Why do I do so much?

This is a question I don't get asked often, but I'm for sure my parents wonder why I prioritize so many things in my life outside of the thing they want me to spend more time on. "Patience," I say, as I realize that I'll still be expanding my network as I do the things I do.

Anyways.

A now-lawyer and former band friend back from undergrad and I met up in early 2025, and he mentioned that I was "crazy" and "ambitious" for having 10 New Years goals. I've since pivoted to quarterly goal setting, but the fact that I generally hit around 80% of my goals probably is a bit more follow-through than most expect when they hear about New Years resolutions.

I also watched an episode of the JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) podcast hosted by Chloe Shih and Eric Wei where they discussed why both of them do so much.

One thing that they highlighted was how they experienced this consistent nagging feeling of wanting to feel comfortable– or to put it another way, they experienced a constant discomfort. It was this internal drive that kept them going. They explicitly called out how they'd much rather do what they were doing now despite how tiring it was.

I relate to this feeling. For me, it's somewhat driven out of spite or a persistent desire to prove myself– to prove that I am capable at something I used to be doubted for. Spite isn't the most sustainable fuel, so these days it's actually driven by a desire to feel fulfilled every day. The way that I fill my time is fun to me; it may not look fun to others, but it's very fulfilling to me.

I call this mindset "work-life integration". It's something that usually only applies to entrepreneurial types, from creatives to small business owners to startup founders. However, I seem to have managed to find this ability to integrate work-life despite having a formal 9-5 (it's really not a 9-5, it's "get it done when it needs to get done, and be around when we need you"). Luckily, this is mostly due to the fact that my past few years of working have largely been remote. This allows me to flex my time during the day more easily, so I don't feel tired when the formal work day ends.

Most people do their day job, and then go home and knock themselves out to entertainment or chill hobbies and friendship. I do my day job and work on high-effort hobbies that ultimately level up my skillset and ability to connect with more people/friends which is a positive feedback loop in my own life. Yes, it's a little crazy– I'm okay with that.

In the next 1-2 weeks, I'll be posting my Q2 2026 blog which will reflect on the past 3 months– a LOT has happened. You'll get to actually see how much I do. (Or, go look at my past reflection blogs.)