I turned 23 last week.
And for just one moment, I didn’t feel like I needed to prove anything.
One thought just kept coming back to me: I’ve become someone I’d bet on.
Because I’m persistent. I mess up, I learn, I get back to it.
That’s it. That’s the reason.
I wish there were a way you could invest in people.
Lately, I’ve been reading The Mamba Mentality. What stuck with me wasn’t just his drive or talent. It was how obsessively he prepared. How much time he spent working on the basics. Studying film. Tweaking tiny movements. Showing up before the lights came on and staying after they went off. Repetitive. Relentless.
And it earned him something even more valuable than talent or clout—trust.
That kind of trust doesn’t come from flashy wins or one-off performances. It’s built in the mundane. In how we follow up. How we handle hard days. How we show up when no one’s asking us to.
That’s what I’m trying to get really good at—consistency that’s boring on the outside, but sharp and dependable underneath.
Here’s what that looks like for me, right now:
Doing the boring stuff with the same intent as the exciting stuff.
Moving things forward without needing a Slack ping.
Up for it, not once in a while but always.
There’s no reward for it upfront.
But slowly, it builds something hard to compete with. Predictability.
People want to take risks with persistent people.
When you can become that person who delivers, without needing hand-holding, you become valuable.
If I had to fast-track this mindset, here’s exactly what I’d do if I were 20 again:
Follow up like your life depends on it. Most people don’t. That’s your edge.
Send meeting recaps, even if you’re not leading the meeting. It builds clarity, and clarity builds trust.
Be early. Not just on time, but early with deadlines, ideas, updates. It’s noticed.
Communicate when things go wrong. Ghosting kills trust faster than failure ever will.
Master the small stuff. Your name gets remembered when the details are handled well.
Take notes, ask questions, and apply feedback. People underestimate how rare that is.
Finish what you start. Incomplete work doesn’t earn respect. Done does.
Show up, especially when you don’t feel like it. That’s when it matters most.
You don’t have to be exceptional to be trusted.
Just dependable.
And if you can become both? You’ll win in rooms you haven’t even entered yet.
At 23, I’m just trying to become someone people can count on. No drama. No big announcements. Just quiet, consistent execution.
I’ll keep doing the work—Until betting against me becomes the wrong call. :)
What I am currently reading
Just started reading this, and wow, the timing couldn’t be better. What’s sticking with me so far is how, in Japan, there’s this deep-rooted belief that we’re all connected and one.
One thought I will leave you with:
The only way of living I understand. Currently, extreme leisure is not on my list.
That’s all for today,
see you next week!
-Kanishka