Why an MBA (Apr 23)

Why an MBA

Going for the MBA is a no brainer decision at this moment for me. The program allows me to advance my career and enriches my perspective of the world by giving me access to a wide spanning range of fascinating ideas and people. Today, I am listing the top 5 reasons for me to pursue an MBA.

1.       It makes sense financially immediately after graduation

The median post-MBA starting salary pays nearly double my current salary. If I were to pursue the highest paying positions such as IBD or consulting, my expected starting salary would be even higher. From a pure income perspective, I would likely be in a better position after the MBA than if I worked in my current job function.

2.       It steepens my long-term career trajectory

My post-MBA job will likely allow me to accelerate my career advancement and income growth at a faster pace than if I stayed in my current role. This higher growth rate will eventually make up for the 2 years investment of time and money.

3.       It enables me to work in the US

Breaking into any high-paying role in New York City is a formidable task for a relationship manager of a regional bank in Hong Kong. Pursuing my MBA at Yale gives me direct access to the US job market.

4.       It is a two-year selfish period for me to explore and learn

My late 20’s will be the last period of my life where I can travel freely and explore different careers without the encumbrance of family or work obligations. I will invest my time in visiting places and learning activities that I would otherwise will not have time for once I am settled down.

5.       It connects me with a diverse network of driven and capable people

My classmates at SOM are a collection of ambitious and uniquely talented people, who will make their mark on the world in myriad ways after graduation. I look forward to building close relationships with people who share my intellectual curiosity and my desire to impact the world in meaningful ways. I am also excited to tap into the global network of Yale University alumni.

Values (Apr 17-18)

Values

Today’s writing assignment is a brainstorming session to help me realign with my values and goals. What is my ultimate goal in life? What do my values need to be in order to achieve my goals? How do I order these values in terms of importance and why?

My ultimate goal is to be in a position where I am able to help as many people as possible. I want to improve the lives of those who are not as fortunate and have not had access to the same opportunities as me. I want to give people the platform the reach their potential, whether that is through health, education, or economic opportunity. I want to cultivate a skill set towards this purpose to add tangible benefit to the world.

To excel in my mission, I must strive for my own potential and be the best person that I can be. I must craft the necessary personal qualities such as intelligence, integrity, charisma, empathy, tenacity, and self awareness, that are crucial to succeed.

I must clearly identify the values that I want to use to drive my life, because they drive me to determine what is most important for me to focus on. Adhering to a set of personal values simplifies my decision-making and helps guide me to make the choice that most aligns with my long-term objectives.

My top five values in order of personal importance are:

Values	Why is it important?	When do I achieve it?
Health	- Provides foundation for me to continue to contribute for many years to come - Gives me the mental and physical energy to function at maximum efficiency today - Lets me enjoy countless activities and have fun doing them	Anytime I feel mentally alert and physically mobile Anytime I hop or skip a step Anytime I sleep early Anytime I increase my strength or endurance Anytime I eat healthy foods
Love and warmth	- Helps me build deeper and more meaningful relationships with people I care about - Allows me to connect with people more easily and find friends everywhere - Love primes me to experience the highest of human emotions	Anytime I am warm and supportive of my friends, family, and strangers Anytime I appreciate something I did well or did for myself Anytime my warmth enhance show others feel
Intelligence	- Lets me have richer experiences and better understand how the world works - Enables me to problem-solve for myself and others - Helps me develop new skills and abilities	Anytime I open a book or listen to a podcast Anytime I put together a plan to solve a problem Anytime I figure out an answer
Optimism and cheerfulness	- Creates a zest and passion for life that translates into energy and charisma - Reduces the frequency and impact of negative feelings and thoughts - Puts me into a fun-loving state and better lets me enjoy life	Anytime I ask myself “What’s good about this situation?” Anytime my positive mood enhances the state of others Anytime I see a problem as surmountable and not a big deal
Integrity	- Gives me absolute confidence that the correct moral decision is the correct one - Lets me speak honestly and earn the respect of others	Anytime I conduct myself in a way I am proud of Anytime I tell the truth

April 6-9

What I look for in a partner

What are the most important elements in a relationship? Above all, I believe that two partners in a relationship must share the same values. Shared values form the basis for a strong relationship because they represent commonality over a range of beliefs and ways of doing things. Additionally, they allow for mutual understanding and respect. The values I seek for my partner as much about them as what I value about myself. Hence, the three most important values I seek are honesty, warmth, and intelligence.

Shared honesty is by far the most critical characteristic for a successful relationship. I must be able to trust my partner completely because she is the one with whom I am sharing my deepest personal beliefs and feelings with her. She must also trust me in return for me to reciprocate. Vulnerability cultivated through honesty and mutual acceptance creates a tremendous emotional bond that is essential in a relationship.

Warmth means to be loving and caring. While honesty is necessary for a healthy relationship to function, warmth is what makes the relationship worth investing in. A couple is stronger than the sum of their individual parts when they support each other. Warmth in a relationship provides both parties with comfort and security, and fulfills the need for social intimacy. An important factor is that my partner’s warmth should not just be limited or conditional. Rather, warmth must be a core part of her life philosophy that guides her all her interactions with others.

I must be able to connect with partner on an intellectual level. Intelligence is the prerequisite for a dynamic and engaging personality, and is highly correlated with individuals who already have and are capable of developing a wide range of interests. The world is gargantuan, and I want to share my experiences with a willing partner who derives the same level of wonder and joy as I do in exploring it.

Courage

How do we ensure we make the most of every day?

Life is too short to live with regrets. We must approach every experience and opportunity with the expectation of success. Courage enables us to overcome fear, worry, and doubt, to help us achieve what we really want.

Courage is important to me because it gives me the ability to confront situations that would otherwise paralyze me or cause indecision. It gives me the confidence to conquer immediate discomfort to act in a way that aligns with my values and will serve me better in the long-term. Courage is an essential component of leadership, and can lead to greater self-belief and as well as better value alignment. 

These qualities benefit me by allowing me to be my best self in my social and professional lives. Additionally, courage encourages me to take on risks that will, in aggregate, improve my life in the long run.

Courage is not an innate characteristic. The trait is entirely mental, and we have the ability to gain or lose it courage on our experiences and how we perceive the world. When we exercise courage, we strengthen our tendency to act courageously in the future. The action becomes easier because we gain a reference experience that reinforces our belief we are capable of doing it again. Likewise, failing to act courageously creates negative reinforcement that we lack the quality.

