(Part 2) So… I turned 30 and I still don’t know what I am

19 FEB '26

So... I turned 30, and I still don't know what I am - (Part. 2)

These are the introspections of a newly realized 30-year-old boy.

Hi again Reader,

Last week, I wrote to you about how I gave up on my dream of trying out every single tech career path because I realized how unsustainable it is to maintain too many interests.

There are always trade-offs. For example, if I’m trying to get deep into motion design, my frontend engineering skills suffer and vice versa. Something has to give.

In trying to reinvent yourself, you have to sort of lose touch with a previous part of yourself (that you love), and this is especially difficult if you’ve been known for one thing for multiple years.

My path comes at the cost of not being able to hold onto one single identity everywhere and for long.

It’ll be nice to be able to introduce myself with a simple label like;

“Hi I’m Lede, and I’m a Life Coach” or

“Hi I’m Lede, and I’m the greatest MC” or even

“Hi I’m Lede, and I’m the biggest Wedding Photographer”.

I’m learning to be okay with this path and figure it out as I go.

So, who is the real Lede Adeniyi?

Lede the CTO (Chief Technology Officer)

I rose through the ranks and became a C-level executive of technology at the age of 25. Being a generalist helped a lot in achieving this.

I was in the role for four years, and I built a very successful product and a super effective team. Being CTO was fun while it lasted, but I wanted to try other things and not have my identity tied to one specific role.

Lede the VP of Product

My key takeaway from leading a Product and Engineering team from the Product angle is that “Product” is blamed for everything. (This role has taught me how to fight people 🥊 😂.)

Being a CTO was a much smoother experience, ngl.

Lede the Consultant

I’m not sure how I landed here, but somehow there’s a market for people who can build successful product-led companies and lead teams. (Turns out I’m kinda valuable. Cute 😊.)

Lede the Podcast Host

This I truly enjoy doing (when I’m able to squeeze out the time).

The problem is scaling it to become a weekly show, which honestly sounds like a full-time job to me. I’ll figure it out eventually.

Lede the Family Man

Nobody talks about how building a strong family unit also means that every single little thing you do is done with consideration for your family.

You can’t be too spontaneous with decisions, and you have to weigh the pros and cons of everything.

I always ask myself this question: “Am I evolving into the kind of man my wife and kids can be proud of?”

When people tell stories about me 20 years from now and my kids are listening, what will they hear? Will it inspire them to be responsible and loving human beings who stay true to themselves?

I have to think about these things with every little decision I make. I love my family, I always want to make them proud and I wouldn’t have it any other way.