Beautiful Skies and the Streets of Pangyo
Lately, I've been consumed by the single-minded determination to do this project well. My head has been steaming with worry, sometimes clashing with others, sometimes giving up on things, all while living a similar daily routine. Rather than trying to decide for myself how I wanted to grow, my top priority was figuring out what needed to be done today and where the project stood at this very moment. Just as I was growing weary of this routine, I felt incredibly fortunate to have the chance to discuss these very struggles with seniors who had already navigated 10 or 20 years of corporate life.
One story has stuck with me ever since. It's that no matter how exceptional someone's talent is, if they don't define for themselves what kind of person they want to become and strive towards that, they'll just drift through life. Seeing all the brilliant, accomplished people around me—Seoul National University and KAIST graduates—made me realize that unless you think for yourself about what you want to become, you'll just stay stuck in the same place.
What kind of person do I want to become? At first, I just thought I needed to establish myself. I spent a year rolling around at the very bottom, with no one to teach me the job, no one to do it for me, and no one to pass it off to. Driven by the need to prove my worth, I wandered around, learning and working hard. Now, the ground I stand on is no longer bare soil. Thanks to what I've sown and the care from those around me, trust, confidence, and recognition have gradually grown. Along with that, prejudice has also sprouted. I hit a loop where every problem I'm grappling with in Product now is one I've already thought about. And then, the worry that what if I can't solve this creatively, and the feeling of resignation that I've thought about all this before and won't solve it anyway, came at the same time. I also disliked this state of mine.
What kind of person do I want to become? This second half of the year, I want to slowly find the answer to this question. I want to spend time letting go of my impatience, stopping the constant self-consciousness, and gradually shedding the fears within me. I want to create things I want to challenge myself with, stop wasting time tearing others down, and make time to focus on myself. It's not that I'll fail if I don't do this; it's because I want to become a better person day by day, year by year. I can envision myself five years from now, ten years from now, constantly anticipating and pondering what kind of person I want to become, and striving accordingly. I don't want to run driven by the whip of anxiety; I want to walk steadily, step by step, in the direction I've chosen for myself. Because on that path, many people who cheer me on are already waiting. If I trust those people and trust myself, it won't matter where that path leads.