The other day, I got a call from yet another unknown number.

I panicked for a moment thinking back to the time my old workplace called me while I was shopping for groceries. But I wasn’t that busy this time, so I picked up out of curiosity,

An automated voice answered me:

“Hello, I’m from JobStreet, and your resume has been approved…”

🤮

I hung up immediately, but I wish I had let it ramble on because it would have given me great email fodder to write more stories.

Still, scams like these make me cautious. I’ve heard stories of scammers using voice recordings to trick people, and they freak me out. Someone I know was scammed in a similar way - the scammer used her husband’s voice to ask for bank details over the phone, and she gave them, thinking it was him.

Hearing my “resume being approved” was pretty funny though. I haven’t touched that thing in years!

I’ve actually worked hard to build a life where I don’t need a resume.

Back in medical school, I already knew I didn’t want to stick to a traditional path. While others were diving into textbooks and prepping for their exams 24/7, I was also working as a personal trainer, coaching clients to build healthier lives.

I’d spend my mornings in the classes and evenings at the gym, trying to balance both of them. It was a hard couple of years, but it taught me something important:

I didn’t need to follow the rules to build a career.

After graduating, I didn’t immediately dive into the “doctor life” either. I jumped between different roles - continuing coaching for a bit, helping in pre-sales for the gym I co-own, and even went on to (nearly) get a Masters in data science too.

In hindsight, I had no idea how all of that would pan out, and because I’m just naturally anxious, I could not justify it in my head that I was ‘experimenting’.

But I’m glad I did it anyway because I knew the pain of those uncertain times was a lot more worthwhile than the pain of not pursuing a life I could carve on my own.

I’m thankfully less anxious about uncertain times now, though that same approach to life shapes most of what I do today, whether it’s exercise, mental health, or productivity.

The key is to start small on building habits and skills that empower you to take control of your life, one step at a time.

If you’re feeling stuck, think about this: what’s one small step you can take today to build a skill or habit that gives you more control? It doesn’t have to be perfect because mistakes are part of the process.

I’ve been reflecting a lot on what it means to help others take charge of their lives, whether that’s through better habits or simply having the courage to explore new paths.

It’s part of what I’ve been working on behind the scenes over the past few months - a way to support you more directly. More on that soon!

And nope, you won’t need your resume to apply 😛

Nicholas Ng