How are you Jun-te on
June 2023
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I honestly can't believe it's the end of June already. We are halfway through the year 😱.
My sleep has gotten so bad due to the blinds being broken in my house. Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the LONG DAYS but I didn't realise how sensitive to light I am 😅.
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Fortunately for me, nothing a bit of medication can't solve but I do highly recommend some black-out blinds in the summer. Currently talking with the landlord to sort that out.
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First of all, some announcements for this newsletter
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The newsletter has gotten some upgrades!
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Notice these sexy 2 columns. I do like my pages having dividers 😏😏😏
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I'm using a newsletter editor now! (MailPoet)
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- More fancy HTML formatting for the reader
- Automatic emails list generation for my old newsletter (once I set it up) newsletter (juntekim.com)
- A way for you to manage your subscription in a more professional way with this link => subscription_page (juntekim.com) ( INCOMING MASSIVE UNSUBSCRIPTION 😰😰😰😰 )
- A way for people to subscribe AUTOMATICALLY newsletter (juntekim.com)
- Hopefully, cross-device compatibility. Read on your phone, tablet, or TV. Doesn't matter. ( Famous last words as a developer 😅😅 )
Unfortunately, the newsletter being amazing and having valuable and meaningful content is still not a guarantee.
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If you want to start a newsletter I would argue the importance of writing, over fancy newsletter editors.
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I'm literally learning how to use the fancy newsletter while I write this. However, the content was already done. It's easy when I can learn one skill at a time.
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Actionable advice for people that want to get started:
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ACTION: Email me monthly about what you are grateful for in that month. I would love to see the joy in the world so feel free to bombard me with how awesome the little things are. Feel free to share with me an awesome-shaped leaf or a satisfying-shaped rock.
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Get started. You'll learn everything else along the way. I must say, for me, starting this newsletter is honestly one of the things I look forward to at the end of the month. A lot happens in a month, I wouldn't want to forget it when I'm older either.
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Here's a gif to celebrate just because I can 🤣:
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I decided to produce more on Youtube as I had an accountability coach who gave me direct feedback on my videos.
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Essentially he wanted better titles and better thumbnails.
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I'm not going to lie. My video hasn't changed but my god does it look more presentable. I hate that it matters but it does 😢. I still love my hard-core fans who DM me every time I upload at 20:30 but even they loved the thumbnails. The feedback I got from ONE person was that the thumbnails seem cheesy. In which all I can say is, "You noticed, before you didn't. So it's working".
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FUN FACT: In the screenshot, you can't see how many views or subscribers I have. This is because I have extensions to hide that. You can't control how many subscribers or views you get. You can only control how many videos you produce. Keep going and focus on actionable things. Be proactive.
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So how have I made a process to make clickbaity titles and thumbnails easier?
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- Video Idea!
- Create Video
- Make a title when Youtube asks what title I want
- Upload
- Video Idea!
- Create Video
- Search Youtube for similar video ideas and copy titles that are good
- Search Google and check "people also search for"
- Ask ChatGPT which title you think will perform the best on Youtube 👀
- From the title, create a thumbnail using CANVA
- Create a new video and this time check the mic position and mic levels for better audio
- Say the title at the beginning and edit the video to put the title at the start
- Edit the video to keep it short
- Conclude the title at the end
- Edit a bit
- Upload
For some reason, people don't believe me that I make this checklist every time. So here is a gif of what I do when I start my video generation:
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For people that want the technical detail.
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- I use Roam Research for my note-taking app
- I have a saved template called 'Video Pipeline'
- I call on this 'template' every time I start my video-creating journey
- If someone gives me feedback or improvements I then edit it on my 'Video Pipeline' template
- Then when I make the next video I action the advice as I remember it because I see it in the 'Video Pipeline' template
- Processes everyone. Processes.
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Work-life balance. Doing good work. Making more money. Spending time with friends and family. Loving your dog. Wanting to buy that fancy coffee machine (Oracle Touch in our household), Eat that delicious food, and exercise because 'its good for you'.
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That's a lot of things that want your attention. Sounds exhausting and it was exhausting!
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It's a topic, I've talked a lot about with my business mentor ( Hi Jeff, if you are reading this 👋 ). The interesting point that Jeff mentioned to me was a source of truth. Not his words but mine 🤣.
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For context, I met my business mentor with a charity called Prince's Trust. Who helps 18 to 30 year old do something. Could be to find qualifications, could be to help you land a job. In my case, my business endeavors 😎😎😎
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In the prince's trust case, they want me to produce a document called a business plan. This business plan is their source of truth. To see if I am matching the goals that I have written up. Obviously, the business plan can change, but it is the instrument used by the charity to see if I am matching my goals with time.
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Being me, I decided to go off and find a software solution to this goal-setting requirement.
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For avid readers, you guys might remember me mentioning The Millionaire Fastlane . This book is currently my bible, with some other books. Anyhow the author of that book made an app for goal setting based on the 1/5/10 rule.
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The 1/5/10 rule is to see what you want to accomplish in 10 years. Be ambitious.
