Learning with Carlos Costa 🎥 - 26 years old, visited >78 countries and lived in 8 🌏

“Whatever it is you want to do, don’t wait. Start early and be patient.”

Hi there 😊,

Episode #40. Back to an interview which can not be less inspiring. Our guest is 26 years old and he already visited over 78 countries and lived in 8 of them. He is also an award winning documentary filmmaker and founder of Pulpo, a fintech that helps users share the cost of their digital subscriptions with friends, Carlos shares with us his learning tips and advice 👇.

Who is (or are) your major source(s) of inspiration?

I can’t say I have one single source of inspiration. In fact, I tend to get inspired by a lot of different people. 

Someone I look up to and admire is Richard Branson for his general feel-good attitude towards life. I’ve always admired his way of combining business with fun, and I feel like his attitude is a great example to follow for entrepreneurs.

I’m also drawn to Brian Chesky’s leadership style and the culture he’s built at Airbnb. Seeing how he put people first, making sure affected employees of the Covid pandemic found new jobs, is a great example of how to handle crises.

Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, is also someone I look up to. His philosophy of how businesses should be run to benefit the planet – encompassed in his book Let My People Go Surfing – is really inspiring.

Lastly, I also draw a lot of inspiration from young climate activists like Jack Harries, especially the way he’s helped create global communities through his unique storytelling style.

What are your favorite books and why?

One of my favourite books of all time is The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho because every time I read it, it reminds me that I should always follow my heart.  I’m also a big fan of Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens, a brief history of human kind.

I don’t tend to re-read many books, but some books I would see myself re-reading that I love are business fables like Good Luck by Álex Rovira Celma – through a short fable, the author explains how we need to create opportunities in our own lives for luck to occur – and The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma, a great book that talks about the importance of mindfulness as a path to building a life that guarantees long-lasting happiness and fulfillment.

What is your favorite podcast and why?

I’m a big fan of podcasts that tell stories. I tend to listen to How I Built This by Guy Raz quite a lot because it helps paint a clear picture of how the world’s best entrepreneurs and companies are built and gives you insight on how it all came together.

I’m also an avid listener of Acquired. I love the depth and context they give of each company they review.

How do you remember what you learn?

I have a peculiar style of learning where I tend to “learn by doing.” The way I remember what I learn is mostly through action and execution. I always like to throw myself in the deep end. That way, if ever I need to remember a lesson I’ve learned, I can just look back at a particular experience I’ve gone through in the past.

What would you tell the 18-year-old version of yourself?

I wish I was wise enough to teach him an important life lesson, but, to be honest, it’s only been 8 years. I’m still 26 and still have a lot to learn! 

One thing I would mention is, “Whatever it is you want to do, don’t wait. Start early and be patient.”

I’ve found that life is not a sprint but a marathon. So, the earlier you start, the better. This way, you can start gaining experience in what you want to do as early as possible. I’d also say, “Remember that good things take time. So, be patient and don’t try and rush things.”

What is the most important thing you’ve learned over the last 12 months?

The most important thing I’ve learned this year has been the discovery of mindfulness and meditation. I’m still a complete novice, and I’m struggling to build up the habit of meditation, but I’ve realized the importance of not taking myself too seriously and having a clear mind.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome this year?

The biggest challenge has definitely been having to shut down a startup I’ve been running for the last 3 years – especially having to let go of the team that we worked so hard to build. But looking at it now, it has been an opportunity to start something new, in which I see a lot more potential.

If you were stranded alone on an island and could only bring one item, what would it be?

I’d definitely bring a camera to document the experience. Telling visual stories through video has always been a hobby of mine. So, I’d love to be able to share the experience and lessons learned through a short video.

If there is anything else you would like to share, please do so.

Feel free to visit my website if you want, www.carloscosta.me.

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See you next Sunday!

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