBA draft.”

And since his goal was to play in the NBA, he pursued a path that would get him there faster – the G League.

Not only did he find the best path for him to achieve his goal, he did it faster than the traditional way of going to college.

And he didn’t just stop there. He came up with a way where he will be learning more than just basketball. He got a 1-year internship with New Balance on their marketing team.

Question: Are you willing to pursue unconventional ways to achieve your dream faster? Or do you simply want to do what everyone else is doing?

He put himself in the right environment to grow

I was trying my best to understand what was going through his head when he made a decision to do a marketing internship. Why not just focus on basketball if that’s what he really wanted, right?

I mean, I asked myself this question, “What was I thinking about as an 18-year-old?”

At 18, I was already dreaming big – running a tech consulting company while learning about sales.

But Bazley stayed true to his goal. Even when working as a marketing intern at New Balance.

An article that highlighted his internship experience wrote: “I was in an environment where I was forced to grow up. I really got to see what professionalism was, what it looked like, how to attack every day. I grew up as a man…It was the little things throughout the process that helped to shape and mold me.”

He put himself in an environment where he is forced to grow.

Now, you might be thinking, “What does this have anything to do with playing in the NBA?”

Everything.

Because the NBA isn’t just about playing basketball.

It’s about working with team mates.

It’s about learning how to promote teams to increase ticket sales.

It’s about interacting with other stakeholders like the team owners and concessionaires.

It’s about knowing which ads would have the best return on advertising investment.

He wanted to grow beyond just becoming the best professional basketball player in the world.

In contrast, most people who are starting out in their careers are simply satisfied with learning what the job requires of them.

They’re too scared to step outside of their comfort zone…too timid to take on more responsibilities.

I’ll be brutally honest. Simply working a full time job is not the right environment for you to grow personally and professionally.

That’s why you hear people’s stories about working the same job for years – yet not getting promoted nor qualifying for new opportunities.

Question: Are you putting yourself in the right environment where you are forced to grow? Or are you simply doing what everyone else is?

He had a great work ethic

As a professional athlete, Bazley knew he still needed to work on his basketball skills to be at the NBA-level caliber.

So, what did he do?

He worked doubly hard.

He would wake up early in the morning and get an on-court workout in before his 9-to-5 internship started.

From there, he would typically eat and hit the weight room during lunch.

After wrapping up his afternoon at the office, he would have a second basketball workout that would sometimes result in him getting home around midnight.

From there, it was time to go to bed and start the process all over again.

He still had his sights set on his bold goal of playing in the NBA.

So, his work ethic and his daily routine reflected that.

I used to complain about this kind of work ethic. Of putting in the grind and outworking my peers.

Because it demands so much from me – my health, my energy, my relationships, my time.

Until I realized, it’s the very reason why I’ve achieved my goals much faster than my peers.

And because I’ve built the habits and routine over the years, I no longer have to work as hard as before to achieve my goals.

Question: Does your work ethic reflect your goal? Or are you just doing the bare minimum?

He had a great coach

Not all coaches are created equal. And Bazley knew that.

That’s why he and his mom approached Rich Paul.

Rich Paul is a prominent sports agent who became known as LeBron James’ friend and agent.

One thing that may not be that obvious to most people. Rich Paul dropped out of college.

I’m not here to criticize a broken educational system. But I do see a similar pattern with successful people.

They ask help from people who have already achieved what they wanted to achieve.

Knowing Bazley isn’t going to college, Paul did his best to find the best way to spend his time while waiting for the G League.

One article highlighted the reason why Paul did what he did with Bazley: “For who he is, regardless of what happens in the rest of his life, he’ll have a head start. He’ll know more about the business around the game than anybody in his class based upon what he’ll learn.”

A great coach has your best interest in mind.

A great coach believes in you even before you believe in yourself.

It was Paul who came up with the idea of the New Balance internship. Syracuse University coach Jim Boeheim was the one who said, “This is not the way to the NBA. I think it will cost him.”

And a great coach will make you accountable.

It was Paul’s idea to still do workouts while doing the New Balance internship.

In contrast, most people early on in their careers would just listen to any expert in their field.

They would ask for advice from somebody who has been working the same job they wanted to pursue.

There’s nothing wrong with asking for advice from an expert…if being an expert is all you want.

They’re the very experts who will tell you to get a university degree, get a ton of certifications, get an entry-level job just to get experience.

But they don’t have a BOLD GOAL…

They’re not trailblazers…

They don’t put themselves in the right environment to grow…

Their work ethic does not reflect their bold goal…

And, then, they wonder why, after doing everything they thought they needed to do, they still are not achieving great things.

Having a great coach was the best career decision – and investment – I’ve ever made. I just wished I did it earlier in my career instead of waiting for 15 years to finally pull the plug.

Having a great coach allowed me to see my greatness even before I saw it in myself.

Having a great coach allowed me to have bigger, bolder goals…be in a better environment to force myself to grow…

Question: Are you still trying to figure things out on your own? Or are you ready to invest in a coach that can help you achieve your goals much faster than you ever thought possible?

—

The New Year is a great opportunity for me to do self-reflection.

It’s when I’ll review what I’ve accomplished in the previous year and plan for what’s ahead.

It’s also an opportunity for me to do a gut check: Based on what I’ve accomplished this past year, am I still pursuing bigger goals?

Am I still learning and growing?

Am I constantly stepping outside of my comfort zone?

My answer to these questions will determine what I’ll accomplish in the next 12 months.

I attended a leadership conference two years ago, one that my business coach recommended. The event was for entrepreneurs and business owners who want to grow and scale their business to seven-figures and beyond.

One of the sessions involved a “board breaking” exercise. You know, the one you’d commonly see in martial arts demonstrations. Where someone holds a piece of wooden board while you attempt to break it.

The board breaking exercise is more than a simple display of strength. . . beyond the ability to split a piece of wood in half. At least, that’s how I saw it as a kid who watched a ton of martial arts movies. It symbolizes overcoming obstacles that hold you back. The act of breaking through them both physically and mentally.

