I have been an autodidact my whole life. At 10, I purchased a manual of algebra in preparation for high school, learning to balance equations and use simple exponent functions. At 14, in an attempt to out compete my peers, I purchased my cousin's old college textbooks and started learning on online platforms. Today I enjoy podcasts, digital learning platforms, business school required reading lists, and online certifications.

Throughout my life being curious and competitive has pushed me out of my comfort zone. I never allowed my acrophobia to prevent me from cliff diving or skydiving. I owe much of this to my older brother who forced me to be brave. To see if I could. This has been life enriching. I have backpacked through 10 countries, visited 49 US states, gone spelunking, tried crazy foods, and even trusted strangers.

It is not rewarding unless it is challenging. I have built businesses, designed technical diagrams, and have written music and sales manuals. They all had one thing in common. They were not easy. Creating taught me that knowing is very different from doing and it comes with failure. Success is a function of time more than talent, and determination + curiosity can take you anywhere you want.