Quirkbag

Author: zacyeohs@gmail.com

  • Comparison Is Too Much

    Comparison Is Too Much

    Quirkbag Collection #50 – 12.07.26

    Are we really ourselves or just what people make us to be? A product of modern consumerism and media, with a tad of envy from comparison. 

    There seems to be so much more comparison now that we chase this alternate version of ourselves just to “keep up with the times”. Worse still, comparison drives us to create this version of ourselves which we may not even want. 

    If you do not juggle 3 projects at work, sleeping 7 hours, walking 10K steps, meditating, spending weekends with friends and family all while working on self-improvement, you are somehow “less”. Or at least it feels that way when you see someone doing just that. And so we do more…just to say we did more…

    But why? Is less not more? 

    Modern Comparison Culture 

    There used to be a time when comparison was simply finding the farmer who harvested more carrots. Then came several industrial revolutions and today we’re comparing influence through an arbitrary digital number on a screen on social media. God forbid that number is zero, or non-existent, and you’ll get mocked for it. 

    We’re constantly compared to others whether in absolute or relative terms that we forget who we really are. Whether it is school admissions, project recruitments, job interviews, people love to compare us to the next person. But they compare the glossy, shiny part that we create to show others – the cool stuff. 

    Where did the normal, not-so-cool but human part of us go? 

    Somewhere along the line, we started chasing this phantom version of ourselves that represents what society and the world thinks we should be. Yet it is only reasonable that we adopted this shift because that’s how we get by now. 

    We have to be more something than the next guy. 

    To do more is to have more impact. To do more is to be better. Or is it? 

    Escaping Comparison Means Deviation

    Much like having clarity on your life’s purpose, there is great comfort and peace in knowing who we are and who we want to be. The new crease is that it may come at the price of being different. Society has a fickle stance on those who are different. 

    It’s incredible how we judge the extent of ‘different’ today. If you’re different because you become an entrepreneur who builds a modern rooftop farm growing carrots in Singapore, society slaps a ‘well done’ on your back. But if you’re choosing to grow carrots along the countryside instead of a cushy but somewhat boring corporate job in the city, people raise their eyebrows.   

    You almost have to be the “right kind” of different. 

    The false belief that there’s a link between doing more and being more is a subtle but poisonous one. To be the ‘role model’ or ‘success standard’, modern society links volume with ability, ability with identity. The succinct new word for it is ‘brand’. That’s how young people are being judged today. 

    The question society implicitly asks is “What’s your personal ‘brand’?” 

    Yet, it feels like the real question is “How much more and better are you doing than the next guy?”

    The answer had better be more than growing carrots. 

    What About A Personal Brand?

    Now of course, there’s more to us and our lives than a ‘brand’. We know that because this concept did not used to exist. It’s not practical to always show or build this brand in everything we do. We’re flawed humans trying to be a polished pearl, and we judge one another based on who gets the closest. It’s borderline sad to think how we have brought it to an extreme. 

    Worse still, we’re not even always doing it for the right reasons. 

    Do we really need so many “followers” online? 

    Our lives did not used to include living vicariously through others apart from the occasional rumour or story. Today, it’s mildly tragic that we invented ‘screen time’ and actively use it to determine how much of our lives we’re actually living. 

    To escape this self-made comparison trap, where the more we do the more we compare with others, we have to choose to do less to be more. Afterall, no one can do everything. 

    But perhaps we’re confusing this public version of ourselves with who we really are. We’re so caught up with building this supposedly important public image and ‘brand’ that we forget our private self. And before we know it, we no longer know who we are at our core and who we want to be. 

    All we remember is to compare with others and see if we’re doing enough to remain “validated” by others. Gone is the clarity we need to find our own purpose and identity. 

    More Is Not More; Less Is Still More

    With modern digitalisation being increasingly pervasive, there’s a premium for privacy (or as I like to call it – analog) and solitude these days. And perhaps these are the very things we need most to remember who we truly are instead of what we try to make ourselves to be. 

    Doing more for the sake of it is a surefire way to create burnout, pressure, more comparison and meaningless work. Doing less is also guaranteed to cause feelings of inferiority, more comparison and a sense of falling behind. What then? 

    Most comparisons are made to gain self-assurance; to feel “normal within the group”. 

    But more is not more. Less is still more, just as any minimalist would say. But only if you pick the right few things for yourselves. Therein lies the real test of whether you know who you are, and who you want to be. 

    So, are you doing more or are you being more?

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    Hi! I’m Zac, the guy behind this serendipitous, quirky blog. I’m currently on a quest to find out more about myself before Uni begins – who I am and what life has to offer. This blog is my little space where I step out of my comfort zone to share my thoughts and life experiences. I hope you enjoy reading the weekly posts. Share them if you like, or not.

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  • Are You Stuck In The Confidence Trap?

    Are You Stuck In The Confidence Trap?

    Quirkbag Collection #49 – 21.06.26

    Confidence is attractive. But it is also a trap. Like most people, I wish to have more confidence. It is one of those rare traits that exude charisma and trustworthiness. It’s a characteristic that resembles a pillar of strength, a sign of possible leadership. 

    But more than ever, studying confidence as a concept has left us waiting for it to happen. It’s as though examining confidence in modern society has led to a further lack of it. Sadly, confidence does not just appear. Waiting certainly does not create it. 

    Why Don’t We Have Confidence?

    We’re too afraid. With social media’s extensive coverage and how we have become more cynical, I think more of us are afraid to be vulnerable. We just want to be “right”, we want to feel “validated”, but most of us don’t want to truly stand for something ourselves, not when it might mean being alone. 

    We don’t have the confidence to be who we are in front of others, let alone the public, because we know there is a more than likely chance of criticism. Instead, we would rather the comfort of the herd than the confidence in solitude. 

    In other words, we care too much about how others perceive us that we would put up a facade for others. The wiser ones choose not to even portray themselves – they just live privately. 

    But confidence can still exist privately, right? 

    Perhaps. But do we have real confidence in our beliefs? Too much and you might be stubborn and conceited. Too little and you can be a pushover. So where does the line get drawn?

    Well, when in doubt, look to the philosophers right?

     Aristotle had a quote: 

    “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” 

    It seems a good enough guide that our confidence is towed by the ability to consider and play with other ideas without needing to change our stance. Conceited and close-minded people would never strike you as confident – you’ve probably met them. They are usually defensive. Being confident then comes from your deeper understanding of why something is true or relevant. 

    What Is True Confidence? Do I Have It?

    People follow and respect confidence. We all would choose it if given that choice. Mainstream self-help preaches the “fix your mindset”, “do daily affirmations” and the “fake it till you make it” stuff. 

    But what does it take? Can we really fake it until we make it? 

    I don’t think so. 

    Firstly, no one really wants a leader with “fake confidence”. Authenticity beats appearance. I think most people want a genuine person that will become truly confident rather than one who pretends. Real confidence inspires. Fake confidence is off-putting and irksome. Real confidence is assurance. Fake confidence is ignorance. 

