22 Lessons, One Journey — A Letter From Gazi

Hey friend,

Today, I turn 22.

And as I write this, I’m not just reflecting on the number — I’m thinking about the journey.

From a small-town boy with a big dream, to a student living in South Korea, working at a Dakgalbi restaurant, running a travel blog, learning Korean, chasing marketing, mastering code — and trying to build something out of passion and purpose and deep believe it’s possible.

So here are 10 lessons life has taught me before 22 candles get blown out — lessons shaped by my struggles, risks, tiny wins, and the love I carry from back home.

1. Start before you’re ready^.

When I moved to Korea in 2023, I barely knew the language, the culture, or anyone. But I came anyway. I knew the only way to grow was to leap — scared, unsure, but determined. I’m still leaping. It’s true that everything will not be like you want, but you have to be ready for that and keep go up. Resilience, adaptability are the most precious as you get older.

2. Consistency beats motivation.

Juggling university, part-time work, and building Unravel Korea wasn’t easy. Some days, I was tired. But I posted, learned, and showed up. One reel at a time, 10K followers came. Not from luck — but from showing up when it wasn’t easy.

3. Silence is powerful.

When you’re far from home, people may not always understand your choices or struggles. What you really want in your life. I’ve learned to stop explaining everything and start trusting myself. Peace comes when you stop seeking approval.

4. Say yes before you feel ready.

From sending cold emails to strangers, to pitching ideas with broken Korean — I’ve said yes to opportunities that scared me. Growth didn’t wait for me to be confident — it came because I dared to try.

5. Your past doesn’t define your future.

I come from a place where opportunities don’t knock — you build the door. I didn’t have money or connections. But I had the internet, hunger, and belief. And that was enough to start changing my story.

6. Learn high-income skills.

Learning Python at night. Studying marketing in cafés. Watching Sam Altman’s interviews between shifts. I realized—skills are the tools to carve out freedom. That’s why I invest in myself, every single day.

7. Protect your energy.

I used to please everyone. Work, study, friends, family. But burnout taught me that saying “yes” to everything means saying “no” to myself. Now, I choose people and paths that nourish me.

8. Done is better than perfect.

Most of my reels weren’t “perfect.” Some were reposted. Some were simple. But they worked. The world rewards action. Perfection is a delay tactic — execution is the real flex.

All you need is just do it! Even it tiny changes. I am very absolutely determined about my action even if I do not get time or you can say my day off like

• 5 pages reading book

• 10 minutes code

• 10 minutes marketing

9. Document your journey.

Your life is a journey, enjoy it and you don’t need a tons of money to enjoy it. And lean everyday new, share it. You don’t need a thousand of followers. Do it for yourself and explore it when you at the age of 50.

If you like to follow my journey (I share whatever I love) : X

I do it monthly basis: YouTube

Love my blog? Gazi Masud

10. Be kind to yourself.

Some nights I wondered if I was doing enough. If I was falling behind. But I’ve learned — self-love isn’t indulgence. It’s survival. You don’t have to earn your worth. You already have it.

So here I am. 22. Still hungry. Still humble. Still building.

If you’ve read this far, thank you for being part of my journey. I don’t know exactly where life will take me, but I know this: I’m creating my own path, step by step, story by story.

Here’s to the next chapter.

You Got This,

Gazi