A letter to my younger self | Mark Wolfe, Cloud Practice Director, Versent
Advice you need to hear, from our industry mentor Mark Wolfe
Are you there, Mark? It’s me, future Mark.
I’ve got a big secret to tell you. No, it’s not this week’s Crypto Currency. It’s the answer everyone wishes they had when they were starting out; how to make the right decisions to succeed in life. Are you ready?
JUST. BE. YOURSELF.
Yep. That’s it.
The sooner you realise that no one else can be you, and that you are ok, you are way ahead of the game. Don’t worry about what people think! Everyone has an opinion, but there are only two that really count: that of your five-year-old self, and your 95-year-old self.
Try new things. Explore. Use your natural problem-solving skills to experiment and make stuff. Push past the imaginary boundaries you’ve put in your way. Give it a go, even if it sounds crazy – the only barrier is you. This is still true today.
I know we really hated science at high school, it was so dry and dull, but stick with it - you end up loving it and it leads you to your passion – solving problems in technology.
Don’t worry about money. Worrying won’t help and you will earn enough to do the things that make you happy.
Read everything. Expand beyond what you like today and try something you wouldn’t normally read. Write your thoughts and observations down. They don’t have to be Pulitzer prize winning words, but writing your thoughts down is something you do to this very day, and helps you focus on what you need to do.
Learn to look around you. Help people. Always consider your family, friends and colleagues. It’s really easy to just think about yourself, but you realise that helping people helps you find happiness and gives you invaluable work experiences. After all, life is a team game.
The biggest lesson of all – be kind to yourself. No one has all the answers, all the time, but be your own coach and you will figure this all out a lot quicker than most.
I think our 95-year-old self would agree. We’ll be ok.
Regards,
Mark
Mark is an industry mentor for RMIT Online's Developing VR and AR Strategy short course. Find out more here.
