Foundations

Note: Some may find that I hold strong opinions. That would be a problem if I did not also value tolerance, reject xenophobia, and respect everyone’s right to their own views. In professional collaboration, I try to remain apolitical, as I consider that part of being professional.

Born in 1993, in the early post-socialist era shortly after the fall of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia (1989). It was a time of emerging democracy and early capitalism, when the country, separated from Slovakia in 1993, began its difficult path toward catching up with the developed Western world.

Historically, without the communist period, would not have been much to catch up to. Up until World War II, we were among the more advanced nations relative to our size. The following decades under Soviet influence caused lasting damage. The post-revolution privatization of state assets, often poorly executed, only reinforced that trajectory.

Even today, it is encouraging to see signs that the Czech Republic is gradually re-emerging and proving again that it has capable and intelligent people. I believe the country is slowly shifting from being the “assembly line of Europe” toward a stronger R&D-oriented economy, including a solid IT sector. In a slightly exaggerated sense, I see my own work as contributing to that direction.

Since childhood, I have tried to maintain a broad and structured view of the world. I have always cared about understanding what is true and being cautious about sources of information. This trait is more relevant today than ever.

I have always been interested in what happens beyond my own country. I never wanted to go through life without seeing other parts of the world. This naturally leads to comparisons. In the end, however, it is less about comparison and more about understanding scale and learning to see people across different cultures.

I have never stopped being fascinated by how things are done elsewhere or by absorbing ideas from different philosophical traditions.

Travel, for me, is not frequent but meaningful. It creates space to think. Time to reflect on things I would not normally consider during the year, including my own direction and plans for the future.

I tend to see myself as a global citizen.

Note: Just as I approach the world in a broader way, I approach software in the same way — as a system shaped by changing conditions and multiple variables, whether cultural, economic, or technical.

Another defining trait is that I choose carefully what I commit to. I do not like doing things halfway.

If I decide to pursue something long term, I aim to improve continuously. I find stagnation deeply uncomfortable. Repeating the same thing mechanically, without development or direction, quickly loses its meaning for me.

That is why I am drawn to creation and the process behind it. Nothing meaningful is built instantly. It is always a gradual process. I value that process.

I prefer thinking strategically rather than purely tactically.

I work best when I understand the broader system, its context, conditions, and environment. Optimizing a small component repeatedly can feel like stagnation.

I value having good information about plans and the work of others on the team. Designing a part of a system without sufficient context is uncomfortable.

I tend to question plans that seem flawed. Because of that, I prefer environments without rigid hierarchies, where it is acceptable to question assumptions, even those coming from more senior roles.

If a product is meant to be good, ego and excessive formality should give way to pragmatism and open exchange of ideas. I value environments where human potential is used effectively and where real team synergy can emerge.

If I am going to invest a significant amount of energy into a project, I want enough context to contribute as effectively as possible.

I strongly separate professional and personal life. At the same time, I try to pursue work that can become a form of calling, as that is my ideal. I value professionalism and respect for one’s craft.

Henry Ford was not wrong in promoting specialization through division of labor. Not everyone can do everything well. That said, designing systems and coordinating complex work is also a skill. It is not trivial and usually requires years of preparation and effort.

At this point, I can say for myself that I have invested enough work into my development to operate at that level. I do not feel the need to prove that to myself anymore. That naturally leads to valuing time more and being more selective about how it is spent.

Despite that, ambition has not disappeared and likely never will. I have always had a sense that I should leave something behind.

I am not interested in spending life purely chasing entertainment. While balance is necessary, including relationships, rest, and mental well-being, what drives me is finding ways to make meaningful use of the fact that I have a life to work with.

Life itself is undervalued. We could be more grateful just to be here. The human mind is often used far below what it is capable of. Many people never fully realize what their mind can do, nor do they seriously attempt to use it to its full potential. Yet that is where their real wealth lies — even if it remains undiscovered.

Our greatest value is not in material things or numbers, but within us, in the mind and in the heart. We should be aware of that and, at the very least, not take it for granted.

As technology continues to surround us more and more, I believe it becomes increasingly important to preserve what makes us human. Machines will likely surpass us in many areas, but not in this.

Among other influences that have shaped me, some of the strongest include artistic disciplines rooted in creativity and perception, my time at an economics faculty, as economic forces shape much of today’s world, and a broader awareness of history and the evolution of ethics. I also value the exact sciences and research, both contemporary and historical, engineering, including my studies in mechanical engineering, and, at times, writing as a form of expression.