an old journal entry titled "core values i don't want to forget"
first post because i had to get something out there :')
disclaimer: i initially created this list back in february 2023. i still agree with a lot of the points, but there are definitely things in my current worldview that they don’t fully capture.
gratitude is the strongest defense against the world that you know (update april 2024: this might be my favorite from reading these now) (update april 2025: this is still my favorite).
life is long — don’t look for paths that give you the most immediate stimulation or external rewards (includes publicity and legibility!!), but rather optimize for long term visions. the biggest dreams are the ones that feel impossible / take a long time to achieve, but that doesn’t make them any less worth working on
at the same time life is short — day by day moments will fly by you unless you have the intentionality to slow down and focus on them
strive to
create opportunities(update april 2024: be an ally) for the underprivileged folks who don’t have as much of voice in fast-moving, “elite” spheres (tech, academia, etc.)you do not deserve anything!! (positive)(update 2025: you DO deserve things and you have worked hard. be kinder to yourself and don’t be afraid of attention, otherwise people may take advantage of you.). you are very lucky to have gotten a lot of your life handed to you in extremely legible ways as a kid (did not have to work very smart).
there is a lot of noise on the internet about what is a “meaningful” life and what are “meaningful” things to work on. these are ultimately up to you to decide. more information can be good for exploration, but fortify yourself and figure out what you really believe in before you get lost in the sauce
not sure this is any different from the types of external validation and virtue signaling that happens on common social media for middle/high schoolers
adults using twitter just have more “fancy” things to talk about because they have Done More Concrete Things, like work/starting companies. while of course they have real wisdom from such endeavors (and you need to learn from their practicality), they may not necessary inform what is “meaningful” (update 2025: to you personally — there is no universal meaning).
don’t forget to cherish the people around you. hold on to human interaction above all, even though it’s easy to forget about when you’re not actively thinking about death / how you would want to spend a very finite amount of time left. (update) you might die tomorrow
there is so, so much more to life than what was traditionally deemed “work” in the spheres you grew up in - making art, appreciating the beauty in small things, local communities and friends, advocacy
kindness is one of the most sacred forms of interaction between souls. sacred in a non-instrumental way
remember the friends that inspire you with their genuine kindness. this is a scarce quality these days, since there are no guaranteed material returns
(update 2025: niceness =/= kindness. sometimes niceness can be the opposite. good-faith criticisms/feedback from loved ones things to be cherished and acted upon.)
reading/consuming insights can be great, but ultimately real work happens when you act on knowledge. make sure not to feel too productive just by reading/learning things - use it only as a hack to get to a place where you do have that knowledge. don’t forget why you are reading what you are reading