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Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

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Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#201

Post by xapata »

fanzhang wrote: post #98
xapata wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You mentioned grad school. It's even more of a struggle to keep those habits after you start working. With some kinds of jobs, anyway. Stay strong.

Having been between work and grad school and back, my personal experience is that systems are easier to maintain during work. Grad schools is automatically less structured and easier to get into a funk if you don't focus right.

I've had several travel jobs. Flghts and hotels are very disruptive. I also worked part-time in grad school, so I guess that gave me structure.

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#203

Post by ci5er »

capitalsigma wrote: post #192
ci5er wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know many lazy successful people (there are a few, though!) Maybe not 'the', but 'a'? What do you think "the hallmark" is?

There's a difference between enjoying your job and not having any desires to do anything else. The former is normal and healthy, the latter is (imo) not a good strategy for working efficiently. I love my job but I don't think I'd be better at it if I poured 100+ hours/week into it. I'd probably just feel burnt out and unproductive.

Maybe so. Probably so. Most people. But I'm having a difficult reaching the bottom of the binary declarations up-stream. Commenter #1 said, essentially, "Loving work the most is key". Commenter #2 responded (I summarize): "Nuh uh."

I don't think anyone said anything about 100+ hours/week. I was hoping that commenter #2 might appear and give us some deep insights, but that appears to have been a bridge too far...

I don't have a 9~5 working for the man, but there is very little that happens during my waking hours that I wouldn't classify as related to work. I'm fortunate that this is not one task, so it doesn't weigh on me like fighting with a C compiler while sitting under florescent lights in a cube farm might. That's kind of work is fine - I like that too - but I couldn't do it for more than about 70-80 hours/week.

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#204

Post by joe563323 »

jolux wrote: post #184
rustynails wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I respect your comment and the one you responded to. Being an old school nerd, only the toughest survived with a love of technology back then. I recall a stream of bullying and it either makes or breaks you. However, being a nerd is no longer the same as it was back then. What frustrates me today is how the media (collectively) have revised the history books and promote some fairly extreme bullying (see the verge's a…

>Being an old school nerd, only the toughest survived with a love of technology back then. Ah yes, only the toughest survive. Tech nerds are so tough that they get offended when somebody doesn't like their shirt. >What frustrates me today is how the media (collectively) have revised the history books and promote some fairly extreme bullying (see the verge's article on Matt Taylor as an example of some extreme and unj…

on the other hand if one can be so disillusioned then it is the greatest gift, their entire brain cycles can be spent on the things that matter. But its hard to achieve the illusion.

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#205

Post by vcool07 »

1. 'Day dreaming'. I'm not sure what's the scientific term for this is, but fantasizing about a better future, a better you, better circumstances etc., can give you a fresh outlook. Need to remember that this is just a means to an end, and not "the end" itself !

2. Thinking of how your "ideal self" or your "real life hero" would've handled the situation. Would he duck for cover ? Would he have thrown and given up ? Would he have backed out to survive the day (eventually to fight another day) ? This kinda helps in bringing in a fresh perspective to the situation. It no longer looks like a pain, more like a challenge/problem that needs to be faced/solved !

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#207

Post by shradha408 »

atroyn wrote: post #48

I realized a while ago that inspiration isn't very helpful for getting you through adversity. Inspiration gets you going, but grit and discipline ultimately help you push through. I'm going to go against the grain of most of what's being said in this thread and say that the best way to get through adversity is to discard a goal-based mentality entirely, in favor of a system-based mentality. Figure out the stuff you h…

This is such a pragmatic and straight forward approach. I loved reading it. It did help me. Thanks!

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#208

Post by vanderreeah »

bogomipz wrote: post #159
vanderreeah wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I made a moral judgement, which IMHO is not the same as being judgemental or "the moral police". If, as you say, discourse on HN often unfolds in tangential directions, surely moral tangents like mine are as permissible as historical ones like yours?

I didn't pass judgement on anyone or any thing. You did however. You called me insensitive and a fan of racist imperialism. And no, thats not acceptable or fair. It's just lame. And the fact that you continue using your own twisted perception of something as justification for your uncalled for remarks is lamer still. Grow up.

You are right that I passed judgement on you - I found your post offensive and insensitive. It is fair that I call you out on it. The fact that you continue to defend your insensitivity speaks volumes.

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#209

Post by tomcam »

The thought of regressing to the kind of life I had as a kid: I'd go a hell of a long way for that not to happen. Having some handicapped children, who are wonderful but resource intensive. The fact that I am so fortunate as to live in a world where to get ahead all I have to do is work my ass off--I live in a stable country that still rewards grit a lot of the time. Fear.

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#210

Post by dirkg »

atroyn wrote: post #48

I realized a while ago that inspiration isn't very helpful for getting you through adversity. Inspiration gets you going, but grit and discipline ultimately help you push through. I'm going to go against the grain of most of what's being said in this thread and say that the best way to get through adversity is to discard a goal-based mentality entirely, in favor of a system-based mentality. Figure out the stuff you h…

Thank you, fantastic comment. It reminds of this quote -

"Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."

I am guilty of procastination, analysis and obsessive research my whole life. Its not going to help if you spend a month finding out the perfect diet or perfect vacation and then realize you could've done something instead - perfection is an unattainable goal.

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