I am both a failure and a success

When I started my career in 2015, I dreamed of being a tech company founder. My goal back then was simple: to be included in Forbes's 30 Under 30. I want to have a positive impact on people's lives, and this was the only way that I could think about.

It's been nearly a decade since then, and I am now reaching 31. My perspective on life has changed significantly. Over time, I have come to prioritize fulfilment over success in both my personal and professional life.

I still dream of making a positive impact on people's lives, but now I aim to achieve it by sharing stories online. I have started to see things more realistically instead of being blindly optimistic. In hindsight, I never stopped dreaming, but I started to dream more realistically.

I have learned that letting go of my dreams does not make me a failure, as life is inherently complex, and it is what makes life beautiful. Life is not binary.

Binary thinking leads us to view things as "A or B" when there are actually multiple possibilities to explore. It closes our minds off to creative solutions by forcing us into rigid boxes of "success" or "failure." But life is never that clear-cut.

Life will be more enjoyable when we embrace its paradoxes and contradictions. Recognize that we can be both an employee and an entrepreneur, both pragmatic and idealistic, and both "successful" and "failed" at the same time, depending on how you define those terms.

We should allow ourselves to pursue multiple callings, integrate different aspects of ourselves, and see the nuance and complexity in the world around us.

Life is too rich and multi-faceted to be forced into a "yes or no."

Look beyond the trees. Or you'll miss the entire forest.

I hope you can enjoy life more.

I hope you find this insightful. Remember:

It's not going to be easy,
But it's not impossible.

Your friend,
Brian