The Devout ZAOist

Here at ZAOZAO, the meaning of devout is one neither of worship nor of religion, but rather a sincere devotion to the company while maintaining our collective sanity and outside interests.  Some entrepreneurs we've encountered cite lack of sleep and other extreme sacrifices (no showering, no sex etc.) as keystones to success but akin to responding to someone's "how are you?" with "busy", this humble-brag is merely another tool of existential reassurance (cf NYTimes' busy trap. Also, it's a reason for us to slap them).  After all, idleness inspires, and some degree of mind wandering is surely healthy. 

Taken on a recent trip to Taipei, 五分埔 shopping market

With two interns onboard for the summer, Ling and I are now learning the importance of being good role models as well as solidifying a distinct ethos for our startup.  Do we play nice, and risk setting a passive example? Or should we reveal our aggressive side, the one that's hungry for success but just looks desperate when we see it coming from others? Which is better: a silent-but-deadly image or in-your-face intensity? In an attempt to find answers, we decided to try meditating at Kadampa, our neighborhood Buddhist meditation center.

This brought back memories of my days as a volunteer barista for the now-defunct World Peace Cafe,  a place where people could chill and grab a vegetarian bite post-meditation. Ultra-hipster (in the sense of not acknowledging their nonconformity, yet truly so), I met people there who temporarily shattered my usual constructs, inspiring me to think more universally. Much to my delight, some of these familiar faces reappeared at Kadampa. 

To be honest, we sucked at meditating. The A/C bothered me so I couldn't concentrate, and when the spiritual leader asked us to imagine an anchor descending through our minds into our hearts, Ling thought she had said "anger" (instead of "anchor") and got confused.  Halfway through, our phones started buzzing with emails and soon thereafter, we were done for.  Result? Meditation fail. 

Next time, we'll try something else. In the meantime, while we prepare for our imminent launch, suggestions would be greatly appreciated!