The Pitfall of Local Optimization

I'm obsessed with optimization as an engineer. But here's the trap: improving one thing every day doesn't guarantee you'll reach your goals. When you've done everything right but you're still nowhere close, what you need is the big picture you've been ignoring.…

A Morning Hike on Shihmen Mountain Trail

My son thinks walking is meaningless. My wife is a mosquito magnet. So Sunday mornings, it's just me and the trail. What I discovered on Shihmen Mountain: when you can't catch your breath, that's when you're finally forced to be fully present.…

The Seed of Slowing Down

Balancing a coaching business, SaaS project, and community work while unemployed—I was spinning, not progressing. A coaching session revealed my pattern: never allowing myself to slow down. On learning to pause and reflect.…

Taming Your Powerful Coding Agents

Working with AI coding agents feels like managing a talented contractor who starts fresh each day—fast but lacking context. They expose API keys, break existing features, and reinvent the wheel. Here's how adapting basic software engineering practices can guide their power in the right direction.…