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So here are mine in writing ( I'm prepared for the judgment 🥱🥱🥱):
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- Make a million pounds profit a month with MealCraft Limited
- Build an Aesthetic Body
- Passive income from YNAB Consultations to be 3000 profit a month
- Mental Health Book detailing my story
- Buy a 5+ bed room house for my family in Richmond and a Volvo XC90
- Grow a Youtube channel to a million subscribers
- Read 52 books in a year
- Remove the question of "How are you" in my life. (👋👋👋👋)
- Meditate for an hour regularly
- Travel the world with Eden
- Reach 1000 elo in Chess
- Learn to play piano again
🤔🤔🤔 Just looking at this list, I'm exhausted.
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You then break down the '10-year' goal into a '5-year goal'.
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Let's take the "Make a million profit a month with a MealCraft Limited" as an example as that seems the most far fetch.
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In case you can't see the picture:
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- Mid Term Goals (2 to 6 Years)
- Create 10k profit a month in profits
- Short Term Goals (6-24 months)
- Create a minimal viable product (MVP)
- Monthly Goals (1-6 months)
- Review with Rowen Eden on the state of the MVP. Ask him if I deserve this tick
- Weekly Goals (1-3 weeks)
- Increase the number of code blocks (1.5 hours) I do in a week
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What does this mean in a habit every day?:
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If that hasn't had the same magic that it has done to me. Let me try and explain.
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For me to one day reach a million profit a month. It starts with me coding 1.5 hours a day. If I don't code my MVP 1.5 hours a day I am missing my goal. If I do code 1.5 hours a day I am closer to my goal.
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Because the goal is so absolutely ridiculous I can now do trade-offs.
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Do I want to spend my time playing a game of league or do I want to code for 1.5 hours?
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One will get me a skill rating in a game and gain status with my gaming friends or the promise of family security for my future family.
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Wow, the trade-offs are a lot easier now. Because it's always in front of me.
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Now does this mean if I code 1.5 hours a day I'll make a million profit in a month? Lol no. It just means I'm closer than if I haven't. Suddenly the prioritisation of time and goals are aligned.
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Also notice, how the 1.5 code a day is doable. Maybe not for you but for a software engineer who coded for 4 years of his life. Very do-able. So no matter the day, you just show up and do the 1.5 code. One day I'll have an MVP. One day I'll have revenue and one day I might be closer to my goal. That's it.
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If you don't think you have goals like I do. Then think carefully and check you are not in someone else's plan. My goals didn't come out of thin air. It took intentional focused time for me to spend time on this app and write it down. Don't forget iteration. I've iterated this for over a month.
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Here is currently my daily GOAL 'to-do list'. A reminder that this is NOT a to-do list. This is a list of your prioritisation.
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It also gives you metrics to see how you are doing!
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Talk about accountability.
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Did I mention it also makes a beautiful chime and confetti gets thrown when you do a task? NO? It's awesome and addictive.
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Hey, I'm just a monkey typing away. Whatever works!
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Hopefully, my monkey brain typing away makes it so I produce something worth of value...one day.
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Disclaimer: Yes, it is hard to tell the 'world' my goals. It is personal and intimidating. But that fear is just my monkey brain telling me people will care and be judgemental.
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If I don't share my goal, my truth. How can I get help from people that want to help me?!
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The trade-off is the delusion you'll lose your social hierarchy and miss the chance that people will want to help. Trust me when I say this. People help, just because. But people can't help if you don't know what you want. Tell them what you want and maybe, just maybe. Someone else will help you too.
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If I fail and miss my goals. Are you telling me I wouldn't have learned anything?!?!?!?!?!??!
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Cow-poo. You would have learned so much. That learning is enough to try. (*IN MY OPINION*)
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I get to write to you guys. I get to try. What a privilege.
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I'm grateful to be able to try.
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Literally, what someone messaged me while I was writing this part of the email:
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You guys. Seriously make this all worthwhile. It's an interesting point that different people prefer different mediums. I know some people who only read this newsletter. The guy up there only likes my daily YouTube videos 🤣
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My community is not concentrated in one platform but sparsed in different formats.
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Some people like my website. Some people like my school community. Some people do 1:1 video calls with me for virtual coffee or budget consultations. Some people like my Youtube. A select few only like seeing me in person.
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This made me think about community again. I was hoping for more concrete news before I made this announcement but It's been over a month since I started the process so I think I can tell you guys.
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I have built systems to allow limited time, money, and energy to keep my business going. Currently, the business costs me about £550 a month and bringing it just shy of £100 from various different revenue models. So technically, I'm a sinking ship 🚢🚢. However, I'm proud of what I accomplished so far from a money view. I made money 🤣🤣🤣 WHAT THE FREAK?!
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I'm pretty sure it'll keep growing BUT an interesting point came about with me and my fiancee. Most of the things I'm doing don't require much thinking time because I have systemized most of the work. It just requires my energy, 4 hours of focused work, and essentially a small amount of money. So as of today, I have applied for two jobs.
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One at Mcdonalds' and I have asked for a contract from my old employer (Garrison Technologies). 👀👀👀
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Notice, I said 'applied'. Nothing is concrete yet.
