2025-02-17 08:00:00
I’ve always been someone who sees things in black and white, believing that things are either one way or the other. And for those of us who think like this, life eventually slaps us in the face with a big dose of gray. That’s when we realize that life is one big “IT DEPENDS.”
Universal rules don’t exist, which is why we need to be careful with the hair growth sellers we encounter every day. They’ll tell you their way is the right way, that it’s foolproof. But the truth is, you’re going to go bald, and nothing can stop it. The only choice you have is to accept it and find yourself a good hat—or embrace the baldness with pride. It’s up to you.
The reality is that no one can teach you how to live better than yourself because no one else is inside your head. We need to draw inspiration from others, absorb their energy, and use it in the best way we can. But no advice works straight out of someone else’s mind. It’s only when we shape it, adapt it to our own worldview, that we can unlock the full potential hidden within an idea.
Our way of seeing the world is unique, built from fragments of all the experiences we gather throughout life. And while our experiences may resemble those of others, if we look closely, we’ll see that no two are ever exactly the same.
Robert Kegan has an interesting theory about the stages a person must go through to become an independent adult. Around the age of 20, we enter what he calls the “Self-Authoring Mind” stage, where we take responsibility for ourselves and begin developing our own rules and values.
That’s why, when I see so many people stuck in this state—never reaching that stage—I feel a deep sense of sadness. They complain about the government, their parents, or society as a whole, but I don’t see them using that frustration to take control of their own lives.
So never look for the easy way out. There are no magic formulas, and if someone tries to sell you theirs, run as fast as you can. Effort and time put things in their place and shape better people.
Feel free to doubt everything and everyone. No one holds the absolute truth about anything because what worked for them won’t necessarily work for you. Experiment, make mistakes—your path is only found by walking it.
Even if you think someone is horribly fascist, sexist, or just an idiot, expose yourself to all kinds of ideas. Even if you completely disagree, don’t lock yourself in a bubble—just listen. Otherwise, you risk falling into your own trap, believing your truths are the only ones that matter.
And then, the idiot will be you.
Of course, don’t take my word for any of this. Get out there and create your own rules of the game.
2025-02-14 08:00:00
Since I started working as a developer, I’ve always had the same problem: I have a terrible allergy to events scheduled at a specific time of the day (call them meetings, call them whatever you want).
I’ve always been a bit of a “rebel” in that sense. I still remember how, at one of the first startups I worked for, I would often arrive outside the expected hours because I had spent more time at home reading or doing other things than I was “allowed” to. That’s why they introduced a new policy requiring all employees to start work before a certain time.
As they announced it, looking around at everyone, I knew deep down that it was really about me. And I think this has always been the case, even since I was a kid.
I never liked being forced to do anything. I never liked anyone telling me what to do with my time. What if I don’t feel like eating on a Saturday at 3 p.m.? What if I don’t want to meet up with you at 4 p.m. on Sunday for any reason—or no reason at all?
I’ve always been very jealous of my time. I’ve always wanted all the time in the world for myself. And I want to be the one who decides who I give it to and who I don’t. It’s a selfish act, but I believe that every good thing that happens in life comes from having the time to do what you truly want to do—not what others expect of you.
It’s precisely in that time you don’t give away to others that the best ideas are born. It’s where a writer faces a blank page and creates an incredible story. It’s where a painter adds the final brushstrokes to what will be considered a masterpiece. Magic happens in the time we choose not to fill with obligations.
As I mentioned before, my life strategy has always been to follow my curiosity and let it guide me. Just as I do with my life, I do with my time. I aspire to have an empty calendar and an empty backlog.
To not know what I’ll do tomorrow and to use the present as my compass. To focus my energy on what truly matters. To seize moments of inspiration and act—rather than waste them doing something I don’t want to do.
Because our existence is finite (and very short), do what makes sense to you, even if no one else understands it. And when you’re tempted to take the easy way out by telling yourself you don’t have time or that your current circumstances don’t allow it, try to find a way. The truth is, you are free to do whatever you want.
As Sheldon B. Kopp put it:
“You are free to do whatever you like. You need only face the consequences.”
And this is precisely what’s so frightening—accepting that this decision might leave you feeling more alone, poorer, or cause you to miss out on opportunities that might have led you to a better place in the future. But we can never truly know if that would have been the case.
So, as Taleb says:
“Missing a train is only painful if you run after it.”
Even though Taleb can be a bit crazy at times, I’m sticking with his team. I’m not going to run after any train. I’m going to follow my curiosity. I’m going to keep my calendar empty. I’m going to clear out my backlog and leave it clean. I’m going to wait for inspiration to come and do with it whatever I please.