    You can easily tell real from fake based on the tone and behaviour of a person. Real confidence is powerful on its own – there is a sense of humility and kindness behind it. The fake one is fragile – there is always a need to keep up the appearance, to ensure the image is maintained. Most likely, someone’s ego is tied to their fake confidence. 

    When you go about your day, run this mental exercise, ask: “Where am I going, to do what?” If you can answer with certainty, you are answering with confidence. And that is the first step to knowing how true confidence feels like. I think it’s just a matter of scaling from there to other skills, knowledge, presentations and more. 

    There is a peace of mind attached to quiet confidence – almost to the extent of nonchalance – which helps a person navigate situations. With experience, the confidence comes as second nature because the actions to be taken are clear. You are able to guide others based on your experience. Knowing what to do is a solid first step. 

    Where Does Confidence Come From?

    Confidence comes after trying and failing. After a ridiculous number of attempts, you know you have the abilities and skills to overcome hardship. But at the start, we have to do it scared, do it alone, do it wrongly. You don’t need confidence to start anything. The scariest part is doing all the things you have never done and failing all of them.

    With enough experience, your actions and responses become second nature. It feels smooth and instinctive. 

    In sales, the only thing that cannot be accelerated is experience. Putting in the repetitions is the biggest factor for consistent success. Top performers always knew what to say, how to say it and when to walk away. But not me. And yes, a long time ago, they were novices like me too. Over time, their experience has given them pattern recognition skills and refined their techniques. 

    Confidence can be spread temporarily. Being around confident people can subtly boost your own confidence. When you’re in a winning team, you feel strong and invincible even when you may not be the main contributor. When you’re around the people whom you trust, you have confidence in their abilities. 

    While others can imbue confidence in you, that feeling tends to fade quickly. Without your firm self-belief, confidence is ephemeral. Some confidence than none, but true confidence comes with time, from the internalised lessons of experience. 

    That is when confidence is yours to have.

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    Hi! I’m Zac, the guy behind this serendipitous, quirky blog. I’m currently on a quest to find out more about myself before Uni begins – who I am and what life has to offer. This blog is my little space where I step out of my comfort zone to share my thoughts and life experiences. I hope you enjoy reading the weekly posts. Share them if you like, or not.

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  • Why Your Life Has No Texture

    Why Your Life Has No Texture

    Quirkbag Collection #48 – 14.06.26

    Our lives used to be interesting. We used to enjoy the dull and exciting moments all the same, because it made life feel different. Taking the train did not feel like a chore, it felt like an experience. Walking felt like a natural part of the day, now it’s almost an anathema. God forbid the weather be extra humid and hot.  

    If you feel like life has fallen into a routine, that your life has a certain silent emptiness despite having all that you used to want, your texture of life has smoothened. The texture of life refers to how interesting or memorable life is or has been. When days seem to blend into one, when nothing special stands out in mind, that is a life with no texture. When you can’t remember the last time something felt truly interesting or exciting, that’s a smooth texture. 

    But why? 

    What could make life lose texture?

    Embracing Ephemerality 

    The texture of life is built through bursts of experiences of varying intensity. The greater the intensity or emotion of the task/experience, the stronger the memory and texture it has. Whether it’s a few months spent learning something new, or starting a new job, or going through a different ‘phase’ in life, meeting someone new, all of it counts. I used to think life has but one fixed rhythm and texture. That we are meant to graduate from school and work the same job for 40 years till retirement. Alas, there is almost no life texture in such a future without any career growth. 

    Our days are ephemeral, whether you think of them as good days or bad days. We don’t remember the days. We only remember the unique experiences – the firsts, the lasts, the unusual, the painful. These create the texture of our lives. Without them, we seem to fall to our level of comfort and routine, slowly putting our brain on auto-pilot. We drift through life without remembering what or why we did things. 

    That’s when time starts to fade. It passes so quickly that we don’t feel it until it’s over, much like Adam Sandler in “Click”. When we think back, we ask “Where did all the time go?” You lost it to autopilot, to the overly optimised life, to the extreme convenience and lack of serendipity. 

    Learning About The 2% 

    So why? Why can’t we live like we did 20 years ago? 

    Our brain is wired to release dopamine when we do something successfully. Modern lifestyle hijacks this system with instant gratification through social media and more. We’re so used to this ‘boring’ life because we don’t remember what life used to be like 20 years ago; when the resistance and inconvenience of today’s world were actually the norm.  

    Our highly optimised and convenient life has become a frustration because there is no longer a contrast. Finding resistance and sitting with the discomfort of difficulty is the point. That makes the easy part easy, the fun part fun and the quiet moments loud. Our brains are meant for thinking and solving. 

    Discomfort and difficulty make the ordinary special, the boring interesting, the usual exciting and the habits a relief. That’s the power of facing some resistance. It pushes your mind off autopilot and into the present. 

    A survey shows 2% of people would choose the stairs when the lift/escalator is easily available. Extending the statistical metaphor, it introduces the idea of intentionally choosing friction and inconvenience to break your brain’s default neural pathways for choosing the easy way out. 

    Honestly, I experienced this phenomenon even before knowing it existed. In the army, the only time I felt life slow down was over the weekends. Everything seemed more fun, more soothing, more meaningful, more vibrant – even a cup of tea was most satisfying. The constant tedium and non-stop discomfort in the army contrasted the slower, easier and calmer lifestyle outside. That was the point. Even the most mundane day felt interesting. 

    The Japanese Tea Ceremony

    The Japanese have a culture of holding tea ceremonies to celebrate the present moment in each other’s company. Focusing on simplicity and mindfulness, the practice hinges on the principle of “ichigo ichie” – one time, one meeting – a reminder to enjoy the present moment. 

    Every tea ceremony is different, even if every cup of tea is made of the same tea leaves, by the same person, in the same manner, at the same time each day, in the same place. It is believed that no cup of tea is the same because there is only one cup of tea at the moment – the one you are holding.

    It sounds almost philosophical (well, it kind of is), with tea being a metaphor for everything else in life. There is only one present moment at any point in time, and our job is to live the moment so that we create wonderful textures for our memories and lives. 

    Rather than living on auto-pilot waiting for the next thing, sometimes intentionally going out of your comfort zone and doing the less optimised, more inconvenient things is what you need to reset your mind. 

    It’s Okay To Change Your Life 

    For a long time, I struggled to accept changes to my evening routine. I followed the same schedule from 7.30pm to 11pm on weekdays when I was younger because that was my comfortable routine. When I started JC and entered the army, change was forced. There was no choice but to reinvent my routine. And from it, a newer, refined version of yourself emerges as you take on newer tasks, challenges and routines.

    Letting go of the old routines was hard because it felt like cutting away part of my identity. I did not want to lose that part of myself which I liked. But this is when texture grows and adds to our lives. It’s okay to change yourself for a new phase of life – to create new textures in life. Without change, nothing new happens.

    Sometimes the changes will be hard. When you start a new job, when you train for a milestone, when you experience bumpy relationships, when you feel lost, the list goes on. But everything adds to the narrative of your life story and the texture of your life.

    Every version of our old self is like a friend that we create. Some day when we look back, I hope we think of our lives as chapters of adventures with different versions of ourselves being proud of who we’ve become.

