Peer Role Model #003

Meet this week’s peer role model — a doer who is neck-deep in chasing something. They’re probably obsessed and they shape their own processes and frameworks.

Gavin Ong

Gavin is a solid dude. I mean physically; the man is burly. Mentally, he’s incredibly sharp and emotionally intense. I deeply admire many of his abilities, almost to the point of envy. He's a self-taught career software engineer, makes well-thought-out and unique investments, and regularly pushes his comfort zone.

But it’s his unique mindset for growth that really sets him apart. Though emotionally flexible, he’s stubborn and doesn’t tend to think like the mainstream hustler.

We met at a ClassPass workout and instantly hit it off. For the record, I approached him first.

I’ll let Gavin introduce himself. By the end his segment, you’ll understand why him and I are such good friends and why his perspective is unique.

Connect with Gavin on Instagram and LinkedIn.

What are you currently experimenting with?

Exploring data to find the most profitable AirBnB markets; it has been eye opening. I was surprised at the profitability of running a short term rental completely remotely. It has been an overall success, apart from the fact that running a side hustle on top of my already demanding job has made life a bit challenging to stay balanced.

Running a business like this has made me realize the unlimited potential for leverage - in terms of money, time and human capital - whilst also mulling over the idea of evaluating risk based on personality and one’s own ability to execute.

I was so skeptical when I first started this journey; it made me realize that opportunities are truly everywhere, though the naysayers are the ones that hope things won’t work out for you because they’re too scared to try. That said, you have to know your strengths and what defines you to be better than the average person to succeed, and knowing yourself can be a pretty tough exploration.

What is the part of your process that yields 80% of the results? (80/20 rule)

Understanding that starting & experimenting is everything. Because planning can only happen once you know what you can plan.

Conventional thinking dictates that a plan needs to happen before you execute (like, a business plan before you begin!) and that stops people from discovering what truly matters through experimentation. So I always start until I find I’m on the right track, and break my cycle by scheduling to revisit the problem later quickly before I get sucked into an emotional rabbit hole trying to solve a problem that’s redundant.

What book or podcast do you consistently recommend to others?

Atomic Habits by James Clear. Daily habits helped me learn myself and build trust in what I was capable of doing so I can invest more in my strengths.

What is something you do differently than most people in your field?

Books about writing software!

For years I was slow at learning how to be an effective software engineer, thinking that I could cram it by reading books. Until I realized that the essence of being an engineer is solving problems, and so experimenting and breaking things so that I can learn the morals of why I should/shouldn’t do something first hand means everything. The best things I can build are the things that don’t have a blueprint.

Don’t get me wrong, books have their place - they are great references once I’ve experimented. But don’t treat them like you’re studying for an exam. That was a habit I had to unlearn, hard.

What’s one thing you preach but struggle to practice?

Being emotionally honest with yourself.

It’s so easy to see what makes someone come alive and inspired vs things that tear them down. It’s easy to know what someone needs to do to get out of their own rut. Though trying to do that to myself - I’m a dogged individual, even if it means I have to be knocked down a hundred times before I feel like something needs to change. The problem is that I’ve come to rely on my natural ability to exercise grit and can force a successful outcome with brute force. 

Sometimes, you have to learn to surf at the right time when the winds are in your favor.

Brag, Ask, Give

Brag: What’s your biggest, baddest, real brag? Lay it on thick. Flex on 'em.

What an interesting question.

My elevator pitch to those on the social media hype train would be - I’ve touched 3 startups that have successfully exited and am in another that’s a unicorn. And I’ve beaten Cameron Smith (former world #1 golfer) in a golf game before! And as a 12 year old, I was making $300 per hour.

Though funnily enough, my pride comes from zero of that.

I actually left Silicon Valley because I discovered that wasn’t who I was - though I’m still a guy who can duke it out in tech. No, my biggest flexes are that I rode from SF to LA on someone else’s bike, I’ve lived in 6 different major cities chasing experiences to become a better me, I can bench 250 lbs and you’ll be shocked how well I can start a conversation with a stranger. And I’ve both survived doing stand-up comedy bombing in front of strangers as well as being a favorite act of the night all in the same year. And I played cupid to my two best friends, both of whom are now married to each other and starting a family!

Ask: What or who are you on the hunt for right now?

A way to find a life that enables me to be emotionally present and welcome love of all forms while surviving the chaos that is the world of AI and what it might unleash on us all. To find the definition of what constitutes balance for me.

On the “who” side of things - I’ve written code to find the best profitable markets and deals for AirBnB and a system that can generate an income of 100% of initial cash invested for 3-5 hours per week. But I need partners who are willing to contribute time to learn the system and co-run it with me to grow.

Give: What can you offer to potential collaborators/mentees/clients?

Data-backed opportunities for profitable returns on cash, efficient systems for time management, and deep personal explorations of emotional depth and unpopular truths. A perspective of someone who is not American, whom is willing to press up against political fads.

If you want to connect with Gavin, reach out on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Also, if you know any peer role models, please send them my way!