About Trying Not to Suck at Life
Last updated: 2/8/24
Hello, and thanks for stopping by. I’m grateful you are taking the time to read my About page.
In my previous writing life, my posts were viewed over 4 million times, my articles were featured in popular Medium publications, and I wrote and self-published four books.
Now, I choose to write pseudonymously (more on this later).
In this post, I’ll reveal the origin of “Trying Not to Suck at Life.” Then, I’ll share how my writing can help you, a little bit about the real me, and the best way to get in touch.
The Trying Not to Suck at Life Origin Story
Spring 2001:
My friends and I were the biggest nerds in our high school class. We were obsessed with maximizing our GPAs, applying to Ivy League schools, and achieving all-around academic perfection.
School began at 8:30 am. I used to meet up with my best friend (who is still my best friend to this day) in the library around 7:45 during our junior year. We would both be quick to comment on how screwed we were.
On some days, we had only done about half of our typical 3–hour homework load and had to rush to complete the rest. On others, we were horribly unprepared for a test or quiz and at risk of getting a dreaded B (instead of an A+, which was the only acceptable grade for anything).
Our favorite go-to greeting to each other was, “Dude, I suck at life.”
Fast forward to today.
Somehow, this idea of trying to avoid the pitfalls of mediocrity, or “sucking at life” has stuck with me for decades.
We sometimes joked that we should compile our collective wisdom and write a book called “How to Not Suck at Life.”
For what it’s worth, I haven’t totally given up on this idea. But for now, a blog will have to do.
How Trying Not to Suck at Life Can Help You
My writing will be a choose-your-own-adventure experience for most readers. Topics are wide-ranging and include everything from calorie counting to crypto. Anything where I feel the need to scratch my own itch.
There are three areas where I feel I can help you the most:
- Health (lost 30 lbs, kept it off, improved a number of key habits)
- Personal finance (built a $1M net worth from scratch by my mid-30s)
- Writing (posts viewed millions of times, self-published 4 books, sold thousands of copies)
I’ve stuck with these pursuits for decades and continue to obsess over them, so I’m confident I’ll be refining habits and strategies for the rest of my life.
My words will resonate most with you if you’re an introvert, data nerd, or independent thinker, and take pride in doing things most people won’t in order to create a better life for yourself and your family.
Why I’m Pseudonymous
I’ve debated whether or not to use my real name in my writing for years.
On one hand, I like the idea of having my proudest work associated with my real name.
I’ve written and self-published several books under my real name on Amazon.
It was a great feeling when my friends and family read my books. My dad took a copy of my first book to Kenya and shared it with my grandfather, who was very proud.
For this reason, I’m glad that I didn’t use a pseudonym when I first started writing online.
On the other hand, there are risks associated with writing publicly under your real name that I want to try and minimize.
I also feel less inhibited in my writing when I use a pseudonym, which makes my writing better.
This is ultimately where I feel the next stage of my evolution as a writer lies. So, here we are.
My Real Life Story
Believe it or not, I hated writing growing up. I’ve always been more of a numbers person.
I was born in Nairobi, Kenya to an Indian father and a Japanese mother. So, it’s safe to say math runs in my blood. My family moved to the United States when I was four.
I graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering only to realize I had no interest in becoming an engineer. Instead, I ventured into the world of actuarial science and healthcare analytics.
Today, I am a proud husband and father whose ultimate goal is to excel in the areas of life I care about most.
For many years, I’ve performed high-stakes number crunching in Excel at work, and on the side, I’ve applied these skills to my personal life. I’ve created and refined elaborate tracking systems for my health, fitness, and money.
My writing process helps me flesh out ideas and gain clarity on what works. It’s an exercise in self-awareness I practice for my own benefit, but if it helps others along the way, that’s a nice bonus.
I’ve learned a lot in my four decades on this planet, but I’ve still got plenty more to learn. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m here to help and add value to your life in any way I can.
The Greatest Marketer of All Time
James Altucher, one of my favorite authors, said “Buddha was the greatest marketer of all time.”
The reason for this is that he wasn’t a pushy salesman. He told people, “This is what worked for me. I’m not saying it will work for you, but try it for yourself and see.”
That’s how I like to operate.
I don’t want to promise you the world. I just want to share what works for me.
Maybe it will work for you too and we’ll both be 1% better than we were yesterday.
If you’ve made it this far, you probably already know more about me than most people.
I’m an extreme introvert, so I keep my inner circle pretty small. But I love to connect with people with similar interests, which is why I enjoy writing online.
If you want to get in touch, subscribe to my newsletter for updates on what I'm writing and reply to any of my emails or hit me up on Twitter.
P.S.
Wondering why I use Neo as my avatar?