Hence, the only way to develop courage is consistently practice it. Courage must be a habit and value that factors in every decision we make. We must remember that we can summon courage at any time - it is ever-present and waiting to be tapped into. Through repetition, we can fix it as a core part of our mindset. There is no better time to begin than today.

What keeps a friendship going?

Mingwei seems to have made her choice that she wants to turn the flux we have now into a lasting friendship, even though she has feelings for me. This baffled initially, but it makes sense from her point of view. She had just broken up with someone she cared about a lot, someone whom she will meet face to face soon. She’s right to be cautious that our attraction may be temporary infatuation. She does not want to rebound so quickly from break-up and create a painful situation for myself or her ex-boyfriend. And most importantly, there is little chance that this relationship will last given that we are 3 months away from being a world apart.

We enjoy incredible conversations with each other. We teach other tons and greatly value the time we spend together. It is undeniable that we can be great platonic friends and if we eliminate the possibility of romantic development, we have an excellent chance to be valued friends in the long term. A month later, after she has left Hong Kong, I sincerely hope that we can maintain a strong friendship.

On the other hand, I have feelings for her. I want to see where our mutual romantic interest will take us. So I must decide what is more important to me: a guaranteed friendship, or a romantic fling with the risk of no friendship?

Over the past few days, I have been trying to justify to myself that romance would not jeopardize my friendship with Mingwei. However, I must consider how much of our relationship is tied into romantic interest.

Would we have had these intimate experiences if I had never been interested in her from the beginning? Probably not.

Am I willing to just be platonic friends with her? Yes, if we move apart from each other and there is no chance of a relationship. At the moment, no, not when we have the opportunity to enter into a relationship, even if it is for only a month.

Would I be willing to pursue the relationship even if it means losing the friendship? No. If it meant I could have a romantic relationship with her but never speak with her again after she leaves, I would not do it. I am pursuing her because I believe it is possible for us to be friends even after knowing each other.

I believe that if we enter into the relationship with the right level of maturity, and the expectation that we will try to keep a friendship going no matter what happens, we can maintain a strong and enduring friendship. If we take this path, there are 3 potential pitfalls that can break the friendship:

Firstly, we may not get over each other, which would impact our future relationships. We may also become jealous of each other’s romantic partners, or may associate loss and hurt feelings with each other, which makes it painful for us to communicate and stay friends. I believe that only maturity and the passage of time can mitigate this effect. If we are truly compatible long-term friends, I believe we can overcome it.

What creates close friendships?

In 1961, Theodore Newcombe identified four factors that contributed to the strength of a friendship. They are:

1.       Proximity –We tend to befriend those with whom we interact with regularly. Being physically close to others helps us become more familiar with them. In particular, proximity increases the chances of repeated unplanned interactions, which can greatly help build the base for a lasting friendship.

2.       Reciprocity – We like people who like us back as well.

3.       Similarity – People who share the same interests and personalities are more likely to support each other and spend time together.

4.       Complementarity – We must derive value from our friendships and also be able to contribute value back.

These factors are important to in both building and sustaining a friendship. Some, like reciprocity and complementarity, are crucial to a healthy friendship, while proximity and similarity are more flexible. Nevertheless, they are all necessary to a degree.

A way of strengthening friendships is by disclosing our private thoughts: our deeply held beliefs, aspirations, fears, and dreams. By opening ourselves up to the possibility of ridicule, we entrust our friends to support us. Making ourselves vulnerable builds rapport and strengthens the emotional tie between people.

Managing my sleep schedule

My sleep schedule has been erratic lately. My mind seems to expect that 6 hours of sleep is sufficient and my sleep time has started drifting closer and closer to 1:30am. Ideally, I would like to sleep at 11:30pm latest before workout days and 12:00am otherwise. Is it possible to treat my sleep time like an appointment I cannot miss? Yes, but I will have to plan ahead of time.

I consider the 30 minutes before sleep my lounging around time, and it is easily one of my favourite periods of the day. I leisurely brush my teeth, shower, and read before sleep, often to the melody of relaxing music and rain sounds. In the summer, I turn my AC to nearly the max, as if to create a sanctuary of cold where I can literally just chill. Rolling under my covers is one of life’s simplest and gratifying comforts, and within a few minutes, I’m dozing off into a slumber thinking about a tennis game. Winding down before bed has become such a satisfying ritual that I find it hard to believe I used to dislike going to sleep.

Intelligence (April 4-5)

Intelligence

It is only recently that I realize how important intelligence is for me to achieve my goals. In the past, I took my intelligence to be a constant, and never thought about taking active steps to become a smarter person. After all, people naturally become smarter and more knowledgeable over time. What is the point of focusing on such a vaguely defined and pretentious-sounding goal?

I had the opportunity to evaluate my personal values and priorities recently. I realized that while attributes like passion and self-confidence can help drive people to do great things, people are much more likely to succeed if they have a third essential element: intelligence. The most successful people are intelligent in what matters for them to achieve their goals and objectives. Brilliance is a virtue in our society because brilliant people do brilliant things.  

Most of the time, this know-how does not come naturally. We may be born with a certain level of intelligence, but our starting intelligence is merely a raw tool for us to sharpen and refine. We often hone our physical abilities by training our body, so surely we can improve our mental fitness by challenging our mind.

I want to be more knowledgeable and proficient at learning than I am today. Making intelligence a priority in my life will allow me to be much more effective in my career and my personal life. To achieve this, I must first determine which areas I want to specifically focus on, and then implement consistent habits that will help me develop on those areas. Like any other goal, I can only succeed by taking conscious steps towards it, all the while evaluating my approach and seeking feedback along the way. Fortunately, habit creation is an area I take great personal pride in. I look forward to the challenge.

There are three habits that I can change to grow my intelligence. The first is to become a voracious reader. I have slowed my reading pace considerably in the last several weeks since I finished 23 Things You Should Know about Capitalism. My new goal is to read at least 5 Kindle page flips of anything every night before I sleep. I will also cultivate and maintain a list of books and topics I am interested in exploring. If I am going to work in finance and lending, I may as well as read the most relevant texts on it.

Reading ties into my second skill, which is focused learning. I will compile a list of skills I want to develop over the course of a week, and set a goal to research, learn, and write about it.

Finally, I want to focus more on my writing. Writing daily has yielded tremendous benefits for me in terms of personal satisfaction, productivity, and personal learning. However, I can still maximize the value of my writing habit by narrowing my approach. I can’t afford to just write randomly so I have decided to plan out in advance what I will write about. For the next period, I will write primarily about the ideas and topics I have learned, as well as my personal beliefs. Self-exploration through writing helps me gain much needed clarity about my needs and wants. I will use my writing as a relaxation period to reflect on the current events in my life, my obstacles, my solutions, as well as what I want to achieve and how I will get there.

