Exploring Life at Any Age: My Journey of Dream Life in 2024
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In March 2024, I embarked on a personal project: Explore my dream life for 2024. I knew my current job would come to an end. The things I wanted to do were no longer a fit with that job. I wondered, what’s next?
I didn’t feel this was something worth writing about until a 20+ PM asked me, “What does it look like as a PM in age 40s, especially female?” She couldn’t imagine herself and wanted to find some role models. And one of my lifelong friends couldn’t believe that I really did a work exchange in a diving store, given I told her several times about it. I didn’t feel this decision required any courage.
Explore your life at any age
At any age, it’s totally okay, and even beneficial, to explore your life. Know what makes you happy and find your ways to pursue it.
I’m so proud that I announced I want to explore and grateful to the people who responded to me. I’ve chatted with about 20 people, including my ex-bosses, ex-colleagues, friends, and acquaintances. These conversations have been incredibly insightful and joyful. This personal project has a huge success, so I already plan the next one for August: Retro what I will experience in July and adopt these learnings to my life.
I had been clear about my life goal. I wanted to work with strong people in an empowered culture for products that people loved and made the company grow. I thought I needed to apply to companies outside of Taiwan because most PM knowledge I learned came from outside. This was the only path I knew until I chatted with a friend who relocated from Taiwan to the US. He suggested I try other jobs first and then apply for PM roles. “How do you do small talk if you don’t have the same culture?” Thanks for his honest feedback that pointed out the difficulties. From this conversation, I realized I should have many different solutions toward my life goal.
I was narrowed by my experience, so I want to expand it.
Broadens My Horizons
My ex-bosses are near 50 but still active and exploring their next adventure. They have way more knowledge and experience. They thought or did found their own companies. There are still many opportunities that come to them. I know I’m way behind them, but the bright 50s they show me give me confidence.
My excellent friends in the technology industry surprise me. While they have full-time jobs, they are considering or starting their second careers. I admire their energy and time management. I’ve been asked the same question, “How can you do so many things?” The synergy they create and the depth of their expertise are the results of hard work over many years. I’m way behind but happy to follow them.
Some talks changed my opinions.
I never worked in a project company. I think the mindset is quite different from doing product. Now I know it is a really good way to explore what product you want to do, what markets really need, and of course, it’s a great way to support your exploration. You may or may not end up finding a great product idea. You’ll definitely know the market more and have the chance to try others’ ideas.
I felt weird to join the GAI conference in one week with pioneers and give a “what is GAI” talk in the company for people who haven’t tried it yet in the next week. A new friend told me this is quite normal, and that’s the value: You learn and share.
When I studied business administration in university, I disliked marketing. I’ve done a survey that found people do feel different flavors in the same milk tea just because of the different design of the package. During a chat, I explained to a new friend that I organize dbt meetups, write blogs about product and data, etc. He said: “Oh, so you are doing marketing.” (And I do Product Marketing in Recce, now 😆.)
I hosted the first Taiwan Product Award, which I thought was a great experience and a good excuse to work with excellent product people. It ended perfectly. Great questions asked by them: “What’s next for this award and your life? Does it fit with what you want to do next? What’s your priority?” I thought I had answers but not as deep as they demonstrated.
All these chats opened my eyes. They inspired me to think differently. Seeing so many people actively thinking about their current and future lives, I’m so glad that I’m part of them.
Thinking of Your Dream Life
Many careless conversations in the past embarked this personal project. It’s helpful to me, so I like to share how to plan this on purpose.
Plan realistically and face conflicts head-on. Asking for honest feedback, talking to people who have been there, and finding facts to make the imagination real. Clarify what I have, how I feel, and find a balanced way to approach it.
Your dream life can happen in the near future. When I planned my life, I thought it was more like a retired life when I’m 60. Now I feel it may happen next year. The law of attraction is real. By planning it realistically and imagining it clearly, it can come soon.
Have time to spare for your dream life. I kept updating it after I learned the Amazing Possibility from my coach 2 years ago. I constantly retro my work and life. This habit made me kick off this exploring project.
Answer the question
Back to the question at the beginning, “What does it look like as a PM in age 40s, especially female?” My answer is: everyone is different. Explore and make your own look. You don’t need to settle down at 40. It’s OK to keep exploring.
Thank YOU 💜
I’m appreciative of the people who responded to my exploration. No matter if you chatted with me or not, your support became one of the powers. I am deeply grateful for the friends who shared their experiences with me. I learned a lot from our conversations, no matter if you were teaching me or I was giving my advice, I get equal rewards.
🤩 I’m happy to hear how you do data or products. Feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn Karen Hsieh or Twitter @ijac_wei.
🙋🙋♀️ Welcome to Ask Me Anything.
