Life's a Ton of Qubits

A Recent Reflection on the Good and Bad

It's been an eventful summer. I moved to New York, shipped jaw-dropping features to hundreds of thousands of users, ate insane food, and flew back home to Seattle. The past three months have been crazy.

Well, the past two weeks have been even crazier.

I've recently made some life-altering choices: accepting a full-time job, deciding to move across the country, saying goodbye to loved ones, and generally preparing myself for a new life. These decisions, while exciting, have been accompanied by a lot of uncertainty and sadness. After all, I’ll be leaving the people I love to do what I love. It's insanely hard, and this is the first time in my life that I've made choices like these, especially on such a tight timeline. So I've spent a lot of time running, which has become an effective way for me to reflect clearly.

I still feel absolute victory and defeat at the same time - and at first, I didn't understand how this was possible. How? How could I feel polar opposite emotions simultaneously? Couldn’t I just pick one and roll with it? Was this normal?

It took me a while, but I eventually thought of qubits (yeah, “geek”, I know).

Quantum computing introduces the qubit, a fundamental concept that challenges our traditional understanding of information. Unlike classical bits, which are strictly binary and exist as either a 0 or a 1, a qubit can represent a combination of both states simultaneously. This phenomenon, known as quantum superposition, allows qubits to exist in a multitude of states at once, enabling quantum computers to perform complex calculations at speeds unimaginable by traditional computers. Quantum computing is going to be a massive industry (check out this BCG Forecast).

To illustrate, consider Schrödinger's paradox, a thought experiment that captures the essence of superposition. Schrödinger proposed a scenario where a cat is placed in a sealed box with a mechanism that has a 50% chance of killing the cat based on the quantum state of a particle. Until we open the box and observe, the cat is considered both alive and dead—existing in a state of superposition. This paradox emphasizes how quantum mechanics defies our classical intuition about binary states and highlights the richness of quantum reality.

I realize that my personal feelings of happiness and deep sadness are not mutually exclusive but rather exist in superposition, just like qubits. I’m learning that life’s complexities often defy simple categorization into right or wrong, success or failure. Just as quantum computing harnesses the power of superposition to solve problems beyond classical limits, embracing this duality in our personal experiences allows us to navigate life’s uncertainties with greater flexibility, understanding, and confidence.

In this way, my decision-making process mirrors the behavior of qubits: a blend of various states rather than a fixed position. Rather than seeking an absolute answer or a single path, I’m finding value in the dynamic interplay of my choices and their outcomes. I aim to recognize and integrate these outcomes, using my values, morals, and the context around me to guide my actions. The richness of possibilities and the coexistence of so many decision states offer me a deeper understanding of my life and the experiences that form it.

Will I ever know what is objectively "right"? Probably not. I know that stealing is probably bad and picking up trash is probably good, but life is not binary.

My existing system was not robust enough to encapsulate my life’s growing complexity, and that’s why it was so hard for me to understand how I felt.

Morality, ethics, and "rightness" depend on context, culture, and personal values. What may seem right in one situation could be wrong in another, and the lines between good and bad are often blurred. The frameworks we have—laws, social norms, even personal beliefs—attempt to provide guidance, but they can be subjective and imperfect. Ultimately, we navigate these uncertainties by making the best choices we can with the information and intuition available to us.

Moving forward, I'll trust my intuition, awareness, and superpositioned perspective to inform and guide my decision-making in real-time throughout life. I want no regrets, only learnings to use in the future. If we're always looking over our shoulders, we won't ever see what's ahead of us. At an abstract level, I want to embrace superposition just like the qubits and feel comfortable in such a seemingly foreign state. I believe this is the right way to live.

So, I’m going to stay reflective and strong, and I encourage you to do so as well.