What is this, even?

The work README explains how I work with people, teams and systems.

This document is about the person behind it.

It’s an attempt to describe how I see the world, what drives me, what I value and some of the quirks that make me who I am.

Like the work README, this is not a complete picture.

People are more complicated than documents.

And hopefully that’s a good thing.

Looking for how I work with teams and organizations?

Read thomet.work.README.

This is me

Most people who know me would probably describe me as curious.

I enjoy understanding how things work, whether they are technical systems, organizations, hobbies, stories or people.

A sentence that describes me surprisingly well is:

I try to understand the world by taking it apart, analyzing it and putting it back together in a way that makes more sense.

That curiosity is probably the common thread running through most things I enjoy.

What drives me

I like learning.

Not necessarily collecting facts, but building understanding.

Many of my interests may appear unrelated on the surface, but they usually share the same pattern:

• Discover something interesting
• Ask questions
• Experiment
• Learn
• Improve
• Share what I’ve learned

I rarely lose interest because something is difficult.

I usually lose interest once there is nothing left to learn.

How I think

I spend a lot of time looking for connections between things.

I enjoy examining ideas from different angles and understanding why people think the way they do.

I can have strong opinions, but I don’t attach my identity to them.

Being proven wrong is not a defeat. It is usually an opportunity to learn something.

I value thoughtful disagreement much more than agreement without reflection.

A good discussion should not be about winning. It should be about improving understanding.

People

People matter to me.

I genuinely enjoy conversations that go beyond small talk.

I like hearing how people see the world, what they care about and why they believe what they believe.

Empathy is important to me.

I try to understand people before judging them.

It matters to me how the people around me are doing.

At the same time, empathy can sometimes be exhausting. I occasionally carry other people’s worries longer than I should.

What I value

• Curiosity
• Authenticity
• Kindness
• Critical thinking
• Reliability
• Humility
• Humor

I appreciate expertise, but I admire curiosity even more.

I like people who are comfortable being themselves.

Being liked matters to me, but not enough to pretend to be someone I’m not.

Known Failure Modes

• I can overthink things.
• I sometimes see patterns, meanings or concerns that may not actually be there.
• I occasionally spend too much time optimizing something that is already good enough.
• I can disappear down a rabbit hole when a topic captures my interest.
• Letting go is often harder than getting started.

Things that make me happy

• Learning something new
• Good conversations
• Creating something with other people
• Nature
• Stories
• Solving interesting problems
• Watching people grow and succeed

What I believe

• Most people are trying their best.
• Almost every situation is more complex than it first appears.
• Strong opinions and open-mindedness can coexist.
• You don’t have to know everything. You just need to keep learning.
• Life is more interesting when you stay curious.

Thanks

Thanks for reading the document about me.

Like every README, this one is incomplete and will evolve over time.

If you know me well, you will probably notice things that are missing.

If you don’t know me yet, hopefully this gave you a slightly better picture of who I am.

Looking for how I work with people, teams and systems?

Read thomet.work.README.