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Ask HN: What things have richly rewarded the time invested in mastering them?

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Re: Ask HN: What things have richly rewarded the time invested in mastering them?

#561

Post by p1esk »

GaryNumanVevo wrote: post #546
lwansbrough wrote: post #32

I’m still very much in the earlier stages of learning, but I’ll say negotiation. Recognizing that virtually any situation involving an “exchange” between two interested parties can become a negotiation has been a great insight into control for me. People often think of negotiation as business, however it can be much more personal than that and can be very useful for your interpersonal relationships as much as it can…

The unfortunate thing about negotiation books is that people begin to see all forms of human interaction as a negotiation. Negotiating when buying a car, sure go for it. But if you've scratched someone else's car and they're asking you to pay for it. Maybe not the best time to whip out those negotiating skills.

if you've scratched someone else's car and they're asking you to pay for it

That's a perfect time to use those negotiating skills. When I was buying a car, I just told them the number I'm willing to pay, and two weeks and 5 calls later they agreed. On the other hand, had I scratched someone's car, I'd want to use some negotiation tricks in case they wanted me to pay too much.

Re: Ask HN: What things have richly rewarded the time invested in mastering them?

#562

Post by kluck »

danaris wrote: post #554
kodablah wrote: post #361

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm going to try to comment like this, here goes... Why do you think 4 years are better spent paying to cobble together scripts for unnecessary assignments the way a can't-hack-it-outside-academia teacher wants who is not incentivized to do the best and is out of touch with real-world development instead of spending those years surrounded by experienced and like-minded peers in an environment that focuses on making t…

Except that what's being talked about here is a Computer Science degree, not a Programming or even Software Engineer degree. While the former does generally involve learning some programming, its focus is more about understanding the way computers and programming languages work from the fundamental theory on up. So if you're going to criticize it, at least get it right: it's not 4 years cobbling scripts together for…

Thank you for stepping in and trying to clarify. English is not my native language - that is why I sometimes struggle to explain myself better. The most valuable stuff you learn in CS study is the theory and that is exactly the stuff you miss out in an actual job (exceptions are possible of course).

Re: Ask HN: What things have richly rewarded the time invested in mastering them?

#563

Post by vertline3 »

Regardsyjc wrote: post #543
vertline3 wrote: post #501

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do I make myself want to do something? Serious question

I believe the point of discipline is to do something regardless whether you want to do it or not. My favorite quote on discipline: “A modern stoic knows that the surest way to discipline passion is to discipline time: decide what you want or ought to do during the day, then always do it at exactly the same moment every day, and passion will give you no trouble.” - W.H. Auden

Thank you for the nice reply and quote.

Re: Ask HN: What things have richly rewarded the time invested in mastering them?

#564

Post by hipjiveguy »

maroonblazer wrote: post #162

Learning a musical instrument to a high degree of proficiency. What's a "high degree of proficiency"? Obviously somewhat subjective but I'd argue its one of: 1) being able to play intermediate to advanced pieces in the standard repetoire. In the case of my instrument, piano, it's being able to play Bach, Brahms, Debussy, Bill Evans, T Monk, etc. 2) being able to think of a musical phrase and then play it on your inst…

So ultimately, you think your parents forcing you to take lessons was good for you? My son is in that zone - kind of likes, kind of hates taking lessons. But I feel parents have to push their kids to do something to understand that applying effort will help you in life, not just playing video games. Thoughts?

Re: Ask HN: What things have richly rewarded the time invested in mastering them?

#565

Post by pastullo »

For me, it has been the ability to build websites. This is the very skill that changed my life for the better. Why? First of all it opened so many more job opportunities. I graduated in Economics and Management, just like tens of thousands of other kids. Very few of them though knew HTML, leave alone a full-stack web framework. Coding was an incredible asset that landed me great executive digital jobs all over the world and made my low grades much less important.

So from a career and safe job point of view it was great. But even more important is that somehow i am the go-to person when a friend of mine wants to build a brand new digital business, which today's always requires a website of some sort. Being able to bootstrap a digital business is an incredible way to increase my chances to reach financial independence.