While the speaker was explaining the significance of the exercise, I thought, “With my military and martial arts training, how hard can this be?“

I guess my thoughts raced faster than I could hear the speaker’s words. Because I missed crucial instructions before we were to do the exercise.

“On one side of the board, write down all the limiting beliefs that are holding you back. And be completely honest. You’re the only one who will read that.“

Yikes. I guess I spoke too soon. About this exercise being too easy.

Because I have way too many limiting beliefs that are holding me back.

“…I have to work harder than everybody else because I’m not good enough.”

“…I don’t have what it takes to succeed. I’ve been doing this much longer than everyone else. Yet they’re already way ahead of me.”

“…I don’t deserve to receive great things unless I work hard for them.”

“…I don’t belong in this crowd. They’re already successful and I’m not.”

“…I suck at being an entrepreneur.”

I wrote more than what’s on this list. More than I could fit on that small piece of wood.

The speaker continued, “On the other side of the board, write down what’s possible when you let go of these limiting beliefs.“

What’s even more challenging than writing my own limiting beliefs? Writing about what’s possible.

When you’ve experienced a ton of hardships, you can’t even imagine the possibility of living an amazing life.

When you’ve worked hard for everything you have in your life, it’s hard to imagine receiving something for free – as a gift.

When you keep failing in business, it’s hard to imagine how you can help other business owners succeed.

It’s no surprise it took me longer to write on this side of the board.

And I didn’t realize I was writing down “impossible goals“. That’s the photo below. I mean, the other half of the broken board.

Then came the time to break the board. They grouped the attendees in three lines as we waited for our turn.

I watched people older than me break their boards with ease. Some did it in one go. Others took a few tries before finally doing it.

That gave me a bit of confidence.

But then came what I call the “Sink Time“.

This is the waiting time until it’s my turn to go. From the time I got in line to the time it’s my turn to break my board.

That could’ve been a few minutes. But it felt like hours.

Because while I was in Sink Time, a flood of negative thoughts and emotions started flowing…all my failures … all my mistakes … all my insecurities…

Maybe writing down my limiting beliefs on the board triggered it. I have no idea.

But in that short amount of time, I felt like I couldn’t move.

I felt ashamed, telling myself, “What would everyone think of me if I’m not able to do it?“

The humiliation was mind-numbing.

Until I felt a tap on my arm signaling my turn to go. It was the speaker.

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and yelled “Hi-yaa!!!” before hitting the board.

OK, I was exaggerating. There was no yelling involved. Only breaking of the board in one smooth move. I guess I’ve made my aikido sensei proud one more time.

As I went back to my seat, I started reflecting on the lessons I learned in that moment.

1. Limiting beliefs hold us back more than anything or anyone. Enough said.
2. Possible goals prevent us from achieving beyond what we believe we’re capable of. I’ve already achieved 4 out of the 5 “impossible goals” I wrote on that piece of board. I guess it was “impossible” back then because I never saw myself achieving any of them. Breaking the board opened my consciousness to what’s possible.
3. Sink Times will always be there. Whether it’s a split-second, a few minutes, or even months if we don’t deal with it. Have the skills and tools to overcome Sink Time before it defeats you.
4. Don’t get fixated on the HOW. Focus on the goal and get resourceful. There were those who could not break the board with their hands no matter how much they tried. One 70+ year-old lady took her board, put it between two chairs, and used her foot to break it. The entire room cheered. Nobody ever said you can only use your hands to break the board. The goal was to break the board. After she did, those who couldn’t break their boards before ended up following her lead. Talk about a “Roger Bannister moment”.
5. To keep improving, hire a coach. This was one of the best investments I’ve ever made in my life. That tap on my arm when I was on Sink Time? That’s a coach. You need someone who has already achieved what you want to accomplish. Someone who can see through your negative beliefs and speak life into you. Someone who can recognize and believe in what you’re capable of even before you see it yourself. Someone who can, figurative or literally, smack you in the head or kick you in the butt (with grace) when you need it. I’ve grown exponentially in the last 3 years with a coach than in the previous decade without one.

That board breaking experience stuck with me.

Today, I do my own version whenever I feel like I’m stuck with either limiting beliefs or thoughts.

I would write them down on a piece of paper. Then, I would either shred it or light it up on fire. Kinda like a simple ritual.

Nothing changes after the fact. But that small act triggers something within me, one that signals, “LET’S GO!“

I guess it’s time to write another set of “impossible goals”.

“Tools are extensions of our abilities; mastery transforms them into allies.” 

– Jackie Morgan

So much has been written about using AI as a tool to do our day-to-day tasks. And I bet you’re using some form of AI every day.

That Netflix recommendations you see on the TV. Or that surge pricing on your favorite ride sharing app. That’s AI.

It’s only been less than 3 years since the release of ChatGPT. Yet thousands of news articles have been written about how AI will replace jobs in 2025 and beyond. Bill Gates on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Falon stated that AI will replace most human jobs in 10 years.

You’ll find thousands of social media posts with even more comments on how people are affected by this. From reduction of work hours to layoffs. From AI replacing repetitive work to completely eliminating it. What makes it worse is that more and more AI-startups are popping up like mushrooms all around the world.

I did a keynote speech a few weeks back on how anyone can prepare for the new era of an AI-driven world. The audience were technical professionals. And while they interact with AI everyday, they’re not exempted from the threat of this technology.

I’ve had my fair share of fear mongering early on in life.

My parents told me that I would never land a decent job without a degree. In college, my professors told me that industrial automation would eliminate the jobs we were going to school for.

I’ve seen how globalization had a huge impact in the job market. Chip manufacturer Intel moved their manufacturing plant to Vietnam and China after the global economic crisis.  That’s after being in the Philippines for 3 decades.

I’ve also seen how any new technology can become a threat to existing jobs. Remember those telephone switchboard operators?

Seeing how markets and economies shift throughout the years, I knew that what I can do will be replaced by whatever new technology is available. It’s inevitable.

And while new technology can often come off as delusional, obsolescence is real. Just like getting old.

