Today is the last day of 2019, and we're about to welcome 2020. Every year we set new goals, but we always forget to look back and take stock of what we've accomplished this year. It often feels like we haven't done much, and we end up being hard on ourselves. But if we pause and really think about it, we're actually making progress and putting in effort every single day! How can we not reward ourselves for that hard work?
I'd like to invite everyone to summarize their 2019. Let me start!
【Karen's 2019 Summary】
-
Left my TV station job in March and joined a Hong Kong media company
-
Completed 10 speeches starting from March
-
Hosted 5 cross-industry book clubs
-
Completed 2 full English presentations
-
Left my job and studied in the Philippines for 3 months, becoming a remote worker (accidentally visited Boracay, Bohol, and swam with whale sharks)
-
Interviewed by 2 print media outlets (featured on Crossing)
-
Collaborated with Tutor ABC to complete 10 online live streams, each lasting 1 hour
-
Recommended 12 books and partnered with multiple publishers
-
Hosted XChange's 100-person event
-
Wrote one article that generated traffic for the entire year, leading to a website upgrade
-
Finally got an article published on Crossing
-
Became a columnist for Tai Po / was interviewed on a radio show by Chen Le-rong
-
Wrote 46 WordPress articles over 1,000 words each
-
Completed three articles on Knowledge Economy Anatomy
-
Organized a major cross-industry book club event
-
Earned my PADI diving certification
As I reviewed this list, I realized I've accomplished so much! If I hadn't taken time to reflect on my life, I never would have known how hard I've been working. After listing everything out, I discovered I've made even more progress than I thought. This year, I also turned down many seemingly great opportunities, but I knew they weren't what I truly loved, wanted, or was suited for.
Being able to understand what you truly love is truly rare. I hope you can also find your personal goals and start by taking stock of yourself. Because assessing your life's resources is genuinely important. For next year, I also hope I don't limit my goals, but continue to stay in action so I can create more unexpected possibilities!
2019 Reflection
On the last day of 2019, let me share what's really on my mind. The truth is, at the beginning of this year, I wasn't doing well. I even felt like the world was about to collapse. I went through a major setback (which I've recovered from now), and it taught me this: "Before something happens, nothing is 100% certain. Don't overestimate yourself."
#Titles are given by others, only real ability stands the test
I'm grateful for going through that period because it made me deeply realize how limited my abilities were. That's why I've been continuously working hard in every way. I've learned to apply what I learn, and this experience also pushed me—someone who already understood myself well—to dig deeper inward and rebuild my confidence.
Mid-year, I felt lost about my career. People said, "If you're not a manager by thirty, you'll never be one in your entire life." So when a multinational company approached me with an opportunity to manage, I didn't hesitate and thought I had the ability to take that position. But things didn't work out. I realized that a title is just appearance. The actual work you do isn't about seniority or hierarchy—you just have to take on the responsibility. After facing this reality, I didn't accept the position and had a deep realization: "Titles are given by others, ability is only known by yourself, and only ability can stand the test. There's no need to chase these external labels." Of course, society can be quite fake sometimes. I'm still me, you're still you, but the titles others give you change how others perceive you.
#There's nothing in life you can't let go of
Finally, I left my fifth job, quit abruptly, and went to the Philippines. A Filipino monthly salary is about 6,000 Taiwan dollars, and prices are roughly 60% of Taiwan's—though coffee and drinks are actually more expensive than Taiwan. How can you survive on such a salary? That's why about 90% of people have a second job, or even a third or more.
To avoid traffic, they wake up at 4 AM, arrive at work by 6 AM, start at 8 AM, finish at 5 PM, then spend two hours in traffic, and start teaching English online at 7 PM. They can teach 2-3 students in an evening, but they never complain—they just say that's life.
Or, when I was getting my diving certification, 6 or 7-year-old children were helping steer the boat with bamboo poles, carrying oxygen tanks, and after we surfaced, they used our leftover oxygen to dive themselves—with no complaints, no envy of others. They had the time of their lives. This made me realize: "There's nothing in life you can't let go of." Whether you live seriously or lazily, it's still a day. There's nothing worth clinging to. When all your choices are bad choices, what difference does it make how you choose?
#This world lacks not professionals but sharers
After returning to Taiwan, life remained busy. But during those days overseas, I reworked my confidence and courage. I gave two speeches, hosted a 100-person event, wrote an honest article that got 30,000 daily views, paid to upgrade my website directly, and organized a major book club. I did all the preparation, but ticket sales fell short of expectations. I was so discouraged I bought a book to comfort myself, and then I read these lines (#Every Day Inside an Expat CEO:
"If you can't overcome your fear of price, you can't create an imagination of value."
"You can underestimate yourself, but never underestimate your team's value, and certainly never undercut your team."
"Being irreplaceable means having no comparison, and therefore no way to compare prices."
Yes, that was my fear. Knowledge is priceless, and people willing to share are actually more valuable than professionals. Each person's life story is irreplaceable—how can we judge whether someone's life story is worth watching based merely on a title?
#There's no shame in asking for help
Once I voiced my troubles, it was as if an olive branch appeared. A mentor proactively messaged to help, accelerating everything. "Let's work together, and remember to ask for help earlier next time!" Just one sentence like that made all the difference. Whatever the result, at least I tried my best. I don't know why asking for help seemed so difficult before, but now I feel nothing but deep comfort.
唐綺陽占星幫 mentioned in a 2020 first-half Taurus forecast video: "Belief is a form of no compromise. You want to do things you want to do, and these things can't be achieved in the short term, so you're constantly doing things others don't understand, because it's a big game—something that takes ten years to realize. That's why you feel so lonely from others' lack of understanding. But when you walk the path of your beliefs, you need your own persistence." (You can search for it yourself—it's so heartwarming I almost cried.)
On the last day of 2019, I want to thank you for staying with my articles all this time. Next year, I plan to expand into YouTube. I'm not sure how far I can go, but I hope to break out of my bubble and share my ideas in more ways.
Also, the book will really be finished in January, and I hope it can be published in March or April. It's about people like me—aimless 90s-born individuals—and how we can thrive in the workplace, build personal brands, and navigate this era of transition between the old and new worlds, while still being kind in this fast-paced society.
"If the world insists on labeling you, just run fast enough that it can't catch up."
