This document provides advice on a variety of topics for engineers including existence, promises, engineering, education, ethos, sharing, peers, communication, language, experimentation, instinct, simulation, diligence, reflection, expertise, systems, grace, time, and a concluding thank you. The advice emphasizes developing skills through hard work, reflection, collaboration with peers, clear communication, and behaving with grace and consideration for others.

1. be an engineer
Khushil Dep - @khushil
about.me/khushil

2. On Existence
The measure of the nurture of your life.
It will not be taxed nor stolen.
Accept that it will evolve.
It maybe the measure of your worth.
You will leave it behind you.

3. On Promises
Promises are the machinery of Life.
Keep as many as you are able.
Promises are not idempotent.
Keeping promises requires skills.
Your are born with one skill.

4. On Engineering
The discipline of the application of
expertise, diligence, reflection,
communication, innovation and
collaboration in order to more
completely describe, investigate and
further the understanding of any
proposition.

5. On Education
The nurturing of curiosity.
The tooling to ask the right questions.
The honesty to accept the answers.
Desire to excel our forefathers.
non scholae sed vitae discimus

6. On Ethos
That which guides your behavior.
You will not hide from it.
It is public so expect criticism.
It will evolve so accept when it does.
Understand your ethos.
You will expose it in your every action.

7. On Sharing
You constantly leak information.
Facebook/Twitter allows global sharing.
Body language allows intimate sharing.
Nothing is so private that it will not show.
There is no recall button in life so be gracious.
Remember your peers are always watching.

8. On Peers
Champion the graceful application of education.
Provide an environment of collaboration and trust.
Constructively criticize and encourage.
Expand your education and endeavour.
You are all peers so be kind in your own turn.
Peers enable experimentation.

9. On Communication
Be inclusive and you will be forgiven error.
Engagement is a strong measure.
Know the value of silence.
Assume little and allow for broad questions.
Language is important.

10. On Language
The machinery of communication.
Be clear and welcoming.
Grammar and syntax are important.
Do not invent for the sake of it.
Great languages allow expertise to evolve.

11. On Experimentation
You experiment every day.
Be aware of how you measure success and failure.
The lessons of failure are important to all.
Collaborate more and you will learn more.
Beware of bias.
Persistent failure sometimes means you are wrong.
Gut instinct is telling you to adjust your understanding.

12. On Instinct
Connects the conscious and sub-conscious.
Subject to emotional bias.
Great for simple propositions.
Terrible for dealing with complexity.
Instinct can be conditioned through simulation.

13. On Simulation
You simulate hypothetical propositions every day.
The Theory Of Mind explores this.
Observe your day-dreams.
Do not run in your nightmares.
You search for the understanding of complexity.
Your mind is amazing, let it play!

14. On Diligence
Life is a perilous quantity of entropy.
It is hard because it is constantly evolving.
Something hard requires persistence to understand.
You must orientate the data without distraction.
Hard work has no substitute.
Do not misunderstand pragmatism.

15. On Reflection
Allows the mind to orientate data.
Orientation builds information.
Allow your mind its own methods and pace.
Clutter is the natural state of the mind.
Reflection conditions the mind to effort.
Leads to better communication.

16. On Expertise
The integration of theory, experimentation & practise.
A feedback loop that builds learning and understanding.
It is not a competition.
You cannot be taught this, it must evolve.
It is distinctive to your own existence.
Don’t rely on osmosis, do the work!

17. On Systems
You are an agent in the system of society.
Your behaviour will influence the system.
You are meant to be autonomous.
Autonomy relies on intelligence and expertise.
Systems are meant to build cooperation.

18. On Grace
You are a human being.
You live in a society of human beings.
Be nice, there are always repercussions.
Beware hubris.
You are allowed to blow your own trumpet.
We are all travelling to the same destination.

19. On Time
You are already dead.
History is just catching up.
You will be forgotten.
Your deeds and behavior will not.
Be Legendary.

20. Thank you