So, instead of pretending that technology – or AI – is never going to eliminate my job, I make the assumption that it will. Even worse, it already did. And even if it has not happened yet, it’s only a matter of time.

Accepting this reality is what made me commit to continuous personal development. Other than the fact that I enjoy figuring out how things work, it helps hedge against obsolescence.

Hedging against obsolescence is a proactive approach. It means you have to be actively doing something. Not just passively waiting for something to happen before you react.

And herein lies one of the many things that AI cannot do for you. I’ll list down 3. Because that’s how much I can easily remember.

AI Cannot Be Proactive

Like any man-made technology, AI needs input. The prompts. The training data. The models.

Technology is primarily reactive. It needs input to provide output. It cannot do anything on its own. Humans have to design and build it. We need to provide the input input. And the quality of the output depends on the quality of the design and the input.

Just like the automobile. It needs fuel. And a driver. Even autonomous vehicles need sensor input. Remove any required input and you have nothing.

There are so many cases of smart systems where the technology managed to do something that ordinary humans could not. Like the Apple Watch detecting a possible heart attack. Technology still rely on input. Technology is still reactive.

We humans have the capability to be proactive. We have the ability to change our present if we don’t like it.

Don’t like the movie you’re watching? Switch to a different one.

Don’t like the new pair of shoes you’re wearing? Get another pair.

Being proactive is so natural to us as humans.

However, given our overdependence on technology, we hand over our ability to be proactive to the very technology we invented.

I’m not exempted from this.

I use AI tools on a regular basis to do my work. And I still fall into the trap of accepting the results as they are without questioning the validity.

I once asked ChatGPT to write a piece of code that automates a repetitive task. I copied the code and immediately ran it on my app platform without checking. I was just so lucky I accidentally introduced a breakpoint to stop the execution.

Cultivating a habit of being proactive will guarantee that AI will never be able to replace what you do. And even if it did, you’re already a few steps ahead working on the next new thing.

AI Cannot Make Wise Decisions

Technology is built with algorithms and decision trees. The results will be based on the design and the quality of the input.

That’s great for purely facts-based environments. Because based on inputs and algorithms, we can have predictable outcomes.

Too bad we don’t live in purely facts-based environments.

We deal with complex human beings every single day, most of whom we don’t understand. Heck, we don’t even understand why we do what we do sometimes.

I’m sure you’ve been in situations where facts alone were not enough to make decisions.

Have you stepped into a meeting – social or otherwise – where everything looks great on the outside? Yet your gut is telling you that something feels off.

That’s your intuition working. Like Peter Parker’s Spidey-senses.

I remember a consulting project I worked on a few years ago. The client wanted me to do an assessment of their high availability infrastructure. It was causing a lot of issues. Since their business relied on the infrastructure, the issues were costing them a lost revenue.

I did my usual discovery conversation with the IT director, gathering facts about their environment.

However, I could not shake the feeling that something was not right.

I told the IT director that I needed to meet with the whole team. Despite the fact that I can do my work from anywhere in the world, I had to be physically present with the team.

The IT director was hesitant at first. After all, bringing me onsite was an added cost. Not to mention scheduling dedicated time for the entire team away from their day-to-day work.

Within an hour of talking to the IT team, I knew exactly what the problem was. And it had nothing to do with their infrastructure.

They have inefficient communication channels. And because of that, they were ignoring processes, causing issues in their infrastructure.

Had I simply rely on the facts provided, we would never have resolved the real problem: team communication issues.

Intuition-based decision-making is something AI will never be able to do. Ever.

AI Cannot Be the Artisan

The rise of developer-focused AI-platforms like Cursor paved the way for a new trend: vibe coding. It’s where anybody can use the English language to describe a problem as a prompt to an LLM tuned for coding. You can now create software in a weekend without knowing how to write a single line of code.

The concept is nothing new.

I remember the introduction of integrated development environments in the mid-1990s. As I wrote my very first code in Turbo Pascal, I was surprised to see how easy it was moving from terminal-based coding to using Borland Delphi. I didn’t have to know every syntax to create an app.

Then, I got introduced to Visual Studio in 1998. Talk about an upgrade, like from flip phones to an iPhone.

I was able to create a simple network-based app in less than a few hours. Without even knowing how the Windows Sockets API worked. All I had to do was drag-and-drop a few controls, create the user interface, and a working app was ready for use.

Imagine my surprise when Visual Studio.NET came out with even better tools for creating mobile-based apps.

The problem with having better tools is it makes you feel like an expert without having a good grasp of the fundamentals.

Besides, you were able to build something fast, weren’t you? You have a working prototype without the need to know the basics.

It’s like publishing a novel over a weekend without understanding what makes a story captivating.

There’s a big difference between knowing how to use a tool and being an artisan.

Knowing how to use a tool allows you to create something.

But without mastery of the fundamentals, you become a slave to the tool.  You take away the tool and you start to feel helpless. I’m sure you’ve felt that way when you had to do simple math without your phone on the grocery checkout.

In contrast, an artisan can create something with or without a tool.

An artisan’s mastery of the craft is the secret to creation.

With a tool, the creation process is a lot faster. Without it, creation still happens, albeit a lot slower.

The real power of being an artisan is when you can create your own tools as an extension of your abilities.

Like a mathematician creating super calculators.

Or a programmer writing code generators.

It is your responsibility to be the artisan. A master of your own craft. To be very good at what you do.

And if necessary, use AI as a tool.

I cannot tell you what the next wave of technology would be. Probably AI vNext.

And I can’t even imagine what they can be capable of. Maybe get rid of your job within the next 5 years.

If you want to remain relevant…

If you want to hedge against obsolescence and not have AI ever replace what you can do…

Focus on the things that AI cannot do.

I’ve had the amazing opportunity to deliver a keynote speech for CUSEC: Canadian University Software Engineering Conference this past weekend. I don’t schedule any speaking engagements during the first month of the year. But I made an exception for this one.

I’ve spoken at hundreds of professional conferences and events worldwide. That translates to almost a thousand presentations, both in-person and virtual. And this isn’t my first keynote speech either.

The reason I said YES to speaking at this event is because I want to keep pushing myself outside of my comfort zone.

