Andrés RM Velarde
Why Andrés?
These are the guiding principles for my life and career. Like me they are dynamic, and I revise them as I encounter new information and experiences.
- Be kind.
- Be patient.
- Be grateful.
- Be present.
- Always try your best.
- Keep trying.
- Pain is unavoidable.
- Suffering is negotiable.
- Ask for what you want.
- Question everything.
Talk is cheap. I continue to walk the walk.
I seek to live by my values and principles, even when it’s hard or inconvenient. Over the past decade, I’ve designed a life and career that has brought me joy, satisfaction, and the means to meet all my worldly needs. I’ve enjoyed traditional and non-traditional success. I’ve made multiple career pivots, following my natural excitement and curiosity at each turn.
I’ve worked at some very (and not very) prestigious companies, labs, and research institutions. I chase impact, not status. I left a lucrative career in design and engineering to become a coach and educator. Through all my experiences, I’ve identified what matters most to me: Helping people find their way in this rapidly changing world.
I’m deeply passionate about personal growth and human development.
I intentionally strive to be better today than I was yesterday. I’ve studied highly influential and impactful people and ideas across the world — all as a means to understand myself and others more fully.
I take a rational and design-thinking approach to personal growth that’s rooted in the principles of learning science, behavioral science, psychology, and neuroscience. I’ve been greatly influenced by the work of Julia Cameron, James Clear, James Carse, Paul Graham, Ryan Holiday, Brené Brown, Angela Duckworth, Andrew Huberman, Tim Ferriss, Bill Burnett, Dave Evans, Donald Schön, and others.
I also draw on the wisdom of philosophers and spiritual leaders. My mindsets and principles are informed by Stoicism, the Tao, Zen Buddhism, American indigenous philosophy, and Indian philosophy (J. Krishnamurti).
I understand the nuance and complexity of the human condition.
The mind, body, and spirit cannot be divorced if we want to build a life we love. These domains of our being must be nourished all together. And together they constitute a rich and unique inner world. In an effort to understand my own inner world, I’m always learning about developments in the psychology of trauma, the neuroscience of addiction, critical race theory, theories of change and leadership, interpersonal communication, principled negotiation, attachment theory, relationship dynamics, and more. I bring this informed perspective to support each human I work with.