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Ask HN: As a single bootstrapper, how do you deal with the pressure?
91–100 of 104 posts
Re: Ask HN: As a single bootstrapper, how do you deal with the pressure?
#92When I was practicing scales to become a guitarist in my youth, my mom always came in and said "can't you play something we we know". My guitar teacher on the other hand said great and gave me another to practice. You are making the mistake of "playing scales" in front of an audience who expect a performance of a final composition rather than a teacher who can provide feedback on your work in progress. Change the aud…
Amazing (and very true) analogy.
Re: Ask HN: As a single bootstrapper, how do you deal with the pressure?
#93Earlier quoted context omitted.
Because they're aware of what tech can and can't do. Not the grandparent, but it's right there in the post you're replying to.
I read the "ideas" as having the business ideas, not the implementation detail ideas.
The implementation possibilities limit or expand the product idea.
Also the implementation is the product, and the product is most of the business. They are not separate things.
Re: Ask HN: As a single bootstrapper, how do you deal with the pressure?
#94When I was practicing scales to become a guitarist in my youth, my mom always came in and said "can't you play something we we know". My guitar teacher on the other hand said great and gave me another to practice. You are making the mistake of "playing scales" in front of an audience who expect a performance of a final composition rather than a teacher who can provide feedback on your work in progress. Change the aud…
As someone learning to play guitar this is the hardest part for me. The scales are boring and I want to jump to the fun stuff or learning a song. But then learning that song is a similar process. I have coworkers who are skilled guitarists and it is frustrating to watch them because I know they've put in the hours of doing scales. It is hard to stay motivated when the "wrong audience" is yourself.
Don't be afraid to defy conventional means. When as a kid I (forced by my parents) was learning violin and later piano - I'd throw away the notes and learn to play a piece by ear in a fraction of time. This year I picked up a Taylor and I'm learning fingerstyle. I don't do any boring mechanical practice, I only play songs that I like - it took a while, but watching youtube video note by note I managed to glue together Beatles "Yesterday" and now it actually sounds good.
Re: Ask HN: As a single bootstrapper, how do you deal with the pressure?
#95Earlier quoted context omitted.
As someone learning to play guitar this is the hardest part for me. The scales are boring and I want to jump to the fun stuff or learning a song. But then learning that song is a similar process. I have coworkers who are skilled guitarists and it is frustrating to watch them because I know they've put in the hours of doing scales. It is hard to stay motivated when the "wrong audience" is yourself.
Don't be afraid to defy conventional means. When as a kid I (forced by my parents) was learning violin and later piano - I'd throw away the notes and learn to play a piece by ear in a fraction of time. This year I picked up a Taylor and I'm learning fingerstyle. I don't do any boring mechanical practice, I only play songs that I like - it took a while, but watching youtube video note by note I managed to glue togethe…
Exactly. Scales are great if you want to learn to improvise and understand how to play in Dorian or Mixolydian etc, but even for that it's not actually necessary.
Your ear is the only thing thats really needed.
Re: Ask HN: As a single bootstrapper, how do you deal with the pressure?
#96edit: haters gonna hate
Re: Ask HN: As a single bootstrapper, how do you deal with the pressure?
#97[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: As a single bootstrapper, how do you deal with the pressure?
#98This has helped me greatly over the years in a world full of haters. May it help you too.
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7-it-is-not-the-critic-who-c...
Re: Ask HN: As a single bootstrapper, how do you deal with the pressure?
#99When I was practicing scales to become a guitarist in my youth, my mom always came in and said "can't you play something we we know". My guitar teacher on the other hand said great and gave me another to practice. You are making the mistake of "playing scales" in front of an audience who expect a performance of a final composition rather than a teacher who can provide feedback on your work in progress. Change the aud…
I'll have to remember that "playing scales" analogy.
A year ago I was trying to level up my writing ability and wrote a medium-length article, with proper outlining, attempting to explain an abstract idea through concrete examples (mostly business related).
I sent it to one friend and was told "this is too intellectual, it contains no useful information, no-one will want to read it". No response to the actual subject matter.[1]
I was floored. I didn't want to be the stereotypical writer who gets defensive in the face of criticism, but my friend was so dismissive and patronising that it was hard to maintain my motivation. To rub salt in the wound they later told me "look, you just have to get used to harsh feedback".
[1] (Another friend read it and had some criticisms, but did actually engage with the argument I was making).
Re: Ask HN: As a single bootstrapper, how do you deal with the pressure?
#100When I was practicing scales to become a guitarist in my youth, my mom always came in and said "can't you play something we we know". My guitar teacher on the other hand said great and gave me another to practice. You are making the mistake of "playing scales" in front of an audience who expect a performance of a final composition rather than a teacher who can provide feedback on your work in progress. Change the aud…
I'll have to remember that "playing scales" analogy. A year ago I was trying to level up my writing ability and wrote a medium-length article, with proper outlining, attempting to explain an abstract idea through concrete examples (mostly business related). I sent it to one friend and was told "this is too intellectual, it contains no useful information, no-one will want to read it". No response to the actual subject…
Believe me I have been there :)
I write some pretty complex essays purely of things I find interesting. For examples this one https://medium.com/black-n-white/the-problem-with-problems-4...
Most of my essays are based on looser discussions I have with people which I then ponder over and distill down into an essay.
So I always make sure to send to those people who have a basic idea of what I am talking about. I.e. I am not trying to convert some reader from being completely uninterested in the subject matter into someone who should care.
Instead I send to the people I discussed it with or a few group of people I know share my interest.
That mostly steers me clear of any frustration :)
Another thing I try and do is think about my essays as a way to get thought out of my head and down on paper. That way whether tens of thousands of people read it as they sometimes do or no one (as they sometimes do) I can still check it off as done.