    To live a rich life filled with various textures is to embrace all the different versions of ourselves – and stay present with who we are now.

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    Hi! I’m Zac, the guy behind this serendipitous, quirky blog. I’m currently on a quest to find out more about myself before Uni begins – who I am and what life has to offer. This blog is my little space where I step out of my comfort zone to share my thoughts and life experiences. I hope you enjoy reading the weekly posts. Share them if you like, or not.

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  • Your Wisdom Through Experience

    Your Wisdom Through Experience

    Quirkbag Collection #47 – 07.06.26

    I still remember the days of being 17, 18 and 20. Thinking back, it feels like a mere moment. Time flies in retrospection. In retrospection, the memories came without the pain that I actually felt in the past. The sweat, heat, ache and fatigue in the wilderness when I was in the army. The meaningless daily grind that has blurred into mush leading up to A Levels. The memories are vague, undetailed and far from the true experience. So where does this leave me?

    Well, with a certain peace that comes with the irreplaceable wisdom of experience. 

    Understanding Finitude

    There is a quote that goes “this too shall pass”. Do not confuse this with a similar line from “The Lord Of The Rings”. 

    There is a subtle confidence and assurance that comes with knowing that all things will pass, regardless of whether it is easy or difficult. And in accepting that we don’t control a lot of events that happen, “this too shall pass” reframes the present obstacle as just another experience in our lives. 

    Sure, it probably feels impossible to be “peaceful” if you’re skydiving and falling freely before the parachute launches. Or if you are riding a rollercoaster upside down at what feels like an insane velocity. But eventually, the chute opens. The ride ends. “This too shall pass”. 

    Now this is not to encourage skydiving or rollercoasters rides. But this is to say that the most thrilling, scary, live-life-on-the-edge experiences force you to be in the moment. To fully feel the depths of the moment, before it passes. And once it has, the residue it leaves is more than just your faint memory and the underlying emotion you associate with it. It includes the broadening of your horizon; the “stronger character”; that intuitive scale in your mind that tells you a certain situation is not that severe in comparison to your experiences.

    With more experience, I keep coming back to this quote. Whenever a problem or a temporary challenge occurs, I think of it as an inconvenience to whatever goal or objective I am working towards. It acts almost as a razor that can frame the problem into its appropriate scale rather than letting emotions blow it out of proportion. 

    A Touch Of Wisdom

    Ryan Holiday’s book “Wisdom Takes Work” reminded me of a few familiar lessons from Stoicism. Most importantly, we must be humble to recognise how small, flawed and finite we are as humans. If wisdom is knowing what’s what, how and when to do something, then most of what we do everyday goes against it. Being far too busy putting out the fires 3 inches from our noses, we’re always just reacting to things. We fail to see things through the macro-perspective. 

    To truly be wise, it takes immense misery, pain and suffering for that is the price to distil the lessons of wisdom. That was the case with the revered Abraham Lincoln. Choosing wisdom in the modern world where instant gratification reigns supreme mandates a strength of will that most of us don’t possess. It takes effort to slow down, to challenge our beliefs without feeling like we are “switching sides”, to contemplate and conclude rather than simply take the default. 

    With wisdom, or at least some fraction of it, we inevitably gain peace and confidence in ourselves. In slowing down and considering how ridiculous our frustrations sometimes are, we can seek solace in knowing our problems are mostly self-inflicted and mostly insignificant.

    The Sun Still Sets No Matter How Beautiful It Looks While Setting; That Too Shall Pass
    What Else Matters In That Moment?

    Just how many things really truly matter at the end of our time? Framing problems within the period of our existence, it’s comedic to constantly sweat the little things. And that understanding contributes part of the peace and confidence in us – that indeed, this too shall pass.

    Suddenly, your problems aren’t as frustrating. 

    The Passing Of Time

    The Chinese proverb says that time dilutes all. How true. It’s probably why I don’t remember the excruciating pain, fatigue and stress from my past experiences. But simultaneously, these experiences enrich our lives. Not just in the moment, but long after the moment has passed, in ways that we don’t fully comprehend (except in therapy). These experiences culminate into our being. They become part of who we are, more than just vague memories. 

    The passing of time washes the intensity of our memories. At the end, it is said that we get a highlight reel of the most unique, life-changing and thrilling times in our lives. If that’s true, then we are far more capable of handling complex, arduous, painful and scary things than we believe.

    Most of our days blur and get forgotten; we remember only several events. Not the faces of the strangers on the train, not the classmates from school, maybe not your childhood best friend and not even every single birthday growing up. 

    That is the passing of time. So with our great capacity to forget, to smooth over the bumpy textures of life, we quietly grow confident in facing new things. We know we have done something of the same scale. Even if we have not, we know that “this too shall pass”. If that does not encourage you to do more life-changing, story-defining things, then very few other things can. 

    How’s that for self-affirmation?

    Your Peace And Confidence 

    For lack of an alternative phrase, the wisdom, and its resultant peace and confidence, from experience is not compressible. That means I can’t gain 2 decades of wisdom in 2 days, even if everything was written to painstaking detail. Maybe I’ll learn fractions of it, but certainly not the full experience of a lifetime.

    The defining characteristic of wisdom and experience is discretion and judgement, both of which cannot be taught through text. Only learnt through experience. The wisdom, confidence and peace are then innate. 

    Experience, however, can be compressed by reducing the intervals between each “encounter”. In choosing to take on 2 decades of experience (of anything) in 1 decade, the intensity and volume of pain and struggle will definitely be higher, but you’ll gain the lessons faster. That said, wisdom cannot be rushed. It will emerge in its own time. 

    With wisdom, confidence and peace, where does that leave you? 

    With a gut feeling that you are going to be okay. 

    Because this too shall pass.

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    Hi! I’m Zac, the guy behind this serendipitous, quirky blog. I’m currently on a quest to find out more about myself before Uni begins – who I am and what life has to offer. This blog is my little space where I step out of my comfort zone to share my thoughts and life experiences. I hope you enjoy reading the weekly posts. Share them if you like, or not.

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  • Why Is Discipline Extremely Boring?

    Why Is Discipline Extremely Boring?

    Quirkbag Collection #46 – 31.05.26

    In many self-help books, discipline is always crowned champion of the basics to change your life. Everything seems to include discipline, like it’s a magical ingredient to a pot of stew. But what does discipline really look like? Is it draining the thrill out of your life to do all the things you hate? Or is it about consistently doing something for a ridiculously long period of time? 

    Well, maybe a bit of both. 

    My Idea Of Discipline

    The way I like to think of discipline is as a filter. It strains everything that happens in your life, at least the ones you notice. Discipline makes the decisions for you, determining whether an action or behaviour is acceptable or not. Discipline gives you the clear answer as to whether you should go to that club the night before an important event. It tells you whether an impulsive temptation is the right thing to give into. It’s like an “action compass” for us. We know inherently if the choice is beneficial to us or not. 

    This “action compass” is more reliable than we think. Its presence is what makes you feel guilty after something is done. You saw the better choice, but you didn’t take it. But if you did, and made every choice the “correct” one based on discipline, would that give an extremely fruitful life? Probably so, but only in the long run. 

