*🏛I wanted to thank Mukhammadali aka for his invite to the podcast, the king-sized food, and the 'Fast & Furious' drive to the train station.*

Although I have been on the host side of podcasting several times, being a guest feels different, especially followed by an enormous amount of meat (and meat, and meat) for lunch and furious drive by the host himself to the train station for the sole purpose of being, not in, but on time for the train.

I wanted to thank Mukhammadali aka and his team for inviting me and allowing me to experience podcasting on a whole new level. I learned a lot, realized a lot, made mistakes, and for that, I am grateful.

The podcast is out. You can watch, but do note that it’s 2 hours of me: https://youtu.be/x9YA6PJJTmY?si=ETmDmWzw1Ua2_1_1

Good morning, afternoon, and evening, dear friends,

Days have passed, and deaths and births been registered since we last talked on this channel.

First off, I want to congratulate and wish patience everyone on the start of the ultimate college admission period, promising to be heart-breaking both out of success and non-success.

There's a lot to say, a lot to talk about, and many changes been in my life since.

Coming with fresh ideas and an aged or wiser outlook on the world and beyond, I can't wait to talk more.

See you very soon, this time without pause.

Welcome, everyone!

29.05

I have read enough biographies of people—more than I can count on my bare hands: Pushkin, Franklin, LeBron, Levrone, Caesar, and many more. Yet, I never read about my dad; I never got a chance to talk to him about his life. That was the glimpse of experience I could not get. It was too late.

Now, three days before his three-year farewell, I came across an article by a journalist writing about my dad and how it all began. Yes, I have heard many short stories about him from different people: mom, brothers, teachers, and people in politics. However, I never came across a comprehensive biography in one place.

Reading each line, filled with mixed feelings, I related back to my origins. It felt like I was finding the missing parts of the puzzle of 'me.'

I was too young to understand that he was an embodiment of what I want to achieve in life. Starting from just an ordinary position, with no solid background, he made it to the top, not by the support of people behind him, but by his show of empathy and responsibility.

I never realized I was living with such a person from whom I could gain a lot of insights on life. He did not talk much to me about his life; perhaps I was too young to know that. But, he would take me to his daily job tasks with him. Yes he did not, but I was there.

I remember he was arguing with a representative of the Ministry of Health to renovate the maternity hospital. It took three years for them to allocate finances for that, which, after successfully completed, saved tens of mothers and allowed them to have their babies happily.

He built an amazing family and balanced it with stressful work, which involved the everyday threat of going to prison, taking the responsibility for 280,000 people not just for one year, two years, or three years but for the entire 13 years from 2004-2017. He was hated and loved at the same time. So many people thank him for the things he did for them, even after he is gone.

I carry on his legacy. I carry on his existence. It is his blood that runs through me: to be among people and contribute to the common good, not just to be distracted with something that takes all life in vain. To be honest, I can’t be any better or equal to him;

This is the first time I am publicly reflecting about my origin and life; thus, I want to finish this post with one of my private reflections about him:

"I have distinct memories of us visiting houses where people were bidding their final farewells to their departed loved ones. When someone passed away in our town, it was customary to hold a special farewell day with religious leaders offering prayers and bidding them farewell. My father attended nearly all of these ceremonies, and perhaps upon his own passing, more than a thousand people attended his farewell. He was with people and among them."

I have no word to say: it all enough for thinking how life is this way and never reaching a conclusion.

thank you, dad. see you soon.

In our culture we tend to equate thinking and intellectual powers with success and achievement.

In many ways, however, it is an emotional quality that separates those who master a field from the many who simply work at a job.

Our levels of desire, patience, persistence, and confidence end up playing a much larger role in success than sheer reasoning powers.

Feeling motivated and energized, we can overcome almost anything.

Feeling bored and restless, our minds shut off and we become increasingly passive.

the art of mastery*

@asadbekurakov