Social capital

There is one important factor regarding success that no self-help book tells you about. 99% of large companies rely on this factor, yet no one writes about it.

It is social capital.

Capital refers to something that can solve your problems or tasks quickly (like money, property, etc.). Social refers to people. Having people around you who can solve your problems quickly = high social capital.

Social capital is not just people you know or connections. People you simply know are called networks. You can build networks quickly. However, building social capital is a process that takes time. These are people who are close to you—people you've studied with, worked with, or are relatives, friends, or classmates.

Everyone has different levels of social capital, and each of us is born with varying amounts. It's not in our control to be born with high social capital. As humans, we often overlook the impact of social capital on our achievements.

Let’s look at one example:

Pavel Durov has an assistant, Ilya Perekopskiy, who has been with him since the beginning. Not many people know about him, but Durov met him and other key teammates during his years at SPSU. It's hard to convince someone you don't know when you're starting something new, but it’s easier when it’s someone you know and are close to.

Let’s look at a local example:

Zafar Khoshimov went to study in England in 1992 (it was difficult to study abroad at that time), where he met an investor. After returning, he started Korzinka.

Having strong social capital is good, but managing strong social capital is even better.

In my opinion, there are a few ways to build strong social capital:
1. Attending a university that is either difficult to get into or expensive.
2. Working in a company led by a strong boss (your first workplace will give you friends, but not necessarily the ones after that).
3. Working on hard and interesting projects—you’ll have a high chance of meeting interesting people.

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There are different types of people in the world.

For me, there are three types of people.

There are 0.8–1.0–1.2 people.

0.8 people are those who subtract value from their surroundings. Imagine multiplying 1 by 0.8, the result is 0.8, it goes backward, meaning they subtract. When dealing with a 0.8 person, they might respond negatively, perform tasks poorly, or even show disinterest in meeting your needs.

For example, if someone asks for a Coca-Cola, they might give it to you with a frown, serve it warm, and do a poor job. They make what you ask for worse.

1.0 people are those who meet expectations. When you request something, they provide it within the boundaries of what is expected. They can do their job efficiently, but they don’t go beyond that. This is akin to multiplying 1.0 by 1, which results in 1.0, indicating that things remain the same. Neither subtracting nor adding.

For example, if you order a Coca-Cola or a meal, they bring it to you within a reasonable time, but without anything special or different. They give you what you expect, and you stay as you were.

Finally, there are 1.2 people who stand out. When you interact with a 1.2 person, you experience additional value. This is similar to multiplying 1 by 1.2, resulting in 1.2, an increase in value. These individuals not only do their job effectively but also display a positive attitude, care about your experience, and make an extra effort to exceed your expectations.

For example, if you order a Coca-Cola, they will bring it to you with a smile and might ask how you are or if you need anything else. They are someone who gives more than they need to.

Aspire to be a 1.2 person. This means not settling for doing the minimum required but striving to add value in every interaction. Whether you work as a waiter, taxi driver, stock clerk, gardener, or chef, try to do your job to the best of your ability because you never know who is watching or how your attitude can positively impact the lives of others.

Therefore, remember that there are 0.8 people who subtract value (stay away from them), 1.0 people who offer what is expected, and 1.2 people who provide additional value and give you more than you expect.

The choice of what kind of person you want to be is in your hands.

Source

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In life we often find ourselves looking forward.

To the next big milestone, to the next event, to the next year. Oftentimes we're so worried about the future, stuff in the past and struggling to be in the now.

At the start of last year, I worried a lot about what the future and life after school would look like for me, and honestly this took away a lot of joy and energy from the present moment at times. However, by the end of the year my mindset shifted and I didn't really plan things beyond two to three months in the future, and sure of course this was intimidating, but I think that I would have missed out on so many opportunities if I had it all planned out.

So maybe a part of being happy is simply embracing the adventure. All you need to do is trust in the process and live for today not tomorrow.

Taking a step back to move forward

Sometimes the best way to take step forward in life is actually by taking a few steps back. When you first get started with a hobby, putting in the work feels fun and motivation is pretty high, but sometimes when you get in these cycles of creating and executing you start to forget that there are other better ways of doing things. When you step away from doing homework or working on a project, it gives you the space to reflect and find new inspiration. when you come back to it you'll finally have a fresh set of eyes and can think even more creatively.

So let this be your sign to not be afraid to take a break for a bit and step away from your work.

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How to stop feeling behind in life.

As someone who has identified as more of generalist, over the past few years I used to always worry about falling behind.

By trying myself in many different spheres and hobbies, i felt that i was falling behind those who choose to focus on only one thing. It's easy to feel this way, because many of us start off on the same path. We attend high school, go to college, and all off these systems are structured similarly but the truth is, if you have the courage to pave your own path in life and the grit to keep going even when life feels confusing you'll never be behind in life.

The only time you are behind is when you choose to follow in someone else's life. So, will you choose the path less traveled or following in someone else's.

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The Importance of Unlearning

To unlearn is to let go of bad habits or an old mindset.

In my opinion, unlearning is just as important as learning. Sometimes, what holds us back from growing are the things that we previously picked up and held onto as true. There are some things that we learn willingly, and others not so much.

To unlearn, you must be willing to seek new perspectives and be curious. At different points in your life, it's totally okay to take what you need and leave what you don't.

A simple example of unlearning is letting go of the idea that you can't start a new book without finishing the old one. Letting go of this allowed me to read more books at one time and rekindle my love for reading.

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How to make big decisions

Life is filled with a bunch of seemingly big decisions. What school to go to. What career to pursue. Who to surround yourself with. Or even what to eat today.

My big decision last year was what to do after graduating university. I could hop into an industry job. Or try pursuing my projects full time.

So how do we make big decisions?

One way I discovered was to weigh out potential regret. In other words what choice would you regret most if you didn't take it. Will I regret not going to industry more and not taking more internships? Or will i regret not pursuing my projects more?

So far i have decided what to do and lets say i have no regrets.

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Few notes and insights from Cornell alumni meeting.

1. On average, Cornell University students spend around 3 hours per course, but the amount of time will vary depending on the semester and the difficulty of the course.

2. Project teams that are highly advertised on the Cornell official websites are hard, and they are very competitive. In addition to that, most of the students involved in project teams are stressed out compared to those who are not.

3. Regarding balancing academics and social life, it's pretty easy to maintain the balance if you have studied in a boarding school. Most of the students who come from boarding school have no problem organizing their own schedule. Balancing life is not that hard compared to those who tend to exaggerate on social life in university.

4. Cornell is looking to reduce the significance of standardized tests in the admissions process. (She didn’t want me to quote her on this)

5. According to her, internships are the most important during university years. She mentioned that because of her internships, she got into Google and is currently working at Netflix as a Software Engineer.

6. Cornell is a pretty competitive and toxic university compared to other universities.

7. Her favorite thing about the campus is that it is very beautiful and has pretty impressive scenery because it is located on a hill.

P.S. Everything mentioned above might be slightly different than the actual reality because she graduated in 2019, and some things may have changed since then.

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