Areas for reading

-          Micro-finance

-          Impact investing

-          Real estate finance

-          Launching a start-up

-          How to make the most of an MBA

-          New York City

Weekly skills

Areas for writing

Values Series (pick 10)

-          Health

-          Love

-          Intelligence

-          Personal growth / learning

-          Cheerfulness

-          Happiness

-          Courage

-          Achievement

-          Impact

-          Creativity

-          Adventure

April 1-3

Basketball

I picked up basketball again in early 2016, partly due to the lack of available tennis courts in Hong Kong. Before that, my basketball experience consisted of ‘pick-up games’ during recess in primary school, and the one basketball team tryout I attended in Grade 8. In case you are wondering, I didn’t make that school team, since my jump shot looked like me just flinging the ball towards a general direction.

Playing in my first casual game in Hong Kong early last year, I was surprised at how physically demanding basketball was. Even the toughest tennis matches I’ve played felt at most like a tough 5km run. Basketball felt like the 100 meters sprint, over and over again. After mere minutes of court time, I was ready to drop. I later realized that I was exerting far too much on inefficient movements. Nevertheless, the task of constantly jockeying for position on the court, pushing other guys around on defense, and jumping for erratic rebounds, makes basketball an intensely strenuous yet satisfying activity. The soreness and bruises that come the next day after a good basketball game feel like a badge of honour.

Team sports are fascinating for their nearly infinite possibilities. Players bring a wide array of strengths and weaknesses to court, and no match-ups are ever truly the same. Knowing that you win or lose as a group motivates you to focus and commit to the team. Running a successful play or winning a tough match together creates an almost addicting feeling of comraderie.

Basketball has a reputation as the cool sport, suitable for everyone from all walks of life. Courts are accessible, players are abundant, and the learning curve is easy enough that a beginner won’t always be a horrible liability for the team, because he will often get matched with another weak player. The popularity of the NBA globally also reaches across cultural and demographic barriers to create a legion of dedicated basketball enthusiasts in every city.

Sunday Morning

It is another Sunday morning and I am back in my familiar seat, legs stretched forward on the bed in front of me. The April weather hasn’t yet heated up and a pleasant breeze is drifting in from the open window. As usual, my Bluetooth speaker is playing a mix of hypnotic Chinese pop and rain sounds. I’ve found that that this combination is optimal for inducing me into a relaxed and creative state. Strangely, Chinese lyrics do not distract me from writing at all – perhaps it stimulates a different part of the brain entirely?

I am especially content after a full day out yesterday in Shenzhen with Ming Wei. I’m astounded that even after spending 20+ hours over the past 3 days together, we still haven’t run out of ideas to share and topics to discuss. Even though this relationship may not last long, I’m grateful to have met her and for our time together.

Shenzhen, despite its close proximity to Hong Kong, feels like uncharted territory. I have spent at most a few hours there at a time, often focusing on a specific area of time or an activity. Hence, the city’s layout still baffles me.

What I have seen so far in Shenzhen shows little trace of its fishing village past. The commercial districts and residential neighbourhoods are spacious and far less crowded than in Guangzhou and Shanghai. Some of the malls remind me of a ghost town, as if construction suddenly stopped and the building was opened with half its potential shops. Compared to the crowded hustle and bustle of Hong Kong Island, Shenzhen is like a giant sleepy city, lazily sprawled out across the Pearl Delta. I had never considered living in Shenzhen before this weekend, but I can see it as possibly a more attractive work location than Shanghai or Beijing.

Mansions of Madness

Mansions of Madness is a cooperative board game that adapts the H.P. Lovecraft mythos into an immersive role-playing experience for 1 – 5 players. The players act as investigators who navigate a mysterious mansion filled with dark horrors and dangerous secrets. As they explore new rooms, they steadily reveal the mansion’s layout and its hidden secrets. The game comes with a plethora of tokens, figurines, map pieces, and cards. They are further complemented by an electronic app, which narrates the story and guides the players through each round.

The game’s complexity can appear overwhelming at first. Most online instructional videos are over 20 minutes long, and do not dig deep into specific gameplay details. Nevertheless, learning the game can be a fascinating process in and of itself. Each new weapon (a 2x4!) or event (a monster appears!) gives a host of possibilities for gameplay. As you become more familiar with the game’s mechanics, you realize the importance of teamwork and synergy, as well as how to efficiently allocate your limited resources to complete the game. The use of an electronic app is brilliant, as I believe the game is intelligently paced so that there is constant pressure on the players. It’s highly engaging because there is always an immediate and clear task at hand to resolve, as well as a threat to nullify or neutralize.

I highly recommend Mansions of Madness to anyone looking to shake up the usual Sunday afternoon of Settlers of Catan or Cards Against Humanity. The app is an engrossing and dynamic feature that will appeal to most casual board game players. Mystery enthusiasts and fans of cooperative games will particularly enjoy the strategic elements. Ensure you will invest the time (approximately 30 minutes) to watch a YouTube instructional video and skim the rulebook. Playing time is approximately 90 minutes to 5 hours, although your first game may take twice as long.

Weekly Wrap-up (Mar 26 - 31)

Complete and utter free-writing

Right now I am not sure how exactly I should feel. I met a truly marvelous girl who likes me back. However, she is currently in a long-distance relationship for the past two years. It seems unreal to me that a long distance relationship like that can be sustainable, but it is what it is. I can only control my reaction to it, and to make the most of this situation.

I have already decided that I will do my best to win her over. The major obstacle is that she will only stay in Hong Kong for 3 months before returning to China, possibly for good. At the same time, I will Iikely be studying in the US. If I do manage to be together with her, the only long-term solution is to enter into a long distance relationship, which would be unproductive for the both of us. I have discounted a long distance relationship if I grow to like her even more, but at this moment, I do not see this as a viable option.

Nevertheless, I will make a sincere effort to pursue her. She has told me that she is with her current boyfriend because she feels he needs her, and does not want to hurt him by breaking up. I am utterly drawn to her, and knowing that the feeling is mutual, I will do my best to show my best self and win her heart. If we continue to connect and spend more time with each other, I am confident that our mutual attraction will grow.

I accept that we may not eventually be together. Regardless of whether a relationship eventually develops, I will treasure her as a friend and respect her final decision. As long I have tried my best, my conscience is clear.

