How to use writing as a gateway to reflection
Victor Saad
Founder
I’m an author, educator, and community builder living in Chicago. In 2012, I designed my own Masters by completing 12 projects in 12 months. I called it The Leap Year Project and my experiences culminated with staging my graduation at a local TEDx and publishing a book of stories focused on the power of learning through risk. I later launched Experience Institute, an organization helping college students and career professionals learn and grow through short-term, real-world experiences. In 2015, I was inducted into Forbes 30 Under 30 in the field of education. And in 2017, I joined the team at Stanford’s School of Engineering as a Lecturer in Design, helping students reimagine their learning through experience.
Posts by Victor Saad
Achievement
A story about fishing, losing, winning, and defining success.
Growth vs Momentum
The power of picking a path and doing what you can do
What is Enough?
What does it mean to be enough, measuring happiness, and when to say no to more work.
Ei State of the Union, 2021
Reflections from a tumultuous year, and what’s next in 2021 for Experience Institute
Making Space in 2021
Making space for grief, the future of the workplace, and embracing change after chaos.
Like No Other
A year like no other, keeping the promise of racial justice, and enjoying productive laziness.
Community As Legacy
Building community as legacy, outsourcing tasks through tech, and turning concepts into tools.
Behind the Products (+ holiday sale!)
The lesser known stories of some of Ei’s favorite products and how they came to be + a holiday sale!
Reenergizing
Reenergize your team, making time for “slow work,” and sharing untold life skills
Pause & Refocus
Learning to refocus, developing the habits of super-learners, and defining “a good life.”
Habits, Not Goals
Turning goals into habits, being a better manager, and the lasting benefits of moderation.
Launching: Experience Lab at Penn
Now launching a new program for recent grads to launch their careers after college.
Learning Through Time
Learning lessons through time, entering the transition economy, and carving out “me time”
Take Back the Wheel
Taking back the wheel, embracing a growth mindset, and the art of decision making.
What are you chasing?
Stop chasing after the wrong things, learn to safeguard our time, and lean on small acts of gratitude.
Good at Firsts
Thinking intentionally about first days and first experiences throughout changing times
Stop Resisting
Letting go of the urge to resist, keeping smart company, and celebrating the small wins
What is your hobby?
The power of hobbies, connecting with coworkers, and the mitchondria in startups
The Chubby Kid
What does it look like to foster creativity at school and work when so much has seemingly been lost in the blink of a Covid eye?
Leading With Empathy
Leading with empathy, strategic perseverance, and re-centering in your workspace.
Recalibrating
Performative workaholism, the art of the “soft no,” and writing a New Year’s letter in September
New Year’s Letters (2020 Edition)
How writing a letter to yourself can help you recalibrate before the end of the year
Focus + Time
On time management, creating micro habits, and building purpose-resilient businesses.
