Sumiko Tan, one of Singapore’s most influential columnists, did a feature interview on Vitalik Buterin. It was a fascinating and informative read, and I came away from the article with several lessons I learnt from the man.
- Live Simply
Vitalik Buterin lives out of a 40-litre Hynes Eagle travel backpack to facilitate his nomadic lifestyle. He has 8 tees and 8 pairs of underwear, most of which are from Uniqlo because its products are renowned for being light. When you trim the fat off your lifestyle and travel life literally and metaphorically, you can focus your energy on your topmost priorities.
- Apply what you learn
His father bought him computer programming books when he was ten. Commendably, he read these books and applied the knowledge gleaned from them to create games by himself. This was how he became adept at programming. It is only by trying to replicate the methods and strategies you learn from elsewhere that they become assimilated into your body and mind. If he had never honed his expertise in programming, he would not have been able to conceptualise Ethereum.
- Be ready for opportunities
Part of the reason why Vitalik travels light is that he doesn’t plan his life beyond two months so that he can readily pack all his possessions and head over to where the next event is. While you may be loaded with responsibilities that prevent you from acting so nimbly, you should nevertheless sharpen your saw so that you can seize opportunities whenever they come knocking at your doorstep. Or better still, create chances yourself.