Gratitude - Good Health

Some days I am forced to stop and realize how lucky I am to be 26 and to be blessed with healthy mind and body. Our health is the important gift we can receive. To simply have the ability to move, think, and simply enjoy every moment to its fullest, is something for which we should constantly be grateful. Wealth, security, knowledge, and even love, can be regained if lost, but to lose our health is to permanently lose ourselves.

My deepest desire for myself and those around me is to enjoy good health. Hence, health is what I want to strive to provide for people who do not have my means, nor share my fortunate circumstances. My pursuit towards improving the health of myself and others is a core value that I want to consistently drive through my decision-making. I want to give others the opportunity to experience life to its maximum potential, both in quantity and quality. 

If I plan to live by this value I decided for myself, I must be willing to sacrifice my time and resources towards attaining it. Personally, I will take examine my daily routine and diet to determine which areas can be improved. I am already aware I have been lackdaisical in controlling my intake of unhealthy foods, and I am also certain I train new physical habits that will strengthen my health over the long term. To help others, I will become a role model for healthy living, and influence the behaviour of my family and friends through persistently steering them towards healthier choices. I will research the most effective charities that I can donate to, that will have outsized impact in eliminating disease and improving health worldwide. I am blessed with not only good health but abundant disposable income - donating a small amount will have a far greater effect on the poor than myself.

What is a music festival?

Music is the thread that links people from all walks of life. It is the common language that speaks directly to the humanity we share. It is the purest form of communication that can evoke passion, grief, joy, and countless other feelings along our emotional spectrum.

Music festivals are where we can experience for a moment the world without the constraints of societal rules and protocol. They allow people from all walks of life to gather and enjoy a performance designed to free the mind. By creating an environment where we are encouraged to let go of our inhibitions, we release our fears, worries, and doubts, and embrace a default state of bliss.

My most memorable music festival experience was at Zoukout in Singapore. Having just arrived in Asia, I had never experienced such an atmosphere where I was surrounded by thousands of fervent fans twisting, swaying, and bobbing to the music.

EDM, in particular, is the ideal genre to engage the crowd for the sustained length of a music festival. It brings energy and a diverse range of styles, and is enthralling enough to play for hours upon hours on end. Plus, it is simply a delight to move your body to.

If the purpose of attending of a music festival is to achieve utter mental freedom, that adding alcohol and drugs seems to be a natural move. Notwithstanding the danger of overdose or ill health effects, these substances have been found to be readily supplied at any music festival. They should be taken responsibly, and a litmus test might be – would you choose to consume the same at home if you had the opportunity, without external influence? A music festival is a venue to celebrate, but not in a way that works against your personal health.

A eulogy

We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of Andy. We are here because his love, compassion, and friendship, have left a lasting impression with us all. We understand that although he may have left us in the physical world, we are grateful for time we have spent with him and for the impact he has made in our lives. He will remain in our hearts and minds for many years to come.

Andy embodied a set of virtues that made him an exceptional husband, father, teacher, and friend. He was driven by an innate willingness to improve the lives of those around him, and he always gave his absolute effort to help those who needed it. His integrity and strong moral compass constantly pushed him to do what was right, from his frank and honest advice with friends, to his treatment of people he did not know. He could always be counted on to make a sincere effort to share his time and resources, no matter the circumstance.

Andy’s optimism and energy was a tremendous positive influence for everyone around him. He focused on living a life without regrets, by continually opening himself to new opportunities and striving for personal growth. By welcoming and maximizing every day given to him, he inspired us to explore, learn and grow. His approach to life also taught us to live according to our values, to never be complacent, and to always hold ourselves to our highest personal standard.

By living with passion and generosity, Andy has influenced our lives for the better. This does not end from his passing because the projects and goals he dedicated his life to will continue to benefit countless individuals around the world. He has been a force for betterment both locally and in the global community, and we are grateful to him for it.

Infatuation

Over the past few weeks I have been seeing someone special. Dating in Hong Kong in the past, I feel I have on occasion pursued people for the wrong reasons, and pushed it forward even when I knew the fit was missing. Eventually, the mismatch would become apparent, and reality would kick in and lead to an awkward break up.

It is refreshing to be genuinely attracted to someone for the right reasons, where I have no qualms or reservations for how I should approach her, nor do I have to justify why I should keep it going. Every interaction and moment spent with her feels natural and effortless – we bring our best and most honest selves to the table and create an incredible exchange of thoughts and affections every time. Even though I find myself intensely sexually attracted to her, I have no desire to hurry or develop things faster than they should. I am captivated by her personality and her intelligence, so much that I am more than satisfied with a simple conversation in person with her. I have absolute confidence the physicality will happen eventually, and it is exciting in a way to see the sexual tension build.

I understand that we are still in the early stages. For all I know, this honeymoon period may not last. Nevertheless, I have now experienced a feeling of fit that sets the bar for future relationships. Knowing that I can connect with a partner on such an emotional and intellectual level can help me better judge my relationship prospects in the future.

I will make the most of this opportunity to learn and grow as much as I can. I will take advantage of what I can control in this relationship to make it work for both of us.

Inspiration

We sometimes believe our experience of the world is unique. While that may be true to a certain degree, the truth is that many people with alike backgrounds and upbringings share the same thoughts and experiences we do. We may not perceive the world in exactly the same way, but our views are just similar enough for us to be able to understand each other deeply. The minute differences in our ideas, personalities, and behaviours, help us reach outside of what we are capable of doing alone, inspire us to follow an otherwise unexplored path.

Inspiration comes from different sources for different people. We perceive things differently due to our unique experiences and cultural background, and this affects how we judge the people and ideas we come across.

Everyone has a particular area from where they draw inspiration. I tend to generate my personal inspiration from reading books, listening to podcasts, as well as participating in creative activities as much as I can, such as in photography, writing, and singing. The key to inspiration everywhere is to develop an insatiable curiosity for why and how things work, and to constantly be exposed to a tremendous range of ideas. The right idea in the right time can significantly impact lives.

Getting the Yale Call (March 24-25)

My MBA Application Process

Late yesterday evening, I received a life-changing phone call from the Yale Admissions office. After what has felt like countless months of GMAT testing, application preparation, and interviews, I finally received my first offer into a full-time MBA program for the Class of 2019.

I feel like a completely different Andy than the person who began this journey last year. Working in a comfortable job had led me into sense of complacency. While I sought other career opportunities, I did not actively strive for them, nor did I really understood how I would achieve them.

