Personal Development
Be Dumb on Purpose
The smartest thing I ever did was stop trying to be so smart about it.
April 7, 2026 • 2 min readReflections
Reflections on the Immigrant Journey, Career, and Life
Honest takes from someone still figuring it out.
Browse reflections by topic
Personal Development
Be yourself vs Trust yourself
Be yourself is the worst advice you can give a nervous person.
April 1, 2026 • 2 min readPersonal Development
Don't do the time before the sentence
I spent my birthday weekend worrying about a mistake I had not even made yet.
March 23, 2026 • 1 min readImmigration
I Wouldn't Have My Life in America Without Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I wouldn't have my life in America without Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement.
January 19, 2026 • 2 min readPersonal Development
Delay Is Not Denial
Have you ever been driving in a rush, frustrated because the car in front of you is moving too slow?
December 29, 2025 • 1 min readCareer
The Most Underrated Way to Influence People at Work
The most underrated way to influence people at work: do it first.
December 12, 2025 • 2 min readCareer
Your First MBA Job Is Not a Life Sentence
Your first MBA job is not a life sentence. Most MBA grads enter consulting, finance, or tech. Then stress about choosing the "right" path.
December 2, 2025 • 2 min readImmigration
How Can You Dream When You Can't Sleep?
How can you dream when you can't sleep? I grew up in a neighborhood where break-ins were common.
December 2025 • 2 min readCareer
Am I Too Old for a Full-Time MBA?
Am I too old for a full-time MBA? Probably not. But that is not the question you should be asking.
November 21, 2025 • 2 min readCareer
P × Q = Revenue. It Also Applies to Your Career.
Everything I learned in business school can be summed up in one line: P (price) × Q (quantity) = Revenue.
November 17, 2025 • 2 min readCareer
What Does It Take to Succeed in Big Tech?
What does it take to be successful in Big Tech? There's no single formula, but there are habits that increase your odds.
November 2025 • 1 min readCareer
My Worst Professional Nightmare Happened Again
My worst professional nightmare happened again last week. And just like the first time, it taught me something important.
October 27, 2025 • 2 min readImmigration
Can You Pursue the American Dream If You Never Feel Like You Can Be American?
Can you pursue the American Dream if you never feel like you can be American?
October 8, 2025 • 2 min readImmigration
The Mailman Who Changed My Life
It was my lifelong dream to study in America. A dream my dad once had before he suddenly passed away two days before my 13th birthday.
October 7, 2025 • 2 min readCareer
The Arrival Fallacy
Have you ever reached a big milestone thinking it will finally make you happy... and for a moment it does, but then life feels exactly the same?
October 2025 • 2 min readPersonal Development
My Super Parent Moment
There's a special kind of pride I feel when I get both kids in the car by myself.
September 12, 2025 • 1 min readPersonal Development
What Mary Oliver Was Actually Saying
Has this famous line from Mary Oliver ever made you feel like you weren't doing enough with your life?
September 2, 2025 • 1 min readPersonal Development
The Muscle That Gets Strong Is the One You Use
I ask every guest on my podcast: "What's the best advice you've ever received?" Here's mine.
August 13, 2025 • 1 min readImmigration
10 Things That Blew My Mind When I First Moved to the US
International students are starting to arrive on campus for orientation, and it reminded me of my own experience moving to the US back in August 2007.
August 12, 2025 • 2 min readCareer
What Do Investment Bankers Actually Do Day to Day?
What do investment bankers actually do on a day-to-day basis? It's one of the most prestigious jobs out there, but few people know what the work really looks like.
August 11, 2025 • 2 min readCareer
What Does "M&A Finance at Google" Actually Mean?
My LinkedIn title says "M&A Finance at Google" but I realize most people probably wonder what that actually means day to day.
July 21, 2025 • 2 min readCareer
If You're Going to Make a Mistake, Don't Make It on Slide One
If you're going to make a mistake, don't make it on slide one.
July 11, 2025 • 1 min readImmigration
Your Purpose Is Found Where Your Heart Breaks
What's something in the world that breaks your heart a little? The thing you can't look away from.
July 8, 2025 • 2 min readCareer
CPA, CFA, MBA — The Letters Don't Define Your Career
Early in my career I wanted these three letters behind my name to prove I was competent.
June 23, 2025 • 1 min readPersonal Development
When the Roots Are Deep, There Is No Reason to Fear the Wind
"When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind." This African proverb has been on my mind lately.
June 2, 2025 • 2 min readImmigration
When You're the One Who Made It
When you're the one who made it. Trevor Noah calls it the Black tax. But it's not about race.
May 19, 2025 • 2 min readImmigration
"Do What You Love" Is a Luxury. Immigrants Start With "Do What You Must."
"Do what you love" is a luxury. Immigrants start with "do what you must."
May 13, 2025 • 2 min readCareer
Breaking Into Finance Without a Finance Background
Breaking into finance without a finance background. Finance isn't just for people who studied finance in undergrad.
April 14, 2025 • 2 min readImmigration
The Silent Aftermath of "Shirt"
During my first week of college in America, our orientation included an icebreaker: stand in a circle and name something you'd bring through a door.
March 14, 2025 • 2 min readPersonal Development
"Am I in the Wrong Place?"
"Am I in the wrong place?" I've asked myself that question before. Maybe you have, too.
February 3, 2025 • 2 min readPersonal Development
What If the Safe Choice Isn't the Right One?
What if the safe choice isn't the right one? Here's how a simple mental framework changed the trajectory of our lives.
January 9, 2025 • 2 min readCareer
What Does a CPA Actually Do?
What does a CPA even do? I started my career as a CPA and every time I told someone, the response was always the same.
August 2024 • 2 min readPersonal Development
Show Me the Pain
A few months ago, I finished "The Subtle Art of Not Giving an F" by Mark Manson. One key takeaway changed how I think about success.
July 29, 2024 • 1 min readMost of my reflections start on LinkedIn.
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