Starting Line
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
This was initially published on 10/18/23 on my personal site, adityaaswani.com. However, as managing a personal site proved more difficult than expected, I have moved my posts to Substack.
Wow, so this is proving more fun than I thought. It’s so nice to begin a journey without feeling the pressure of wondering if I’ll ever reach the destination. It feels good to hold the intention to enjoy every moment for its own sake instead of simply using it as a means to an end.
Admittedly, I am feeling a bit nervous about posting this publicly. What if someone I know reads this blog? Won’t it be embarrassing if I publicly tell people that I want to become an AI safety engineer and that I am writing a blog so I can try this idea I read a while ago called learning in public? To clarify, it would be embarrassing because 1.) I currently have a minimal technical background and 2.) I will look like a big failure if I publicly declare this goal to everyone and then I later decide to give up.
Admittedly, part of the reason I wanted to make this public and attach my real name to this site was because the last time I tried this, I did it anonymously and it basically went nowhere. There are other reasons why I would like to try this method, however I think I will wait to share those reasons at some later point.
Regardless, maybe it’s okay to be a failure? I remember hearing that success is a poor teacher anyways. Also, most importantly, I just want to follow my enjoyment. And right now, this feels quite fun. Even the way I am writing this is very much off the cuff with little, to no organizing. My elementary school English teachers would be horrified that I am writing without making an outline beforehand *gasp*.
Anyways, all jokes aside. I would really love for this blog to be the most authentic expression of myself. And right now, having less organization and more off the cuff writing seems to be that.
So at the moment, I would like this blog to be the main place I document my journey of teaching myself on becoming an AI safety engineer. However, I am very much open to letting this blog organically develop into whatever it wants to develop into. I am thinking that this site may also include areas where I can include my project and research portfolio pertaining to AI safety!
On another note, as I have recently become interested in also learning to teach meditation, it would be cool if I later wrote about meditation, Buddhism, Art of Accomplishment, and other cool healing modalities. Once I become more experienced, maybe I could even add a page where people can book Calendly sessions with me to book free meditation coaching sessions! 😀
While I would admittedly be sad if none of this comes to pass, I’ll do my best to trust in myself and the universe that any or all of these things will happen if they are meant to happen. I guess we shall see what comes next. It’s still fun to dream though 🙂
Oh and as for when I will post next? Hmmm, let me see. I am tentatively thinking that I would like to blog at least once a month! Mainly to give an update on my journey in becoming an AI safety engineer. However, I am of course open to me blogging more or less than that. Much like following the breath in meditation, all I can do now is simply hold the intention to blog on this cadence. I wonder what I will actually end up doing…