I’ll sit and wait for the next train. Or the one after that. Or maybe none at all. Who knows.
2025-02-07 08:00:00
It’s been a while since I last wrote here, and to be honest, I’ve missed it. I could say I’ve been busy—but the good kind of busy. I’ve been working on my next project (which will be out very soon), taking photos, and getting ready for my third consecutive year of adventures in Asia.
A week ago, I arrived in Bangkok. If you’ve never been, it’s a very noisy city. Construction, cars, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks roar through the streets like lions, making their way through the chaotic rhythm of a big city.
When you find a moment of silence here, you hold onto it like an old friend you’ve missed. You appreciate it as if it were oxygen and savor it with a big smile.
Coming from Córdoba to Bangkok, I’ve been searching for silence like water in the desert. That’s why today, I want to share four places that have brought me calm—places I’m sure will do the same for you if you ever visit this city.
The first one is none other than the park where I’m writing these lines right now. Benchakitti Park is a massive green space in the middle of Bangkok. People here move at a slower pace, and you can clearly see the benefits of a quieter environment: conversations without raising your voice, phone calls with family and friends, and the freedom to exercise outdoors in peace.
The second place is the entire area near the river. To find it, you can head to Wat Sriboonreung Pier or any of the different “ferry” stops along the river. It’s a peaceful walk and a great way to get a glimpse of what the houses in this city looked like before Bangkok’s skyline was taken over by towering skyscrapers.
While you can’t walk the entire stretch from end to end, there are sections where you can, and I especially like it because you come across small temples and houses where plants seem to be the true hosts of the space.
The small streets near the Jim Thompson House Museum are a haven of peace—a quiet area where you can walk without traffic. But the real gem here is the William Warren Library.
It’s a small library inside the Jim Thompson Art Center, a quiet spot to read or write in peace. The whole place feels like an escape from Bangkok’s constant buzz, as if the city’s thousands of passing cars don’t exist. The library has comfortable sofas, outlets to charge your devices, and an atmosphere of complete silence.
Lastly, I can’t leave without mentioning one of my favorite cafés in Bangkok. JEDI Café & Bar has been part of Creare from the beginning. Aside from its great coffee, the best part is the back area that overlooks the river. If you’re lucky and it’s not too crowded, you can sit there, read peacefully for a while, and enjoy the calm—until the mosquitoes have nearly devoured you. It’s a wonderful place to relax if you’re in the city center, and it’s always better to go early when they’ve just opened.
These are my four places. If you’ve been to any of them or have other recommendations, I’d be happy to hear them.
2024-12-27 08:00:00
I’ve been summarizing my year privately for years, but I’ve never done it publicly. In previous years, my process for doing this looked like this:
And that was it. But this simple exercise helped me appreciate everything I had experienced so much more—which, fortunately, is a lot.
I always choose to live fully and intensely. Maybe it’s because I don’t know any other way, or maybe because life is so short that the thought of missing out on something terrifies me.
This year, for the first time in the past four years, I changed that system. I wanted to try something different, and at the beginning of the year, I stumbled upon an article by Steph Ango where he shared the 40 questions he asks himself every year. I loved them; they felt similar to the exercise I was already doing.
After answering those questions, I’ve come to some conclusions I’d like to share here:
”Those who seek calm are the ones who can’t find it. Those who want to improve their health are those who have lost it. People search for ways to sleep because, try as they might, they can’t manage to fall asleep and are all too familiar with the ceiling above their bed.”
That said, I like to wrap up this final newsletter of the year by sharing a few things I’ve really enjoyed:
“Real artists ship.” — Steve Jobs
“I make movies for me, and the audience is invited.” - Tarantino
“People try to do all sorts of clever and difficult things to improve life instead of doing the simplest, easiest thing— refusing to participate in activities that make life bad.” - Tolstoy
This year, I wrote 28 posts. Out of those 28, I focused a lot on sharing my reflections, but not as much on the day-to-day of trying to live off my own projects.
So, in 2025, you’ll see more of that. Additionally, based on the conclusions I’ve drawn this year, I’m going to try something new: starting a tea store. If you want to learn more, I plan to share the process in this newsletter—everything from the legal aspects to finding suppliers and all the challenges that come with it.
In addition to this, I’m working on my next software project, which will be launched next year. As I’ve mentioned many times in this newsletter, recommendations from real people are becoming increasingly important for maintaining sanity on the internet. I want to be part of this, which is why I’m creating a platform that allows you to easily share your own recommendations online, just like I did with Creare, for example.
