I've been writing about continuous improvement, habits and productivity since 2007.

Don’t you just love the tech start up scene?

What’s an orthopedic surgeon doing in a tech startup camp? Ask me.

I don’t know.

In fact, I found myself the odd man out in the hordes of hopeful youngster ready to change the world for the better. Anyhow, there are things I liked about tech community that draws me into a startup scene.  The craziest bunch of tech people have the fresh-iest ideas in my opinion.  The startup tech community is exactly made of such crazy people:

Open-ness

No matter how naive and crazy their ideas may sound, it is shared. Every person inside this room is crazy enough, bold enough to think they will change how we live our lives. In fact the craziest ideas are usually the one that flourishes under the hood. This environment of open-ness emboldens innovators to go beyond boring repetitions and hack useful ideas. Each seem to be excited to share and listen what others have in mind. Here, openness and sharing leapfrogs an idea from the incubators to the field.

Techies doing all the discussion under the watchful Steve Jobs...

Techies doing all the discussion under the watchful Steve Jobs…

Collaboration

If there’s a word to describe a tech startup community, it is collaboration. This is how brilliant ideas become useful tech. Of how a simple hack makes our boring lives exciting. One guy posted a problem, another piecemeal-ed it into workable algorithm, and another totally tosses an idea out into the open.

Craziness

If theres one way to measure how an idea could change our world, it is the degree of craziness that idea may sound. Tell a tech guy how crazy he is and he will get back to you with a crazy idea that works. Most of the guys here would love to tell mainstream guys (yup, that’s me), “You are crazy. How were you able to survive your life when you can simplify it with this, hack?” . Note the reversal of perspectives?

Amazement

Everyone hoots and wow with every idea presented. A candy bar moment every time. The sense of wonder and thirst for knowing is unlimited. “How’d you do that?” or “Let’s do something like..” is such a norm, I ran out of brain cells to store ideas.

Serendipity/Connectedness

“Oh you are working with this idea? I was kind of working too with part of the same idea!” Every person in the room is working with something that touches, connects or ends with an idea that someone else is working. The connectedness is infinite, and serendipity is just a natural consequence.

 

My last tech moment of ideas was a gazillion years ago when the norm was still tin can radios. Just joking. But I love this tech community. It’s out to change the world. Like or not or call me crazy. 🙂

By • May 31, 2015

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Why I prefer Twitter as a personal learning network

I have an account in every available social media platform today. Even Meerkat and Periscope, which I haven’t had any idea what to do in it.   I’ve been blogging for almost 8 years already. I enjoy posting a lot of stuff on Facebook and Google +, sometimes on Pinterest too. None exceeded my amazement with twitter. Why?

Platform for a new enterprise

We hacked #HealthXPh on Facebook and Google + (Hangout), but we formalized our new enterprise with twitter. To think, the series of “fortunate events” started with a reply to a tweet by @endocrine_witch.  #HealthXPh’s main platform today is still twitter.

Troubleshoot your way to everything with a tweet!

One of twitter’s strength is that you can find people easily who can solve (your) problems quickly.  I once tweeted about my telco’s lack of response to my complaints. Within minutes, a technical support person DM’ed me. Problem solved. I also tweeted a unfamiliar technical glitz while troubleshooting my old macpro.  A Mac guru tweeted a link to the solution to me!

Amazing industry news feed you can tailor easily.

As my personal learning network, I get newsfeeds about my industry from twitter. Even those from role models that are impossible to follow in other social media platforms,  I can freely follow on Twitter. In most cases, scientific articles that I missed (reading journals really take much time nowadays) but are relevant to my industry found its way on twitter!

Tremendous connection growth!

The growth of my industry connections grew tremendously with twitter. In fact I have more industry colleagues abroad than locally on twitter! And if you want to grow your network on one specific area, twitter is your social network.

Learning new skills is a tweet away.

Did I mention I learn new skills from twitter? How? Well, most links to skills or DIY sites are shared on twitter. Even the link  that landed me on the awesome graphic social media platforms like Pinterest or instructables came from my twitter feed!

New opportunities?

Of course there are things that I wish twitter would lead me to, like new clients and business opportunities. That will come sooner than later I guess. Look, in one year I have opportunities opening up via twitter more than I can handle. What’s more to ask?

Oh, just a bonus. I find people on twitter more open, more helpful and more intellectual. Yup, but that’s just me.

Have you tried twitter? Who knows?! 🙂

I’m @remoaguilar on twitter. Follow me there too!

(H/T to Mark Schaefer’s The Tao of Twitter” and Guy Kawasaki’s “Art of Social Media”  for the amazing ideas and tips!)

By • May 29, 2015

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Top five things I should have stopped doing last 2014

These are debatable to many others but allow me to rant. I’m sure you can relate.

    • Multitasking.
      Unless it’s house chores you’re doing, the bad news is, multitasking have subpar end results. It drains you too, really fast.  Yes, it might be my age showing but,  hell no! The burnt rice has to stop!
    • Join all.  Lead all
      Amazingly, I’m ponic to the “lead all” sort of a joiner. I often end up doing things myself to get out of a self trap. Joining all spreads focus and drain you time for family and personal relationships. Today, I keep my knack for troubleshooting organisational screw ups on official time, only.
    • Ranting negatively
      You hate ranters don’t you? I do. With all its subtleties and angst, plus the uncool “I’m so rightfully gifted” stance,  it is an awful thing to hear (or read).  I’m not saying ranting is self righteousness verbalized, but yeah, you get that feeling at the end anyway.
    • Procrastinating. Waiting for inspiration.
      Crap!  There are two things you can do to avoid this. Do the things you can do now. Say no to other things you can’t.  Endorse. Let other people who can do it (better) actually do it!
    • Being so positive and nice, I can’t say something negative.                                               I ain’t running for mister congeniality. I’m not exactly the most liked person down here, but when you utter the “negative” (but critically constructive comment) everyone will be shocked! “You’re cruel!” is the next big gossip around you.

Regarding inspiration by the way, it’s not something mystical from who knows-where-it came-from. Didn’t you notice, inspiration only comes after you’ve started working already?

Bonus.

  • Spending for wants instead of “on a need basis only”.
    I heard one financial adviser saying if you don’t have savings equivalent to six times the price of the “want” you are buying, don’t buy it. I’m not sure if that FA is just saying that metaphorically (for not buying a want anymore) but frankly I knew the regret is just terrible.

So there you go. How about you? What are your must not do list in 2015?

By • January 3, 2015

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“Angry Bird” on Sunday, Bloody Sunday

I guess this bird wasn’t happy at all with me.

“Dude, it’s sunday and you are spoiling my afternoon siesta on a tree!”

Yes, I forgot. It’s sunday and here we are, again. Chasing lights, nature and what have this hill has. Including, a cave entrance last seen 12 years ago.

Sunday, bloody sunday!

By • December 7, 2014

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