Hey! So this is the first newsletter. I want to use this media as an exercise to reflect on my progress for the time that has past. Most of these newsletters will be from my actual journal that I write in everyday and sometimes – it can get personal. Today, alongside my general Notes, I added a review of a recent book I finished reading called “What is your dream?” Its short, so give it a quick read! Thanks for your attention.
Personal Life Notes
One realization that stood out recently is the power of finding my own answers. The more I trust myself instead of waiting for external approval, the less confused I feel. The majority of the times, pitching my idea to friends, doesn’t bring my security or goal but actually robs me of the joy I have when I work silently.
I’ve also been thinking about how mortality can sometimes kill any doubt I have about myself in current moments. The deep realization that I won’t be here forever, although somewhat terrifying, lessens the strength inner doubt has over me. Embarrassment feels less of a risk but the truth is, no one will remember in 50 years because we will all be dead.
On a lighter note. In terms of creativity, I’ve noticed, it isn’t just what we add but also what we choose to leave out. Simplifying, subtracting, and focusing is just as creative as adding more. You can clearly see these aspects in movies and can be applied in videos, or your own writings.
And growth? One nice quote I read from the book I am about to talk of at the end of this email says, “growth is doing things you don’t feel like your qualified to do.“ That is such a great quote and really makes the feeling of being under-qualified less logical.
Business Notes
I wanted to be more honest with myself when it came to risk and my future plans for not living on the street while I remain unemployed. I sat myself down and asked myself what are my monetary goals I want to achieve. I’ve been sketching out what financial freedom could look like—enough to cover living expenses, support my family, and create without panic. A realistic goal for me is reaching $100k a year. Part of that could come from lowering costs, part from freelance work, and part from my own projects. Renting out my house is also an option but would be a major life change for me.
On the software side, I have been heavily contemplating my next personal business venture. I seem to be leaning towards a software based business because I am already my own passionate employee. Software usually requires little capital can also have major leverage (write once, distribute many). Still not locked in yet.
Content Creation Notes
Consistency is the theme I keep returning to. It’s not about producing something huge every time, but about showing up each day. Even if what I make feels small or awkward, the real win is not stopping.
Journaling has been a big part of this. A simple tweak—ending each entry with the question “What is something good that happened today?”—has shifted my perspective and keeps me grounded in small daily wins.
Another key reminder: there are communities online full of people who love the same things I do. Sharing what I love and connecting with them is how I’ll grow, not by holding back. This is not too far off from my patterns over the years. I have always befriended people online but as I grew older, that was less of a place where I grew my social circle. Now I see this as the only efficient way to find a group of people that align with your interests.
Looking Ahead
Over the next couple of weeks, I plan to keep experimenting with small creative acts— writing journal entries without any distractions, creating content, and building prototypes for some software apps.
I finished Whats Your Dream by Simon Squibb this week and now I need a new book to read. I might read two books, The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco and Million Dollar Weekend by Noah Kagan. These books seem to focus on the startup phase of business which is a great transition after reading What’s Your Dream which feels more of a pre-idea phase in creation.
Review of What’s Your Dream? by Simon Squibb
This book is a call to take your dreams seriously. Simon Squibb — serial entrepreneur, investor, and founder of the digital agency Fluid (later sold to PwC) — looks back on his business ventures with the mindset he carries now: that your dream should be the ultimate compass guiding everything you do.
The book challenges a few common myths:
Hard work ≠ success. Hard work is only useful if it aligns with your own dream. If you’re working hard for someone else’s dream, you may achieve results, but not fulfillment. True success comes from working smart, surrounding yourself with the right people, and making sure your effort serves your own vision.
Failure isn’t the enemy. Squibb reframes failure as a necessity. Fear of judgment, rejection, or going broke holds many people back, but failure is proof that you’re moving closer to success. His advice: expect it, embrace it, and learn from it.
One of my favorite stories from the book is when a woman told Squibb her dream was to be rich, but she was terrified of sales. He handed her a pen and said, “Sell this and I’ll give you £100.” She faced her fear, sold it, and walked away not just with the money but with the realization that sales weren’t as scary as she imagined. That moment gave her the confidence to start her coaching business.
The most powerful illustration of why dreams matter comes from Malala Yousafzai, whom Squibb cites as an example. When the Taliban banned girls’ education, Malala spoke out. In 2012, she was shot on her school bus — but survived. Later, she wrote:
“They can only shoot a body. They cannot shoot my dreams, they cannot kill my beliefs, and they cannot stop my campaign to see every girl and every boy in school.”
Malala’s story shows how a dream can be stronger than violence, fear, or circumstance. For Squibb, that’s the essence of why dreams matter: they give us meaning, direction, and resilience.
After establishing the importance of dreams, Squibb turns to practical advice: start lean by finding your first customers before you scale, focus on needs over wants, and use free or inexpensive tools to build momentum. These principles echo ideas from The Lean Startup and The Million Dollar Weekend. Finally, he emphasizes the importance of building a team — surrounding yourself with brilliant people who share your vision and values, a lesson often repeated by leaders like Steven Bartlett.
My takeaway: I enjoyed this book, but personally I didn’t gain a whole lot of new value from it. It did help me rethink what I consider my dreams and interests, but it didn’t hit me with fresh insights about myself or my goals. I think this book is best suited for people who haven’t read many business books and want a lighthearted introduction to business and dream-chasing. It’s not technical, which makes it a great starting point for beginners, or for someone who feels like they’ve lost touch with their dreams and needs to rekindle that sense of possibility.