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This is one of my fondest memories.

This wall of inspiration I assembled during my teenage years.

I remember standing in front of this wall covered in posters, feeling both awe and possibility.

Each day, those posters reminded me that there are no limits, but only plateaus. (Can you guess who said this? Clue: He has the most number of posters dedicated to him).

The faces of greatness on that wall showed me that the path to building something extraordinary was never meant to be clear.

To build something incredible and not just ordinary, there is no playbook. Uncertainty is part of the journey.

But with perseverance, grit, and an unwavering belief I could see that anything was possible.

I failed at getting into this school 🏫 …

… at my FIRST attempt.

Over 3000 students sat the selective entrance exam with about 1500 placing Melbourne High School as their first preference. With only about 300 spots, there was of course a high likelihood of not making the cut. 😬

I gave the 3-hour exam my all but still failed to get in. 😓

I had heard about Melbourne High School so many times whilst growing up. I remember staring at it in awe when we would drive past. 🚗👀

My father, as a taxi driver in his early days in Australia, had occasionally picked up students from the school and had thought to himself, “Will my kids ever go here?” 🥹

I had learned from a young age to not give up easily. Thus, I knew I needed to find another way in. 🚁

I learned that there was a year 10 intake for Melbourne High School. But for this intake, instead of 300 spots, there were only 30. 😮

This time, in addition to evaluating academic potential, they evaluated co-curricular potential and leadership abilities. It was a more gruelling process. 😅

Eventually, the day of the exam came. The selection committee was pleased with my written application in conjunction with my exam results, so I was invited to come for interviews. 🎉

As a kid, this was the first interview I’d ever had in my life. 😳 I remember taking a risk when they asked me, “Why do you want to go to this school?” 🤷‍♂️

I flipped the question and asked them, “Why should I go to this school?” 🤣🤣 The interviewers were surprised but liked my courage.

As you may have guessed, I made it. 🩶

In retrospect, I am actually glad that I failed my first attempt. The entire experience rewired my neural circuits. 🧠 It made me view setbacks differently. I began to hunt for difficult challenges. It gave me GRIT. 💪

So fam, let’s not get too occupied with the word “failure.” Let’s try to reframe setbacks as valuable signals that inform you about bottlenecks in your current skill set. 💎 That if you address these issues, you will be able to level up. 📈

Sometimes you win, and sometimes you learn. 💯

My dad lived in this shed. 🏚️

In fact, this is just ONE of the sheds he lived in during his first years in New Zealand. 🇳🇿

He faced and overcame incredible obstacles through sheer determination. 🫀

There was no plan B . There was no one to fall back on. It was just him against the world. 😮‍💨

So when I hear about how our generation has never had it more tough, and that previous generations somehow had it amazing, I really do scratch my head. 🤔

Are our lives really that hard? We don’t have to share rooms with 10 others to survive, we don’t have to skip meals, we don’t have to skip school to work on a farm, we don’t have to work 12 hours a day and 7 days a week.😴

We have so much leverage. We have education at our fingertips, computers to do calculations for us, and the ability to even work from home. 👨‍💻

This is really the best time to be alive. 🙏

Yes, our generation has unique challenges to face today, but looking back at the level of adversity faced by previous generations makes me compelled to push forward. 🫡

It’s our responsibility to make sure that the sacrifices that they made weren’t just a waste. 💪

This is our century to dominate. 🚀

So take that risk, be bold, and make your parents proud! 👊👊

⚓️ OFFICIALLY DROPPED ⚓️: "Inflation and Unemployment: Frenemies?"
Full video: https://youtu.be/RNPyrIsgCdg