    What then of the short-term? 

    When we discuss delayed gratification, we don’t think to appease the short-term human cravings. By pushing all the rewards to the future, we risk never even enjoying it. Yet, that never seems to be the main problem for most people. We know how to get our daily dopamine fix. Taking some enjoyment in the present moment is easy. The trick is knowing where to draw the line so that we are not constantly chasing instant gratification. That is where discipline comes in. 

    How To Get Disciplined

    Discipline is the by-product of consistency. Consistency is built through habit. Habit is built through (James Clear’s book “Atomic Habits”) repetition and reminders. Without regular practice, it’s very hard to become proficient at a skill. Besides, consistency to practice anything can itself be hard to achieve. Who wants to keep doing the same thing everyday for who knows how long?

    You do! You have to. 

    Consistency is what allows you to practice, build experience, gain knowledge and improve at literally anything. Constantly trying to do a task is what makes the task easier over time. But most people quit at the start. That’s when things can seem the hardest; when the path ahead looks the longest. It’s when you must fight the hardest against the urge to quit. 

    Consistency is playing the long game. Tell yourself that it will take time, that your growth will only be seen later, after all the boring, painful repetitions. Because it’s true. Knowing this makes being consistent easier. It makes doing the task again for one more day easier to accept. We must accept that the reward is not given today, but some day in future. And to redeem the reward, we must keep doing the task till that day comes. 

    If you measure consistency in terms of the number of days an action is done, the longer the streak, the more routine and normal it becomes, the easier it gets. 

    My Duolingo Streak Since 2024; Never Thought It Would Last

    The Auto-Pilot Discipline

    Discipline exists on a spectrum. Fixed routines, fixed tasks, fixed timing, fixed everything. Boring. Stale. Repetitive. But, effective. This is discipline elevated to auto-pilot – a lifestyle built around the systems meant to achieve certain goals. 

    Whether this discipline is good or bad depends on whether you can accept the resulting lifestyle. Not everyone likes the same lifestyle routines. 

    Auto-pilot deals with every possible choice with an outcome to derail the plan in advance – with discipline. No deciding what is for lunch because you have meal prepped. No choosing between new clothes because you take the train home immediately. Decisions are made ahead of time to avoid confrontation, temptation or autonomy. Life is without novelty, thrill or difference between days. Because everything is fixed, predictability and similarity cause boredom in day-to-day life.

    There is little to no room for ‘error’ because discipline has overridden autonomy. The default answer to anything is “no”. Autonomy is then the nemesis of discipline. Without autonomy, discipline reigns as default. Autonomy creates possibilities that cause distractions. Distractions that lure you toward undisciplined lifestyles. 

    A disciplined lifestyle is one that needs deliberate attention and decision-making. It can be done in advance (like in auto-pilot), or in the moment (avoiding possibilities). But it requires you to choose the harder, uncomfortable path. And this is why autonomy usually works against discipline. We avoid the choice that makes us different from others, that makes us stand out. 

    The Autonomous Discipline

    There is a point where discipline becomes easy. It’s autonomous. Your discipline filter works subconsciously, like a well-oiled machine, that you have so much trust in yourself to intentionally disregard what discipline tells you. 

    Saying yes intentionally to ice-cream while dieting. Skipping exercise amid regular training. Waking up later than usual without making your bed. 

    For some, breaking the routine, giving in to the easier, lazier option, may be normal. But disciplined people would feel discomfort the moment something is done in contrast with their identity. Someone who goes to the gym 5x a week feels weird if he only went 3x. Or someone who makes the bed daily finds it unacceptable to leave the bed messy for once. 

    Autonomous discipline is what I would say is the ‘license to deviate’. You have become so disciplined that you know the habit, routine and behaviour will remain intact even if you deviated from the default action. Skipping one day of exercise knowing full well you’ll hit the gym the following day is an example. This is likely the case when your actions, routines and habits have become part of your identity. 

    Having this ability to trust that you’ll choose the harder option again the next day is when autonomy is now acting in your favour. Autonomy no longer acts as the nemesis of discipline, but complements it to give a more textured lifestyle. You no longer need auto-pilot.  

    Are You Disciplined? 

    I’d love to say that I am extremely disciplined. To have the consistency in doing everything daily to achieve everything I want. But we’re humans. We’re flawed. We’re going to fail in some regard. And that’s okay. 

    Ironically, we only call it discipline when it comes to things we hate doing, rather avoid doing, but yet always beneficial to us in time. The things we love to constantly do are then called “guilty pleasures”. 

    Everyone can start with one task once a week. Whether it is a new hobby, a new goal, or anything at all, start there. Once you start, it gets easier to integrate the habit or task into a routine. Set low expectations but make the effort to complete the task. 

    It will be hard battling your discomfort, emotions and mental excuses to not do the task. But remember, to become different, to improve, you have to sit with it and let it happen. It may suck for a bit, but it won’t be forever. Start today, never stop.

    Consistency is never impressive in the moment, only at the END.

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    Hi! I’m Zac, the guy behind this serendipitous, quirky blog. I’m currently on a quest to find out more about myself before Uni begins – who I am and what life has to offer. This blog is my little space where I step out of my comfort zone to share my thoughts and life experiences. I hope you enjoy reading the weekly posts. Share them if you like, or not.

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  • You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know: Dunning-Kruger Effect

    You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know: Dunning-Kruger Effect

    Quirkbag Collection #45 – 24.05.26

    There are 4 stages of competence when we learn anything. They are known competence, unknown competence, known incompetence, unknown incompetence. You might know them simply as “strengths” and “weaknesses”. But you may be unaware you had particular strengths or weaknesses as you don’t know what you don’t know. That’s the Dunning-Kruger effect. 

    So…“What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?”

    The typical interview question aims to test someone’s self-awareness. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses is easy if you have done plenty of things or have hundreds of hobbies. But most times, the question yields boring answers like “persistent”, “disciplined”, “careful” and “perfectionism”. Most people aren’t even sure what these words mean. 

    These are usually what people feel about themselves based on what things they have done. 

    The true test of strengths and weaknesses come when we face new situations. From navigating completely new environments (like travelling alone) to learning something new (a skill or job). The complexity and uncertainty involved shows who we really are. Like waves that polish the beach, our character is only revealed when we face different waves of life. 

    Through these experiences, the hard-earned wisdom of how we react, behave and think comes to us. Clarity about our character and style surfaces. We now understand how “good” or “bad” we really are at learning or problem-solving. The best reference comes from benchmarking ourselves against others at a technical or professional level. 

    Sometimes, it forces you to admit that you aren’t as “awesome” or “competent” as you thought. Bruised ego, poor you. 

    Now, think again. What are your strengths and weaknesses? A story or experience should float into your mind. Not a buzzword adjective. 

    Another Question: ‘What are some AFIs?’ 

    Simple. It’s the “known incompetence”. We think to improve upon what we know and observe. These can be tangible outcomes like accidents, mishaps or events or intangible observations like confusion, inefficiency or lack of communication. If you can see it, identify it, label it, you can probably fix it. 