I haven’t been in front of students in more than a decade. The last time I spoke at a student-oriented event was back in 2006. I did a keynote speech for a Microsoft-sponsored student developer conference in Singapore. I remember walking up on stage with my O2 XDA II phone running Windows Mobile, controlling a Lego Mindstorms robot with code written using Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio. Ah, the good-old-days of being a developer. Back when I still had hair.

For me, speaking at CUSEC was more than just speaking at any other event I’ve spoken at. My biggest challenge was being relevant.

I no longer write software full time. Heck, I barely even write production-grade automation scripts. Gone are the days when my day-to-day revolved around looking at an IDE. I spend most of my time talking to decision makers – CIOs, team leads, managers, etc. – on how to help the business use technology to achieve their goals. And, if absolutely necessary, roll up my sleeves and do the heavy lifting myself.

It didn’t help that the average age of the attendees was half mine. Many were shocked when I told them I’m almost turning 50. Being relevant has a totally different meaning when age is involved.

So, if my job was to inspire an audience full of code-writing geeks, how can I add value?

I spent the entire duration of the conference attending other talks and talking to attendees. My goal was to learn as much as I can and incorporate the lessons in my keynote. Good thing my talk was on the last day. Not that I had to rewrite the entire presentation a few hours before I started. But I certainly included important lessons I learned during the conference.

Am I Good Enough?

Anybody who claims they can completely eliminate impostor syndrome is lying. Because impostor syndrome is simply a different shade of fear. And we can never eliminate fear. Unless, of course, you’re already six feet under.

And just because I’ve already done almost close to a thousand presentations in my entire lifetime doesn’t mean I never feel impostor syndrome.

• I know I’m speaking to an audience who have IQs way higher than mine…

• They have degrees that are far more relevant in the tech industry than mine (there were PhD and post-graduate students in the audience)…

• They are more connected to the world of software engineering today than I had ever been…

And you think I’m just making these all up?

As a data professional, I have data to prove these claims. I’ve got data points from the hours of conversations I had with both attendees and speakers. And I kept track of those conversations in my pocket-sized notebook.

It didn’t help that the other keynote speakers were absolutely amazing.

I took copious notes during Lyn Chen’s speech on How To Treat Yourself Like a Startup. I was reliving my post-graduation days through her talk, especially the “close to one-thousand rejections”. The real reason I started a business was because nobody wanted to hire me. So, I hired myself instead.

Dr. Greg Wilson’s talk on What Everyone in Tech Should Know About Teaching and Learning is a masterclass for anyone who wants to teach. I have been fascinated with how people learn since I was in university. That’s because I had difficulty learning complex concepts. It’s the very reason I use stories and simple analogies to explain things.

Seeing the previous keynote speeches made me doubt myself even more. That’s when those voices in your head start creeping up…

• “I don’t think I’m the right person to deliver a keynote speech to an audience of software engineers…”

• “Who do you think you are speaking to an audience way smarter than you?”

• “I’m going to screw this up…and the organizers will regret inviting me as a speaker…”

And you know what? I still have these crippling thoughts. Despite doing presentations for close to 30 years now.

It’s no different from the thoughts you have when applying for a job or an internship you feel you don’t deserve.

Or asking for a raise or a promotion…

Or even sharing your dream to a complete stranger (Lyn asked the audience to share their dreams to 10 people and one attendee stayed at the back of the auditorium so she can avoid doing the activity)…

And you know what else?

It’s OK to have these thoughts. 

Because impostor syndrome is a great way to remind ourselves that we’re still humans. That we are capable of feeling the fear that every other human being feels.

You want to know a secret that most successful people have that the society doesn’t want you to believe?

Successful people also feel impostor syndrome. Just like any normal human being.

The big difference is they recognize it and know how to deal with it.

They turn the negative voices in their head into empowering thoughts.

Before I did my keynote speech, I turned my thoughts into rocket fuel that helped me become the best version of myself for the job.

Instead of “I don’t think I’m the right person to deliver a keynote speech to an audience of software engineers…”, I told myself, ”my decades worth of experience working in the tech industry makes me the best person to learn from – both mistakes to avoid and lasting principles to apply”

Instead of “Who do you think you are speaking to an audience way smarter than you?”, I told myself, “In life, wisdom is way more valuable than IQ.”

Instead of “I’m going to screw this up…and the organizers will regret inviting me as a speaker…”, I told myself, “My talk is going to be the highlight of the conference and the organizers will invite me again next year.”

And before you even ask the question, “Am I good enough?”, start with telling yourself, “I’m more than enough.”

Do I Belong Here?

I did mention that the average age of the attendees was half mine.

When I was a kid, I always felt left out because I wasn’t like everyone else.

During the talk. I shared the story of how my friends made fun of me when I was a kid. Because I’d rather watch TV than to play with them. And by “TV”, I meant the Transformers cartoon series.

I learned how to speak English from watching cartoons. And the reason I spent time watching the Transformers cartoon series was because I wanted to work with robots when I grew up.

When you’re born and raised in a third-world country where a telephone landline is a luxury, working with robots is a delusional hallucination. It’s a scientific and polite way of saying “You’re %!^#* crazy.”

I knew what it felt like to be left out. To go against the status quo. To be different.

Same thing when I was growing up. I did things that most people think are unconventional.

…faked my ID at 13-years-old to get a factory job

…ran a fund-raising event in high school despite school officials disagreeing with it

…became a “consultant” at 18-years-old, being flown in a helicopter to fix internet satellite connectivity issues

…sold internet subscriptions to doctors back when 14.4Kbps was the fastest bandwidth one could have

I even planned on totally skipping university. That plan didn’t work. I’m Asian. I have to have a degree. So, after 17 failed courses and close to 6 years, I had an engineering diploma in my hand.

Despite being OK with being the odd-man-out, part of me still wants to belong. It’s a basic human need, after all.

Being surrounded by people half my age brought back feelings of not belonging. It’s like high school all over again.

