Some life advice from an engineer

This is not a comprehensive list. Don’t take this as the gospel. It’s a mere collection of reflections and quotes from my engineering peers, my family values, and myself over the past few years.

1. Have a plan, and always plan for the unplanned. 90% of all plans don’t work out as originally intended. Leave some room for error.
2. People come and go, but your life goes on. You’ll meet different people at every stage of life, but everyone has their own life to live so don’t expect them to stick around. Don’t stop your life for someone else either.
3. Don’t close doors that are opened to you. Leave your options open and control your narrative. If you can, try to open more doors.
4. Treat others like how you’d treat yourself. Just be a decent human being. We all live on the same planet.
5. Be grateful to those who have helped you in the past. By default, everyone minds their own business.
6. Cherish the things that you have. You never know when you’ll lose them. Just look at the last three years.
7. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Everything comes at a sacrifice or compromise of something else. You’ll pay for it later.
8. Give back to the world that made you who you are. Whether you made it or not, one who waters will be watered themselves.
9. You can only trust yourself to help yourself. Don’t expect anyone else to be there for you or fix your problems.
10. You must learn how to swim first before you can become a lifeguard. Save yourself first before you can save others.
11. Friends who stick with you in your darkest times are your true friends. Tough times are when people show their true characters.
12. A small step forward is better than no step taken. Strive to be 0.1% better each day.
13. Live your life with blinders on. Don’t compare yourself to others today, instead, compare yourself to who you were yesterday.
14. You never know until you try. Stop talking about what-ifs, just go ahead and do it.
15. You can try your best and still fail, and it’s not your fault. It takes courage to acknowledge your weaknesses or the fact that the system is flawed.
16. Anybody can be your teacher. There is something to learn from everyone, good or bad.
17. Either walk the talk or shut up. Often times it’s better to keep your mouth shut and listen. Also, set yourself straight before you criticize.
18. Life is a Breadth First Search (BFS), not a Depth First Search (DFS). Oftentimes, the journey is more important than the destination.
19. Making the right choices is more important than working hard. Many people work hard for the wrong goals and get nowhere.
20. Follow your passions, but be realistic. The vast majority of artists and athletes either never make it or die poor.
21. You can only change yourself. Don’t expect others to change for you.
22. Money cannot buy happiness, but the lack of money can surely bring despair. It’s not wrong to strive for money and financial security.
23. A table cannot stand on one leg. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, and diversify your income streams. Also, diversify your life!
24. There is no such thing as job security. You are as replaceable as anyone else. Always be on the lookout and create your own safety net.
25. Chaos is a ladder, but don’t bring chaos to yourself. Seize the opportunities, but don’t partake in the drama.
26. Take one step back to go two steps forward. Look at the bigger picture, don’t be afraid to take short-term losses for long-term gain.
27. Live your own life, not the life someone else expects you to live. This is especially true if you have immigrant parents in North America.
28. Never chase (happiness, money, fame, love, etc.). Be your best self and live the best life you can, and these things should come to you.
29. You can’t win all the time. Sometimes it’s ok to take some Ls.
30. You can’t have it all. Your mental capacity, time, and resources are limited, so understand how to prioritize.