    The hardest part comes when you try to fix what you don’t know is “broken”. That’s unknown incompetence. It’s like trying to find your shadow in darkness. 

    But you know there’s something there to tackle. You feel it. There’s an invisible obstacle impeding your progress. Like a 5 year-old in bed at night, you think there’s an imaginary monster. Ever hear the silence that falls upon the room when someone asks for improvements, that’s probably one reason. There’s the “imaginary monster” without a name that lurks. 

    That’s the Dunning-Kruger effect at work. You don’t know what is missing but there is something missing. How can you improve on something if you don’t know what you don’t know? If there is an invisible monster? 

    A Graph Of Perceived vs Actual Competence Showing Dunning-Kruger Effect
    Photo From Nesslabs.com/dunning-kruger-effect

    The Nesslabs article suggests meta-cognitive skills. That means enhanced self-awareness, more than what yields the boring answers to interview questions. Unknown incompetence needs you to “figure out what you don’t know”. But what if there’s nothing in mind to try? 

    The Pasta Method: Stumbling and Fumbling

    In learning about sales, I have received advice from others that trying absolutely anything and everything is what will help you gain knowledge. I call this the “pasta method”. This is not knowledge of sales, but of yourself. It’s to find out what works for you. 

    Learning how you come across to others and the way you speak help to increase your circle of known incompetence. Why? 

    Because you get instant feedback. A forgiving smile, a light chuckle, a confused look, an angry tone. Everything is the result of a certain trigger from you. You get to know what works. You get to know where you need to work on because of the observable signs of incompetence – their lack of interest, frustration, annoyance and more. 

    Facing the Dunning-Kruger effect requires more than just hard work or effort. It requires smart work. Hard work is easy when the task simply needs to be done, in repetition over time. Smart work adds a layer of thinking (a very difficult thing) which determines the direction of progress. In other words, smart work before hard work. Smart work brings changes, tests, experiments.

    Learning sales was easy initially because there were only so few sentences and words in the basic script. But the art of sales – holding conversations, breaking tensions and showing value – needs time and a lot of smart work. It’s easy to knock 1000 doors and say the same thing. It’s much harder to knock 1000 doors and use every door as a feedback loop to overcome the Dunning-Kruger effect. 

    You don’t know what you don’t know until you try something new and see yourself fail. Ask others for their feedback, actions or experiences with their learning progress.

    Now, smart work requires the “pasta method”. Throw everything and anything that you have heard or thought of and see what sticks. Then, assemble the pieces to see what you didn’t know works. That’s a stumbling and fumbling step towards killing the imaginary monster. Now, repeat it again. See why it’s tough?

    A Drop Of Wisdom

    Stoics believed that wisdom was the mother of virtues. From wisdom came courage, temperance and justice. It’s your ability to act and to not act. Wisdom comes from experience; knowledge comes from learning. We don’t know what we don’t know because we have no knowledge or wisdom yet. It’s space that has not been explored. 

    In Ryan Holiday’s “Wisdom Takes Work” about the stoic virtue, it is clear that wisdom needs time, just as compounding works with time. I always tried to fast-track and compress my learning curves in everything over the months. But sales taught me that hard-won wisdom and experience cannot be “optimised” or “expedited”. 

    You just have to take the time. Sometimes, the long route is the short route. I have met the Dunning-Kruger effect as I learn to do sales. Everyone will at some point when they try different things for the first time. But I hope that meta-cognitive skills (aka strong self-awareness) stay in abundance in people.

    That’s the only way we’ll ever slay the imaginary monster – by making it real. 

    Go ahead, read my other posts!

    Hi! I’m Zac, the guy behind this serendipitous, quirky blog. I’m currently on a quest to find out more about myself before Uni begins – who I am and what life has to offer. This blog is my little space where I step out of my comfort zone to share my thoughts and life experiences. I hope you enjoy reading the weekly posts. Share them if you like, or not.

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  • Learning To Let Go

    Learning To Let Go

    Quirkbag Collection #44 – 17.05.26

    A few months ago, I set myself the goal to let go of things emotionally and mentally. I thought it was a useful skill to start learning early. Learning to let go is one of the hardest skills around because it is completely intangible. It’s far easier said than done. 

    You might have met people who let things slide easily. They have no retention of negative influences and they move on quickly. Great, right? Meanwhile, you are stuck thinking about that casual remark someone said about you 3 months ago. That tiniest thing someone said or did just annoys you. How could you let it go? 

    An Emotional Impression Like An Anchor

    The seeming attack on our identity leaves a deep emotional impression on us. Whether it’s a random joke or a casual remark with zero malicious intent, it still feels personal, doesn’t it? It is an anchor for our mind. We can’t stop thinking about it. The speaker meant no harm but we felt hurt anyways. It’s why the memory lingers in our mind. 

    People love to tell us to “just let it go” – or my personal favourite line: “just walk away”. But it’s not as simple as that. Anyone who has tried to calm someone down by saying “just calm down” probably aggravated the person more. 

    “Calm Down” Does Not Create The Calming Effect

    The emotional impression leaves us hanging because our self-worth and self-esteem also come into play. Yes, those things make us feel bad about ourselves and add to our frustration. A random event or remark might make you question your own self-worth, thereby hurting your self-esteem. If something makes you feel inferior, you feel small, annoyed, frustrated that you are not enough. If something offends you, you feel hurt, defensive and self-righteous. 

    “I am just not good enough for that.”

    “Of course I am not blah blah!” 

    “Wow, he doesn’t like me at all. I must have done something wrong.”

    The memory of what upset you would keep replaying in your mind. Over, and over, and over. Before you eat, before you sleep, when you are on the train, when you walk home. 

    You just can’t let go. 

    2 Keys For Letting Go 

    The first key to letting go is understanding the context of our emotions. We feel a certain way because we think our identity is attacked. We think deep down that it says something about us that is true. It’s usually something we don’t like or don’t want to associate ourselves with. Our ego is bruised because the comment pointed to the “ugly” bit of our personality. Now, it is “too close to home”. But it’s not because someone is really out to get us. 

    We can choose to change that flawed part of us or simply ignore it. In ignoring it, we inevitably accept that we are that thing/remark/joke. And that’s okay because owning that part of yourself makes you less susceptible to feeling hurt again. It helps you let go of other people’s opinions of you, because now, you know that’s part of who you are. 

    The other key to letting go is clarity of mind. Clarity shifts your perspective from subjective to something objective. It’s not necessarily about you. Reframe what you feel as something that is involuntary – an emotion you observe and then let subside. The emotion can be your reaction, but knowing it reflects the other person’s experience, feelings, behaviour and intention prevents you from thinking you are attacked. 

    Sometimes, they might just be angry, or upset, or having a bad day. It might be anything else in the world unrelated to you. The clarity gives you peace of mind that you are safe, and that it is irrelevant to you. You then make it easier to let go of the trivial matter yourself. 

    Rejection Builds Clarity

    When I knock on doors after doors any given day as a salesperson, around 50% don’t open. Of those that open, only about 10% are willing to have a conversation. That means 90% are resistant, defensive, negative or even agitated. My one-to-one interaction with people means the response I get comes purely from the things I say or do. It is a direct reflection of my presence. Of me. 

