The Power of a Kind Word from a Stranger

I was at the swimming pool today. Just as I was about to get into the water, an elderly man turned to me and said, “You came at the perfect time because there aren’t many people now.”
I glanced at the lane and thought, isn’t four people already kind of crowded?

He explained that there was seven people sharing one lane. I was shocked.

Then he looked at me and added, “You look like a really good swimmer.” To be honest, I’m not. I swim slowly and can’t go more than a few laps without stopping. But somehow, those simple words of encouragement gave me an invisible boost of confidence.

Despite having already done a full hour of strength training and spent 15 minutes on the punching bag beforehand, I felt re-energized. I swam longer than I ever had before—without a single break. It was like my body said, Let’s go again!

What did I learn from this? Sometimes all a person needs is a few kind words. Just like the ones I received from that man.

It reminded me of a moment I’ll never forget:
Years ago, I was walking to school when a man across the street shouted, “Good morning, sir!”
I didn’t know him, but his simple greeting lit up my whole day—and honestly, my whole week.

Kindness from a stranger hits differently. It doesn’t just make your day. It lifts your spirit in a way that even your best friend sometimes can’t.

So maybe today’s reminder is this: don’t underestimate the power of a kind word. You never know whose heart you’re helping carry a little further.

I Have Plenty of Time

In Jensen Huang's talk, he recounts a moment in Kyoto that left a lasting impression. He came across a gardener meticulously tending a moss garden using just bamboo tweezers. He asked how he could possibly manage such a task, and the gardener simply replied, “I have cared for my garden for 25 years. I have plenty of time.”

That sentence struck me deeply: I have plenty of time. I often remind myself of this when I feel rushed or overwhelmed. I’ve come to disagree with the popular phrase “life is short.” Life only feels short when we’re consumed by unimportant distractions or tangled in unnecessary emotions (anger, anxiety). When we try to do everything perfectly, time always seems to run out.

A quote comes from my most favorite author Tony Robbins in Awaken the Giant Within (a book I’ve read five times). He says:

“Most people overestimate what they can do in a year, and underestimate what they can do in two or three decades.”

It’s a powerful reminder: be patient. Be persistent. The smallest actions, done consistently, grow into something extraordinary over time. It's far more than we can imagine in the short term.

Keep it Simple

Jensen Huang has been a huge source of inspiration throughout my life and career. One of his insights that really stuck with me is about the importance of execution. He once said, “A simpler idea that you can execute perfectly is better than a big idea your company can’t execute on. I’m not going to change the world overnight; I’m going to change the world over the next 50 years.”

That hit home for me.

I get flooded with fancy, exciting ideas every day. But when I revisit them the next morning, most of them feel unrealistic. I think that’s why Apple’s products often look almost the same year after year—despite all the complaints about their "boring" designs. The magic is in their relentless focus on small, consistent improvements. Simplicity executed well over time wins.

Start Anyway

I’ve been thinking about starting a blog for quite a while—but for the longest time, it stayed just that: a thought. Excuses came and went, and I kept waiting for the “right moment.” Well, here I am, finally doing it.

In Can’t Hurt Me, David Goggins writes about the voice inside that always wants you to quit. That voice tells you to stop, to stay comfortable. But the real challenge is to override it. Life is like a constant endurance run, and as humans, we make around 35,000 decisions every day. Starting something new—especially something that feels vulnerable —is just one of those decisions. But it's a powerful one.

I’m reminded of an interview with Elon Musk on CNBC. When asked if he regretted some of his controversial tweets, he paused for what felt like forever—twelve seconds of silence. Then he replied, “Offer me money, offer me power—I don’t care.” That moment stuck with me. There’s something freeing about adopting a bit of that “I don’t care” mindset—not in a careless way, but in letting go of the fear of judgment.

To be honest, I still care. I care deeply—but I want to care in a way that allows me to freely express my thoughts and share what I’m learning. If even one person reading this feels a spark of motivation or a shift in mindset, then this was worth it.

Let’s keep going—one step, one word, one decision at a time.

A Puppy Drawing

little speed painting I did

Gamejam I did

http://globalgamejam.org/2017/games/illuminary