The MBA application process revealed to me the enormity of the world outside of my bubble, and showed me that there are brilliant people to meet and learn from, and fascinating opportunities to strive for. Toiling through the MBA essays forced me to examine my life goals, my core competencies, and my deficiencies. I developed a timeline for what I wanted to achieve and the skills I would need to get there. I am confident that even if I did not receive the offer last night, I would have found different success through another path because of what I planned during the MBA application process.

There were what seemed like insurmountable roadblocks along the way. I had to take the GMAT three times, with only marginal improvement by the end. I had to select recommenders not related to my main work function and creatively guide them into writing a strong letter. I had to leverage every resource I could, from personal and family contacts, consultants, and the advice and assistance of friends and strangers, to set up informational interviews and complete my essays. I had to learn from the sting and lessons of multiple rejections and disappointments to put together a stronger application in Round 2. I reinvented myself psychologically and put in my maximum effort. To see it payoff is truly a moment of bliss.

Planning the summer ahead

If I were to enroll in an MBA program this fall, I would have about 4 – 6 weeks between when I leave work and start school. Assuming I accept the offer, I will treat the pre-MBA summer as a chance to pursue my personal and professional goals. In particular, I plan to take advantage of this window of opportunity to pursue 3 goals.

The first is to create a new and memorable experience. This summer will be a rare period where I am not tied by family or work responsibilities, which frees me to do something completely outrageous. I want my summer activity to be unique so that it is unforgettable.

My second goal is to strengthen my job recruiting profile. If my goal in the next two years is to secure the best possible job after graduation, I will need to begin preparing as soon as possible. Securing even a month of work experience in a different type of role like investing, research, or technology will expand the number of jobs that I can apply for, and give me more room for creativity to spin my life story and work experience during recruiting.

Finally, I want to drastically increase my Chinese fluency. This summer will likely be my last extended stay in Asia for years. Hence, I must capitalize on this opportunity to interact on a daily basis with native Chinese speakers. Reading and writing Chinese will be a critical step to achieve this goal.

The best experience for me to achieve all of these goals is to take on a short internship in China, that would help me immerse myself in a foreign language environment and concurrently help me build experience in a field unrelated to corporate banking. I have confidence that the work experience will pay dividends for not only my future professional life, but living independently in China for a period will bring me personal fulfillment as well.

Expanding Lifespan - March 23

Given the pace of technological progress today, it is increasingly likely that we will develop the means within our lifetimes to significantly extend lifespans. For instance, rapid advancements in biogenetics, stem cells, and robotics research will dramatically raise the possibility that we will cure age-related diseases or develop a way to build new body parts. We may even develop a way to store or recreate our consciousness on a computer.

There are tremendous moral and ethical implications to consider in the debate of expanding human lifespans.

The first is that the technology would contribute to greater inequality and disproportionately benefit those with the wealth and resources to extend their lives. Death has always been the equalizing factor for all people regardless of their background and societal stratum. A society where the rich can live indefinitely would essentially have two classes of people – people who can afford the technology and people who cannot. Additionally, with longer lifespans, the rich can accumulate even more financial and political power, and change the rules of the game to further benefit themselves.

Second, people may lose the ability to choose to die. This problem is plausible given many religious groups and countries believe that life is sacred and everything must be done to prolong it. A person may be depressed or tormented, but kept living against their will through a robotic body or an uploaded consciousness. Prolonged life may be used as a form of torture as well, where sadists and criminals may create unbearable pain while not letting the victim die.

Finally, we must consider that the world’s resources are limited. There needs to be a compromise between older generations and those yet to come. The planet cannot support us for long given our current rate of reproduction. If not everyone can live, who will be the arbiter of who dies, or how can we determine how much life is enough?

Micro-financing - March 22

Micro-financing as an economic development tool for has gained traction over the past several decades. It seems to make perfect sense. Poor people in developing countries lack financial capital, so if they can access cheap financing, they will channel their entrepreneurship energy into real commerce that will grow the economy. Micro-financing is customizable across different developing countries, and can tap into the potential of large swathes of the population that normally lack opportunities, such as women and the uneducated. The original micro-financing success story is 

Grameen Bank, founded in Bangladesh in 1976, and later won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

The flaws of microfinancing become evident once we dig deeper into its mechanics. Firstly, microfinancing institutions are almost always subsidized by the government. Without government support, lenders must charge near-usurious rates of 40-50% to cover the loan losses, which are exorbitantly high for any borrower to repay. Second, many borrowers have no intention to repay or to invest in their business at all. A significant portion take out loans for consumption purposes, to pay for one-off expenses like weddings and medical bills. The poor are more likely to use cash to solve immediately pressing problems, because many other expenses take precedence over their business.

Those who do invest in their businesses eventually hit a ceiling. Entrepreneurs in developing countries cannot increase the scale of the company or progress to higher value-add businesses without proper technological, financial, physical, and labour infrastructure. They are also limited by their lack of education and specialized skills, so they produce only the most basic products and services. Micro-financing creates a situation where market supply for basic goods like milk, fruits, and fabrics, skyrocket, and prices plummet. With narrow margins and bleak prospects for business growth, the entrepreneurs are rarely better off.

Microfinancing can work for small businesses in developed countries, where entrepreneurs enjoy an acceptable basic standard of living, and are likely to invest loans into their businesses. They are also much more likely to be able to scale their businesses, and to specialize in niche or high-value sectors, because of the better market infrastructure and more skilled population.

Microfinancing falls short though, as a tool to boost small business growth in developing countries.

Fear - March 21

Fear is a strange feeling for us to have. If fear is created in the mind, why should we ever subject ourselves to it?

Perhaps it is because fear is irrational, and we cannot fully control our irrationality. However, irrationality does not necessarily have to lead to fear. And it seems that people can overcome both their irrationalities and their fears. Given this, is it possible to completely eliminate fear from our lives?

I define fear as the feeling that compels us to not take action on something because of a possible undesirable outcome. Fear is irrational and thus, it is different from a decision to not act after weighing the pros and cons. Fear focuses on the negative result to the degree that it disproportionately stifles the positive result. It is involuntary and it prevents us from living how we want to live, if we had the conscious choice.

I do not fear pain, nor death, nor loss, nor the unknown. My greatest fear is fear itself. I fear that fear will rob me of my power to control my own life. I fear that fear will paralyze me with indecision and passivity - that I will come to regret irrational decision-making that led me to live less fully than I could have.

I fear that I will not achieve the high standards for the life I set for myself - not because I was not bright enough, nor skilled enough, nor resourceful enough, but because I allowed the blind anticipation of failure to prevent me from making a satisfactory effort.

