Project Curiosity- Burmese Podcast Win Phyo Ko

Hello 👋
As the late night hours blend into the early morning, my mind drifts to games of various sorts - specifically chess, poker, and pondering the broader "games" we engage in across politics, relationships and life in general.

I start with factual reflections on chess, noting how it focuses strictly on strategy without luck involved. One player's gain only comes at the direct loss of another. Does this reflect a zero-sum view of success? Are certain real-world arenas similarly cut-throat, where we must sacrifice others to achieve our aims?

With poker, random chance and calculated risks are major factors. Reading others and making the best moves with unpredictable information feels applicable in many situations requiring strategic social navigation. But are we truly in control, or do unseen forces shape outcomes beyond our knowledge?

This leads me to question - in the games woven throughout our existence, against whom exactly do we compete? Ourselves, other individuals, broad societal forces? What are the goals and stakes we're playing for - money, power, happiness defined by ever-shifting standards? Most significantly - are we truly the players, or might unseen hands be moving us as pieces on their board?

Where do we draw the line between fair and foul plays? What strategies do we accept or reject in love, politics and business? How do we balance cooperative and competitive drives to optimize mutual gain without compromising integrity?

I hope my mumblings provides similar midnight food for thought.

Hello! 👋 (⬇️Scroll down to read more)This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Thandar Aung Soe, a bright young woman from Myanmar who was selected as a Chevening scholar for the 2022-2023 intake.

Thandar shared her inspirational journey of becoming one of just 8 Chevening scholars from Myanmar last year. She discussed her background and what motivated her to apply for this prestigious UK government scholarship program. The Chevening scholarship provides full financial support for scholars to pursue a one-year master's degree at any UK university* 

Thandar walked me through her detailed planning and preparation process for the Chevening application. This included researching scholarship requirements, timing the application process, obtaining letters of recommendation, and drafting compelling personal essays. She highlighted how the 4 essays were a critical part of the process, where her passion, personal story and alignment with Chevening's mission had to clearly come across.

For those interested in applying, Thandar stressed the importance of understanding what makes you stand out as a leader and how your goals align with Chevening's mission. She advised on overlooked areas for applicants, like emphasizing the importance of grades from local universities, gaining ample work experience, and articulating those experiences effectively.

It was inspiring to hear first-hand from Thandar how she leveraged this opportunity to expand her horizons and gain new skills. She is now working towards a master's in development studies at the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). 

The Chevening scholarship application for 2023-2024 is now open (and closes on 7 November 2023).I hope this episode provides insights into the requirements, preparations, expectations, and inspirations to help you understand the application process.A few resources:


To learn more about Chevening:https://www.chevening.org/
Study with TAS (from the Chevener herself):https://www.facebook.com/studywithtas
UK in Myanmar (For news, updates and resources)https://www.facebook.com/ukinmyanmar
Approaching Essays:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP8_1uoNQlE&t=281s 
Chevening Scholarship Help (https://www.youtube.com/@cheveningscholarshiphelp)
Delphine Konda (https://www.youtube.com/@delphinekonda)
Askarina Bintari (https://www.youtube.com/@AskarinaBintari)

Hello! 👋

This week I had the opportunity to catch up with my former colleague Ma Thiri Yadanar Kyaw, who is now working as a Product Manager in the U.S.

Thiri shared insights into her career journey and role as a ⁠Product Manager⁠. Thiri walked me through how she transitioned from her background in finance into product management. A Product Manager acts as the voice of the customer and helps teams build products that meet customer needs. Her day-to-day involves a lot of meetings, facilitation, and stakeholder communication. ⁠Key skills⁠ for the role are being able to see the big picture, understand customer problems, and prioritize what's most important.

For those interested in product management, Thiri recommended gaining ⁠domain knowledge⁠ in an industry you care about, developing ⁠soft skills⁠, and obtaining relevant certifications. She discussed courses and resources that have helped her, which I will link below. Thiri also shared some practical tips for career growth. Focus on developing a ⁠growth mindset⁠, build your network, look for opportunities to gain new experiences, and don't be afraid to take risks.

We explored various other topics, including what Thiri is currently curious about. She discussed how she stays on top of trends in product management and ⁠UX design⁠ through newsletters, podcasts, and online communities while also working on Lending domain specific certifications. It was great to reconnect with Thiri and learn from her experiences. Her insights into product management and ⁠career growth⁠ were valuable. I appreciate her openness in sharing her journey and wisdom.


Resources mentioned/referenced:


PMI Certifications- https://www.pmi.org/certifications/agile-acp
SAFe by Scaled Agile- https://scaledagile.com/training/safe-product-owner-product-manager/
Product School- https://productschool.com
Books on Product Management- https://productschool.com/blog/career-development/top-most-read-books-by-product-managers
Leading Through Uncertainty: (Brian Chesky, Airbnb) https://config.figma.com/video-on-demand/6329872286112

Other Resources


What separates top product managers from the rest of the pack (McKinsey, 2023): https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/what-separates-top-product-managers-from-the-rest-of-the-pack

👋Hello again!

In this week's episode, I dive into the design thinking process for life and career planning using insights from Bill Burnett and Dave Evans’ book “Designing Your Life”. I have been feeling stuck recently in mapping out my next steps, so I revisited this practical handbook on applying design thinking principles to live.