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Before I tell you the reason I applied to Mcdonlads, let me explain Garrison for 2 seconds. As I know some readers are from my ex-employer.
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It boils down to 'I miss you guys'. I got to work with smart, capable, and hilarious engineers. Who I used to automate their processes away. If I have the privilege to work with you guys again on a contractual basis. I'll be honored.
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My ex-boss asked me, "You essentially left because you wanted to learn more about business, what makes it different now?"
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First of all, "I've learned a lot more about business 😉", and in terms of learning. MealCraft Limited will 'fund' its employee an 'infinite' budget to go to 'training'. So... it's not something an employer can compete with 🤣.
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However, Garrison has access to people I want to help and automate their frustration away. It could be for my budget or meal planning solution. But let's be honest if Garrison wants me and does the trade-offs to 'buy me'. They'll put me to work.
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At the moment, the decision is with people far out of my control. I'll let the powers at be decide.
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One of the things I said to my manager was, "If Garrison says no, (due to trade-offs that are outside my control). It might be the best thing that happens to me".
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This now goes back to Mcdonalds. First of all the shift is ONLY on weekends and during the day. Mcdonalds as an enterprise is awe-inspiring. They have systems to flip burgers. They have systems for the human labor force. This I had to see and experience. I'm again waiting for the 'powers-at-be' to make a decision.
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The reason I want to go back to work is two-fold.
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Community and systems experience.
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Notice this is leveraging my network and existing openings from the marketplace. Essentially all my network building has been via work or transactional-based.
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There must be a better way...
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I just said to both workplaces. I'm open to work. Nothing has been confirmed. I've just been twiddling my thumbs (making content) for 2 weeks since the initial call with my ex-boss.
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I had a catch-up with a friend who started his life in Manchester. He and his wife moved to a new city; a new job and essentially a new life.
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They encountered some hardship which they shared with me. They then replied, "But due to our community; we've been able to persevere".
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I was like: "THE Freak?! How have you been able to form a community of people around you - in a quicker time than me who is basically doing this as a full-time job?"
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My friend: "We go to church"
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This then led to a whole conversation about the role of a higher power, the side-effect of the community it forms, and the people who are in it.
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For context, I'm a non-believer myself. The only time I believed in God was when it was spoon-fed to me by the guardians I used to live with and when I was delusional, literally.
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To then see my friend - who is an introvert himself, go through hardship and wasn't alone was something beautiful and may-I-say a miracle.
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I then realised I had a religion-belief problem.
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For those of you that don't know. My fiancee was also a religious person back in her teens days. She says to me 'It was a phase'. I think she says that because of my strong beliefs and/or lack of interest in my part. I have seen firsthand the lasting and amazing friends she has made due to her religious community.
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I'll be lying to you if I told you that "God" didn't impact me in any way in my life so far. My best friend was met via church. Some of my clientele were from my previous church communities. My parents also sought help when they first moved to the UK via a korea church community.
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There is something to this religious stuff. Some might even say a higher power.
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Now as a pragmatic man myself. It seemed scary to visit the church once a week. It seem hard for me to follow any religious practices and seemed WAY OUT OF THE QUESTION to my current belief system. THIS IS RIGHT UP MY ALLEY. This is me going out of my comfort zone.
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Worst things that could happen: I stop attending church
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Best thing I can imagine right now: An everlasting relationship with my local community. More board game nights + more poker nights.
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My relationship was already growing with my local community by me being a regular to my barber, the dog-sitters with who I have a deep and personal connection via their dogs, and also some volunteering work I've done. However, the relationships were transactional at best.
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I like to just defend my friend and tell you he was not a salesman to Christianity. Literally, picture the opposite of a stereotypical sales man and you get my friend.
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He was intrigued however how open to the idea I was as most people aren't this open.
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It boiled down to some fundamental things:
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- I haven't been as an adult and was terrified by the idea of going. "A non-Christian man entering a holy ground, how dare he?!"
- I wanted to grow a more meaningful and deep relationship with my LOCAL Community. Most importantly outside of work.
- There was a massive belief problem I had with God. Which I wanted to explore as an adult instead of the indoctrination I was submitted to as a child.
- My family is very far away. My new family (me + Eden) wants to go together.
Can I just say, this is not limited to Christianity.
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If you have any religious or spiritual thing to teach.
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Please send them my way. I'll be happy to embark.
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Me and Eden have booked a calendar event to go to church on 2nd July 2023.
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As you guys will probably guess, I live and die by my calendar. (Fun fact: My older brother calls it the religion of Systemtology)
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I'm definitely curious. I also can't believe this is what it means for me to go out of my comfort zone.
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It sounds so stupid but yeah. I don't feel comfortable with the idea of going to church but all logic tells me that the people in the church will be open, kind and respectful. For now, I will embrace. Amen.
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As always, thank you for your continued support. I hope you enjoyed the newsletter as much as I wrote it. It's an honor to write for you guys.
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P.S: As you can see from the footer, I need to get rid of 'Add your postal address here!'. I will add that to my backlog. Ah, the ever-growing list that I will never complete.
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