Welcome to the first double issue of the newsletter. This week, you are getting an essay not only from me, but also from one of my favourite authors, Olya Polevikova. One topic, two perspectives.

Find Olya’s essay in your inbox after reading this one.

What’s your job again?

— What do you do for a living?

— I’m a cardiologist. And you?

— 😰😰😰

For a long time, conversations like this have been awkward for me.

Not only don’t I have a satisfying public-facing answer, but I also struggle to find a concise explanation for myself. What value do I bring to the table? What’s my actual profession?

Not this, not this

It can’t be “Head of Growth at a tech startup”, my current job title. Growth is not what I care most about, nor is it something I’m particularly good at. I won’t be able to (and wouldn’t want to) do this job outside Fibery at this particular stage of the company. It’s a miracle that it has worked (so far) in the first place.

I’m okay at writing (you’ll be the judge), analyzing data, and managing products, but I’m not a “writer”, a “data analyst”, or a “product manager” outside of a specific morning.

I’ve spent the past ten years building collaboration software. Maybe, that’s my thing — creating tools for thought? This one feels closer to home, but what about my love affair with voting systems or my affection for inventing games?

Is there a way to describe what I’m

1) uniquely good at,

2) passionate about,

3) being paid for

if not in a couple of words, then at least not in a 52-minute podcast?

Maybe this

Here’s my best take as of today:

I figure out, create, and explain systems that empower curious people.

It’s just eleven words, but it’s taken me roughly the same number of hours to conceive and arrange them 🙈. Let’s go piece by piece:

Figure out. That’s my core meta-skill. If there are at least a hundred people on the planet who have figured something out, I will too — it’s only a question of motivation and time. Nuclear physics? Cuneiform writing? German taxes? My arrogance leaves no place to fear 😅.

Create. While I enjoy absorbing and highlighting the work of others, I have an irresistible urge to create something of my own¹. This includes writing, coding, and organizing people. But what I’m most excited about (and, maybe, best at) is coming up with the rules of a game, in a broad sense of the word.

Explain. I get satisfaction from turning something inscrutable into something that sparks curiosity or action. Explanation is also a practical necessity: even a “perfect” system is no good if no one is using it, and to use it, people have to understand it first.

Systems. I’ve been fascinated by systems since primary school. Instead of ignoring or fighting complexity, I appreciate and (respectfully try to) tame it.

Empower. My ambition is to help people understand and shape the world around them. There is nothing wrong with providing entertainment, but that’s just not a strong enough motivation for me.

Curious. For some reason, all of my work requires effort from the reader, user, or player to get value from it. Whether it’s interactive explanations, DIY product features, or free-form games, I build stairs, not lifts. Not everyone can deal with it, but curious people can.

People. Unlike many nerds obsessed with systems, I love people and the uncertainty they bring. I’ll pick urban design over microchip design every single time.

Put to the test

Now let’s see if my past work fits this self-presentation, or if I’m bullshitting myself.

Here’s a table with my projects² showing how well they fit each aspect of my new “job description”:

Not bad at all.

So what?

Now, what’s the point of this self-reflection?

A better understanding of my professional value

• helps me to pursue projects that are more likely to make me happy;

• helps you to understand what I can help you with and reach out.

If you find yourself in a similar position where your job title doesn't do you justice, try digging deeper. No need to turn it into an essay like you’re some freaking narcissist, just do it for yourself.

Feel free to share your musings or at least the new “job description” with me if you want to, though. Reply to this email or reach out on socials. I’m curious!

¹Perhaps, that’s why I never pursued a career in data journalism, despite it checking all other boxes.

²Here are some links for the most curious readers: Fibery, Games, Newsletter, Voting Systems, Replay Table, Prioritization with Networks, Public Transport Schedule.

Me again

If you are curious about my career path and understand Belarusian, check out my recent 52-minute interview by Tatsiana Dziamchuk:

Fun fact: as far as I know, this is the first time anyone in my family has spoken Belarusian on record.

Favourites

• (🎬 18 min) Backyard ultra is a crazy idea. Every hour, you run a 6.7 km loop until you can’t. The best runners do this for 100+ hours straight. Absolutely mental. I’m tempted to try this at home 😅.

• (🎬 16 min) Have you ever seen a border collie herding sheep? I’m a happier man now that I have. Bonus points for my beloved Scottish accent.

• 🕹️ You have probably heard of Geoguessr, where you have to figure out where on Earth you are from a Google Street View photo. Now, there’s a new game in town —TimeGuessr, where you have to not only say where the photo was taken but also when.

This was issue #10, find more at antoniokov.com. But read Olya’s essay first.