Dear Friends, For me, 2022 was another year of too much doom and gloom. But—unlike 2021—it was punctuated by many moments of profound delight and optimism. Let’s get the unhappy stuff out of the way first: Uncertainty about the COVID lockdowns in China. Seeing the US and Chinese governments lumber into a lose-lose cold war like two drunken apes. And a whole lot of disappointment at work. Each spiked last year, and I have trouble shaking them from my mind. Sometimes I wonder if I’m just evolvi...

Dear Friends, For me, 2022 was another year of too much doom and gloom. But—unlike 2021—it was punctuated by many moments of profound delight and optimism. Let’s get the unhappy stuff out of the way first: Uncertainty about the COVID lockdowns in China. Seeing the US and Chinese governments lumber into a lose-lose cold war like two drunken apes. And a whole lot of disappointment at work. Each spiked last year, and I have trouble shaking them from my mind. Sometimes I wonder if I’m just evolvi...

Dear Friends, This year I greet you stuck in our Beijing apartment trying to avoid Coronavirus. Offices are closed for safety, so I'll be working from home until the outbreak dies down. Flora and I are fine—if a little stir-crazy—we’re more concerned for folks in Wuhan and other places whose livelihoods are threatened by the disease. Nevertheless, the quiet is an occasion to reflect. For the first year in a while, my world lacked enormous changes. Flora and I lived in the same place and ...

Dear Friends, This year I greet you stuck in our Beijing apartment trying to avoid Coronavirus. Offices are closed for safety, so I'll be working from home until the outbreak dies down. Flora and I are fine—if a little stir-crazy—we’re more concerned for folks in Wuhan and other places whose livelihoods are threatened by the disease. Nevertheless, the quiet is an occasion to reflect. For the first year in a while, my world lacked enormous changes. Flora and I lived in the same place and ...

Dear Friends, I had no good reason to be unhappy in 2021. Flora and I were healthy, our families were safe, we had good jobs, and we were able to live quite freely in terms of going out and domestic travel. Yet I still felt bad almost every day, and the low mood kept me from pursuing things I thought were important. I’ve had years like that before, and I bet more will come. It’s surely more common than social media feeds would have us believe. Fortunately, unsatisfying times trigger reflectio...

Dear Friends, I had no good reason to be unhappy in 2021. Flora and I were healthy, our families were safe, we had good jobs, and we were able to live quite freely in terms of going out and domestic travel. Yet I still felt bad almost every day, and the low mood kept me from pursuing things I thought were important. I’ve had years like that before, and I bet more will come. It’s surely more common than social media feeds would have us believe. Fortunately, unsatisfying times trigger reflectio...

Daniel’s 2018 Mid-Year UpdateDear Mentors, Colleagues, and Friends, I'm sending an extra update because of some life changes. First, I graduated business school and found a job at Google. My team helps local technology companies in Asia bring their products to people around the globe--I'm so excited to start this next part of my career. Second, I wrote my first piece of software, a web application called Tasky. You can try it out here. In my last note, I mentioned my goal of positiv...

Daniel’s 2018 Mid-Year UpdateDear Mentors, Colleagues, and Friends, I'm sending an extra update because of some life changes. First, I graduated business school and found a job at Google. My team helps local technology companies in Asia bring their products to people around the globe--I'm so excited to start this next part of my career. Second, I wrote my first piece of software, a web application called Tasky. You can try it out here. In my last note, I mentioned my goal of positiv...

Dear Mentors, Colleagues, and Friends, Happy 2018! Last year, I left Beijing and completed my first year at Columbia Business School. Below are three anecdotes about my year that I hope you find enjoyable.Fishes and PondsI had a clear purpose in China: through multinational businesses and nonprofits, to build ties between China, the U.S., and the rest of the world. I was the American guy who spoke Mandarin. I volunteered for nonprofits to build intercultural ties. I built many strong groups o...

Dear Mentors, Colleagues, and Friends, Happy 2018! Last year, I left Beijing and completed my first year at Columbia Business School. Below are three anecdotes about my year that I hope you find enjoyable.Fishes and PondsI had a clear purpose in China: through multinational businesses and nonprofits, to build ties between China, the U.S., and the rest of the world. I was the American guy who spoke Mandarin. I volunteered for nonprofits to build intercultural ties. I built many strong groups o...

Dear Mentors, Colleagues, and Friends, In January 2015, I was feeling good. Very good. I had just gotten married, was growing rapidly at work, and had taken on roles in prestigious community organizations. But, at the close of 2015, I was not feeling so great. My ego took a hit when I was not accepted to my dream business schools. It's as good a test of character for which I could ask in the coming year--will I let it haunt me or will the experience be a source of renewed motivation? Non...

Dear Mentors, Colleagues, and Friends, In January 2015, I was feeling good. Very good. I had just gotten married, was growing rapidly at work, and had taken on roles in prestigious community organizations. But, at the close of 2015, I was not feeling so great. My ego took a hit when I was not accepted to my dream business schools. It's as good a test of character for which I could ask in the coming year--will I let it haunt me or will the experience be a source of renewed motivation? Non...

Dear Mentors, Colleagues, and Friends, I hope you had a wonderful holiday and are tackling the new year with gusto. 2016 offered me a challenge. I was rejected from the business schools I had been hoping for years to attend. After encouragement from many of you, I resolved to try again and am excited to bring news of success: I am now a full-time MBA student at Columbia University. It's the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I have left China, a second home where I spent over half a ...

Dear Mentors, Colleagues, and Friends, I hope you had a wonderful holiday and are tackling the new year with gusto. 2016 offered me a challenge. I was rejected from the business schools I had been hoping for years to attend. After encouragement from many of you, I resolved to try again and am excited to bring news of success: I am now a full-time MBA student at Columbia University. It's the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I have left China, a second home where I spent over half a ...

Dear Friends, Last year, my letter began, “I greet you stuck in our Beijing apartment trying to avoid Coronavius.” Global spread of that disease has since brought massive suffering around the world, and disheartening unrest back home in the U.S. glued me to the news for too much of 2020. Nevertheless, the year also brought new joys and perspectives. Habits COVID-19 upended everyone’s daily routines, so my earlier lament about the difficulties of changing habits feels moot. What better time to...

Dear Friends, Last year, my letter began, “I greet you stuck in our Beijing apartment trying to avoid Coronavius.” Global spread of that disease has since brought massive suffering around the world, and disheartening unrest back home in the U.S. glued me to the news for too much of 2020. Nevertheless, the year also brought new joys and perspectives. Habits COVID-19 upended everyone’s daily routines, so my earlier lament about the difficulties of changing habits feels moot. What better time to...

For the past several years, I’ve written an annual letter to family, friends, and colleagues. It’s both an update (since I don’t post much about myself on social media) and a reflection on the previous year. Shuffling between the U.S. and China during college, I started writing the once-a-year missives as a way to keep in touch with people I don’t see often. However, I never expected how transformational and therapeutic the practice would become. A letter forces me to summarize my year. What ...

For the past several years, I’ve written an annual letter to family, friends, and colleagues. It’s both an update (since I don’t post much about myself on social media) and a reflection on the previous year. Shuffling between the U.S. and China during college, I started writing the once-a-year missives as a way to keep in touch with people I don’t see often. However, I never expected how transformational and therapeutic the practice would become. A letter forces me to summarize my year. What ...