• “I’m not ‘cool enough’ for them…”

• “I feel out of touch with what they’re doing…”

• “I don’t understand their language…”

Fun fact: As a non-native English speaker, I still search up jargon and terms that people say. Especially if they talk too fast and I don’t have time to ask, “What exactly do you mean by that?”

I had these thoughts at the back of my head every time I’d strike a conversation with people at the conference.

We will never outgrow our NEED TO BELONG. It’s hard-wired into our humanity.

And while society celebrates the superhero…the inventor…the company founder…the genius…the billionaire…

None of them exist in a vacuum.

Our need to belong is so essential to our existence. Yet so paralyzing when we don’t fit in.

• That’s why we crave the likes on our Instagram posts…

• Or the appreciation for the good work we did…

• Or someone agreeing to our ideas…

So, how do we embrace this need while using it to our advantage?

Start with learning how to LOVE YOURSELF. And, no, I’m not about to burst out into a Justin Bieber song.

Instead of waiting to be appreciated, APPRECIATE YOURSELF.

Instead of waiting to be liked, LIKE YOURSELF.

Instead of waiting to be accepted, ACCEPT YOURSELF.

This isn’t some form of narcissism that I’m advocating. Quite the opposite.

Because how can you appreciate others when you can’t even appreciate yourself?

How can you like others when you don’t even like yourself?

How can you accept others when you can’t even accept yourself?

My version of “selfishness and self-centeredness” takes my need to belong and turns it into a need to SERVE.

Instead of focusing on ME, I focus on WE.

Because I cannot give what I do not have.

I turn my need for belongingness into an act of service.

So, rather than ask, “Am I ‘cool enough’ to hang out with them?”, I ask, “How can I appreciate them?”

Turn your need for belongingness from an act of TAKING to an act of GIVING.

And you know what, everyone wants to be around generous people.

What Will My Future Look Like?

If I’m going to talk about the future of tech, it helps to look back at my personal challenges when I was starting out. Especially when artificial intelligence (AI) is slowly taking over every industry.

I knew I wanted to work in tech. But I didn’t have the right background (I don’t have a CS, IT, or software engineering degree) nor the right experience.

It didn’t help that every interviewer I talked to had a copy of my university transcript. Yep, the same one that included 17 failed courses.

Every job application turned into a rejection. From IBM, Microsoft, Accenture, Avanade, etc.

What frustrated me the most was that I was the one who told my friends to pursue a tech career. And they’re already making top dollars despite only working in tech for a year.

It’s depressing when you’re on your own, can’t find a job, and have nothing to your name. This is one of those circumstances when you’re most vulnerable.

I started having thoughts of living on the streets and being homeless. And the shame of having gone to the top university in the country…yet have nothing to show for it.

I knew I had highly valuable skills. But what good are those skills if nobody knew about them? So much for working with robots and mechatronics in a country where labor cost is cheap. No one would need my skills.

I spent a good amount of time feeling sorry for myself. Not wanting to get out of bed. Loss of appetite. Constantly blaming myself for all the bad luck that’s happening to me.

I had an excuse for everything that was happening to me.

• “I can’t get a job because I don’t have a computer-related degree…”

• “No one wants to hire me because I failed 17 courses in my undergrad program…”

• “I can’t pass exams because I suck at it…”

Mark Twain once said, “The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.”

Dwelling on the negative didn’t help improve my situation. So, why keep at it?

Call it luck, the universe, or whatever you want to call it. But just when I was about to give up, I glanced upon a copy of the book The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale sitting on my bookshelf. You can probably guess what the book is about.

In those days, I’m not one to believe in any of these positivity or feel-good BS. When you’re born and raised in a culture where hard-work is worn as a badge of honor, none of these made sense. Everything is all about working hard.

But what have I got to lose? If the negative self-talk didn’t produce the results I wanted, why not try a different strategy?

That was the very first time I started paying attention to my thoughts. That my thoughts dictated how I felt. And how I felt dictated my actions.

I made it a habit to speak kind words to myself. Over time, I started taking action. I did meaningful work, those that allowed me to learn relevant tech skills. Having skills improved my confidence.

You might be thinking, “What does this have to do with what my future in tech would look like?”

Every tech innovation is built to solve a problem.

• Cars solved mobility problems…

• Phones solved communication problems…

• Computers solved labor inefficiency problems…

Whether that’s AI today or a new technology that gets introduced in the next five years, it will eventually solve a problem.

And while most people will look at my challenges as bad luck, I look at it as a blessing in disguise. My challenges helped me become better at solving problems.

And, guess what? That’s exactly what I do today as a consultant.

Because so long as I have the ability to identify and solve problems, no amount of AI nor technology will ever be able to replace me. I call that “job security”.

Let’s get back to that Mark Twain quote one more time: “The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.”

The fact is, no one can really know exactly what the future looks like. No matter the amount of data we have and analytics we use. And this is me speaking as a data and analytics expert.

I’m not here to tell you exactly what your future will look like. Despite looking at the past.

Because regardless of what the data tells you about the past, that’s really all it is.

Nobody has the power to change the past. And even if I did, I would not want to change any of it.

But we all have the power to change the future.

If you don’t like your present, look at the past.

If what you did in the past did not help you achieve what you want in the present, change it.

By doing so, you have the ability to dictate your future.

The most important lesson that guided me in my almost 3-decade tech career came from Rabbi Daniel Lapin: “The more things change, the more we need to depend upon those things that never change.”

We spent that New Year’s eve at this beach resort about 4 hours northeast of Manila. The weather was the total opposite of what we had in the freezing regions of Canada. I had a few more days to soak in all the heat before I go back to below freezing temperatures. And despite the contrast in the weather conditions, I saw myself in that fisherman. No, I wasn’t getting ready to hop on a boat and cast my nets for the day’s catch. I was the one taking pictures, remember?

The reality was that I wasn’t really in full vacation mode during those days. While my entire family was enjoying the holidays, I was strapped to my phone and my laptop the days prior. We’ve already planned this trip months ahead. There’s no way we’re going to cancel it just because I needed to work. So, we did what we had to do. We took the trip.

