Get on board

In 1899, Commandant Adrien de Gerlache of the Belgica had a grave decision to make. With winter fast approaching, and already having lost a beloved young member of his crew to the dangerous conditions of the Antarctic, he surveyed his officers and scientists to determine whether to continue south...

How Cal Newport and a dumbphone helped me become a software engineer

In 2018, I got a job in sales at a great startup in Proptech. The only problem? I’m not a good salesman. With no prior experience, and a heavy aversion to techniques surrounding laws of power or influencing people, I did everything I could to learn how to be effective and consultative in my new r...

The swinging pendulum of workplace loyalty

As recently as the early 1980s, 60% of workers in the private sector had a pension plan as their only retirement account. In this environment, loyalty to a single employer for decades was the safest way to prepare for retirement while earning a continually increasing wage. "Grow where you're plan...

Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World

We've all heard the old adage, "jack of all trades, master of none." Personally, I had always used this in a self-deprecating manner. Picking up a new skill or hobby by applying patterns and big picture thinking always came natural. On the other hand, specializing in one thing - and fussing over ...