今年三月我開始了一項個人專案：為 2024 創造自己想要的生活。知道當時的工作應該快結束了，跟我想做的事情開始不同，該是離開的時候。那接下來呢？
一直不覺得這有什麼好寫成文章的，直到有個 20 多歲的 PM 問我：到 40 幾歲還在當 PM， 又女生是怎麼樣？她有點難想像自己的未來，想知道實際情況。還有一位跟我認識超過 20 年的好友，已經跟她提過幾次我想去潛水店打工換宿，真的要去了，她還是不敢相信，覺得這需要很大的勇氣。但我不覺得做這個決定需要勇氣呀。
不管幾歲都要探索
不管年紀多大，還在探索人生都是很 OK 且會很有收穫的。要一直知道什麼會讓你感到開心，並且找到能夠實踐的方法。
我很慶幸公開了我正在探索的訊息，而且非常感謝回應我的人。這一個多月，有大約 20 個人跟我聊天，包含過去的老闆們、同事們、朋友，還有因為這次聊天才認識的新朋友。這些對話對我很有幫助，而且滿開心連絡上過去朋友以及認識新朋友，受惠良多。因為太有幫助，已經開始準備下一個 8 月的專案：好好體驗 7 月的打工換宿生活，並將這些體驗感受帶回後續的生活中。
我原本非常清楚自己的目標。希望能跟更強的人在被賦權自主的文化下做產品，這個產品真的能幫助使用者且讓公司成長。我以為需要找國外的公司，畢竟很多的學習都來自國外。我以為只有這條路。直到有個原本在台灣工作，然後調到國外工作的朋友回台，他建議我先做其他工作再去應徵 PM，畢竟 PM 需要跟其他團隊都溝通順利，更了解在地文化才能打入。感謝他很誠實的建議，也告訴我困難點。讓我知道應該要找出其他做法。
我可能被自己的生活經驗局限，只有一個解法，所以想要獲取更多資訊。
拓展視野
前老闆們快 50 歲但仍非常積極探索，追求下一段職涯。他們有非常多的經驗及知識，可能想過或創辦過自己的公司，仍有非常多合作機會上門。我還遠不及他們，但他們所展現的 50 歲職涯給了我信心。
差不多年紀在科技業的強者朋友們，除了自己的全職工作，也在考慮或者已經開始自己的第二事業。很佩服他們的熱情及時間管理。我也被問過同樣問題：怎麼能做這麼多事？他們的專業深度及精力充沛真的是很多年的累積。也希望能加入他們的行列，努力中。
很多談話改變我過去的觀點。
我從來沒想過加入接案公司。我覺得接專案的思維跟做產品很不一樣。但我現在知道，接專案真的是一個探索題目的好方法，可以直接接觸市場需求，也有收入可以支持探索。可能最後沒有找到想做的產品題目，但一定會對市場更加熟悉，也能去嘗試別人的題目。
對於前一週參加 GAI week 那種有非常多追求新知的大大，下一週卻去傳統公司跟沒用過 GAI 的人介紹什麼是 GAI，感到有點奇怪。有個新朋友告訴我，這不是很自然嗎？跟厲害的學，消化後再傳達下去，這很有價值呀。
以前大學念企管，不喜歡行銷。當時做過一個實驗，街頭調查大家對於不同設計的瓶子喝同樣的奶茶，發現結果會覺得有不同口味。但在一次聊天跟新朋友介紹我舉辦 dbt meetups, 寫文章談產品跟 Data 等等，他也說：喔，你是做行銷的唷。然後我現在還真的在 Recce 當 Product Marketing.
最近舉辦的第一屆的 Taiwan Product Award, 初衷只是想體驗這件事以及有個藉口與前輩大大合作。圓滿完成。前輩們提出幾個很棒的問題：這個 Award 跟你接下來想做的事情有相關嗎？你的 priority 是什麼？我以為我有答案，但都沒有前輩們舉例的思考深度。
這些都擴大我的視野。啟發我有不同的想法跟感受。尤其看到這麼多優秀的朋友，很認真的思考現在跟未來。充滿了熱情，很高興我也是其中一員。
思考自己理想的生活
滿多不經意的對話啟發了這項個人專案。對我幫助很大，因此想分享一下怎麼啟動。
很實際的規劃及面對真實的矛盾。詢問直白、真實的回饋，尤其時問已經想過做過的人，找到事實證據，來思考自己理想中的生活該怎麼實踐。而且要釐清自己手上的資源、感受，找到一個可以平衡的作法。
理想中的生活不是退休，可以更早發生。我一開始也覺得很像在規劃退休生活，但發現我滿接近的，現在可以說搞不好明年就可以實現。吸引力法則吧，當你真的很清楚的知道你要什麼，它真的會出現。
要有時間去思考你的理想生活。感謝兩年前有找個教練，當時學到 Amazing Possibility 要求我們思考自己的理想生活，因此變成一種習慣，一直有在反思工作跟生活，才會促成這個探索。
回答最初的問題
回頭看最初的問題：女生 PM 到了 40 歲是什麼樣？我覺得每個人都不一樣，重點是不需要在 40 歲就定下來，有個穩定的發展之類的。人生就是持續在探索呀。
感謝 💜
非常感謝支持我探索的朋友。不管你是否有跟我聊天，我有感受到支持的力量。跟我分享經驗的朋友們，真的很謝謝你們。從我們的對話中，我學到很多，不管是你分享較多或者我分享較多，我都獲得同等的收穫。謝謝。
