I built my talk with an AI coding tool. It was a bad idea. (But I'd do it again.)

Usually, I open up Keynote or Google Slides when making a presentation. But yesterday I didn’t.

I used an AI coding tool (lovable.dev) I only started testing last week.

I didn’t do it to impress anyone. I just wanted to learn something new while building something real. And to make a point.

That’s what I talked about in my session: Intentionally mapping your career isn’t about landing the next job. It’s about learning, experimenting, and stacking small wins that compound over time.

It’s the same reason I built this deck in a tool I’ve had little experience with. The best way to learn something? Do it in public. Make it real.

It definitely wasn’t smooth. Things broke. One fix broke another thing.

At several points, I considered scrapping the whole thing and rebuilding it in Google Slides or Keynote like a normal person. But then I reminded myself: this wasn’t about making a perfect deck. I was asking people to rethink how they grow their careers, to step into new things, even when it’s uncomfortable.

If I couldn’t handle a little discomfort myself, what was I even doing?

The Talk: Playing the Long Game

I put up this slide:

Most of us make the same mistake. We wait.

Wait for the manager to notice us. Wait for the ‘right’ opportunity. Wait for someone to tell us what to do next.

The ones who get ahead don’t wait. They take action first.

They try things. They put ideas out there. They share their process even when it feels like no one’s paying attention.

Short-Term vs. Long-Term Thinking

Here’s how most people think about their careers:

• Find a job.
• Get hired.
• Hope it all works out.

That makes sense. We all need money. But if that’s your only focus, you’re playing the wrong game.

A career isn’t just a series of jobs. It’s an ecosystem.

The people who get the best roles aren’t scrambling on LinkedIn every two years. They’re getting tapped on the shoulder.

Because they invested in three things:

For years, I did none of this. I assumed good work spoke for itself. It doesn’t.

Once I started showing up consistently like writing, sharing and meeting people, everything changed.

I wasn’t chasing opportunities. They were finding me.

“Okay, But Where Do I Start?”

This is the most common question I get.

Not why should I build visibility? Not why should I invest in relationships?

People already know the answer to that. They just don’t know how to start.

Last week, I got this DM:

Someone wanted to connect with senior designers but assumed no one would reply.

My answer? Just start.

But don’t do mass outreach or spam people with the same message. Simply spend some time creating thoughtful, consistent effort.

Most people send one message, get ignored, and quit.

The ones who keep going are the ones who refine their approach, who engage without expecting something back, the ones who share their ideas even when no one’s listening. Those are the ones who break through.

Your career is built on tiny, unglamorous actions and decisions that seem pointless at first. Then, one day, they aren’t.

The AI Slides Weren’t the Point. But They Proved the Point.

Using AI to build my slides didn’t make the talk better. They are not well designed.

But it made it real.

I wasn’t just saying, experiment, take risks, put yourself out there.

I was doing it. Live, in front of an audience. With a tool I barely understood.

That’s what a long-game career looks like.

You try things. You test small. You stop waiting until it’s perfect.

Most people never do this. They overthink. They sit on ideas instead of acting on them.

But the ones who take small, messy action? They win.

What’s Next?

At the end of the talk, I asked one thing:

Some committed to reaching out to someone new. Some finally posted something about their work. A few decided to try a new skill instead of overthinking it.

That’s the point.

Not to wait. Not to have the perfect plan.

Just to start.

?? Watch the Full Talk Here

?? See the Slides Here

Final Note: The Work Compounds

This talk didn’t come out of nowhere.

I’ve spent 10 years talking to designers, seeing what works, what doesn’t, and how people actually grow. I also took those same actions myself. Unintentionally at first. But once I realised the power of these compounding actions, it became my superpower.

That’s the biggest difference.

The people who keep moving.

They don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. They don’t overthink every decision. They just take the next step.

Want to know what happens when you do that?

One day, you look up, and you’re not chasing opportunities anymore.

You’re getting the call.