Year of the dragon holiday is coming to an end.

Every year around this time, despite all the busy gatherings, I tend to spend quality time being alone, reflecting the past year, and thinking toward the next one.

While it is easy to sound smart and brilliant to others, the most challenging part throughout this process is, always to be honest with yourself.

Completely and relentlessly, to be honest with yourself.

What have I done right? What can I do different? How can I get better?

I recalled one of the things Steve Jobs mentioned in his 30s, that is always treat yourself with the growth mindset. Think of yourself as a BETA product. You are not perfect, and in fact, you can and will never be perfect. The goal is, always try to find bugs, always create better service and experience, and always seek ways for candid feedbacks.

Re-invent and re-novate.

Now, if you apply that through real life, the question is, who can provide you with honest and candid feedbacks that you can put into actions and bring them to life? And why do you trust this person?

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When we were young, the combined impacts of our parenthood, education, and friends, built our values and shaped our thinkings. As we grow older and senior, we start to develop certain shape or form of values and faiths, and eventually we become independent thinkers. 

At the same time, we get more stubborn.

In irony, I found those people that I admire the most, are the ones approach life with open-minded attitudes.

They are like kids. Grown man kids. They are some of the smartest and most creative persons I have met in life, yet they are also the most humbled ones that are willing to learn and have conversations about changes.

They are optimistic, welcoming, and there is no doom moment to be around with them.

They are like the rainbow in a rain to me.

I admire them and hope to become one of them.

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My biggest take-way from this new year’s self-reflection and goal setting is be open-minded and learn like a kid. Learn with unwavering faith, grow from zero to one, and find the joy through the process.

As for the to-do and action plan, that is WIP but I like the researches and directions I am heading toward.

Year of the dragon, may we have entrepreneur mindset to be strong willed, athletes body with great health, and artists souls to see the beauties of life.

The journey is the reward, and I can’t wait to write new chapters in the book of 2024.

And definitely, will share interesting and meaningful content here with you, my blog universe.

I hope you all had a nice one during Chinese New Year holiday.

Now, onward and upward, onto the next one.

Stay “Off The Wall”. Forever 5 year old, forever growing.

Read and learn like you know nothing.

Train and work out like a professional athlete.

See through, explore, and create in this beautiful world like an artist.