Fear, like doubt, worry, or procrastination, can be mastered. We cannot allow it to dictate any decision in our lives, so we must learn to recognize it and eliminate it as soon as it appears. The easiest way is to understand the absurdity of fear itself, as if we would ever let anything as superfluous as fear impact us in any way.

Get Started on Working Out - March 19/20

Working out

You’re looking to get into shape again. 2017 is the year. You’re ready to hit the gym, and finally achieve those fitness goals you’ve been telling everyone all year.

Sure, you may end up dragging yourself to the gym today. But without attacking and transforming your fitness mentality completely, it’s impossible to maintain a consistent exercise regime. I want to share some personal insights about how to rewire your brain so that fitness isn’t a chore, but becomes must in your life.

Goal-setting

To get serious about getting fit, you must set clear and achievable goals. An unrealistic goal like “going every to the gym every single day” is not sustainable in the long run. Something like “go when I have a free evening” is too vague and non-committal.

What’s your fitness goal? Do you want to build your cardio base? Gain muscle? Lose weight? Once 

you determine exactly what it is you want to achieve, you will need a plan to achieve it.

Designing a workout routine used to be a daunting task, but in the age of the Internet there are thousands of pre-set workout routines available for beginners. By investing only an hour of research, you will find a routine that caters for your fitness goal, your current fitness level, and your weekly schedule.

For instance, you want to put on muscle and only have time to work out 3 days a week. You may 

discover that a simple routine like Starting Strength aligns with your goal and schedule. You’ve now simplified the entire ordeal of planning to a workout, to simply showing up to the gym 3 days a week, and following the workout videos on your phone.

When selecting a fitness routine, don’t spend too much time searching for the perfect workout. You can adjust the small details over time – the critical step is to get yourself in the gym in the first place.

Putting the goal into action

I’m a firm believer in habit cultivation – that you can condition yourself to form any long-term habit by applying sufficient discipline and a solid game plan

Habits are formed through three processes: the stimulus, action, and reward. The stimulus to continually exercise develops naturally over time. Once you get used to the feeling of being in shape, you’ll find it takes minimal effort to act on it. The action will be easier as well – as you become less awkward in the gym it takes less and less effort to go. Finally, you’ll learn to condition yourself to crave the reward of a satisfying workout. You’ll embrace the immediate rush of endorphins, the lingering soreness of a particularly productive set, and the lasting results of a more physically attractive you.

How do you get yourself into this routine?

The initial challenge is to get yourself physically inside the gym as much as possible. Once you’re in there, your workout essentially takes care of itself. Here are four tips that I’ve used to cultivate my consistent exercise routine.

1.       Make your workout your priority – Treat your exercise time like a job interview because you absolutely cannot miss it. Block off your workout time days, if not a week, in advance. If you want to ensure you have a free period to go, go in the morning. Set your wake-up alarm 90 minutes earlier, and set your alarm to go to bed earlier too.

2.       Put reminders everywhere – Write a note in your phone. Put post-its in your room. Send yourself reminder emails. You must continually remind yourself that of your goal to go to the gym that day or the next day. Visualizing yourself exercising a dozen times a day will make the real action easier.

3.       Wear your workout clothes everywhere – Whenever possible, particularly on weekends, wear your exercise clothes out. You want to make the gym session as convenient as possible. When people ask why you’re dressed like Richard Simmons, commit yourself by telling you’ll be working out before you head home.

4.       Get dressed as quickly as possible – This trick works especially well for morning workouts. Every time you don your exercise gear, you must explode into it. What that means is that you will put on your shirt, pants, socks, and shoes as fast as humanly possible. Over time, you’ll form a habit and you’ll be unstoppable in getting dressed and out the door for your morning workout.

Writing about writing - March 18

I am writing about waiting, and waiting for my writing to finish so I can continue with my Saturday morning. I feel the lethargic after-effects of beer and wine still lingering. I gaze lazily at the soft white buzz of my laptop screen. I hear the hypnotic hammering of construction workers outside. I am utterly lackadaisical yet in a state of pure contentment.

To be quite honest, I don’t see how we can ever be truly waiting. Waiting implies that nothing important is happening at the moment, and how can that be possible when there is so much going on all around us? We are overloaded with sensory stimulus in every waking moment, from the soreness of a recent workout, to the pressure of pressing our feet to the ground, to sounds of wind or electric humming in the air. We can even derive pleasure from the lack of sense – how our tooth doesn’t ache at all or we don’t have a headache at this moment. Even within our mind, we are constantly thinking, and appreciating, and imagining a universe of new ideas and solutions.

While we will always have things that we look forward to, we have no excuse ever to just be ‘waiting’ for the current moment to pass. Is me writing right now writing really waiting, when I am constantly engaging my creative faculties? Am I actually waiting when I am purposely relaxing my body to recover from last night’s drinks and to prepare for an explosive workout session later today? The opportunity to have a calm period to write about waiting is a gift. I am grateful that by articulating these thoughts, I have subtly influenced myself appreciate the small details of today, and to instill a habit for when I write in the future.

Learning Chinese - March 16/17

Have you ever wondered why Mandarin is so challenging to learn for native English speakers?

Learning Chinese from scratch can be a challenging experience. One area where native English speakers stumble is on Chinese’s tonal nature. For example, a single sound like ‘ma’ can have dozens of meanings depending on the tone and context it is used. This means that a learner not only has to instantly recognize the tone used, but interpret it as part of a larger word or a phrase. What makes learning Chinese even harder is that there are no blocky words like ‘refrigerator’. Nearly everything in Chinese is expressed in two syllables or less, which leads to endless overlapping of the same sounds. Hence, for basic comprehension, a strong vocabulary foundation and knowledge how words interconnect is far more essential for Chinese than English.

English speakers also tend to struggle with the language’s character script. The strokes for writing a Chinese character seem to go every which way: up and down, left and right, diagonally, with semi circles, squares, and dots thrown in for good measure. Before you can tackle writing basic sentences together, you must learn the proper stroke order and subtleties of almost 100 ‘radical’ characters, the building blocks of Chinese words. Even after that, you will need to invest significant time to memorizing the size and placement of these radicals in different words.

Reading in Chinese is more troublesome too. Since there is no alphabet, it is impossible to sound out an unknown character to determine if you have heard it before. An unknown character may as well be a black box until you can grasp the meaning of the sentence. To understand a Chinese passage, it is usually necessary to be familiar with at least 90% of the individual characters. However, if your knowledge of word combinations are weak, the passage would not make sense if you individually understood 100% of the characters.

So given all these challenges, is it worth investing your time to learn Chinese?

