You don't need that much money. Just enough to pay the rent, utilities and food.
My plan I created for myself post-uni when I was in 3rd year uni was to not get a job. Live very simply. Save my money.
The more money I saved, the bigger my runway to fail. And then work my hardest to build a company.
Bury the ego.
I was born into a poor family, and I never had any luxuries. So I trained myself from an early age not to care about what other people have or be affected by that.
You don't need all of life's little luxuries. If you live cheaply, you'll have the time, headspace and energy to create your dream company.
When viewed in that context, none of life's luxuries can hold a candle to being able to do the work you love.
Whatever anyone does, whatever anyone says, is aligned with how they see the world.
And so decisions people make are always perfect for them in the sense that all their education, learning, experiences and insights into the world lead them to that decision.
So when dealing with other people, it's important to understand that whatever they are doing makes perfect sense with how they see the world.
So start by understanding what's there for them, and deal with that.
There are no mistakes. Everything is perfect.
"Follow your passions."
"Dream bigger."
"Focus."
"You can get there with hard work."
"Do what you love because then you'll never have to work a day in your life."
etc.
etc.
Everyone dolls out the same advice, because it's true.
The difference between someone who lives their dreams, and someone who doesn't, is that the former actually lives their lives uncompromisingly by those principles.
Want to do something but you don't feel like it?
Want to start a company but you feel the first step is too high and too hard? Want to get fit but you feel too unmotivated to exercise? What to start your plans now but you feel like you can't because you feel too busy?
Well, the best way to feel like doing something, the best way to get motivated by starting a company, the best way to get motivated about getting fit and the best way to feel like you're going in the right direction, is to make the first move.
You'll feel motivated by your company when it starts achieving results. You'll feel motivated about your body when you see the outcomes of your exercising. You'll feel motivated, if you just take the action. Just take the first step, and try it.
Woody Allen once said that "eighty percent of success is showing up."
To me, that means, you go to the meeting about the project. You're there anyway. May as well participate. There's another way in which you can help out and use your skills. Ok, well then, you're there, may as well show up for that as well. And so the cycle continues.
Show up -> you're there anyway, may as well pitch in. You're pitching in, may as well do it well -> Show up...
Forbes named me a world's top 50 woman in tech & 30 Under 30. I founded Robogals and Aipoly and was Young Australian of the Year 2012. Currently working on robotics company Aubot. I'm the youngest Member of the Order of Australia (AM) and I give speeches around the world.
I tweet @maritacheng and I'm on Facebook.
Appeared in an epic television commercial with my robot arm!
I’m very excited to announce that I have been named the 2019 Shell Eco-Marathon Ambassador for Australia. The concept of the Shell Eco-Marathon stems...
When I started Robogals, I thought going to schools and teaching girls robotics should get more to choose physics, chemistry and advanced maths;...
Spoke at MIT's conference in Singapore, EmTech. Other speakers in my session spoke about autonomous robotic cargo ships, advances in drones and...
"We would have bought your company." "You just got lucky because it was the right time for that kind of thing." "All the elements in the industry were...
I was invited to Darwin for National Science Week on 19 August where I ran a robotics workshop for the kids. The next day, I gave a speech to 400...
When I became Young Australian of the Year a year ago, I wanted to give as many speeches as I physically could, I wanted to contribute to the...
Perfection is unattainable. You're never going to get something that's perfect, done. Not with your budget. Not with your timeframe. Not so that you...
Yeah, I know. I’m so cool, and I’m so lucky. I have DNA, flesh, blood and bones. Barack Obama and Steve Jobs are truly two icons of our time - men...
Spoke at a Lenovo event by myself for 12 minutes and then on a panel with Ashton Kutcher. Met with Hollywood’s Steve Jobs and had a yarn about...