From 3MT Success to the Birth of a New Venture

Thursday, 27 June 2024 — I have good news! Last week, I wrote in my journal about entering a 3MT competition—a three-minute thesis competition. The good news is that I won, although I wasn’t first; I was the runner-up, taking second place. Imagine winning a University of Kent-wide competition, coming second in something I didn’t prepare for adequately. In fact, I missed the training sessions, and by the time I checked my calendar, I realised that I had only two or three days left. With the motivation and inspiration of my wife, I was able to get on track and sort it all out. This means a lot to me. Actually, it’s a motivation beyond just winning. I appreciate the process more than the trophy or the money that comes with it. It’s only a few pounds, but I value the process and what I have learnt more. Being able to compress my over 100,000-word thesis into a three-minute presentation is an achievement in itself.

Yesterday was also quite fulfilling, as I was able to launch the website for OA Tutors just three days after the idea came up. One of the first things I would like to remind you about is that it’s important to act on your ideas as soon as you conceive them. Otherwise, you will just accumulate ideas without ever acting on them. Good intentions are commendable, but in this world of reality, good intentions alone are not enough. It is all about taking action. When you take action, your intentions produce results.

Today, everything else involved putting together a short flyer that I can hand out to people about what OA Tutors does. I have different things going on at the same time, and this is the spice of life. I get bored doing one thing and enjoy multitasking. We are all designed differently, but this is how I work and how things are going for me. If you want to congratulate me, please leave a comment saying, “Congratulations.” I haven’t posted this on social media or shared it with anyone except my family and friends. Maybe that’s just my habit. I’ve received emails about the award, which will be presented next week on 3 July at the 2024 University of Kent' Postgraduate Researchers Conference. I’m looking forward to it and might share more details then. For now, that’s the highlight of today’s journal entry, and I’m quite grateful. Now I’m back to editing my thesis. Boom. Thank you, guys. I hope you’ve learned one or two things from today’s journal.

Lessons:

1. Act on Your Ideas Promptly: It’s essential to act on your ideas as soon as they come to you. This proactive approach prevents ideas from stagnating and turns good intentions into tangible results.
2. Value the Process Over the Outcome: The journey and the learning process are often more valuable than the final result. Appreciating the process can lead to personal growth and greater satisfaction.
3. Embrace Multitasking: Engaging in multiple activities can add variety and excitement to life. While everyone has different working styles, finding what suits you best can enhance productivity and prevent monotony.