We recently connected with Rosa Antonini and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Rosa, so happy to have you on the platform with us today and excited to chat about your lessons and insights. Our ability to make good decisions can massively impact our lives, careers and relationships and so it would be very helpful to hear about how you built your decision-making skills.
Enhancing my decision-making skills involves a blend of curiosity and a strategic focus on moving forward and stress reduction. Recognizing that challenges are a natural component of life, my aim is to diminish the period of uncertainty when confronted with difficult situations. To achieve this, I recognize the necessity of making decisive choices, whether it entails proactive measures or the acceptance of circumstances that are out of my control.
A crucial element in sharpening my decision-making ability is the clarity of my objectives. Being confident of my goals has been critical in guiding me through coherent choices with my long-term vision.
Moreover, an essential principle in my decision-making framework is acknowledging that the responsibility to act and choose lies solely with me. This realization has streamlined my decision-making process, allowing for quicker, more assured choices. It fosters a sense of personal accountability, encouraging me to own my decisions and their consequences fully.
Lastly, an integral part of my approach to decision-making is the acknowledgment that errors are inevitable and that, despite my best efforts, some decisions will lead to unsuccessful outcomes. Accepting this upfront liberates me from the constraints of perfectionism and the paralysis of overanalysis. It prepares me to embrace mistakes as learning opportunities, enhancing my resilience and adaptability to make better decisions in the future.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I feel I live a double life: one grounded in science and the other in the subconscious and inspiration. By day, my role as a software engineer immerses me in a realm of intellectual stimulation and professional challenges by designing and developing solutions to complex business issues through data integration and analysis, a pursuit that keeps my mind sharp and constantly engaged.
Then, I use most of my free time, other than family time, to write and design. Following the publication of my book, “The Zero-Sum Game of You,” which emerged from a deep well of inspiration and a desire to share the insights garnered from my experiences and software development career, I continue to craft uplifting posts and articles. These writings aim to inspire, offer hope, and deliver positive value to readers. Additionally, I design quotes and things of beauty for my online store, ZeroSumShop.com.
Most of the proceeds from my book and the online store are channeled into a cause close to my heart: supporting training programs for young adults facing financial hardships. I believe greatly that education and learning usable skills can break the poverty cycle.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
There are many lessons i have learned looking back at my journey so far, and there are 3 that come at the top of the list.
Cultivating a Curious and Open Mind. This has been one of the most impactful qualities I have nourished since I was very young. Embracing curiosity fuels the desire to learn and explore, pushing boundaries and fostering innovation. This will help you realize that everything has a solution, even if you dont know it yet. Coupled with an open mind, it allows for assimilating diverse perspectives and ideas. For those beginning their journey, I recommend seeking new experiences and knowledge actively and being receptive to change and different viewpoints. This can significantly broaden your understanding and enhance creativity.
Developing Resilience and Humility: The earlier you understand that life is a dance between highs and lows the more resilience you’ll develop while maintaining humility. This has been crucial to me. It’s essential to remain grounded and keep your ego in check, regardless of success or failure. If you are starting your journey you can practice resilience by setting and overcoming small challenges. This builds the mental and emotional toughness needed to face larger obstacles. At the same time, keep yourself humble with open mind for learning and growth.
Fostering Respectful and Kind Interactions: Treating everyone with kindness and respect and choosing to distance oneself from those who do not reciprocate have been something I learned with the years. This approach builds positive relationships and creates a supportive network. For those early in their careers, I stress the importance of developing empathy and respect in all dealings. Establishing boundaries with those who do not treat you with the respect you deserve is equally important.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I believe that our journey toward personal and professional growth involves a continuous cycle of learning, practicing, and self-evaluation to identify our strengths and weaknesses. However, excelling at something doesn’t automatically equate to a sense of success or fulfillment. Thus, it’s crucial to embark on a journey of self-discovery to understand our true selves and what drives us. Once we grasp what truly motivates us, we can then strategically align our efforts with our strengths and weaknesses.
Investing excessive time in correcting a weakness may not always be beneficial or efficient. Instead, defining clear goals and understanding the motives behind them allows us to focus our energy more effectively on bolstering our strengths. When our goals are in harmony with our innate talents, the path forward tends to unfold more smoothly. Despite the inevitable challenges, the journey feels remarkably different when it aligns with our passions.
Take, for example, my current experience of writing this article at midnight to fit it into my schedule. Despite the physical tiredness, my mind, heart, and spirit are invigorated by the joy and excitement of sharing these insights with you. This illustrates how aligning our actions with what we love transforms challenges into enjoyable pursuits, highlighting the importance of pursuing paths that resonate with our core interests and talents.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rosaantonini.com/ https://www.zerosumshop.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosa.l.antonini/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.LopezAnton21
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosaantonini/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfB67V5eIGJsIj6mlKTbhZQ
Image Credits
Alyson Barrow Photography
