Adapting Under Pressure: Lessons from Tech, History, and Human Resilience

PIC Courtesy AFP : DeepSeek founder, Liang Wenfeng.

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Recently, we witnessed a powerful reminder of what it truly means to be human. When we think about our existence, we should acknowledge our resourcefulness and strength. No matter what challenges we face, we seem to always find a way to turn difficult situations into something better. Throughout history, people have shown an extraordinary ability to adjust and adapt to different circumstances. When we encounter problems, we usually have two options: we can either stand up and fight back or find a safer place to escape to. This has been evident in events like migrations and wars.

You might be wondering why this topic matters to me, Here goes..

Recently, there has been a notable tech event involving a tech company and its AI (artificial intelligence) program, which caused another company a world apart …even though we say the world is a village… to lose $6 billion (17%) in stock market valuation in a day (24 hours). This situation arose from strict rules put in place by the USA administration regarding the development of computer chips. Subsequently in response, China used these restrictions to their advantage and developed a more robust/cost-efficient AI model called Deep Seek that created shockwaves across the AI spaces.

These examples should encourage you to think about the key moments in life where we must choose between standing our ground or seeking safety. I can’t tell you which choice is right for you, but when we feel pressed, we often must make a quick decision. Ultimately, we (podcastors included) have to be ready to make hard choices based on what we’re facing. Each decision can start a chain of events that might lead to good or bad results. It’s crucial to remember that every choice we make comes with its own set of consequences that we need to be prepared to deal with.

1. Forbes article:

Forbes. (2025, January 26). Nvidia lost more market value Monday than the total valuations of American stalwarts UnitedHealth, Costco, and Bank of America. Forbes. https://search.app/oKJVC8BxNQXGj4iu5

2. MarketWatch article:

MarketWatch. (2025, January 26). DeepSeek was created by a top Chinese quantitative trading firm. It’s not unusual for Wall Street quant luminaries to try their hand at tech. MarketWatch. https://search.app/DdBnj46n9SdNVyF9A

Note: Though original in composition, parts of this article were generated with the assistance of AI models ( Chat GPT, Grammarly) , which helped enhance the writing process and provide insights on the topic.