January 17, 2026
Why hello there!
I've always been a fan of long-form thoughts. Despite my brain's attempt at preventing my contributing to a system that doesn't have immediate dopamine rewards, I thought I'd give it a go. If you do have the patience, and choose to read these memos, just know I appreciate you more than you think!
Recently, I voluntarily left my job. A job that was relatively fulfilling, that paid well, that allowed me to work remotely. Anyone in their right mind would probably call this decision a capricious one, fueled by some eager 20-something brashness. And, in all fairness, they would be right - the end-to-end timeline of actively thinking about this only took about a month, far too little time to consider all rational possibilities.
In reality, I've been thinking about this for years - at least, subliminally. I've always been the type to marinate on the life I want to build. Post-it notes pressed against my college dormroom monitor and scraps of ink scattered everywhere in my backpack. I've always wanted to start my own thing, or unlock my time to experience life in thrilling adventures. Somehow, somewhere along the way, encapsulated by corporate tech and the American workforce, this ambition became distant concept art.
Thinking not in months, but in decades, is not easy - being 27, I feel like I've noticed the effects of compounding decisions in my circles, but I'm not quite old enough to grasp a sense of irreversibility. I know what I do now and the decision tree I'm walking on will drastically change what 37 will look like.
With that said, I decided to take a (calculated) risk. Maybe now is the best time. I am still young with no dependents, no kids, but old enough to have garnered some industry skills. AI is accelerating software development at an alarming rate, but it isn't quite at that spot where someone completely non-technical can build a $1B unicorn. Am I in the perfect middle ground?, I ask myself.
Perhaps the path I am walking down isn't necessarily the one a 17-year-old version of me would have expected. I would have probably expected something a little more gradiose - quitting my job to tackle life-changing cancer research or revolutionizing education once-and-for-all. But, I'm happy in that I took the leap to pursue something I feel driven to make. While it won't be a $1B Unicorn, I'm just stoked to be on this journey and create what I can with what little of my youth I have left.
Let's have fun - if you read up to this part, you're a real one :) Thanks <3