i'm 28

while some of you fresh graduates might consider me ancient at 28, let's take a look at the bigger picture.

even if i were double my age, i still wouldn't be eligible for:

• social security
• accessing retirement funds without penalties
• qualifying for medicare
• receiving full pension benefits

with that perspective in mind, it's clear that there's a lot more to accomplish. got a job at faang right out of college? great! but do you really think you'll work there for the next 30 years? even if that's possible, what are the odds of not getting outcompeted or wanting something different by then?

and even if you retire at 60, with people living well into their 80s and 90s, that's another 20-30 years ahead — almost as long as i've lived so far. those in their healthy 60s have another journey ahead, even after they've contributed decades to society.

perspective is what fuels motivation. it's not just about what you've done, but what's still possible.

so ask yourself: why let others define your limits? don't be confined by others' expectations. embrace your aspirations fearlessly and achieve what you once thought was impossible.

not because they are easy, but because they are hard.

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“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

“Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone.”

“And therefore, as we set sail, we ask God's blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.”

- John F. Kennedy, Rice University Speech, September 12, 1962

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that speech was delivered 62 years ago.

it's 2024.

we stand at the forefront of unprecedented possibilities

• open source technology democratizes innovation
• artificial intelligence augments human potential
• information flows freely, empowering even the most remote corners of society
• blockchain ensures transparent and secure transactions
• virtual reality creates immersive learning experiences
• 3d printing revolutionizes manufacturing and prototyping

and this is just the beginning.

each of these tools redefines our biological human potential.

sounds great but you already have the power to harness all of this — right from your own bedroom today.

don’t let ignorance hold you back.

there has never been a better time to see what you are capable of.

the time to act is now.

let’s do the hard work and achieve great things. for yourself and for the future. i’ll be driving these spikes into the tracks right alongside you.

there’s a long road ahead, and we’ve got plenty to build.

-- david