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“Become Abnormal”: traits to cultivate for top performance

capitalandgrowth.org

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Re: “Become Abnormal”: traits to cultivate for top performance

#71

Post by haihaibye »

aerophilic wrote: post #59

I am somewhat surprised and taken aback by the level of negative comments in the thread... However, I suspect that the article “touched a nerve”. In my experience, the “stronger the reaction” the more likely something is there (think Lean Startup). The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. That said, I will echo/slightly modify some of the positive comments I read: it isn’t about being “abnormal” in working…

Lean startup is great at finding a profitable niche, but that may lead you down a path where you're running a chat app for Furries.

Re: “Become Abnormal”: traits to cultivate for top performance

#72

Post by unishark »

majormajor wrote: post #40
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> When does society get a share of the blame? Blaming society and sitting back is counterproductive. Blaming society and taking agency with respect to that injustice is a productive, performing response. (As is trying to “tough through” the adversity, as unlikely as that is to succeed.) At the individual level, focussing on elements one has control over is a sensible strategy. At the society-wide level, the discussio…

> Blaming society and sitting back is counterproductive. Blaming society and taking agency with respect to that injustice is a productive, performing response. (As is trying to “tough through” the adversity, as unlikely as that is to succeed.) > At the individual level, focussing on elements one has control over is a sensible strategy. At the society-wide level, the discussion must be more complex. It's a recipe for…

There's no danger of everyone being exceptional though, given human nature, which is essentially the point. Normal emotional defensive mechanisms such as making excuses and avoiding confrontation impede your long term goals. Trying and failing "hurts" more than not trying at all, so there's a self-defeating optimization process being performed by people typically. Of course your own mind isn't the only obstacle holding you back, but it can be a big one. I agree this kind of fluff is off-putting for technical-minded people, but the value of the point seems pretty clear.

As for the anecdotes and success stories, I also agree they are not convincing. In business they can be very useful though, since starting a new venture requires a lot of leaps of faith and uneducated decisions, something paralyzing to most people. Having a model for how others proceeded is very valuable.

Re: “Become Abnormal”: traits to cultivate for top performance

#73

Post by unishark »

holografix wrote: post #31

Warning: this post is a generalisation that could offend some people. I’m writing it because I feel I have to. This reads _very_ American. By that I mean both a good and, more so than ever in 2020, a bad thing. The good is obviously the undying optimism, self belief resilience and competitiveness I see displayed in the American way of life so often. The bad is how it lays the responsibility for outcomes solely at the…

Well of all the generalizations used to describe americans nowadays this may be one of the nicest.

But I do have to say, as for blame, society gets eviscerated 24/7 on every public forum and other platform. Stories like this are more the exception, even here. For every professor publishing on "individual success" there may be 100 researching "group studies" of one kind or another.

Re: “Become Abnormal”: traits to cultivate for top performance

#74

Post by jesterson »

taurath wrote: post #33

I've watched enough people grow up, become rich and powerful, then find in their 40s they have absolutely no skills to enjoy the fruits of their labor. They stopped practicing empathy so long ago to get to where they were they don't even realize how much of life's genuine enjoyment they are missing. There are a few who have the time of their lives the whole way through. Not very many. In short, just because one can,…

That's a very underrated thought, unfortunately.

Re: “Become Abnormal”: traits to cultivate for top performance

#75

Post by watwut »

taurath wrote: post #33

I've watched enough people grow up, become rich and powerful, then find in their 40s they have absolutely no skills to enjoy the fruits of their labor. They stopped practicing empathy so long ago to get to where they were they don't even realize how much of life's genuine enjoyment they are missing. There are a few who have the time of their lives the whole way through. Not very many. In short, just because one can,…

> They stopped practicing empathy so long ago to get to where they were

In this case, I would worry more about those who were harmed in the process. Whether colleges or family or friends.

