This is the first part of a series where I want to share how to become a better and more positive individual, based on my observations of prominent figures and my own experiences managing a small café, lecturing at a college, and side hustling in the software business.

In every Positive+ post, I will generally share five experiences I have encountered while struggling to complete my tasks, mostly from my time as a café manager. From this perspective, I can view situations from multiple angles—whether as an employer, an employee, or even as an outsider.

1. Dream big

Remember when we were kids, dreaming big—wanting to be Superman, Batman, or any other cool superhero? But now, it feels so different after getting punched in the face by reality, many times. I remember some of my visionary friends telling me to keep dreaming big. They said that when your dream is big, even if you achieve only 10% of it, it’s still far better than someone who dreams small and achieves 100%. In a way, it’s like setting a high bar or threshold for the level we want to become. Yes, people are different, but personally, I choose to dream big, even if it seems almost impossible to achieve. Why shouldn’t I aspire to be like Albert Einstein, Al-Khwarizmi, Elon Musk, or Nurmagomedov? So, set the bar high—but also realize that you need the necessary steps to reach it.

2. Find the Roadmap

From my own experience, I often feel confused about what I should do—especially when I’m unfamiliar with a domain. Sometimes, we know the roadmap for what we want to learn, but many times, we don’t. When that happens, I simply start exploring—browsing the internet, asking friends, or even learning from random conversations with people I meet on the street. Having a roadmap gives us a sense of progress (Where are we right now? 15%? 80%?), which benefits us because it reminds us that we’re steadily moving toward our ultimate goal. Moreover, by understanding someone’s roadmap through a conversation or their biographies, we can also recognize the patterns they follow to achieve their goals. I find it fascinating to learn why someone pursues something. It’s like you don’t personally know them, yet, in a way, you understand them on a deeper level.

3. Take the first step

Most of my business partners and the figures I admire say that the first step is the hardest step. This is because we often start in a foggy area, not knowing what to do or how to do it. However, I argue that we can actually learn from the pain of failure in two ways: first, by experiencing it ourselves, or second, by learning from someone else’s experiences. Reading a biography allows us to absorb the lessons of great figures, which can save us a lot of time compared to learning everything the hard way. But regardless of how we learn, the key is to take that first step. Just like in Warcraft or Dota, the fog will disappear as you move forward.

4. Afraid is okay too

Having fear is a natural part of being human. So, it’s okay to be afraid of the unknown. In fact, fear can sometimes be a weapon that helps us anticipate challenges ahead. As a Muslim, I believe in the concept of destiny, and also uncertainty. There are two kinds of destinies: absolute destiny and temporary destiny. Absolute destiny refers to things that are inevitable—such as death. No one in history has ever escaped death, and no one ever will. Since we cannot change it, we must embrace it by focusing on what we can control and making a positive impact on those around us. Temporary destiny, on the other hand, consists of the branching paths that shape our journey. While the final destination may be uncertain, we have the ability to choose different roads to reach our goals. Naturally, we all want to take the best possible path. How do we do that? By giving our best effort—because temporary destiny can be influenced by our own actions. Additionally, I believe that our surroundings—our friends, family, and even divine forces like God or the universe—also play a role in shaping our path.

5. Embrace what’s ahead

As I mentioned, there are things we know and things we don’t know. Embracing what lies ahead is also a good first step toward reaching our goals. The feeling—the adrenaline rush of anticipation, of stepping into the unknown—is an art in itself. One of the arts of life. Because we don’t yet know what we will achieve, the journey remains a mystery. But if we are willing and brave enough to embrace the fog of challenges, we have already made a small step forward—a tiny percentage of progress toward our dreams.

That is for now, I will share more on the next post. Disclaimer: I use ChatGPT to evaluate my grammar.