I started an alternative side-business to my side-business. That may work even better. Applying Systems Engineering to cat problems as Customers, and their Stakeholders!
The first product solves stinky dirty problems in a premium way :)) Ask me for the link.
Coming back from a long work trip - literally long and literally a trip - I’m getting into low power slowing down. Just need the drive home be safe, so still need to keep it up. But then ready for whatever after a bit of rest. Reach out.
Your first product doesn't need to be a hit. It needs to be a lesson.
I realized today that Iβve been procrastinating under the guise of “strategy.” I was waiting for a product idea worthy of my time, thinking I needed to hire help to manage it.
That is a trap.
The bottleneck isn’t the quality of the idea; itβs the volume of execution. I am rebranding my next few projects as “Training Data.”
When you treat a project as training:
- The stakes drop. You stop paralyzing yourself with perfectionism.
- The speed increases. You focus on shipping rather than polishing.
- The learning compounds. You learn to position and sell by doing, not by reading about it.
A better idea will eventually show up. But it will only show up if you are already in motion.
Stop thinking about doing. Just do.
My life seems to turn into a straight, into a great path. I hope the world will last and keep stable and support growth for at least my lifetime. And don’t let me forget about the Turkey Problem! And remember Black Swans are always a possibility.
The Engineer Brain
I am a builder and a creator who produces complex things, yet I find interaction with people challenging. Especially with those closest to me. I wonder if I keep people at a distance because of a defense mechanism or simply because my nature is skeptical and relies on critical thinking with measured trust. I sometimes fear I am lying to myself or that these are deep flaws.
But consider this. These are not necessarily flaws. They are the specifications of a good engineer. We are trained to identify failure modes and question requirements. We are paid to be skeptical.
The struggle comes when we leave that operating system running at home. We apply critical thinking to personal conversations and treat vulnerability like a system risk. You do not need to delete this part of yourself. You simply need to learn to toggle the settings. The same skills that build defenses can be used to construct connection.
You are a builder. You can choose to build a bridge instead of a wall.
Wooow, I run an analysis of my last 4 years journal entries with NotebookLM.
Among others, this is what it told me: “The truth is, you are a brilliant engineer with the work ethic of a moody artist.”
Now I’m considering how to take it π
Have you tried these kind of readers yet? mstrawberryman-ui.github.io/focus-rea…
If you stripped away the need to “feel good” or “feel ready” before working, what is the one uncomfortable action you would take on Monday morning?
that would prove to yourself that this is a business, not a hobby?
My Headline for 2025: “My capability is constant; my energy is the variable.”
When You realize that you don’t lack the Skill or the Will. You simply lack the fuel when you neglect your biology (sleep, food, substances).
What was YOUR 2025 realization?
Life is unpredictable. There are no guarantees either way.
Things just show up (and sometimes make sense) retrospectively.
The only thing you can do is keep eyes open and play the chances. The probabilities.
Choose wisely? Choose to pursue the probabilities that have the greatest chance to materialise. And don’t be afraid to collapse the wave function.
What’s the best worst thing that happened to you?
For me, it was failing to get a couple of jobs. I’m so grateful, cause they would have derailed me and I’m in a much better place today.
This holiday period I have a choice to progress my projects and build my brand. Or invest into social capital meeting good old friends as I’m traveling.
I chose the latter! Much more satisfying and defensively more valuable!
No?
Are you preparing an interview?
What’s your ππΆπ΄π΄π²ππ ππ°π΅πΆπ²ππ²πΊπ²π»π?
(πΈπ³π°π―π¨ π’π―π΄πΈπ¦π³π΄ π°π―ππΊ)
The "Pump Priming" Effect
The “Pump Priming” Effect:
I discovered that action creates clarity, not the other way around. I realised thoughts are “like priming a new well pump… The more it flows the clearer it gets.”
And I keep writing. To open the tap for thinking. For thinking clearly. It’s like priming a new well pump, you open the tap and let the water flow. The more it flows the clearer it gets.
Your thoughts are the same: Will become clear and focused. Let’s call this no nonsense thinking today. It’s perfect for the holiday season to evaluate your year, and latch onto what important next year.
Clear. Focused. No nonsense.