Being Proactive in Life | May, 2019
A Letter to My Future Self
Dear Zake,
I’m the 25-year-old version of you from 2019, how have you been?
Since 2015, I decided to take a day every month to reflect on work, life and thoughts, sharing with you. This is the 42th mail I’m sending to you.
May—Being Proactive in Life
Yesterday I went surfing, for the first time of my life with some friends, and I can see myself doing it more often when getting back to Shenzhen.
Today is the last day of Chinese Dragon Boat Festival. I usually don’t do anything related to Chinese traditions, so I decide to sit down and review my May.
This could be the highlight of the year, I finally decide to start documenting with videos and 30-day challenge, I become the keynote speaker of OnePlus launch event in NYC, and putting together a video called A LIFE OF NEVER SETTLE.
I’ve been thinking to put together a video of my life story for a very long time. Do what you can’t, do what you scare, just go for it, who is Zake Zhang… those are names I’ve thought about, but eventually my story in May provide me a better choice: A LIFE OF NEVER SETTLE.
I noticed there’s a VLOG competition on Eyepetizer website, so I cut and edited this video just in time for the final call, and surprisingly, I become one of the TOP 5 videos, and get a DJI Osmo Action camera. For the next couple months, my videos shot with this camera will be recommended to their first page. It could be a chance for me to produce content regularly.
Work
My attitude towards work has changed a lot during this month. I have to admit that part of the reason is, I was speaking on behalf of OnePlus in New York launch event.
At first, I thought it’s going to be challenge for myself, and I will do the best to make this the best launch event of OnePlus ever.
However, the process of preparing day and night with marketing and PR teams, gives me closer look of everyone’s life at OnePlus. Especially our copywriter David, Oliver and designers, they work non-stop until the moment I got on stage. Again, I cannot have the performance without them and thank you guys!
As I mentioned in the previous articles,
the more you put in what you’re doing, the more likely you will find achievement and belonging to it.
To be honest, I’m lucky to get this opportunity and introduce the world our best product ever, and the moment I got on that stage and saw those excited eyes and faces, I’m so proud to be part of this project “Guacamole”.
If you haven’t watch the event, don’t miss it:
Besides the launch event, I finally got the book from Julie Zhuo, The Making of a Manager. This book provides me so many practical advice and go-to solutions in different scenarios.
To conclude everything to one word, I think that’s PROACTIVE.
When there’s a problem, do not run away or pretend not seeing it, instead, face it and solve it.
I realize that the problems I have, are usually made up in my own head, and are way easier to solve than I think.
I talked with my colleagues, brought up the problems and concerns of current project, as well as the relationship in office. Rather than waited until other people to reach out to me asking.
I decided to take responsibility for some projects and partnerships, and this is how you get more ownership for what you do.
Life
I picked up my camera, started documenting again. If you can’t produce a video every week, then do it every month, every 50 days or whatever the time suits you well. Then you will find yourself embarrassed to the question: are what I’m planning to do now more important than producing video content?
The answer usually is a NO. So you should stop thinking about it, start shooting and editing videos.
During this month, I traveled to many places. New York City for launch event, LA for the first time, and Taipei. I’m lucky to work and live like locals with these frequent business trips, and it also provide me more information to consider the possibility of moving to different countries for more life experience and exploration of myself.
I realize no matter where you are based, people are basically facing the same or similar problems or mental issues. Work overtime, high pressure and intense competition, unhealthy office relationship, which all leads to depression and low productivity…
People who are self-aware and capable of handling these issues are extremely rare to find. So we see usually people are trying to hocus themselves after work with alcohol, cigarette, video games and drugs. Anything makes them forget where they are and what they are facing, “helps”.
And I’m one of them.
But living the life this way is easy. It means you give up what you are holding onto and compromising for what you hate and not standing for.
Some people call this “being practical”, I call this “end of story”. It means you are settling for the life other people define for you, instead of writing your own.
I prefer more experience and challenges, even if there will be more obstacles. For example, my productivity is the lowest in my room. Because it’s only one-step away from my bed.
Almost every 30–40 minutes, I will find myself dive into that bed. Scrolling my phone for 10 minutes, playing games for 10 minutes, napping for 10 minutes and watching a youtube video, and then another one, another one… And hour just passes, and I don’t get anything done.
To improve productivity, the first step is making a productive environment.
The purpose of our work is helping us improve life quality. Don’t lose it.
This is an unexpected lesson learned in men’s restroom. Me and a colleague were talking about the difference between Taipei and Shenzhen lifestyles, work and life balance. Then he blurt out this golden sentence.
It’s a joke, but it keeps rumbling in my head. I have figured out the purpose of my life, for now. But,
What’s the purpose for work alone? Money, social status?
Does what I do fill out that need?
Am I trying to make myself happy, or make other people admire and jealous?
What’s the percentage of last question?
Does it have a positive impact, or a more negative one?
Does my 80-year-old self would tell me to quit doing what I do?
…
It comes with so many questions! But at least I’m sure of one thing.
If the purpose of work is helping us live a better life, then it should be the one that’s most productive and you are most passionate about.
What I’m Digesting
1. The Making of a Manager — Julie Zhuo
I’ve been a fan of Julie Zhuo’s medium blog and newsletter for around 3 years. Those articles and Q&A definitely helps me a lot on getting into tech industry and becoming a product manager.
This book comes at the very special time for me, because having been working as a product manager for the past 2 years and a half, there’re a lot of questions for what’s next.
Should I take serious on higher management skills and look for promotion in this current environment? Or should I quit this tech world, explore something new when I’m young?
The book provides a sneak peek of what my life would look life in 5–8 years, how to be prepared for managing people with many practical solutions, and how silicon valley deal with office relationship. Highly recommend to people around my age.
2. Derek Sivers on Developing Confidence, Finding Happiness, and Saying “No” to Millions
3. The Looking Glass: Growing Leadership, Performance Improvement Plans, and Design White Mages
Hey Zake from 2050, or whatever year you are, I hope you will find this email helpful and bring your some great memories. LIFE IS A DRUG, LOVE IT, LIVE IT.
Much love,
Zake
