James Hsu

This is another “cheat week” for me in terms of writing. I need to keep writing on a weekly basis, so I will keep it short and sweet 🙂 BUT I have justification for not providing you, dear reader, with a 3,000 word essay! Read on…

I have been occupied with a number of things as of late:

• First and foremost, I started a new role at Microsoft. The role is very exciting and I will be working with some old friends again. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and am looking to make a difference in this team. I want to thank some very special people for making this role a reality — y’all know who you are!
• Quality time with the wife. I feel as if we’ve reached a new level in our relationship — where quality trumps quantity. We are both independent people who do not feel the absolute need to hang out daily. She has her circle and I have mine. It took us (OK, mostly me) many years to get to this stage and I feel more grateful and happy than ever. Our honeymoon next month should be a great time for us.
• I have been trying to reach out to people who are interesting, in terms of their background and worldview, and having 1:1 conversations with them. It makes me very happy to do so. Keeping things fresh and social is the key here.
• I have been playing a bit of basketball. Just played some full-court basketball last night and hit two game-winners over two games. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing the ball glide through the basket! The biggest change for me right now is my mindset and focus when it comes to competition. Mind you, it is very casual competition. Nonetheless, I want to be the best at what I do when I step on the court. Visualization and conviction are two new skills in my “tool belt” — and they work well. That, and just being in better shape, period.
• I am currently in the midst of launching a new podcast series about product management. I am excited about taking my interview techniques and applying them to what I do in my day job. The first interview is now in the bag, and I am eager to record a few more episodes soon.
• My second book is underway. I am taking the “Humans of Magic” interview series and transcribing select audio interviews into text. I have a partner/friend in China who is helping me release a Chinese version of it, too. It is really fun to revisit past talks and to hopefully deliver value to like-minded Magic fans around the world.
• I interviewed a great guest for the “Humans of Magic” podcast this week. She had been interviewed many times in the past. And yet, she said that I gave the best interview! I could not be happier to hear this.

That is it for this week! Will be traveling a bit for work over the next few weeks, but will hopefully keep my writing habits intact.

Peace,

James