Dmitry Sholomko Director of "Google Ukraine"

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Dmitry Sholomko, director of the Ukrainian representative office of Google since 2006, shares with the readers of Lifehacker his secrets of success, the rules of life and advice on time management. Don't miss this informative interview!

Health

I actively monitor my health, regularly undergo examinations - this is very important. I do not trust modern interactive health monitoring systems, I prefer to go to traditional doctors with whom I am familiar.

In 2014, he fasted for the first time. I liked it, so I plan to repeat it. Not at all as a religious practice, but rather out of interest: the sensations are very interesting during fasting. I will continue.

Time management and social media

I have a very busy schedule with various trips to different regions, so my time planning is mainly based on travel. When traveling, I usually take my time. I arrive at airports and train stations well in advance. Moreover, now these objects are organized in such a way that it is pleasant to spend time in them, you can work and relax right there.

My schedule is planned for several months in advance, and I always love when I know exactly where, what and when I will be doing. I am very uncomfortable if something happens spontaneously, I try to avoid such situations.

I don't use social networks or read news (only headlines if necessary).

The life around you is too important to waste time on mostly useless and often false information.

I prefer to regularly communicate with close friends in person, rather than via chat.

Finance

I have a rule to respect money, because it is sometimes hard to get it, but not making it the main goal of my life. In other words, do not get upset about unplanned expenses if these expenses are related to health, or safety, or comfort - for you and your loved ones.

Success secrets

I write down my operational tasks briefly on paper, then cross them out as I complete them. This gives a sense of completeness of the process, achievement of goals, even if these goals are small.

I appreciate the people around me and trust them very much. I am not afraid to delegate my powers, even if I know for sure that I myself could have done the task more efficiently.

In addition to operational tasks that need to be done every day (and the life cycle of which is a maximum of a week or two), I always have more global goals and aspirations, to achieve which I need to work comprehensively for several years. When such a goal is achieved, I find myself a new one.

It is also very important for me to show my human side: to help those who need help (charity), to share positive experiences with those who are younger than you (I regularly read lectures to students and schoolchildren).

I never try to evaluate my actions and decisions in the past. If they turned out to be wrong or wrong, I focus now on solving the problems they created, and do not think about how good it would be if I did not.

Leisure and travel

I always try to leave Kiev to rest. In Ukraine and in the world, I have favorite places where the mood rises regardless of the season and weather. For example, Bruges in Belgium, Bergamo in Italy, Odessa in Ukraine. There are many such places, but I try to visit them regularly at least once a year.

I have my own rituals and traditions when traveling. For example, visiting my favorite places in some cities, because more often than not something important or positive happened in my life there. Such rituals allow me to immerse myself in a good state.

An example of such a ritual: whenever I get to Scotland, I stop by the city of Inverness and climb there on the hill in the center of the city, where there is a local castle. An incredibly beautiful view opens up from there - probably the best panorama I've seen in my life. This is very inspiring. In addition, wild mountain hares live on this hill right in the center of the city, it is very interesting to watch them.

At the same time, I always try to get somewhere new, where I have never been. Even when traveling to places where I often go, I always try to find something new, be it a new city, or a museum, or natural beauty. This is important both for outlook, and for understanding how this planet works, and for new knowledge.

Of course, it is very difficult for me to disconnect from work, because it is always with me if my phone does not run out of battery. However, I try to live in a "here and now" style, prioritize and focus on what is important, depending on where I am and what I am doing. If now it is important not to think about work, but to read a book while lying on the seashore, I focus on reading while lying down.:)

House

I have a lot of books and whiskey at home.:) And also a good music system with a bunch of speakers.

Inspiration and development

I never look for motivation in business literature or biographies of famous contemporaries from the business environment. I prefer to look for inspiration and new thoughts in history books and stories of people from other spheres of human activity, especially those whom I admired in my youth (Ozzy Osbourne, for example).

I always try to learn or learn something new, every day. Be it a new language, in which, perhaps, you will never have to communicate, or pieces of world history (everything in the world tends to repeat itself), or something new from colleagues. There are a lot of brilliant and simply talented people around me who know and are able to do something that you do not know or do not know how to do.

I listen to a lot of different music - from Bach to experimental heavy metal. Music creates the necessary mood, energizes and helps to get out of emotional states in which I do not want to be for a long time. I pay a lot of attention to sounds in nature and human life - they greatly complement the picture of life around me.

Life position and philosophy

I prefer to remain a non-public person. In this status, I can bring much more benefit to the people around me than if I was in the "spotlight" and spent a lot of time maintaining public status. But I almost always answer calls and messages that come from strangers to me, if they are adequate.

I consider all people around me to be equal and communicate with them the way I would like them to communicate with me. I do not accept open manifestations of disrespect for people and never participate in open conflicts.

I have no idols or people that I imitate.

There are no black and white people, there are gray and black people.:)

The most brilliant people and idols of the masses have always had a dark side of their personality. I consider it especially wrong to focus on great people who radically changed the world, even if positively. As a rule, they were all crazy genius and most often with very bad human qualities.

In life, as a rule, I go against the opinion of the majority, I adhere to non-conformist views and beliefs. It seems to me that society always needs a group of people capable of providing an alternative to the opinion or behavior of the majority.

I consider all the people around me to be absolutely positive and treat them accordingly until they prove the opposite.

I think the word "hate" is too negative. From the fact that you hate someone, it is worse only for you.

I am sure that each person is currently in his position in society solely because of his own decisions and actions in the past. Blaming someone for something that didn't work out in life is a sign of weakness.

That is why it makes no sense to delve into the past or deny yourself something now for the sake of the future. You have to live in the present day and get everything that you can take from life.

In life situations, when you need to make a choice, I always make it. If you abstract from making a decision or making a choice, you are making the wrong decision or making the wrong choice.

You should always apologize for your mistakes and take responsibility for your actions or for the actions of subordinates. This will at least make you more sincere and honest with others and with yourself.

10 main successes and the most daring goals

I am quite self-critical to declare any success of my own. Moreover …

Success is a journey, not a destination.

This is probably why I will refrain from announcing my daring goals, they are often quite personal.:)

10 LIFEKHAKOV DMITRY SHOLOMKO

1. Regularly undergo examinations and monitor your health.
2. Plan everything in advance, many months in advance.
3. Don't read news and social media.
4. Communicate with friends in person, not via chat.
5. Work not only on operational goals, but also on more global ones, the implementation of which takes several years. After completing such goals, find new ones.
6. Regularly visit new places, even on trips to those cities where you have already been.
7. Look for motivation in history books or stories of people from other fields.
8. Learn something new every day.
9. Remain a non-public person so as not to waste time maintaining your status.
10. Be self-critical of yourself.