As a founder, people often think my life is all about planning, strategy, and business. And yes, a big part of it is. But what surprises people is the simple, everyday things that make me happy—things that don’t really have a “purpose” but bring me joy.
For example, I love collecting stationery. New notebooks (muji tops the list, mnemosyne is in the wishlist), smooth pens (lamy and uniball top the list), colorful sticky notes, sketches —I enjoy them all. It’s not about being more productive or having the perfect planner. I just like the feeling of using good stationery. Collecting them gives a nice small purpose in life.
Then there’s watching anime like Naruto. Some people think it’s just for kids, but for me, it’s fun, exciting, and sometimes even inspiring. The characters, the stories, the epic battles—I love it. And yes, one of the favourite fictional character is Minato from Naruto (the other one being Ben Whittaker from The Intern)
I also enjoy growing plants. Not for any big reason, just because I like watching them grow. Seeing a small seed turn into a plant is satisfying. It reminds me that good things take time, to trust the process and focus on inputs instead of outputs.
When I want to relax, I love watching sitcoms like Friends and The Big Bang Theory. These shows never get old for me. No matter how many times I watch them, they still make me laugh. It’s nice to switch off from work and just enjoy a simple, funny show.
And one of my favorite things? Pranking or annoying people around me with silly things. Whether it’s sending weird texts, leaving random notes on their table, or just teasing them for no reason, I love it. It’s harmless fun, but the reactions make my day. Some people are shocked that I do this, but life is too short to be serious all the time!
I especially enjoy troubling the interns at work—making random bets with them, giving them funny challenges, or just making their day unpredictable. It keeps things fun, and honestly, I think they enjoy it too (even if they pretend they don’t).
People expect me to always be thinking about technology, business, growth and future. But not everything in life needs to be productive. Some things are just for happiness—and that’s reason enough to keep doing them.
I hope everyone have their own list of small things that make them happy, even if they don’t have a “purpose”.