    Or is it? 

    If we experimented with another salesman knocking the same door, would they have faced the same reaction from behind the door? Maybe. What they think of “me” (the salesman knocking the door) is probably not the same as what they think of “me” (the person writing this blog). But I am still the same person. Just as you are wherever you go. 

    Someone’s mood, day, recent experiences and their perception of “salesman” in general dictates their reactions. It’s directed towards what you represent rather than who you are in reality. It’s the same for donation drives, for roadshows and more. No one knows you. 

    The rejection, insult, remark, or thing is only an instantaneous action directed at their imaginary mental version of you. It’s not modified to fit the real personal individual – you. 

    It Does Not Always Reflect Things About You

    But does one reaction from someone define who we are? Or do we choose to define who we are? 

    But What If It Still Hurts?

    That’s being human. Letting go is not as easy as that “Frozen” song. I would like to say that it gets better, but I can’t yet. Like most people, letting go is still my goal. Just like that scene with Tom Cruise, it’s pretty difficult. 

    Here’s 2 ways to think about our responses. The first is “death by the second arrow”. The first arrow is the things we cannot control in life. The second arrow is how negative we feel and react to it. We die from the second arrow. We have to let it hurt but stop creating additional pain for ourselves. Letting go of the subsequent emotional reactions is blocking the second arrow. 

    The other way is the empty boat analogy I learnt online. When a man’s boat crashes into another boat in a river filled with fog, he is enraged and reacts aggressively. As the fog around their boats clears, he sees more clearly and finds the other boat to be empty. Now, who would be angry at an empty boat adrift? Thinking about some things as empty boats helps to alleviate the emotional triggers and regulate our reactions. 

    We will always struggle to let go because we are human. To achieve the epitome of letting go is having some mythical combination of stoicism and zen-like disposition. While that’s not realistic for most of us, I believe having some fraction of it still goes a long way.

    Letting go is a skill for life, one that gives permission to move on unburdened.

    Go ahead, read my other posts!

    Hi! I’m Zac, the guy behind this serendipitous, quirky blog. I’m currently on a quest to find out more about myself before Uni begins – who I am and what life has to offer. This blog is my little space where I step out of my comfort zone to share my thoughts and life experiences. I hope you enjoy reading the weekly posts. Share them if you like, or not.

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  • What Scuba Diving In The Ocean Feels Like

    What Scuba Diving In The Ocean Feels Like

    Quirkbag Collection #43 – 10.05.26

    You probably have heard people say that there is a whole other world under the sea. It’s likely said by an ocean-lover. But like a typical person who has never been near oceans or marine life, I felt that to be exaggerated. That’s until the typical person tries scuba diving in the ocean. I can say that you will gain a whole different perspective, literally and metaphorically. 

    Scuba Diving In Thailand 

    I recently received my PADI Open Water Diver course certificate after 3 days of practicing diving skills and ocean diving. Being a certified diver, I can better access and discover a new world underwater. As this was my first time diving (as part of the certification), my eyes were opened wide when I plunged 12m below the water surface. Now thinking back, I am glad I took that plunge. 

    At Racha Yai, Thailand, I went for 4 ocean dives. Each dive was about 40 – 50 minutes which means I was underwater for around 3.5 hours in total. The location had several interesting sights. I saw a shipwreck, natural and artificial coral reefs and plenty of fish. From parrotfish, to pufferfish, starfish and barramundi, they all started looking exotic to me. But that’s where my PADI instructor explained our sightings after the dive. Seeing these fish underwater up close and personal truly leaves you amazed at just how diverse and colourful wildlife is. 

    Diving is an intimate underwater safari, one without barriers. There are few other ways to be more connected to nature’s wildlife. 

    On The Boat After An Enjoyable Dive On The Second Day

    Experiencing The World Underwater 

    Thalassophiles (the fancy word for ocean-lovers) aren’t lying when they claim that seeing the beauty of the ocean underwater can change your perspective. For just about everyone, scuba diving for the first time is surreal. Compared to snorkeling, you get to be so much closer to the fishes, move with them and observe them more clearly. It’s your private visit to their home where you can see them swim in the corals.

    View Of Fishes At The Water Surface From The Boat

    There is a very personal element to seeing all the wild marine life up close with your own eyes instead of in the aquarium. The way fishes slow down as they notice you and vice versa gives you a magical moment with nature. 

    Being at literal “point-blank” range leaves you in awe of just how vast and populated the ocean is. And once you see how beautiful the world underwater is, you can’t easily ignore it. All of a sudden, the environmental threat to oceans and its inhabitants feel so much more real and personal. You now know what is at stake, because you have seen it yourself. 

    On one of my dives, my instructor led me into a school of fishes. Instead of swimming away, the fishes (two-spot barramundi) encircled me entirely, observing me observing them. It was a perimeter of fish. How absolutely surreal! 

    Seriously, how could you not feel heart-wrenched when you see or hear about threats to oceans after this experience? 

    How A Dive Feels: First-Hand Experience

    When I sunk into the ocean for the first time, it felt like I was going way too deep. And it is, because I was not used to the depth (even at 5m). But when you look around underwater, there is a vastness that makes you feel tiny. 

    As I descend, the most important skill is to equalise ear pressure often. If you master this and the habit of slowly breathing only through your mouth, the majority of the dive will be easier than you think. Breathing only through your mouth for 40min can be tricky the first time as your throat gets dry. Apparently this is very normal and divers just get used to it. It does get better in my experience towards the last dive. 

    Of course, water will go into your ears. It went into mine many times when I instinctively turned my head sideways or at some angle. And yes, you can’t get rid of it, obviously. But eventually, on the boat, you just try to keep shaking it out. 

    After the dive, I was extremely exhausted. It’s physically taxing to stay underwater for a long period. Most recreational divers would be tired, and so many people just fell asleep on the boat during rest time. Some did not even continue. Indeed, diving is not for the faint of heart. Like me, you might even get a headache and dizziness after the dives. Having a motion sickness pill helps partially. 

    How Did I End Up Scuba Diving?

    Going scuba diving in May is kind of random, no? 

    No! You can dive whenever you want. Only the sightings would vary over seasons. 

    Months ago, I looked into how I can broaden my horizons, expand my life experience. Scuba diving was just one idea. It caught my attention because I wanted to travel while trying new experiences. 

    It was not an impulse decision (although it would not be that bad as far as impulse decisions go) to try scuba diving. Of multiple adventurous experiences, scuba diving felt like an achievable one, not to mention how the PADI certification makes future dives easier. With a PADI certificate, I am now freely able to dive with a buddy (or alone, though discouraged) anywhere safe when I am ready.  

    The underwater world is now your oyster. 

    Boat Ride To Racha Yai Island For Another Dive

    The PADI Open Water Diver Experience

    The serious ones will simply look online for the course outlines, skill details and of course, watch YouTube videos. But going in completely blind, I was surprised by how the skills were more psychologically and mentally challenging than physically tiring. 

