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Ask HN: How to find what I am really good at?

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Re: Ask HN: How to find what I am really good at?

#91
Whatever you will become really good at will be something that motivates and keeps you energized.

Getting good at something takes time. If your first discover what you like, i.e, what motivates you, inspires you, energizes you. Then, getting really good at it will come im time and be tempered by your natural talent.

Perhaps what you could potentially be the best at is not something you even like - and what’s the point in that?

Re: Ask HN: How to find what I am really good at?

#92
I've only ever been successful when I'm able to turn what I do for fun into what I do for a living. I don't remember not being interested in computers, programming, games, BBSs and early online services etc. There just was no other way it was going to go. Absent something like that, I'd say just find something that is genuinely fun to you... something that you enjoy being terrible at and keep doing it until you're no longer terrible at it. Hopefully someone will eventually pay you for it. There's a lot of opportunity out there these days for a wide variety of skills to be applied creatively.

Re: Ask HN: How to find what I am really good at?

#93
Hi there,

This might be an off beat chance, but have you had a history of or ever looked into the topic of adult ADHD?

Changing several jobs, jumping between hobbies or projects is textbook ADHD, especially if you don't feel like you can get out of it and describe it as a "huge live hurdle".

That is the same for me. Got diagnosed at 30 two months ago.

If you have a suspicion you might have it, I highly recommend doing a quick online test and listening to podcasts around getting an ADHD diagnosis as well as personal tales from people who have it.

Especially the latter were a real eye opener for me and pushed me to get a diagnosis.

The point is, no amount of effort, book reading, motivational speeches or the like will get you out of this pattern.

ADHD is a neurological dysfunction, hence medication is most effective.

Re: Ask HN: How to find what I am really good at?

#95

Hi there, This might be an off beat chance, but have you had a history of or ever looked into the topic of adult ADHD? Changing several jobs, jumping between hobbies or projects is textbook ADHD, especially if you don't feel like you can get out of it and describe it as a "huge live hurdle". That is the same for me. Got diagnosed at 30 two months ago. If you have a suspicion you might have it, I highly recommend doin…

I’m not sure about the whole neurological dysfunction story. It sounds a lot like the now debunked chemical imbalance story for depression. So far as I know there’s no ADHD blood or other objective test. I am however sure about stimulant drugs being a shockingly effective productivity booster when properly dosed though. As the comment I’m replying to notes, it’s trivially easy to walk into a psychiatrist’s office and get an ADHD diagnosis and that’s the safest and most legal way to get them. Whether or not long term use is prudent is an entirely different matter of course.

Edit: The above can be read as dismissive and that's not what I intended. Please see my reply further down for more context.

Re: Ask HN: How to find what I am really good at?

#96
My advice is to not focus. At least not yet.

I'm in the 40-45 year old range and assuming you are much younger. Apologies if we are closer in age, since this advice will carry less value.

I have often been envious of people who were more focused than I am. I feel they have been able to make more progress in a given amount of time. I worked as a mover in Boston into my mid twenties, spent a bunch of time trying to become an elite athlete, climbed big mountains, eventually learned to code, got involved in some early ecommerce businesses, eventually video gaming industry, and finally a principle engineer for the playback technology we use on Disney+.

I was complaining about my lack of focus to an old college mate, and he posed an extremely relevant question: "Do you regret your experiences?"

No, I don't. Not one bit. The experiences I've gathered are assets which build on each other, leading to more and more valuable experiences.

I have an objective of starting my own company, even at this ripe old age, and I am more confident than ever that I'll be successful at it. I have the experiences I need to pursue just about any dream.

Go out and get experiences. If your personality is such that you get a varied scope of experience, it will serve you well. Don't fight it.

Re: Ask HN: How to find what I am really good at?

#97
post #70
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>You don't "find what you are good at" - that is backwards. [...] , working at learning and practicing, you will become good at it. Because of the imprecise way the op phrased his question, I think you've misinterpreted it. I agree with sibling comment (jstx1) that op is not asking about "good" as a skill-level change from beginner to expert. Instead, the op is asking something like... "How do I find the one activity…

I like and agree with the take that OP should look for opportunities that put them in a flow state. I'll give an example from my own experience. I'm not a naturally great programmer. I mean, I'm not bad - I get the job done. But I know that there are plenty of folks out there for which it comes much more easily. However - programming very consistently puts me into a flow state. My workdays pass quickly (in a good way…

+1. After wasting some time on finding what I'm good at, I also arrived at this conclusion.

Re: Ask HN: How to find what I am really good at?

#99
What if you aren't good at anything? You might find it helpful to consider this possibility and make peace with it, since you have no real control over it. Most people are average at most things, and the willpower to change ones stars is also scarcely distributed. Realizing that it's overwhelmingly likely that you are "only" average might help you relax and enjoy the ride. If you can attain this kind of equanimity, you may find yourself better able to appreciate things as they are, along with the serendipity of life. You may then realize that life is full of possibilities which were hidden from you by a fixation with linear progression.
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