10 Lessons from a Year of Bicoastal
Bicoastal recently hit its one-year mark. This has been a really weird year. But it’s time to recap, share what I’ve learned, and where I’m going next.
10 Lessons From Year 1 of Bicoastal
Post on the Internet
I need to get better at this, but I’ve finally realized how important it is to share what you’ve been working on with others. Bicoastal led to me writing for SLAM for a few months. I now work out of their space full time, building my consumer device: iShiver. I wouldn’t be where I am today unless I put stuff out on the internet and a few cool people happened to read it. I’m not declaring victory; the challenges that I face today are far greater than those I faced a year ago. But I think the opportunity to solve problems of my choosing is a blessing.
Posting online today is the Gen Z equivalent of walking into the CEO’s office with a collared shirt and asking for a job in the 1960s. Pull yourself up from your bootstraps, go post a TikTok.
2. Don’t Run Out of Money
Obviously.
3. Don’t Make Money the Goal
The goal isn’t money. The goal is to believe in yourself to be able to make money. This way a layoff, a bad month, or a spike in expenses won’t shake your foundation as hard.
Full disclosure: I haven't reached this state of financial nirvana.
4. Reread Great Books
People have been dissecting, digesting, and regurgitating the Bible, Quran, Torah, Bhagwat Geeta, and the Guru Granth Sahib for millennia. If you like a book, why not reread it at least once?
5. Move the F*ck of your Parents House
I literally don’t care how much money you’re gonna save on rent.
6. Take risks. Don’t take mistakes and failure personally.
You’re gonna mess up. Hard. And then you’re gonna think, “I should have listened to the haters and never taken this risk to begin with”. Fight that urge and double down.
It’s usually just an obstacle that while inconvenient now will feel insignificant in a few months.
7. Cherish Good Friendships
If you’re gonna move out of your parents' house then you need to find people who will become your new support system. Once you find them you must treat them like family and nurture the relationship like a fragile plant that you’ve planted in your garden. Be a good friend, even when it’s inconvenient to do so.
8. Try New Things
I’ve been going to a lot more art-related events. Like painting, origami, and so forth. I also go to events where I don’t know a ton of people. It’s been unnatural for me, but refreshingly and rewarding.
9. You’re Gonna Become Old
Don’t delay your dreams. Just do it now. I’m turning 24 this year. There isn’t that much time left to take risks and turn your life into the adventure that you’ve always dreamed of.
Go sign up for the marathon. Book that flight. Send that cold email. Or talk to that stranger at the party. Because sooner or later, you’re gonna be 45 and living in San Ramon and it’s gonna suck.
10. Things Take Longer Than You Expect
Doing anything worthwhile requires time, care, and passion. You have to forget about the rewards and focus on the craft for a long time. Then maybe— just maybe— will you reap the fruits of your labor.
11. Don’t Take Advice From Anyone
Advice is free. And people love to give it (including myself). Don’t listen to them. Heck, don’t even listen to me. Go experiment, collect data, and develop conclusions on your own. Most people don’t know what they are doing. Experimentation is the only way to find answers.
What’s next for me. I really have no idea. Working on iShiver, while immensely rewarding, isn’t paying the bills. The clock is ticking, but in a good way. I need to figure out how to make iShiver work or table it and move onto the next thing. I can’t tell you exactly where I’ll be next year, but that’s the beauty of life.
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-Rajveer