Being able to build any kind of website has thus been the greatest advantage and has definitely shaped my life for the best.

All the time spent reading programming books, tutorials and debugging my early apps really has paid off. When i look back, i am amazed by how much each single hour i have invested into web development, has given back to me as financial return.

This however has shaped a bit negatively the way i relate to learning new skills. When i am comparing each potential new skill i have to invest time in, with the incredible returns i got from web development, i find tough to invest time in something difficult to monetize immediately. In the end i guess each skill you learn enrich you somehow.

Re: Ask HN: What things have richly rewarded the time invested in mastering them?

#566

Post by maroonblazer »

hipjiveguy wrote: post #564
maroonblazer wrote: post #162

Learning a musical instrument to a high degree of proficiency. What's a "high degree of proficiency"? Obviously somewhat subjective but I'd argue its one of: 1) being able to play intermediate to advanced pieces in the standard repetoire. In the case of my instrument, piano, it's being able to play Bach, Brahms, Debussy, Bill Evans, T Monk, etc. 2) being able to think of a musical phrase and then play it on your inst…

So ultimately, you think your parents forcing you to take lessons was good for you? My son is in that zone - kind of likes, kind of hates taking lessons. But I feel parents have to push their kids to do something to understand that applying effort will help you in life, not just playing video games. Thoughts?

Yeah, I do. I don't know if it's good for everyone. I tend to think it is though, in the same way that perhaps forcing your child to learn a 2nd language is more than likely good for them, despite the fact that they may not appreciate it while in the process of learning.

Re: Ask HN: What things have richly rewarded the time invested in mastering them?

#568

Post by sh87 »

pq0ak2nnd wrote: post #557
kodablah wrote: post #514

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not a binary correct vs incorrect and it's unfortunate that so many that hire see it that way. I don't when I hire and I understand that different approaches work best for different people. You should take that into account instead of thinking that one approach is flatly "correct".

You are correct: I didn't specify what I was hiring for. I didn't have a need for plug-and-chug hackers to knock out one-off fixes, i had a need for talented programmers to groom into software and system architects that would maintain complex systems for many years. First I went for the Farady over Maxwell approach the first 5 years i hired and that was a 50% fail. The next round of going for degrees + hacking worked…

I have a com-sci degree from a non-reputed college from a country that's considered the 'body shop' of the software development world, so my perspective is fairly skewed. That degree cost me virtually nothing as compred to what prestigious colleges cost, took me a year less to complete and I stood first in my graduating class. I graduated at the worst point of the 08 recession. I still remember being kicked out for not being 'qualified' enough without even a chance to interview. Was it worth it? Sure, taught me to figure out whats important and whats not, identify decision makers, optimise my habits to maximize output, work with idiots and geniuses at the same time and i was now 'certified' to code and get paid for it. Would I be able to make do without it? maybe, but I'd rather take this route.

Re: Ask HN: What things have richly rewarded the time invested in mastering them?

#569

Post by cirgue »

vertline3 wrote: post #501
cirgue wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Discipline is learning how to want to do something, not how to make yourself do something.

How do I make myself want to do something? Serious question

Connecting the future outcome you want with your present experience. Running when it’s 40 and rainy sucks to start, but after your warmed up and for the rest of the day you will be glad to have done so. Starting definitely sucks, but if you’re convinced enough in the present that the future state is worth it, you will want to run and you will want to push through it. That’s a skill that can be cultivated.

Re: Ask HN: What things have richly rewarded the time invested in mastering them?

#570

Post by overload119 »

BOOSTERHIDROGEN wrote: post #553
Waterluvian wrote: post #363

"Fighting fair." It's a term I heard a Minister tell the bride and groom during his speech at their wedding. He talked about how you're going to fight with your spouse, but the challenge is to fight fair. Hear the other person. Try to see their perspective with sympathy, if not empathy. Avoid trying to "win" fights, that's never the point. I talked about this with my then girlfriend. She was a vicious fighter. I was…

Any books/articles about this ?

The best relationship advice guide is here in my opinion: https://markmanson.net/relationship-advice

If not for the tactical advice inside of the article, it's a launching pad for other resources to dive into (such as the 5 language of love).

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