About 30: A start of something new
I want to produce digital content that would inspire under-30 Africans to find clarity to the tons of questions they are asking on purpose, on living and thriving, on falling and rising.
Some months ago, the months I’d never forget in my life, the months l thought would never end, I wrestled with different resistance.
“Resistance builds a man,” I’d always say to encourage myself. While this is true, there’s an amount of resistance our body can only take. It should be temporal.
In my case, resistance came when I asked certain questions about everything: career choice, life and purpose.
When I practised journalism full time, I’d learned curiosity. It’s the currency of the profession.
As a child, my mum told me I was curious about everything. But as a young adult, I struggled to ask vital questions about the life decisions and choices I made.
Through sheer luck, I found that childlike curiosity again. It drove me like a maniac. I almost abused it. But it was worth it.
I felt uncomfortable about how I’ve made some decisions, and I noticed an underlying pattern of how a young person growing in a third world country like Nigeria made similar decisions.
No, I haven’t found the best thing since sliced bread. Just a pattern, or better still, time-tested principles.
I’ve been reading, I've been listening, I’ve been watching, I’ve been thinking, I’ve been observing, and talking to people.
So I’m starting a new personal newsletter I named “About 30”
A few words of notice. My primary audience is myself, and everyone who is looking forward to clocking 30 someday. Most of the content would be specific to an under 30 life’s situation; the normal 20s-ish struggle in a third world country.
Twice every month, I will share with you what I’m learning, watching and listening to. I plan to run an interview series with above or under 30s people I find interesting and inspiring.
I’d question them on what they’ve learned from life, building values, finding purpose, falling, rising, falling, rising, falling again and rising. Lessons. Failures. Vulnerability.
I base the philosophy underlying this newsletter on a famous quote attributed to Aristotle: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”
I hope this newsletter will be helpful, phenomenal and stimulating.
PS: I like music. A lot. As I type this first instalment, I’m listening to Coldplay’s A Sky Full of Stars. So anytime I show up in your inbox, I’ll tell you the music, soundtrack and film score I’ve been grooving on. I’ll also share my diverse playlists with you.
I’ve also been watching a lot of documentaries lately and listening to podcasts (Wondery’s Business Wars, Naval Ravikant and everything on NPR are my faves).
Recently, I found a hack to read tons of old Harvard Business Reviews issues for free. You’ll have access to this, free ebooks and insightful long reads.
PSS: I’d love to know what you think about this newsletter. Kindly send in your thoughts, questions, suggestions and best wishes (I’ll need them ☺️).
Sign up now so you don’t miss the first issue.
In the meantime, tell your friends!