    The skills are based around safety-related situations and practical scenarios that can occur. One of the most useful skills is clearing water from the mask – seawater is bound to enter sometime. You will be tasked to flood and clear the mask. Other useful skills were navigation, retrieving the regulator (the thing you breathe from) and emergency ascents. 

    Once training began, it was tiring, but always worth the time and energy. The dive centre I went to was ‘Sharkey Scuba’, which came as a recommendation. There’s your no nonsense, highly structured and practically 1-to-1 teaching style. The pace of lessons can be modified, but following it, you’re almost assured to obtain the certificate. And when you do, it feels like you unlocked a new level in the game of life. 

    Diving Into The Future

    The ocean holds the chance of our long-term survival. I can’t say if I’ll have the chance to go diving again, though I gladly welcome any opportunities. Knowing how threatened our marine ecosystem is due to ocean acidification and rising water temperatures, we may not even be assured of the same beautiful underwater world in future. 

    It’s hard to know just how much we’re losing in our oceans as they suffer until we actually see what animals and life exist in the ocean. But from a non-thalassophile who has seen a fraction of the beauty underwater, our oceans are far more worthy of protection than you think. 

    Not everyone gets a chance to scuba dive in the ocean. But everyone deserves a chance to see what lives and ecosystems our oceans sustain. 

    In the words of Robert Swan: 

    “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” 

    The ocean and its wildlife are part of our home planet. Scuba diving in the ocean is just a way to visit this lesser-known part of our Earth, a part that’s naturally beautiful, worth seeing and protecting.

    Go ahead, read my other posts!

    Hi! I’m Zac, the guy behind this serendipitous, quirky blog. I’m currently on a quest to find out more about myself before Uni begins – who I am and what life has to offer. This blog is my little space where I step out of my comfort zone to share my thoughts and life experiences. I hope you enjoy reading the weekly posts. Share them if you like, or not.

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  • Play The Infinite Games In Life

    Play The Infinite Games In Life

    Quirkbag Collection #42 – 02.05.26

    Franz Kafka left behind the idea that “the meaning of life is that it stops”. Sombre, but forever true. So much of our lives is focused on doing something for an end goal we think is ‘good’. We even forget other things exist. We complete trivialities that don’t ultimately add to the richness of our life story anyway as part of life.

    Yet, there are also infinite games in life that we can play. These are ‘goal-less’ activities that don’t offer conventional, external rewards but instead require you to see intrinsic value in them. And we can persist to play them for fun; because we’re humans. 

    Afterall, what we really have at the end are the experiences we tell as stories and the impact we made on others. Everything else fades. 

    Being more adventurous, I have started a bunch of new experiments in playing the infinite game. They are done purely for the fun of the pursuit, or for cultivating patience and persistence.   

    Doing Calisthenics (Sorta)

    Yes, that weird body pose you see people do is actually not that easy. You think you could do it if you tried and when you actually try, you have a humbling moment. I was humbled when I tried the crow pose for the first time. 

    The Crow Pose (Also Known To Me As Beginner Pose)

    Gym-goers understand the necessity of discipline to keep training for the desired body growth. It’s easy to just ‘hit the gym several times a week’. With calisthenics, there’s a twist. Mostly, you ‘fail on every single attempt, every single session’, until that one random try where you accidentally hold a position for one second. Unlike regular weight training, you can’t see progress easily or linearly with calisthenics. It’s a ‘trust in the process’ game.

    Precisely because there is no ulterior reward to practicing calisthenics, you have to do calisthenics for its own intrinsic reward. It’s an atelic pursuit with no ‘end’. You do it as a means of self-cultivation. 

    Mastering your own body weight is like a snail lifting its own shell. Not only does it take tremendous effort to move and balance your body in new ways, progress is painstakingly slow. It’s the ultimate undertaking to hone your patience, your discipline and your inner persistence. 

    Talk about building consistency, just try learning a crow pose by practicing it every single day. (I didn’t know I would bruise my triceps.) 

    I Knock On Doors 

    Besides calisthenics, the next best way to train your patience and frustration tolerance (a phrase I learnt from Alex Hormozi) is facing rejection after rejection in sales, similar to failing in calisthenics. 

    Recently I started doing door-to-door sales. Knocking almost 100 doors per day, I see first-hand what 50% open-rates and what 1 to 2% conversion rate actually look like. Ironically, I don’t find it gruelling to face these rejections. 

    Along A Corridor Knocking Another Door (Which Probably Did Not Open)

    Here’s where it gets kind of whacky. Because I aim to learn communication skills and train my patience, persistence and frustration tolerance, knocking on doors is another infinite game to play. There is no limit to how much I can persist because there’s always the next door.

    The amount of experience and depth of cultivation is proportionate to the number of doors knocked. It’s never guaranteed that the door opens. But it is guaranteed that I might face another rejection. 

    Of course, I won’t play it forever. No one should. No one will. We all fade back into the cosmos one day. But while we are here, this infinite game can be our companion so long as we see our growth, cultivation and even adventure in doing it.  

    Like Walking On Water – Surfing 

    It’s more than a cool activity. At least that’s what observers think. It’s surreal to watch, like a tightrope stunt. But hearsay from surfers, and this is hearsay, surfing is even more surreal from the surfer’s perspective. 

    They always feel free, connected with nature and above all mortal worries. That is until they drop into the water. 

    I tried surfing at TRIFECTA in Orchard recently. Constantly falling is the best way to get over the fear of falling. Failing is the best way to benefit from the infinite game. Unlike most sports, the meaning is to enjoy and be in the moment rather than ‘win’ a match. You don’t surf to win. You already win when you surf.

    TRIFECTA: Observing Other Surfers Before The Lesson
    Entry Tag For My First Surf At TRIFECTA

    Surfing, like walking or drinking tea, is an atelic activity. You don’t surf to commute…unless you work remotely under the waves. Neither do you surf to gain recognition from your boss…which does not make sense. Surfing is an adventurous experience which is non-exhaustible (so long as the laws of Physics persist, and I think they will), even long after you are gone. 

    Every fall from a surf is like another brush of persistence. You keep at it until surfing becomes natural, an endless option open to you to cultivate appreciation and patience. And in the meanwhile, you get to look good doing it. 

    I Ask: “What’s The Point?”

    I always loved that question. It’s a very ‘Jerry Seinfeld’ type of question, layered with confusion and a dash of judgement. What is the purpose of playing all these seemingly endless games in life? Pursuits that sort of go nowhere? 

    It piles loads of perspective and capacity onto your character. Growing up in a very goal and task oriented environment, this question was my mini Occam’s Razor. The answer must be definite and clear. I eliminated everything else and cut through all the BS. But maybe it was too effective for a teenager. 

    I never bothered to explore. Never bothered with serendipity. Not even with life’s possibilities. 

    If you have read Sahil Bloom’s “The Five Types Of Wealth”, then you might remember telic and atelic activities. I had plenty of telic activities. Everything was a means to an end and nothing else mattered. Not even making new friends or trying new things. Atelic activities are things that society places least value on. Things like staring at the sky, or taking a walk. They are things which are done for their own sake, not as a means to an end. 

