What works for me: start them all and see which one sticks.
Ask HN: The “I want to do everything but end up doing nothing” dilemma
181–190 of 224 posts
Re: Ask HN: The “I want to do everything but end up doing nothing” dilemma
#182This said trying to be completely free of condescension:
What you are feeling is inexperience. It gets better.
Re: Ask HN: The “I want to do everything but end up doing nothing” dilemma
#183You have to like your tools and stick to them, that means your text editor for notes and immediate todo lists and access in the cloud, also that list of inspirational themes, quotes and links you'd like to research, eventually; but also includes that programming language, framework and patterns you have to adopt and stick to, just to give yourself enough time to master it, and only then it will make sense to take next steps to a higher level or to test that other new/cool technology. Love your tools and knowledge and stick to them until you really need something else.
Re: Ask HN: The “I want to do everything but end up doing nothing” dilemma
#184I think it depends on what is distracting you. Is it because you have a functional social life, good friends or like to spend time with your girlfriend? Or have other positive ways to spend your time competing for you attention? If so I wouldn't sweat it too much. You're like 99% of the rest of us who don't have super human powers of concentration and discipline, and this counts double in your early 20s. Speaking per…
I agree with this advice. I just got out of b-school and my background is in computer information systems, but I am attempting to learn a lot more of the nitty-gritty aspects of computer science I was not exposed to in my university education. This includes topics like algorithms, data structures, operating systems and compilers. I do not know where to start and I've been using Hacker News to follow the tech scene as much as possible. Unfortunately I still feel that I am missing out because I chose business over engineering (which I continue to regret).
I'm just 1.5 years away from being 30 so I realize that I have quite a long time left in my software development career to catch-up to all you CS people. I don't think I've been undirected (the opposite of conscientiousness) but I've been misdirected and distracted. I've studied other things including web design and music production. I've also enjoyed life a lot (and slacked off by watching too much Adult Swim and Comedy Central, as well!).
It's hard being productive and studious all the time. While some people work 80 hour weeks continuously, most people don't out of need for sleep, exercise and relaxation. There is certainly an ebb-and-flow to this so I am embracing the idea that it will take me many more years of continuous growth and effort to get where I want to be. I also know that I need to eliminate as many distractions as possible, including turning off the TV and avoiding going out to concerts, clubs and bars. I have picked up some meditation techniques as well (including spending 10 minutes a day, at least once a day, focusing on deep breathing in order to unwind my frontal cortex). Sacrifice sucks but it is necessary to become the person you want to be!
Re: Ask HN: The “I want to do everything but end up doing nothing” dilemma
#185"Whom the gods wish to destroy, they give unlimited resources." In your case, educational resources. It's difficult to say because of the details you omitted, but whatever it is you're trying to do is probably the wrong thing. If you need to cover 4 highly technical subjects in 4 months, then you've made a wrong turn somewhere and you need to stop and re-evaluate things. No matter how important it seems, no matter ho…
"Whom the gods wish to destroy, they give unlimited resources."
These terse words at once explain the sophomore jinx in music, why famous scientists never outdo their work before they are famous, and some of the deepest paradoxes of my own life. Thanks for this. Classic.
Re: Ask HN: The “I want to do everything but end up doing nothing” dilemma
#186I think we all suffer from this dilemma to varying degrees. Side note: I just read an interesting article on addictive behavior. It suggests that absolute addiction is not really as hard to overcome as we previously thought. The problem with addiction is it's a way to bond with something. Bonding is the actual addiction. You can bond with people, drugs, things, behaviors. If you want to overcome a particular addictiv…
I second your idea about "bonding with people who are already bonded with the idea".
For the longest time, one of the things on my bucket list was to learn/make a game (with no prior experience before). During the last three years, I've started/restarted on my own but to no avail.
Two months ago, I joined an incubator for new game-makers and just being around so many supportive mentors (and other newbies who were creating games) pushed me to actually focus in on an engine, focus in on one idea and actually make significant progress in making my first game. I'm now about 80% complete with my game.
Guess I just needed a little push, a little encouragement and some accountability to finish something I've started so many times before!
Re: Ask HN: The “I want to do everything but end up doing nothing” dilemma
#187I think we all suffer from this dilemma to varying degrees. Side note: I just read an interesting article on addictive behavior. It suggests that absolute addiction is not really as hard to overcome as we previously thought. The problem with addiction is it's a way to bond with something. Bonding is the actual addiction. You can bond with people, drugs, things, behaviors. If you want to overcome a particular addictiv…
"I just read an interesting article on addictive behavior." My take on this is that the OP is simplistically addicted to learning because it's easy and requires little effort and prolongs not having to actually do something. Back in the day of buying books at Barnes and Noble, I found myself doing something similar where I would continue to buy books to learn but never took any action or put off taking action on doin…
Your comment really resonated with me. It's like that person who attempts to beat procrastination in order to get things done by... reading books about procrastination.
I'll follow your advice.
Re: Ask HN: The “I want to do everything but end up doing nothing” dilemma
#188Deadlines (self-imposed, even) make a huge difference for me. Being the lazy, unmotivated, dissolute individual that I am, I can confidently say that some of the most productive, sustained learning efforts I undertook these past few years were Coursera classes with weekly problem set (e.g. coding) deadlines.
Take this with the caveat that advice is what worked for the advisor, not necessarily the advisee. But if you really have this problem of focus, I ask you to consider doing this: go to Coursera, choose an upcoming course that fits your "highly technical subjects" the closest and looks the most appealing in terms of subject matter, and make the commitment to see that course through. If/when you complete it, in the future when you need to focus again you'll at least have that experience to encourage you, reminding you that in fact you can see something complex through to completion.
Re: Ask HN: The “I want to do everything but end up doing nothing” dilemma
#189I would say just start doing anything.
Deploying > Doing > Reading.
You don't have to do something super impressive to begin with. Just start with committing a line of code.
Re: Ask HN: The “I want to do everything but end up doing nothing” dilemma
#190Well, the question you imposed reminds me of myself going through this problem.
Advantages of doing multi-tasking: you learn new skills and gain high confidence. Disadvantage of learning multitasking: you have to master only one at a time and it requires lot of patience.
Einstein once quoted: To do multiple things,the only solution is to do one by one.
Practically: 1. Start meditation, do it five minutes morning and evening and steadily improve for doing 20 minutes at least.(reduces stress, improves focus and gain high confidence)
2. Pick one subject and make it a ritual of studying only for that period of time.
3. Be in a process than thinking about results, trust me it will automatically fall into the places.
4. Constraints are not your enemy ( you have only 20 mins to read, make that 20 mins work of art.)
5. Don't let your thoughts make you believe what you are doing is not right. Have faith on yourself, it is all thoughts game. Master over your thoughts.
~Cheers!