During the days leading up to the New Year, I was working nights from 10PM to 7AM to cover the Eastern time zone. While my family slept at night, I was trying to keep my phone from waking them up. Being assigned on-call duties meant my phone would constantly make those annoying sounds whenever I receive an alert from our monitoring tools. If you think your phone notifications sound cool, try getting about a dozen alerts in a few minutes and not be able to turn them off because every alert is critical. I was wide awake at night and barely slept during the day. Can you blame me? I still wanted to enjoy the time I was “on vacation.”

Imagine how it felt like on Christmas eve. Because our Christmas eve was still a regular work day in North America. So, while everyone in the family was getting ready for the feast, I was still trying to shush all the alerts that came in. It was the very same experience I had two years prior. And I thought I was done with this. It’s a good thing we had Christmas and Boxing Day. I had two days to catch up on sleep and get some rest before getting back to the grind. And I was really looking forward to taking a day off for the New Year. Because it’s all I had before flying back to North America to do onsite client work in North Carolina.

I had some time to reflect and catch up on sleep on my flight back to North America. The reality was, I did more sleeping that reflecting. But it was enough for me to really think about how every IT Professional deals with this kind of challenge. We took on a job with certain responsibilities. But nobody talks about unrealistic expectations during job interviews. So we end up working 60+ hours a week putting out fires and responding to critical alerts over email. We’re strapped to our phones (or pagers for those who still remember) and laptops wherever we go. We’re physically present but not available. We’ve missed special family events because we’re overwhelmed with work. And we’re not even talking about the learning and keeping up with new tech during our spare time. As if we still have spare times. Nobody told us that we needed extra 12 hours in a day as IT Professionals. But that was the expectation. And it still is.

It’s no wonder so many of us are overworked and stressed out to the point of burnout. And it’s as if sleeping or taking naps would cut it. We can’t even get a good enough hours of sleep. That feeling of being awake every night, wondering if we should just quit. And even when we do get some sleep, we still wake up feeling tired and exhausted. We can’t give work our all anymore. And we wonder when all this is going to end.

Don’t ask me how I know. Because I was in this same mess years ago. I hated being assigned on-call duties. It messed up my sleep cycles. I think I averaged around 4.5-6 hours of sleep every day. I took naps in buses on my way to and from work. You know you can’t be effective at work as an IT Professional if you don’t get enough sleep. I missed birthdays and special family events unless they fall on a Sunday. I barely talked to my family. Until I asked myself, “Is this really what I want for the rest of my career? Or is there something better?”

Everyone talks about and wants work-life balance. Yet so many of us are still struggling. There’s a big difference between wanting something and stepping out to get it. I decided to do something about it. And I’m glad I did. Now, I get to enjoy life the way I want to. I get to spend quality time with my family. No more 60-hour weeks. And especially no more on-call assignments. I have had the opportunity to travel to more countries in the last 4 years than I did before that. I didn’t think it was possible back then. But my lifestyle is proof that it is.

In my consulting work, I see a lot of IT Professionals struggle. I remember doing consulting work for a global travel website. As we were discussing the new architecture of their database platform, I asked the engineers what their biggest struggle was. Their response was unanimous: burnout and work-life balance. I could see it in their face. These are some of the smartest people I’ve had the chance to work with. Yet, they’re struggling. And it breaks my heart to see them struggle.

If you know any IT Professional struggling with burnout, do them a favor and send them my way. Because you’re not just helping them break free from the struggle. You’re literally saving their life.

Tell them that they don’t have to suffer. But they won’t have a clue unless someone tells them.

When I was a kid, I’ve learned a very neat trick about making paper money smile or frown. The trick was very simple that I picked it up real quick and showed it to a few of my friends. I did use the Philippine Peso to try it out instead of a US dollar bill. If you are not familiar with this trick, check out this video to see how it is done.

While the video has garnered a large number of views and likes on YouTube for being cool, I think there is a more meaningful lesson to be learned from it. While on the bus one day, I showed my son this very trick that I learned more than 30 years ago. After showing him the trick, I asked if he could make the face on the dollar bill smile or frown. And while he was having fun doing it, I told him this very important lesson.

It's the same dollar bill, nothing has changed. What changed was how you handled it.
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We are faced with different challenges everyday – paying the bills, completing projects on time, or even as worse as dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. Situations may or may not change but understand that we hold in our hands the key to whether or not we end up being happy or otherwise. Great leaders know that when facing challenges, they need to do the following:

1. Face reality. The dollar bill trick reveals two faces – smiling and frowning. That is the reality that they need to face. Leaders understand that in order to deal with challenges, they need to get the facts right and face reality. Otherwise, they would be living in an illusion and may not be able to measure the enormity of the situation. This is what I call the “reality check.”
2. Take Responsibility. In order for the dollar trick to work, you need to pick up the dollar bill and tilt it yourself. Otherwise, the visual illusion would not be as effective. Leaders know that they need take personal responsibility for their situation. They literally put their necks on the line especially when the stakes are high.
3. Make Positive Moves. I bet that you smiled when you tilted the dollar bill to make it smile. And I also bet that you made it smile more that you’ve made it frown. Leaders know that they need to keep a positive environment and promote hope in spite of the realities that they need to face. A pat on the back, a good word of encouragement, even to a point where they remind themselves of the good things that have happened to them in the past. They understood the power of feeding their mind good stuff.

In case you want to try out the dollar bill trick, remember how you can handle a challenging situation while making those creases on George Washington’s eyes.

Being on the other side of the world and a few hours ahead of North America has given me enough time to observe what’s going on around the world with the COVID-19 outbreak and how people are reacting. I’ve had the opportunity to catch up with acquaintances over social media and their stories have given me a glimpse of what most people are going thru.

– several folks that I know have gotten laid off because of business closures

– information workers who are now forced to work from home struggle with their new routine

– single parents struggle to find ways to juggle making ends meet while taking care of their kids since schools are also closed

– full-time employees are worried that they won’t have a job to go back to

– families struggle to stock up on the necessities – food, water, medicines, toilet paper – because supplies are running out

We’re living in unprecedented times. Everything is unpredictable. Global economy is falling. Healthcare providers and hospitals cannot keep up with the demand. Borders are being closed. Financial markets crashing. I can understand why people are fearful and in a state of panic.

