By HiAiq.com 
Twenty-five years old, at the beginning of the year, I quit my job as a senior SWE in Singapore with an annual salary of a million RMB without a backup plan, waiting for my visa to go to the U.S. as a visiting scholar and for graduate school, focusing on AI and Robotics. During this time, I experienced significant stock market losses and underwent surgery.
Now, I’ve finally settled in LA, and a challenging new chapter of my life has begun. This is the lowest and most stressful point in my life so far, so even if it’s just going to a café to study, I want to dress myself up nicely—fake it till I make it.
Here’s what I hope for myself:
- Don’t overcommit to things I can’t deliver. Learn to say no. Stop being an opportunity hoarder and instead become someone who can deliver quality work.
- Similarly, collaborate more with others, but once I do, give my best effort to leave a reliable and diligent impression.
- Become a better listener and ask better questions. Smile more, compliment others, and adopt a more feminine communication style.
- Proactively invest time in my physical and mental health. Live a balanced life, prioritize sustainability, and avoid burning out too soon.
- Avoid doing things I’ll deeply regret in the future, like not spending enough time chatting with my grandparents while they’re still here, or failing to capture my youth while it lasts.
- Don’t let the opinions of irrelevant people stop me from leveraging the power of media. Share more, reflect more. Post nice photos when I have them, and speak up about new learnings, interesting experiences, and thoughts.
Let me know if you’d like any refinements!