Q:What’s something you value now that you didn’t before — and vice versa?

I used to value being present and involved in everything. Now, I value being truly productive.

I’ve learned that presence without purpose can drain energy, while focused, meaningful output creates space for what matters most.

Back then, I put a lot more weight on what others thought, especially external validation. When you’re building things to sell, of course, you want people to like them. But over time, I’ve learned to trust our team’s instincts more. We focus on making things we believe are great, and that clarity has been way more rewarding than chasing approval.

Working until late. Working smarter.

At the beginning of my career, I valued technical skills more than creativity and soft skills, but now, it’s the other way around.

I used to really value being right. I wanted to be the one who had the answer, who figured it out first. Now, I’m (mostly) okay with being wrong or not 100% sure. I’ve learned that curiosity and collaboration lead to better outcomes than trying to be the smartest person in the room.

I used to value perfection. Now I value progress.

Back then, I cared more about fitting into external frameworks than trusting my own views and sense of the world. Now, staying true to myself matters more.

I also value youth, good health, a clear mind, and comfort way more than I used to.

Being always right is no longer important to me.

I value creativity and fast thinking more than ever; entry-level work matters less now—it’s easily replaced by AI. I focus on higher-level challenges.