Heya! I have been gone again. Last time it was because the COVID vaccine allowed me to be more social. This time it was because I got a girlfriend! I guess that was a continuation of the vaccines.
But also, I was focused on uploading YouTube videos for a while. Let me catch you up on what I’ve been up to.
Highlights of the past two months
Started a relationship. She’s a designer too, so she may appear in my content later. And yes, we plan to become a design super couple.
Uploaded my 10th Youtube video. Within the challenge I had with Kim specifically. I celebrated it by buying the new Airpods lol.
I held a guest lecture at Hyper Island. I’ve had a remote conference talk before, but that was 15 min. This was TWO hours and in a physical classroom. I talked about the non-design lessons I learned to accelerate my career. Still can’t believe I had that lecture.
My design intern got an offer from H&M! It’s crazy because I helped her choose between pivoting to either front-end dev or UX back in 2018, then helped her land the internship, and now she will finally made it! So proud of her :)
Favorite notes from the past months
Favorite pieces of knowledge from books, podcasts, videos, etc. that I consumed.
UX is strategy; not design
There’s a bias in UX towards execution. Most UX designers have a design background which leads to a bias towards execution when UX is actually coordination
A UX designer is like a movie director. They coordinate roles so that they can achieve a common goal. UX designers need to understand leadership, systems, synthesis.
The 4-hour work week
Be difficult when it counts so that others think twice
Meetings should only be for making decisions to predefined problems, not to define a problem. Make others define this with: “So I can best prepare, can you please send me an e-mail with an agenda? That is, the topics and questions we’ll need to address? That would be great. Thanks in advance.” 9 times out of 10, you can answer via email, and the meeting is not needed.
I’m leaving medicine forever (not clickbait)
The quitting framework:
If it’s hard, is the reward worth it? If yes, don’t quit.
If it sucks, can you make it not suck?
If yes, it is worth the effort? If yes, don’t quit.
If no, quit.
Ego is the enemy
The realities of starting out:
You’re not as good as you think you are
Your attitude needs to be readjusted
What you know is out of date or wrong.
Use the Canvas strategy to solve the above. Attach yourself to successful people and organizations and make them look good. Move forward with them.
Every time you sit down to work, remind yourself: I am delaying gratification by doing this. I am passing the marshmallow test. I am earning what my ambition burns for. I am making an investment in myself instead of in my ego.
Uploads from the past two months
The freshest new content from my channel.
Let me know if you have any feedback on the videos - what was good, what can be improved. You can reply to this email. Let’s create the best UX YouTube channel together!