    Trying things like calisthenics, surfing and other self-pursuit activities taught me that there are things worth doing on their own, regardless of outcome. The satisfaction it brings is innate, and cannot be taken away. It’s self-assuring, and it helps you understand yourself as a person. 

    Plenty of infinite games exist, if you choose to play them. There are activities or habits you can try for their own sake without needing a ‘return on investment’. The real value is self-imposed because it gives you new perspective and persistence training. 

    Say “Now That’s Interesting…”

    Yet another rather ‘Jerry Seinfeld’ question, but a better one. Instead of trying to chase something vague, for the immediate future, chase something real and tangible – something that makes you say “that’s interesting”. 

    Trying surfing was an entirely serendipitous idea, much like the theme of my blog. It was something new to me. Seeing the way people literally walked on water and glided in front of the waves was really cool for a city boy. 

    Trying new things with the only aim being to learn something from the experience led me to commit to calisthenics, a surfing lesson and even practicing sales. It’s a strange mix of experiences, much as life is for so many people, but they are all valuable in piecing together the adventure of our life story.

    Go ahead, read my other posts!

    Hi! I’m Zac, the guy behind this serendipitous, quirky blog. I’m currently on a quest to find out more about myself before Uni begins – who I am and what life has to offer. This blog is my little space where I step out of my comfort zone to share my thoughts and life experiences. I hope you enjoy reading the weekly posts. Share them if you like, or not.

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  • Trying Something New Is Scary

    Trying Something New Is Scary

    Quirkbag Collection #41 – 24.04.26

    Today was my last day at Ya Kun. I resigned due to a new job that required more time commitment. It’s been 4 months since I began working at Ya Kun, and albeit being a part-timer, it feels like a tiny lifetime. The journey has been bitter then sweet.  

    A Toast To The Toast 

    Most of the time, I toasted bread for the afternoon crowd till closing time. It’s not particularly glamorous. It’s certainly not a technically difficult task. But it takes patience and a ridiculous amount of practice to master quality and efficiency. I could never handle the morning crowd. Seeing order slips printed moment over moment made me shudder. Nonetheless, it’s a skill. A life experience. 

    Like everything we do, deep down we always know that there’s a day when it comes to an end. Today is that day for my time at Ya Kun. I remember my very first day learning to toast bread. Zero experience and no knowledge, but passable under no pressure. Even of late, my hands still shake occasionally. Anxiety is a lifelong, seasonal beast. 

    It’s comforting to know that growth and improvement do occur, even when it’s slow and negligible day-to-day. But it’s there, a tiny bit adding on to another bit. We have to trust that deliberate actions in favour of improvement add to the growing reservoir of expertise. 

    Every Beginning Is Another Learning Curve

    It’s tough to accept failure and defeat. Anyone who tries anything new knows it. Failure in private feels better, especially if there’s a fragile ego present. But maybe the more you fail, the more that your ego and skill may be strengthened which will make future learning easier. 

    The learning curve is always there for anyone with a new beginning. Even toasting bread (professionally). There was definitely a unique learning curve initially, even if it flattens out over time. But the experience builds calluses for the ego and the ability to learn.

    It’s inevitable that once you experience enough learning curves, you eventually know how to navigate the challenges of picking up the next new thing. You just know what to expect. 

    Every endeavour in your life, every adventure, every chapter, every experience that becomes your story exists because you took the plunge and went through the curve. That environment forced you to adapt and grow. Now you live to tell the tale. 

    Experience is itself the feather in your cap. Isn’t that awesome? 

    Excellence Is Beautiful 

    Some people look down on ‘simple’ jobs that are mostly repetitive, uninspiring and boring. It is boring once the learning curve is maxed out. But when it does, you are presented with a choice. Keep doing the same thing several thousand times in a row, or turn your skill into art. 

    One day I watched one of the aunties toasting bread at Ya Kun. I saw just how exceptional and smooth the whole process was. Zero wasted energy, just pure rhythm from one action to the next. This was not mere “experience”. People often miss the forest for the tree: the skill of bread toasting was elevated to art. 

    Honestly, it was gratifying to watch a master at work. More importantly, there is an indescribable beauty in excellence in general. Excellence at toasting bread, juggling, surfing, bartending, pottery and more. They all have the same charm, but we don’t notice it. 

    We are too distracted. We are bugged by unfinished work or difficult tasks. You have to be present in the moment, to see it for what it is without letting those 14 different random thoughts floating in your mind interfere. I wonder, how much do we truly appreciate the skillsets and art which others quietly give in service to us? 

    Disclaimer: this is not an excuse to use familiarity and comfort as a disguise for fear of new beginnings to avoid change. 

    A New Beginning Is Another Learning Curve

    As I soon embark on a new beginning in a new job, I know there will be yet another learning curve lying in wait. The thing about trying new things and having new beginnings is that we always try to make it perfect.

    We want to be “perfect amateurs”. But amateurs are flawed.

    We crave control and design the ideal circumstances to learn the skill or experience the thing. In truth, neither of them is ever perfect. They just are. It’s the fear of letting go, relinquishing our comfort and becoming absolutely terrible at something again that stops us. And it’s a very gripping fear. One that goes stronger every time I give in to it. 

    It’s tempting to simply stay in the comfort zone, especially if we navigated the old learning curve already. Being uncomfortable again feels most unappealing. 

    A new beginning is another learning curve. It implies failure, uncertainty and discomfort. But, all the things we have done prior to right now were once new and involved a learning curve. We did them anyway, so we have more adaptability than we think. Our minds are too engulfed in fear and anxiety. 

    If you have been wanting to close a chapter in your life, whether it is to quit an old routine, start a new one, try yoga, practice calisthenics, learn surfing or anything in the world, embrace the inevitable learning curve and just suck at it for a while. 

    A new beginning, toward anything better or worth pursuing, is just another learning curve. 

    Progress Is Not Linear – It’s Randomly Upwards

    I come across this quite often – “progress is not linear.” 

    What people mean to say is that visual metrics of improvement fluctuate on a small timescale. Over a long enough time horizon (weeks, months, years, decades), just like a stock market chart, the line goes up (most times). You can’t feel progress in the moment unless you see it. That’s why it feels like forever. 

    If you can’t predict it, it feels like randomness. And it is. It might take longer or shorter than you think. 

    I did not learn to pour a reasonably shaped latte-art heart or flower in a month. In fact, it took me almost a year to pour it consistently. Somewhere along the way my performance dropped, and I thought I lost it. In reality, it’s just one of those times when it gets worse before it gets better. 

    It Took Me Almost A Year

    Most of what I write seems like a reminder to myself to keep hanging in there. And I hope you will too. 

    Here’s a quote that might lower the stakes for you (and me):

    Everything is a win if the goal is to experience. 

    Experience the new beginning. Embrace the learning curve after.  

    Go ahead, read my other posts!

    Hi! I’m Zac, the guy behind this serendipitous, quirky blog. I’m currently on a quest to find out more about myself before Uni begins – who I am and what life has to offer. This blog is my little space where I step out of my comfort zone to share my thoughts and life experiences. I hope you enjoy reading the weekly posts. Share them if you like, or not.

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