The first step in the design process is to identify the problem by clarifying what exactly isn’t working. This involves collecting data over time through self-reflection and journaling to determine the root cause of feeling stuck. Once the problem is clearly defined, the next step is generating ideas and options through brainstorming. Bill and Dave recommend developing an “Odyssey Plan” of different 5-year life scenarios and “prototyping” each through conversations with others and low-risk experiments. This allows us to iterate and improve based on learning and feedback.

I also discussed Ali Abdaal’s video on “The 3 Alarms” by Eric Partaker which emphasizes focusing on your identity and purpose rather than specific goals or numbers. This aligns with the design thinking approach of seeking clarity on your core values and priorities before setting new goals. Accountability groups, like online study groups or Discord channels, support the design process through shared learning and encouragement. I appreciate how this book encourages action and data collection. It provides a framework to track my progress, documents my insights and prompts me to collect the dots - the observations, ideas and feedback - that will eventually connect into a clearer picture. As Steve Jobs said, "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards."

Resources mentioned/referenced:


Design Thinking (Concept)- IDEOu-https://www.ideou.com/pages/design-thinking
Designing Your Life- (Find Free Resources too)- https://designingyour.life/
Snippets from Stanford Life Design Lab- https://youtu.be/wnU5DaIPr2Q
How to Build a Life You Want by Ali Abdaal- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwSD4uCSX_M&t=421s
Steve Jobs's Quote on Connecting the dots from his speech at Stanford- https://news.stanford.edu/2005/06/12/youve-got-find-love-jobs-says/

👋Hello again!

In this episode, I have a conversation with my friend Laura about the concept of minimalism and how to embrace it in our daily lives. Laura is someone I have always admired for her calm and composed nature. Through our friendship, I have come to realize that her minimalistic mindset and lifestyle contribute greatly to her sense of peace. While the minimalism movement has gained mainstream popularity recently through Netflix shows and social media, she has been practising minimalism for years through her thoughtful choices and ⁠intentional living⁠.

We discuss how ⁠Laura⁠'s ⁠minimalism journey⁠ began by questioning each choice she made and asking herself, "Would a disciplined, healthy person do/choose this?" This simple prompt led her to reevaluate her diet, ⁠social circles⁠, and more. We also attempted to connect with the book by Dr Phyo Thiha- 'ဗုဒ္ဓအလိုကျ Minimalism' translated as Buddha's Way of Minimalism -emphasizing intentionality, emotional well-being and mastery of the mind.

By reducing excess stimulation and distraction, Laura gained confidence in herself, the ability to make purposeful choices and improved focus. Minimalism is not about strictly following ⁠prescriptive rules⁠, Laura emphasizes. It is a personal journey to simplify your life in a way that works for you. Some of the benefits she has found include: saving money, easier mobility, contributing to charity, and environmental sustainability. The key is starting small by minimizing one area at a time using the 90-day rule to determine what adds value.


Bottom line:
Our discussion highlights how minimalism enhances well-being through intentional living. By questioning each choice and reducing excess, we gain clarity and purpose. Minimalism leads to more meaningful consumption, relationships and experiences—not less. While popularized as a trend, minimalism at its core is a mindset for better living. Laura's guidance illustrates how we can each personalize minimalism through patience and practice. We realize minimalism extends far beyond material goods.



Resources mentioned/referenced:


Rodiobook's audiobook on ဗုဒ္ဓအလိုကျ Minimalism by Dr Phyo Thiha: https://open.spotify.com/episode/52gYiMh9Jmv3DRffNq9fU8?si=01b9028d9ebe43e2
https://www.theminimalists.com/
30-day Digital Minimalism Challenge: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1F3WsugZtMfK6D4nTAF07R?si=wV4SQfv4QDaqCuENB-Oo4g

👋 Hello again!

In this episode, I explore the concept of ⁠choice overload⁠ and ⁠analysis paralysis⁠ with my friend Ricky.

We discuss Barry Schwartz's book ⁠The Paradox of Choice⁠ and how having too many options can be overwhelming and stressful rather than empowering. The dilemma extends far beyond choosing which Netflix show to watch or perfume to buy. It impacts crucial life decisions like selecting a career, finding a partner and deciding where to settle down. For me personally, an overabundance of choices often leaves me stuck in analysis paralysis with no option selected and no action taken.

Ricky shares how he deals with this issue. He points out that setting constraints and limits can help filter the countless options into a manageable set. Instead of trying to find the perfect choice, settling for "good enough" can allow you to move forward with decision-making. We also realize that perspective matters. Reframing choice as a privilege rather than a burden can alleviate some of the pressure we feel during decision-making. And making peace with the likelihood of imperfect choices and the ability to course correct if needed helps reduce regret.

Overall, our discussion highlights how choice overload impacts not just small ⁠inconsequential decisions⁠ but also major ⁠life choices⁠ that shape our purpose, happiness and sense of meaning. While ⁠unlimited options⁠ may seem to empower on paper, we realize the value of constraints, satisfaction over maximization and the ability to adapt - all of which help us make choices that bring contentment instead of confusion.

Bottomline: Life presents many crossroads, big and small. At each juncture, we can choose connection over contention, peace over panic and compassion over criticism. Our choices ultimately shape our purpose and meaning, not the number of options before us.


Resources mentioned/referenced:


TED Talk (2007) Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6XEQIsCoM&t=582s
Extended version (2017)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhtmhaboE94
https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/economics/the-paradox-of-choice