40 things I learned in 40 years

Today, according to the Gregorian Calendar on Earth, I turned 40. I we were living on Mars, I’d be 21! Early in my career, I was always the youngest person on the team or at the company. I always gravitated proving that being young didn’t mean you could tag along with the big kids. In college, I took the advanced painting classes as a Freshman to prove this point. Now I find myself often the oldest person and working with colleagues who were born after my favorite films. To celebrate, I’ll reflect on 40 things I learned in my years on Planet Earth. They’re a combination of professional and personal insights. Though the list is numbered, they are not ranked in a particular order—just as I thought of them. The ordered list helps with counting. Let’s see what lessons the next decade shows me. ‍ © David Hoang 2001-2024

Today, according to the Gregorian Calendar on Earth, I turned 40. I we were living on Mars, I’d be 21! Early in my career, I was always the youngest person on the team or at the company. I always gravitated proving that being young didn’t mean you could tag along with the big kids. In college, I took the advanced painting classes as a Freshman to prove this point. Now I find myself often the oldest person and working with colleagues who were born after my favorite films. To celebrate, I’ll reflect on 40 things I learned in my years on Planet Earth. They’re a combination of professional and per