Choose Kindness

Picking clarity over comfort

"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always." - Robin Williams

Kindness might be the most misunderstood trait. Growing up, I was taught to be nice, polite, quiet when adults spoke. Years of building products and teams taught me different. Real kindness isn't about keeping quiet—it's about caring enough to make others better.

Real kindness is telling a designer their mockups need another pass, not because you want to be critical, but because you see their potential for excellence. It's speaking up in all-hands when jargon flies, even if it makes you look like the "dumb" one asking questions. It's saying what needs to be said because clarity matters more than comfort.

This year, I spent months helping founders build their companies. Many vanished after countless hours of advice and introductions. Some raised through other paths entirely. That's fine. Kindness isn't transactional—it compounds through unexpected channels. The founder you help today guides three others tomorrow. The universe has its own scoreboard.

The hardest lesson? Choosing being loving over being right. In relationships, my direct nature creates friction. Being right might win the argument, but it often breaks what we're trying to build. True kindness is knowing which battles serve growth and which serve ego.

Most people avoid hard truths to be nice. But real impact comes from being kind enough to care more about someone's growth than their comfort. Or yours.