Re: “Become Abnormal”: traits to cultivate for top performance

#76

Post by watwut »

realbarack wrote: post #14
bluedays wrote: post #11

Yeah, I get this a lot. I spend hours every day dedicated to doing things to improve my skills to become more valuable in IT. People think I'm crazy, but in the time frame I have begun to do this (since my daughter was born) I can now probably run circles around anyone else who would have started at the same time. Hours of dedication, every day, is not normal. It's probably not healthy either, but I got a late start…

I'm curious about the timing. Many people seem to find it more difficult to maintain this level of dedication after they have kids. What made things different in your case?

Usually it is partner that does all the nighttime waking up during baby time. And the partner that deals with all the interruptions the toddler produces and the partner that generally does all childcare.

Re: “Become Abnormal”: traits to cultivate for top performance

#77

Post by lihaciudaniel »

taurath wrote: post #33

I've watched enough people grow up, become rich and powerful, then find in their 40s they have absolutely no skills to enjoy the fruits of their labor. They stopped practicing empathy so long ago to get to where they were they don't even realize how much of life's genuine enjoyment they are missing. There are a few who have the time of their lives the whole way through. Not very many. In short, just because one can,…

>Understand that you are closing off doors as much as opening new ones

You can't have everything. You must sacrifice family if you want success and if you want family you must sacrifice success. Some people aren't even aware of that and blame the former for their lack of success.

Re: “Become Abnormal”: traits to cultivate for top performance

#78

Post by burntoutfire »

Merrill wrote: post #15
bluedays wrote: post #11

Yeah, I get this a lot. I spend hours every day dedicated to doing things to improve my skills to become more valuable in IT. People think I'm crazy, but in the time frame I have begun to do this (since my daughter was born) I can now probably run circles around anyone else who would have started at the same time. Hours of dedication, every day, is not normal. It's probably not healthy either, but I got a late start…

In IT you need to average a few hours per week learning new things just to keep up, since the half life of what you already know is probably about 5 to 10 years. Other professionals also need continuing education, such as doctors, veterinarians, and lawyers, but IT probably requires more than other professions.

You can also learn the new technologies on the job. It requires some active career manenourving and perhaps can't always be done, but I have spent very little amount of time learning outside of work hours in the past 7 years, and am making top rates (and working with latest in-vogue tech).

Re: “Become Abnormal”: traits to cultivate for top performance

#79

Post by thcricketfan »

jierenchen wrote: post #22
bluedays wrote: post #11

Yeah, I get this a lot. I spend hours every day dedicated to doing things to improve my skills to become more valuable in IT. People think I'm crazy, but in the time frame I have begun to do this (since my daughter was born) I can now probably run circles around anyone else who would have started at the same time. Hours of dedication, every day, is not normal. It's probably not healthy either, but I got a late start…

The funny thing about knowledge work is that it sits somewhere between additive and compounding. Additive like: Let's say you shovel sand into a pit and you shovel 1% more than your peers every day for a year. By end of year, you will have shoveled 1% more. Compounding like: You're a derivatives trader and make 1% more returns every day for a year than your peers. By end of year you will have made 3780% more. Knowled…

Great idea. As a beginner i struggle with this. Since you have thought about this, Any tips on how to achieve the compounding? Thank You.

Re: “Become Abnormal”: traits to cultivate for top performance

#80

Post by unfunco »

lihaciudaniel wrote: post #77
taurath wrote: post #33

I've watched enough people grow up, become rich and powerful, then find in their 40s they have absolutely no skills to enjoy the fruits of their labor. They stopped practicing empathy so long ago to get to where they were they don't even realize how much of life's genuine enjoyment they are missing. There are a few who have the time of their lives the whole way through. Not very many. In short, just because one can,…

>Understand that you are closing off doors as much as opening new ones You can't have everything. You must sacrifice family if you want success and if you want family you must sacrifice success. Some people aren't even aware of that and blame the former for their lack of success.

I don't think that's true at all, pulling two obvious examples out of the air, both Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, two of the most successful men in history, are both seemingly dedicated to their families.

Success is also a subjective term, success here is (I think) implicitly being defined as wealth, both Gates and Buffett are hyper-successful, and I know plenty of more-ordinarily successful people with families too. Actually, I'm almost certain I know more successful people with families than I know successful loners.

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