China will likely be one of the two most important countries in 20 years in terms of the economy output, cultural influence, and business reach. Command over English and Mandarin will allow you to communicate with roughly half the world’s population, especially with the majority of people in globally prominent cities. Moreover, there are countless ideas and perspectives that are only accessible through understanding the Chinese spoken and written language. Chinese insight is essential for those who want to expand their worldview and knowledge base beyond the Western 

world

If you can implement a disciplined strategy, it is possible to achieve serviceable Mandarin within a few months. However, this goal would require you to completely immerse yourself in the language.

The flashcard method, particularly using the Spaced Repetition System (SRS), is ideal for Chinese word recognition. SRS is the best tool available to build familiarity with segregated packets of information, which is exactly what Chinese characters are. SRS shows you the characters you recall less well more often, which is like focused practice for weaker parts in your Chinese. Once you master approximately 500 individual characters, you should be able to read basic Chinese materials like primary school textbooks, and engage in simple conversation with native Chinese speakers.

Another method is to write at least one Chinese paragraph per day, to reinforce knowledge of how Chinese stroke order, word pairing, and sentence structure works. You can also capitalize on how spoken Mandarin translates effectively into written Mandarin. Unfortunately, this axiom does not hold for other Asian languages, such as Cantonese.

Finally, I encourage the Chinese learner to gain exposure to as many forms of Chinese media as possible. This involves exploring free Chinese learning apps, TV, podcasts, and even karaoke.

When things don’t go according to plan

When things don’t go according to plan - March 15

Sometimes the unexpected occurs and life throws you a curve ball. How we manage the change, how we learn from it, and how we become a better person as a result, is a test of our tenacity and character. We adapt to our circumstances by making the most of what we can control.

I received a waitlist notice from the Duke MBA program today, and while I was initially disappointed with the decision, I realized after a while that it does not bother me as much as I thought. When I embrace the feeling and experience disappointment as it is without seeking to escape it, I realize that it is not painful as I had feared. In fact, by welcoming the feeling on my own terms, I am liberated from its negativity.

I am invigorated to move forward and decide what I can do with the available resources at my disposal – a sizeable savings balance and a set of finance and real estate skills. There are a few options to me.

The first is to seek employment in Hong Kong. For this, I will engage extensively with headhunters for a real-estate related role. I will also dedicate my free time to improving my Chinese by writing a Chinese essay instead of 300 words every day, and focusing solely on Mandarin podcasts and news articles.

The second is to get in touch with recruiting firms in New York, Singapore, and London, to gauge for investment, banking, or real estate related opportunities. Unlike many people I know who have ties in Hong Kong, I am not restricted to just this city and have no qualms about moving.

The third is to plan to move back to Canada and take time off to figure out what exactly it is I want to do – either to plan my own business or to use it as a base to seek employment.

March 13 - 14

Why Meditation? (Part 2) - March 13

Meditation as many of us recognize it today first developed in Buddhist India and Taoist China in the 5^th to 6^th century BCE. It was a central tenet of many Asian cultures and greatly influenced spirituality and religion, chiefly among them Buddhism. Meditation’s simplicity and easy accessibility helped it proliferate across Asia, and many adherents customized the practice to align with their personal beliefs. As a result, meditation expanded and evolved into many forms, with some of the most followed branches today being Zen and Vipassana.

Different forms of meditation espouse many of the same techniques, such as mindfulness of breath and freeing of thoughts. And despite subtle nuances, most forms of meditation aim to help the student gain an enlightened and heightened awareness of his surroundings.

Meditation is key to Buddhism because it is a practice that helps end suffering. Buddhism teaches that feelings such as pleasure and pain are fleeting vibrations that are constantly changing every moment. Chasing pleasant feelings and avoiding painful ones is a futile action because even if you succeed, the feeling goes away and you must begin all over. Because of this, the root of suffering is not pain, nor suffering, nor even meaninglessness, it is the never-ending and pointless pursuit of ephemeral feelings, which causes us to never feel satisfied. Even when our mind experiences pleasure, it is not content because it fears that this feeling might soon disappear, and craves that it should stay or intensify.

People are liberated from suffering when we understand the impermeable nature of all feelings, and no longer crave them.

In meditation, you observe your body and mind, witness the ceaseless arising and passing of your feelings, and realize how pointless it is to pursue them. When the pursuit stops, your mind becomes relaxed, clear, and satisfied. You live in the present instead of fantasizing what might have been.

An apt and powerful metaphor for the experience is to imagine a man on a beach attempting to catch the good waves and push back the bad waves. Compare that to a man who simply accepts that there will be good waves and bad waves, who sits down and allows the waves to come and go as they please.

Meditation (sum-up) - March 14

It is easy for us to be distracted by our thoughts and feelings. By not exercising any control over our mind, we can easily fixate on negative and unproductive thoughts. However, it does not need to be this way. Just as you can exercise your body to keep it healthy and productive, you can train your mind to keep it energetic and focused.

Through meditation, you learn to dissociate from unhelpful thoughts. Chiefly among these are cravings: the desire for pleasant feelings. The chase for pleasant feelings is a trap because it is meaningless for us to constantly seek fleeting sensations. When we obtain them, the feeling is brief and quickly dissipates, which leads us to start all over again. We cannot even fully appreciate pleasant feelings, because we desire that they continue or intensify, and fear that they may go away. When we are ceaselessly chasing for something we cannot truly have, we can never be permanently satisfied.

In Buddhism, suffering is not caused by discomfort, loss, or even meaninglessness. Suffering arises only when we desire something we do not have. Our craving for pleasant feelings is the most basic form of desire, and thus is the root of our unhappiness.

Meditation helps us overcome craving by forcing us to witness the impermeability of our thoughts and our body sensations. As we observe our feelings come and go, we understand that the craving for pleasant feelings is an ephemeral sensation like everything else, and that we can simply choose to acknowledge it exists without acting on it. Meditation enables us to realize that much of what we think and feel are impulses – we can make note of them and move on.

My favourite metaphor for this realization goes like this. Imagine a man on a beach who is constantly trying to catch the good waves and avoid the bad waves. Compare him with someone who sits by the water and lets all waves wash over him. We know that the waves will come and go as they please – how we react to them is up to us to decide.

What is Meditation (sum-up) - Bonus

There are many things in life that are beyond our control.  However, it is possible to take responsibility for our own states of mind – and to change them for the better. According to Buddhism this is the most important thing we can do, and Buddhism teaches that it is the only real antidote to our own personal sorrows, and to the anxieties, fears, hatreds, and general confusions that beset the human condition.

