M SHOWKAT

_{ENGINEER · SYSTEMS THINKER · CAPITAL ALLOCATOR}

Most decisions are reversible. The few that aren't deserve the most thought.

On Building

I spend most of my time at the intersection of software, capital, and judgment — writing the systems myself, then deciding where the output of that work should go. The interesting problems aren't usually technical. They're about which fifteen things to ignore so the right five compound.

I'd rather own one durable system than maintain ten that need me forever.

What I Optimize For

Long-Term Thinking Decisions are weighed against a ten-year horizon, not a quarterly one. Slower compounding beats faster decay.	Compounding Code, capital, relationships, and reputation are all the same asset class — they're only worth building if they're left alone to grow.
First Principles I'd rather be slow and right than fast and borrowed. Convention is a starting hypothesis, not an answer.	Leverage The goal was never more code. It's fewer hours producing a disproportionate share of the outcome.

A Filter, Not a Formula

Before anything gets built or funded, it passes through the same five questions.

	Does this create leverage?
	Does it compound, or just accumulate?
	Is it still standing in a decade?
	Does it widen my options or quietly close them?
	Would I make the same call again, knowing what it costs?

Where I Spend Attention

Artificial Intelligence	Automation & Systems	Capital Allocation
Financial Markets	Infrastructure	Energy
Advanced Manufacturing	Robotics	Space

Working Foundation

Technology is the toolkit, not the identity — but it's worth being precise about the tools.

 

   

_{Simplicity scales. Decisions compound more than effort does.}