I always joke that we Asian people don’t really say I love you or I’m proud of you. We’re way better at expressing care through jokes. But there are a few special days each year when we actually get to say how much you mean to us.
Happy birthday @saljoo__
To the past seven months
The past few years have been really good. But something always felt slightly off, I just couldn’t quite name it. Looking back, it came from not going all in on something, and without that, you couldn’t feel the sense of release that only comes after you’ve truly burned for something.
Last year, I was given the chance to build a new race in Emei. Excited, I love creating something new. But also, I had no idea where to start.
So I did what I usually do: just talked to people. A lot of people. There were moments of real inspiration, but also asked questions I couldn’t answer yet, so embarrassed.
The simplest the hardest one: What kind of race do you actually want to create?
Behind that is everything—
Who is it for?
What values does it carry?
What kind of spirit does it grow into?
It’s as hard as asking what kind of person you want to be.
If you’ve never truly lived in a place—felt its people, its culture, the weather—
how can you expect to tell a touching story just by imagining it?
My other clumsy way, was just to start trying everything I could think of. Exhausting, but it worked. Through trial and error, the answers became clearer.
Thanks to everyone along the way.
See you in Emei next year.