Meditation is a means of transforming the mind. Buddhist meditation practices are techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, emotional positivity and a calm seeing of the true nature of things. By engaging with a particular meditation practice you learn the patterns and habits of your mind, and the practice offers a means to cultivate more, positive ways of being. With regular work and patience, these nourishing, focused states of mind can deepen into profoundly peaceful and energised states of mind. Such experiences can have a transformative effect and lead to a new understanding of life.

Over the millennia countless meditation practices have been developed in the Buddhist tradition. All are described as ‘mind-trainings’ but they take many different approaches. The foundation of all of them, however, is the cultivation of a calm and positive state of mind.

March 9 - 12

Unrequited feelings - March 9

Unreciprocated attraction can be a discombobulating experience.

Nevertheless, when we dig into it, aren’t we grateful to get to experience this rush of feelings? Isn’t it incredible to be able to traverse the full range of the emotional spectrum? Isn’t life, with its mystery, its risks, its soaring highs and desolate lows, infinitely more enthralling than muted monotony?

We may initially feel disappointment when someone does not return our affections, but once we learn to embrace the feeling, it feels like an essential, irreplaceable, oddly beautiful part of the human experience. Sadness by itself does not cause suffering, nor is it even a negative feeling. It is simply a part of life that occurs every now and then – by recognizing its impermanence, we become aware of how it naturally subsides.

Heartbreak gives us an opportunity to be introspective and to delve deeply into our emotional tendencies and preferences. Through self-examination we gain a clear idea of where we currently are, and where we want to be. This provides the foundation and the impetus for us to move on.

We return to our best selves the most quickly by focusing on what we can control. By committing to and taking specific steps to improve our situation, we shift the narrative from what affects us to what we are affecting. This is the difference between feeling completely powerless and feeling unstoppable. Acting with purpose helps us accept that even though there are some things we cannot control, we are capable of managing our reaction, and make the most of our circumstances.

Disappointing events are a powerful motivator for personal growth. They awaken us to what is not perfect right now and compel us to take action. Given that we are willing to give full effort in effecting the change, we can almost always achieve an end result that is more ideal.

The End of Power - March 10

In The End of Power, Moses Naim explores how the decay of power is affecting governments, corporations, militaries, churches, and other institutions. He provides myriad examples to demonstrate that the weakening of traditional power structures is brought on by three trends: More, Mobility, and Mentality.

More relates to the abundance of materials, health, education, and freedoms we enjoy in modern times. We become more difficult to control when we are healthier and better educated. We also demand more from those in power when our basic needs are met and our personal safeties are guaranteed.

Mobility refers to the increasingly interconnected world, where people, information and assets move more easily. When we can choose to migrate to where we have the best options, we can influence how traditional power behave.

Mentality concerns the higher expectations and standards we have today. For example, we focus more on egalitarian principles such as rights and fairness, which are the result of demographic changes, increased education, and more free political systems. We aspire for more because we feel relatively deprived compared to our ideal environment.

Naim demonstrates a near-encyclopedic knowledge of history and current affairs in finding evidence to support his theory. He presents a well-researched and substantiated argument by drawing on countless examples of political, economic, and social systems, from ancient times to the modern day. Naim’s ideas are especially convincing because evidence continues to pile up around us. We only need to pick up a newspaper to see that street demonstrations led to the South Korean president’s impeachment, or how the US and China are increasingly constrained in battling each other because by their economic ties.

I would have liked to see the book explore one more idea. Since Naim discusses power decay and its implications, it would have been fascinating to also delve into the strategies that existing institutions can employ to maintain their power or to slow their decline.

Defying age - March 11

We are at a special period in history where we now have the technology to significantly extend the human lifespan. For much of recorded history, advances in disease prevention and medical treatment have accounted for much of the increase in life expectancy, from approximately 35 years up until the 1500’s to about 75 years in developed countries today. Even if we discount child mortality rates and premature deaths due to disease, we can only hope to live to 120 at most.

The current medical approach of eliminating one disease at a time is not feasible. Even if we were to miraculously develop a cure-all solution for age-related chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer or stroke, we would see a dramatic escalation of existing ones like Alzheimer’s disease. While treatments for existing diseases are necessary, we must seek other methods to extend the natural lifespan.

Medical researchers are tackling the ageing question in three ways. The first is to develop a method that can manipulate the central processes of the human body that control ageing. For example, cells constantly undergo division so as to replace themselves before they die. Each replication is not perfect and faults are passed down over time. One form of the damage occurs to the telomeres, the end parts of chromosomes. Each time a cell replicate, its telomeres become shorter until further replication becomes impossible. By controlling the speed of cell replication, we can program how quickly a person genetically ages.

Another method is to replace body parts over time. Stem cell research, with its potential to regenerate existing body parts and to create new synthetic ones, can allow us to live indefinitely. Advances in computing robotics technology may also be a viable for us to retain our consciousness in an artificial body the future. These technologies have huge moral and ethical implications and should be studied carefully.

Why Meditation? (Part 1) - March 12

The number of books and articles touting daily meditation as a miracle activity are manifold. Meditation has seemingly become a flexible solution for everything from stress relief to stimulating mental clarity to improving physical health.

However, does meditation does really provide measurable benefits and should you incorporate it into your daily life?

The most common form of meditation prescribed by health professionals is mindfulness meditation, which aims to relax the mind and reduce stress. In mindfulness meditation, you observe your breath and the sensations of your body. At the same time, you allow your thoughts to come and go, never dwelling on them. By practicing to focus on your physical sensations instead of your thoughts, you will find it easier throughout the day to return to a tranquil state and clear your mind.

Mindfulness meditation helps train you to be aware of your thoughts so you can reduce the overthinking that often leads to stress. It lets you recognize and detach from negative feelings by bringing you back to the physical world in that moment. This process results in less stress, greater concentration, as well as higher contentment.

The benefits of meditation for your physiology is backed by scientific research as well. Those who meditate regularly are measured to have higher levels of the neurotransmitters GABA, which are best known for stabilizing mood disorders and reducing anxiety and tension. Additionally, meditation has been shown to produce endorphins (boosts happiness), melatonin (increases restful sleep), serotonin (fights anxiety and depression), and decreases cortisol (the “stress” hormone).

Even if your hormones are already at healthy levels, it is worth investing your time to practice mindfulness meditation so that you better control your emotional state. Strengthening the mind is as important as strengthening the body. Mindfulness meditation teaches you to recognize when you are in a negative mood and empowers you to eliminate distracting thoughts and feelings so you can always be in your best state.