Category: Turning Stories
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The power of a supportive environment
Should you pursue something you enjoy, or something you’re good at? Which is more worthy? In Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop, a high school student asks this question to a character named Seungwoo who works as an employee at a big corporation and also writes a blog. Does this person enjoy work more, or writing…
Herbert Lui
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Whoever holds your dream gets to take it away
If you’re a writer, maybe your dream is to write a book that hits the New York Times bestseller list. That’s a fine dream—and was mine, at one point!—though it comes with a caveat: whoever can put you on the list, or block you from it, is in control of your dream. Let’s imagine that…
Herbert Lui
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Waking up from the trance of avoidance
A couple of years ago, when I was employed at Figma, I reflected on the years I worked independently. I wrote, “When you work independently—as an entrepreneur, freelancer, or creator—in the early days, you actually could become more dependent on the people you know.” I’ve since returned to working independently. While I remember this lesson…
Herbert Lui
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Incline to the improbable
In late 2021, my partner and I moved to Hong Kong. Several months in, I chatted with a friend I went to high school with in Canada. He couldn’t believe I had moved there. The music I listened to in high school, the language I spoke, my interests and friends, none of them suggested to…
Herbert Lui
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A technician’s expertise
Several months ago, I moved into a new condo. Shortly after, I noticed the arm in my condo’s dishwasher was loose. It seemed to chug along fine without. Then, a real hiccup, a few days ago: the dishwasher stopped 10 minutes into a cycle and displayed an error code. In searching for what the error…
Herbert Lui
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Five conditions that amplify your best efforts
Try jumping on a trampoline, on concrete, and on a sofa. You’ll quickly see different results, even with the same effort. Those are conditions. Each condition helps you achieve something different. Is your goal to get as high as possible, as steadily as possible or to create the safest landing? As you’re reading this, there’s…
Herbert Lui
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Take more photos
The other day, I saw a writer post a photo of the New York City subway from many years ago. Having moved out of New York City recently, I wished I took more photos to help jog my memory. This stands out in contrast to my own words from last year, “Take fewer photos. Be…
Herbert Lui
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The courage to miss out
“FOMO,” an acronym that stands for “Fear of Missing Out.” “JOMO,” which stands for, “Joy of Missing Out,” is a fulfilling experience. The reward of JOMO is the feeling of purpose you earn by behaving in a way that’s true to yourself. It’s the same feeling of fulfillment you feel when you behave with integrity.…
Herbert Lui
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Let the small stuff slide
There’s a book with a great title, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. It has been recommended to me by family and good friends on separate occasions. The hard part is applying the title: actually not sweating the small stuff. It means letting the bit of discomfort roll off you, when it, unchecked, would drive you…
Herbert Lui
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Maladaptive frugality, at Hacker News
Maladaptive frugality hit the front page of Hacker News. The ensuing discussion resonated with me a lot, and these two comments were the most relatable: Amarant wrote, “Whenever I have something a little extra in my fridge, most often Italian prosciutto, I refrain from eating it, instead saving it for a “special occasion” even though…
Herbert Lui