There isn’t a specific solution for this, beyond using Wordpress, Webflow, or a few tools that require some technical knowledge, which not everyone has. I want to make it accessible to everyone, so let’s see if I can pull it off.
With all of this, I hope you’re having a wonderful Christmas. I’m very excited for the coming year, and I hope you are too. Thanks for reading me.
I’d love for you to write to me and share a bit about your plans for next year. I always enjoy reading those messages.
That’s all for now, happy 2025!
Talk soon.
Alberto
2024-12-20 08:00:00
When you want to create something, don’t plan based on data. Do it based on your interests, because nothing withstands challenges better than something you deeply want to learn. Nothing resists the voices telling you not to do it like a shield made of curiosity.
Is it a bad strategy? Maybe. Am I too naïve? Perhaps.
But I don’t know anyone who has truly succeeded in life (and I’m not talking in financial terms) by following data, chasing trends, or simply doing what works. Those things are fleeting and inevitably fade away. There’s nothing more enduring than the childlike curiosity to discover, to dive deeply, and to swim as far as your strength takes you.
Sure, the other paths might make you very wealthy, let you own luxury cars, or have a huge house, but I don’t think life is about that. Once you have financial security that frees you from worrying about making it to the end of the month, the real essence of life is living it.
It’s about experiencing as much as you can, hugging your loved ones as often as possible, and pursuing the things that call to you with irresistible force.
But life isn’t just about that. It’s also about finding a balance between being at peace with yourself and being good to others. That balance includes building discipline, taking care of your body and mind, and being ready to care for others when they need you. Ultimately, it’s about committing to things for the long haul.
And this is essentially my strategy for life. I’ve never chased something that didn’t interest me, and I never will. I don’t know if I’ll ever own one of those cars or massive houses, but I do know that most nights, I go to bed with a smile on my face—and it’s precisely because what I’m pursuing deeply matters to me.
And that’s something no one can take away from me.
2024-11-15 08:00:00
Dear reader,
Last week, I was walking home in the morning—one of those mornings when there’s no one on the street, the kind I love. It was one of those mornings when you can hear even the smallest sounds, which sadly get lost amid the noise of cities.
When I got home, I posted this tweet:
I don’t know if it was subconscious, but when I wrote this, I realized it bore a striking resemblance to the four conditions Edgar Allan Poe sets out for happiness, which, to sum up, are:
the love of a woman, life outdoors, the absence of all ambition, and the creation of a new beauty
I think life is enjoyed more when you have no expectations of it. When you look at it with curious eyes and simply observe what happens to you from the outside. For many years, I was too foolish to think this way, stubbornly trying to control everything and plan even the unplannable.
Over the years, you learn not only that the love of a woman (or a man) is important, but that life is much more beautiful with company. It’s true that it sometimes brings problems, but more problems arise from living an unwanted solitude. Being able to have someone to call, someone to hug, and someone for whom you do things you might not do if you were alone in this world makes it worth surrounding yourself well and being endlessly grateful for it every day.
In an overstimulated society where we all have to be “successful” people, and social media makes us believe that this cardboard version of success is within reach, it places excessive pressure on us. This pressure pushes us to do things for that Instagram post or because it will bring us some advantage. When we let go of this false ambition and genuinely pursue a simpler life, that’s when we begin to discover the bright colors that small moments bring with them, and above all, we start to be more present.
And it’s in that new present that we begin to create, to express ourselves, and to do things simply because we want to, because they bring us moments of enjoyment. This is where you can tell something is genuine, that the person behind it isn’t doing it solely to get rich or to inflate their ego. They’re doing it for something more.
With all this, we must apply what Edgar Allan Poe and many others discovered long ago. Life isn’t in this newsletter, it’s not on your screen, and it’s not in your room or your house. It’s out there. And nothing eases life’s hardships more than watching rivers flow, leaves fall from trees, and the sun rise and set.
You only have this life, so all I can say is: live it. That’s a reminder for both you and me. Let’s not be trapped by the chains we sometimes place on ourselves. Live responsibly, with the responsibility to make the most of this fortunate moment you’ve had to be here in this world.
Regret things, make mistakes, and don’t chase fleeting pleasures. Learn to love if you don’t know how, and love deeply those around you—one day they won’t be by your side.
Never forget to make time for them and for yourself. Enjoy the little moments and don’t strive for more.
Don’t overcomplicate life; it should be simple.