It’s even worse here in Manila. The urban poor is severely affected. Most people are contractual workers who don’t get paid if they don’t go to work. With the national government declaring an extended community quarantine, those who need to travel to the nation’s capital to work can no longer do so. Everyone is doing self-quarantine and social distancing. But it’s unclear how people who live in the slum areas will isolate themselves should they become affected, given that there are almost 14 million people in just the capital alone – about 1/3 the population of Canada.

———————————————————————

With all these things happening around us, it’s very easy to go into panic-mode. But that’s not going to help. Sure, we cannot control the things that are happening around us. But we can certainly control these two things – our actions and our emotions. I wanted to take this opportunity to share practical steps that would help you not just survive the COVID-19 outbreak but rather thrive in these uncertain times. I want to support you in any way possible so you can come out as a better person on the other side of this pandemic. As Napoleon Hill said, “Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”

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This may sound so simple. Yet we ignore its simplicity. This daily exercise helped me survive the time when I was in bed for 6 weeks because I broke my right leg. What most consider to be an awful experience – breaking my right leg and being in bed for 6 weeks – ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me 3 years ago. From that day forward, I made it a point to write down at least 3 things I am grateful for – every single day.

It wasn’t easy when I was starting out. It took me about an hour just to write down 3 things. Here are just some of the things I wrote down during those challenging times.

– I’m so thankful for the Canadian healthcare system. I was in-and-out of surgery in no time and all I had to pay for being transformed into partial Iron Man was C$40 for the ambulance, C$10 for my crutches, gauze bandages for dressing my surgical wound, some pain killers that I avoided taking, and a C$20 Uber ride back home from the hospital. I would have paid at least C$10,000 or more had I been somewhere else

– I’m so thankful to be working in the technology industry. Before the surgery, I was on my phone responding to emails from clients. After the surgery, I was delivering my SQL Server Always On Availability Groups training class from my work desk at home. A high-speed internet connection, a powerful laptop, a webcam, and an amazing smile to hide the excruciating pain of my swollen leg are all I need to get work done. It’s the reason I didn’t qualify for disability insurance.

– I’m so thankful for YouTube and my smart phone. I’ve probably watched and listened to hundreds of hours worth of motivational and inspirational messages while lying in bed for 6 weeks. Those motivational and inspirational videos kept me going thru the challenges of feeling helpless and insignificant. It’s very easy to sink into the feeling of self-pity and worthlessness when you’re an overachiever.

I’ve only listed 3. But my Gratitude Journal is filled with so many of these things that I’m grateful for during those times. I saw the benefits of this exercise that I’ve decided to make it a part of my daily routine. Now, I travel with my Gratitude Journal and write down all the things I’m thankful for every single day.

You can do this, too. And you don’t need to think about extraordinary things to be thankful for. Here are just some of the things I’m thankful for while I’m hunkered down because of the lockdown.

– I’m thankful for peace and quiet in Manila. Being one of the most populated city in the world, you can hear the annoying sound of public utility vehicles honking and people shouting. The lockdown has caused the city to take a pause. Very few vehicles and people are on the road which means less noise and…

– I’m thankful for improved air quality. Manila ranks 3rd in the world for air pollution deaths. The air quality here doesn’t even meet the Clean Air Act standards. The main cause of air pollution: vehicular emissions. It’s no wonder most people were already wearing face masks years before the COVID-19 outbreak. The city was prepared for this pandemic. But because of the lockdown, fewer vehicles are on the road. I used to wake up to a thick blanket of smog in the morning that I can barely see the high rise buildings. Now, it’s clear blue sky. And I’m seeing the beautiful mountain terrains of Rizal province from afar for the first time in years. Our beautiful mountains are what made me fall in love with nature in the first place.

– I’m thankful for the people who risk their lives everyday to help contain the COVID-19 virus – the law enforcement personnel who man the checkpoints, the healthcare professionals who risk their lives to save others, the supermarket staff who need to come to work instead of isolating themselves to assist us with stockpiling of basic supplies, and everyone else who are working to help us make it thru these challenging times. I try my best to give them a word of encouragement to let them know how much I appreciate what they do. A slice of cake for snack definitely brightens up their day.

Come up with your own list. You can write down 3 things you’re thankful for before you start your day and add 3 more before going to bed. If you look hard enough, you will never run out of things to be thankful for.

Now it’s your turn. ???? ??? ??? ???????? ??? ??????

I had the amazing opportunity to do a presentation for the PASS DBA Fundamentals Virtual Chapter last week. In the past, I usually talked about SQL Server, specifically around high availability and disaster recovery. Besides, that’s my key area of expertise and I want the community to learn a lot from my experiences. In fact, I also try my best to do presentations for the PASS HA/DR Virtual Chapter.

However, the one thing that I’ve been doing ever since I got involved in the SQL Server community is focus on professional development. I’m a big believer in developing soft skills alongside the technical skills. Almost all of my presentations at the PASS Summit are about professional development.

So, when the chapter leaders of the DBA Fundamentals VC asked me to do a session, I suggested doing a professional development topic instead of the usual technical topics. This year alone, I’ve had the opportunity to talk to almost a hundred database administrators, system engineers, even developers thru my consulting projects, training classes and presentations at events and conferences. I found a common thread in my conversations: IT professionals are suffering. Despite being in an industry known for technological advancements and high-paying jobs, a lot of us are suffering. We’re feeling stuck in a job that we’re starting to (or maybe already) hate, a schedule that causes us to miss special family events, overworked, over-stressed, unhealthy, etc.

If this sounds like you, then, watch the video recording of my presentation.

However, be warned…

Because when you hear these five (5) shifts, you might just get a little upset with yourself.

Especially since these will be so obvious once you hear them.

STORY

I can count the number of times that I’ve had the opportunity to spend real quality time with my dad. He’s lived in the US ever since I can remember. It’s one of the reasons I try to find opportunities to spend quality time with him.

