Being Myself
Taking some time to reflect today and learn where I can improve.
Highlights
Being more selective about writing only when deeply interested in the subject.
Early stages of my career, but i am taking action every day.
Most importantly, figuring out ways to do what one loves while being oneself.
Reflection
For the last 10 weeks, I have been publishing my thoughts on Substack. These actions are derived from a core inclination to become a better writer. This is a way for me to explore concepts, thoughts, and analyses that I find intriguing. Writing every week has not only been a means to challenge myself, but a way to organize the new ideas that are shooting off in different directions in my own head. Prior to writing on this platform, I was distributing the weekly commentary to a community of people, friends, and family. Substack has become a centralized location for me to aggregate data (my thoughts), and distribute to all of the above along with new minds that may become interested over time.
Currently, I plan on continuing to write these publications every week because this is a thought exercise that I enjoy. However, I am going to leave myself with the choice to not publish any new material on any given week. One of my focuses is to provide relevant material for myself and all readers. Not sure who exactly said this quote first, but it reads as “We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge”. Search attributes these words to John Naisbitt, but I will come back and correct the cited author if I learn something different.
The last thing that I want to do is create more information in this world where it is overflowing. The overabundance of the information that I am speaking about is nothing more than noise. Selectively writing about topics that I feel passionate about is a way to curate the content. I want to make sure that I am only writing when truly interested in a subject and providing a source from which others and myself are able to learn. Thank you to everyone that has reached out so far and provided feedback.
Elaboration
Why so reflective this week? I happened to have a discussion with a great mind and a potentially new mentor this week. The conversation was thought-provoking and he even provided some constructive criticism which I have been thinking about over the past couple of days to improve my abilities. However, one area where I disagree is when I was told to take a step back and stop publishing every week. He mentioned saving the majority of these thoughts for myself. Here we will dig into the premise of this statement.
My mentor made the point (mainly in reference to markets), “Who cares what a 26-year-old has to say about anything”. I understand where this is coming from and I totally see how fewer years of experience, wisdom, and knowledge play a role in such a thought. Perhaps that is some truth to this remark, however to my credit, I will be 27 this upcoming Saturday. HUGE Difference. All jokes aside, I accept this reality. Why should anyone care about what I have to say about markets or anything?
Even though I am still in the early stages of my career, I am putting my own hard-earned capital on the line every day, which is not even a risk that some of the largest Portfolio Managers are willing to take (they run other people’s money). I am far from perfect and will make mistakes. This space is open and transparent. If I am wrong, it will be public for anyone to see. I have no fear and will learn from that experience and move forward. Ideally in that event, readers will be able to learn from the mistakes that I make and avoid those pitfalls for themselves in the future.
Back to why should anyone care about what a soon to be 27-year-old is writing about? My answer is that I am living through these experiences, thinking, brainstorming, corralling new ideas, and taking action every day. I do see some truth in the mentor’s statements, which is why I am making a point to be more selective with the thoughts and analyses that are released from this point forward.
One of the reasons he discouraged me from publishing all of my work every week is due to the inherent confirmation bias and self-validation that may arise when sharing publications with a group of people. For this reason, I politely ask readers to provide legitimate feedback positive and negative. I do not want this space to become a detrimental echo chamber for my observations/ analysis. Ask questions and provide comments when necessary. Challenge my ideas, thoughts, and analyses.
Conclusion
Today, was more of a reflection of my experience writing on this platform to date. I do want to share one last piece of wisdom that was a highly positive comment from the aforementioned “new mentor”. He said, “Do not try to be someone else, do not try to be your father, be Aaron Garfinkel. Just be yourself”. Such a simple but profound statement, which has been a main focus of mine coming into and throughout 2023. The conversation was positive overall and the criticism was appreciated. How is anyone supposed to get better if they never learn from mistakes nor are ever told, “Here is where you are going wrong”? I am selectively incorporating the feedback into my thought process going forward.
What is written throughout this publication is an expression of me “being myself”. This person that I spoke with is experienced, brilliant, and wise, yet I am pushing back on some of his advice. I accept that these are choices that I am making and will ultimately deal with the consequences if the decision evolves poorly. I was told to be myself, right? Part of that process starts here with continuing to write about subjects when deeply interested. Paving my own path and taking on difficult challenges such as “Why should anyone care about what a 26-year-old has to say about anything”, is an element of me, being myself.
Happy Friday,
Aaron David Garfinkel
Resources
John Naisbitt
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_naisbitt_382513
Like the picture.
Very contemplative piece today. I like the focus on how we all can grow, learn, and get better. Your writings, today and every week, emanate wisdom that seems like it is coming from someone well beyond 27 years old. I will do my best to challenge your thinking moving forward, since echo chambers are not a good thing.