Hello May

Career musings and resources!

May 02, 2022

Dear Friends,

Long time, no letter. I trust you are fine and doing well. In the last six months, I have started, quit, and rejoined the gym, joined a top career fellowship, and dealt with Lekki living among other things.

My friend, AG encouraged me to write my OKRs for the year; he convinced me that it made more sense than writing resolutions, and I agree! OKRs are Objectives and Key Results, typically use to define business goals, but I've found that they're also useful for personal development.

I began Q1 2022 with excitement, uncertainty, and hope for the future. So far, so good! I'm gaining momentum and discovering myself in between my rollercoaster emotions. Some days are exhilarating, and some days are teary, but in between my rollercoaster emotions, I'm finding myself. It’s the month of May, I read somewhere that it’s a month of multiplication, momentum, and money. Let’s get it!

Resources I enjoyed in YTD 2022

Articles: I attended a workshop How to Get More Done By Working Smarter by Khe Hy, who is the founder and CEO of RadReads, an online education company that helps professionals lead productive, examined, and joyful lives. He is the creator of the $10K Work productivity method.

I came across this article while reading Asta Diabete’s blog. It’s on how to break into VC through Tunde Adeleye’s eyes. You can read from both Asta and Tunde’s perspectives. I enjoyed reading both articles, perhaps I shall write how I got into VC one day.

Newsletters: Erik Torenberg has gems for days, don’t miss it

Book Recommendation: Happy Sexy Millionaire: Unexpected Truths about Fulfilment, Love and Success by Steven Bartlett

Ideas & Musings

See your Career as a Product

Every great product should have a moat, and careers are no different. I previously wrote about personal moats, today I want to further flesh out the “Career as a Product” metaphor. When building products, you first want to focus on having a solid product that’s 10x better than the competition. Only after you have that do you begin doubling down on marke…

5 years ago · 33 likes · 2 comments · Erik Torenberg

Youtube Video: CNBC Make it Millenial money is one of my favorite YouTube channels. The Millennial Money series profiles people across the U.S. and details how they earn, save and spend their money. I particularly enjoyed this particular profile video

woman in white collared shirt looking at the city during night time — Photo by Jeffery Erhunse on Unsplash

Blockchain and VC: Interesting combo, check this out

I also wrote something light on DeFi, I want to write more about web3 and blockchain but I need to fully immerse myself in it, or partially. Read my article

Quote of the Week / Current Read

"When working, surround yourself with people more successful than you.
When playing, surround yourself with people happier than you."
From The Almanack of Naval Ravikant - Eric Jorgensen, Jack Butcher, and Tim Ferriss. '

Are you feeling career or life blue? Find your North-star

North Stars align our energy, emotions, and actions in the service of our vision. Though it is not always simple to find one’s North Star, once it appears, its guidance helps simplify one’s choices. Once you become clear about your North Star, it becomes your calling, and you’ll serve that calling willingly, happily, and infectiously.

After finding your Northstar, remember to use the light to enable others to find their own.

An advise from Anne Marie Chavez ‘‘ Although you may have some preconceived notions of where you want to be in five, 10, 15 years, don’t forget to take chances on career opportunities that aren’t on your pre-designed career map”.

Career Fit: What are you good at

I've spent the last few weeks asking myself, "What are the things at work where I excel?" It's difficult for individuals like me, who are generalists, to pinpoint a specific skill. (In my next letter, I'll give you some pointers and recommend some books that will help you understand things better.) It's important to remember that as a generalist, you can be competent at many things while still excelling in one.

“Find work you’re good at” is a truism, but we think many people still don’t take it seriously enough.

Being successful in the job you like and are good at, provides you with additional connections, credibility, and money to direct toward pressing challenges, boosting your career capital and leverage.

How does Steven Bartlett beat Imposter Syndrome?

Steven Bartlett said that the feeling of imposter syndrome is a feeling of anxiety around the fact that “I don’t belong here”, and “I am uncomfortable right now”. That feeling manifests as general discomfort in our stomachs usually. Those of us who suffer from imposter syndrome choose to interpret that feeling as “I don’t belong here”. Whereas the way Steve now approaches these situations is to think “I am uncomfortable right now and that’s how it should be, this is how I grow as a person, this is exciting”

This is one of the great ways to overcome imposter syndrome, it might not magically go away but it’s a great first step and as usual, it starts in the mind. As for me, I have art in my room that reads ‘Faith over Fear’, I read it to myself every morning.

You can find a way to beat the feeling of unworthiness. Either with my art example, Steve’s internal framing, or the tactics you’ll come up with. Please leave a comment on how you overcome imposter syndrome per time?

Fillings with Toby Donut

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