Be the best

I am a software engineer and a father of two. I have a lot to say about my life and my journey to be the best father I can be.

Reflections

My wife and I just had our first child and I've been very retrospective of my own life in the context of how I want to parent. What kind of dad would I be? What are some things from my childhood that I would like to bring to my children? What are some things I want to do differently?

Much like many other immigrants, I grew up with parents who expected a lot. They wanted straight A's and they wanted me to be a doctor. I... did none of that. I was a B/C student, flunked out of pre-med, and started my career making $28k as a business analyst for a preschool company. My parents weren't thrilled.

High Expectations

Looking back, I believe there are two preconditions for success1:

I think I can speak to both of these from my own experience. My parents were immigrants from Pakistan and they had high expectations for me. They wanted me to be a doctor and they wanted me to be a doctor because they believed that was the only way to succeed. They believed that I could single handedly change the outcome of my life.

I think this is a common sentiment among immigrants. I remember my parents telling me that they wanted me to be a doctor because they believed that was the only way to succeed. They believed that I could single handedly change the outcome of my life.