Maybe it’s just my observation but I find that the older generation loves to talk. They talk about their experiences, their stories, their adventures, their successes (they don’t want to talk about their failures). Whether it’s my parents or the IT guy who’s about to retire in a few years, they really do love to talk. Do you agree?

As a consultant, I try my best to listen and take as much notes – mental or written – as I can. I ask a lot of questions – and a lot more follow-up questions. I listen to their stories, sometimes trying to understand the real meaning behind them. I listen to the stories behind the story. This conversation with my dad was no different.

I picked him up at his house to grab some lunch. It was raining really hard and his mobile phone was not working (and, in case you’re wondering, it wasn’t a smart phone). I figured this could be a great opportunity for meaningful conversations. As we head over to the food court, he started sharing stories about his experiences working for United Airlines. He was a pioneer in the Philippine airline industry despite the fact that he didn’t finish his engineering degree. You can tell that he’s street smart.

How an Electrical Tape Saved Flight UA872

A sip of his coffee was all he needed to get going. “Our family has a reputation for strong work ethic.” Curious as always, I asked what he meant. He recounted the story of flight UA872 in 1987. He worked graveyard shifts and just got home from work when the phone rang. His boss asked if he can fix an electrical issue that prevented flight UA872 from leaving Taipei. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was waiting for an update on the flight since it had been grounded for a day. They were about to impose a strict fine on United Airlines.

None of his colleagues could do it. The ground crew in Taipei couldn’t either. He thought they were just making excuses. For one, who would want to be on a 14-hour flight from San Francisco to Taipei and back just to fix an electrical issue? After a busy shift with no additional pay for the trip, there’s no motivation for anyone to take on the work.

Does this sound like your normal weekend oncall schedule?

But he obliged. He grabbed a cup of coffee and hopped on to the next UA flight to Taipei.

When he arrived at the scene, the Taipei ground crew explained the situation. He instructed one of the crew members to test some of the panels on the cockpit while he headed off to the right wing where the electrical issue was. Keep in mind, this was 1987. There were not a lot of instrumentation available on the cockpit back in those days. A few taps on the wires, several exchanges of instructions from the cockpit and he was able to figure out what the problem was. All he needed to fix the electrical issue that kept the plane grounded was – you guessed it – a roll of electrical tape. It took him less than 4 hours to fix the issue, considering that the plane had been grounded for almost two days with a potential fine from the FAA. He was then instructed to be on the cockpit on the flight back to San Francisco to monitor the issue.

I finally figured out where I got my troubleshooting skills from.

Stories Connect

You’ve probably noticed that my blog posts and presentations are mostly wrapped in stories. While other experts present facts and details about SQL Server, I tell stories. That’s because we humans are hard-wired to tell and listen to stories. Even before the TV was invented, stories dominated entertainment. We watch a movie and know instinctively whether or not the story is great. We grew up listening to stories. We laugh, we cry, we get angry – emotions are aroused. Stories make us human.

I’m not a natural storyteller. But I’m a natural story-collector, if there is such a thing. Until I realized how powerful stories are in making an impact. My very first PASS Summit presentation back in 2007 was intentionally framed with a story. I was scared because it was my very first presentation in North America and my very first time to tell a story in a presentation. And I have been doing it ever since.

In my consulting engagements, I tell stories of my other customers who used SQL Server 2016 feature X and feature Y to meet their business requirements. But beyond the factual stories of how they used the features, I tell the backstories of how they ended up implementing a solution. One of my favorites is why I don’t trust backups.

I tell the story of a payroll company who called me to fix a database corruption issue. The worst time to have a database disaster for a payroll company is a few days before payroll. Oh, and all of their backups were useless. For me, it’s no longer about fixing corrupted data pages or recovering as much data as I possibly can. It’s about that single mom who might not be able to pay the rent on time because payroll got delayed.

Or that SharePoint upgrade project that was scheduled for a cutover. It’s about the remittances that my fellow Filipinos overseas workers needed to send back home to pay for their children’s school tuition.

It’s amazing how we set aside differences when we can all relate to the story being told. Or how a project gets delivered on time because it mattered. You probably won’t remember everything that you’ve heard from a recent SQL Server presentation. But I can guarantee that you’ll remember a story you’ve heard from a few years ago.

Because stories do connect.

Boring: The Story Without The Struggle

I wished telling stories was easy. But it isn’t. Which is why I am still in the process of learning. I just finished reading the book Nobody Wants To Read Your Sh*t by Steven Pressfield. Still learning, still exploring.

Every hero in a story has to have a struggle. And the struggle has to be real. Star Wars has Luke Skywalker. The Martian has Mark Watney. Passengers has Jim Preston and Aurora Lane.

And you thought my dad ended up being the hero in the story. He didn’t. After filing his expense report, he got reprimanded for a US$ 85 breakfast. Again, this was 1987. Considering inflation, this amounted to US$ 182 in 2016. He tried to explain. He couldn’t go outside of the hotel to grab something to eat because it was very early in the morning and flight US872 is scheduled to fly back to San Francisco before 6AM local time. Convenient stores were not that many in those days.

He got reprimanded for a US$ 85 breakfast. Despite the fact that he just saved United Airlines tens of thousands of dollars in possible FAA fines plus ground maintenance costs if the flight stayed longer in Taipei. US$ 85 seems like a drop in the bucket compared to the possible cost. But he got reprimanded nonetheless. He told his boss that he would never take on any remote assignments after that incident – even US domestic ones. He retired in 1997 and, to this day, still tell that story with disgust.

I listened with intent as he told his story, trying to find a similar theme from my own experience. Maybe you have yours. And maybe it is still bothering you.

That is the struggle. That’s what keeps our stories human – and exciting.

But struggles don’t need to stay as they are. The most compelling stories are the ones that change the hero – whether be it their behavior or their way of thinking.

Call to Action

Recall a story that made an impact in your life. Own that piece of your story. Tell it like someone is waiting to watch your biography on the big screen. Because someone is. It may feel awkward at first. But the more you practice telling your story to yourself, the more it feels natural.

It may well end up becoming your resume.