Juan David's Newsletter - October 4, 2020

Your Future Self, 180° View of your Life, and Eeeeeeeeeeeee

Hi there,

I hope you had a good week. I had my second chemistry exam and I felt way better about it than the first one.

On Friday, I talked to my engineering advisor and I realized that if I want to take classes like physics and others next semester, I need a prerequisite of a more advanced math class.

Solution? Wait until sophomore year. My solution? Teach myself that math class before January and take a proficiency exam.

I told this to my advisor, and he said, “I haven’t seen anyone done this before.”

I felt goosebumps. And that’s exactly when I knew I would do it.

I’ll be letting you know how it goes.

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This week’s essay is about what I learned from working startups at 15 and finding your future self. Enjoy!

Welcome to the ones of you who have joined us since last Sunday! If you’re reading this but haven’t subscribed, join hundreds of curious and fascinating people by subscribing here!

As always, scroll down to find out this week’s Curiosities 📓⏳🦅!

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Don’t Find Mentors. Find Your Future Self.

If you prefer, you can read this essay on my website.

Back in 2018, I was fifteen years old, and I wanted to do something over the summer. I could get a job, work on my businesses, sit around, watch Netflix, or work for free at tech startups. 

I chose the latter.

Why would I work for free in a startup? It wasn’t for free; I had to pay for the train tickets and food. I didn’t care. I knew that being out there meeting founders and investors would be the best way to learn. 

I wanted to be involved in the startup world by creating, developing, and investing in them. I believe that’s the way how we can change the world and have a positive impact. 

But how in the world would I find those startups?

I sent 500+ emails, called companies, asked family friends, and did everything I could, but I got annoyed. So I was like, “Screw it, I’m just going to go and ask them.”

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Curiosities 📓⏳🦅

1. Test-Taking Routine

Sometimes, taking tests is more about preparing for the test than about the actual content. That’s why it’s extremely important to have a before, during, and after test-taking routine.

Before the chemistry exam, I practiced my routine and was ready to excel!

I go through to this routine before every test. Check it out HERE.

2. The World is Governed by Probability

“The world is governed by probability, but people think in black and white, right or wrong – did it happen or did it not? – because it’s easier.” -Morgan Housel

That’s why I think that one of the definitions of intelligence is the ability to deal with ambiguity.

3. 180° View of Life

"Success is largely the failures you avoid.

Health is the injuries you don't sustain.

Wealth is the purchases you don't make.

Happiness is the objects you don't desire.

Peace of mind is the arguments you don't engage.

Avoid the bad to protect the good."

-Morgan Housel

4. Time Breakdown of a Long Human Life

We spend way too much time “taking care of the human pet.”

5. Eeeeeeeeee

I love running early in the morning because of how quiet and peaceful everything is. And sometimes I get to take pictures like this.

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Living is fundamentally about finding the balance between making things happen and letting things happen.

See you later,

Juan David Campolargo