I’m attempting to compile a list of beliefs and values that are important to me. The following list is a work-in-progress and is by no means comprehensive. I will likely fall short of my own ideals. Still, these are some of the things I strive towards and want to keep myself accountable to.
Principles
- Give people the benefit of the doubt (unless they have a track record of acting in bad faith).
- Don’t be judgy.
- Avoid personal comparisons, as they usually do more harm than good.
- Maintain a beginner’s mindset.
- Be helpful and give without the expectation of return.
- Don’t cultivate a personal “brand”, let your “brand” be something that arises organically without intention or effort and that is only ever thought about by other people and not yourself.
- Don’t take yourself too seriously.
- Track what you want to change, the Hawthorne Effect will get you far.
- Don’t look down upon other generations, both younger and older.
- Avoid arguments and embrace discussions, turn the former into the latter when possible.
- Principles are good to have, but sometimes there are scenarios where they don’t apply.
Beliefs
- Gender and sexuality are not binary.
- Controversial emerging technologies such as AI and blockchains get a bad reputation for the nefarious ways in which they can be used, but this should not lead us to write them off or ignore the ways in which they can be used for great good.
- The amount of time invested in something does not say much of anything about the quality of that thing.
- Everything is connected.
- Impact is more important than intent, but intent still matters quite a bit.
Values
- Friendliness
- Autonomy
- Inclusivity
- Diversity
- Community
- Openness
- Integrity
- Creativity
- Humor
- Family
