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Ask HN: Thoughts on being “boring”

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Re: Ask HN: Thoughts on being “boring”

#51

Post by nonameiguess »

Reminder that advice about not being boring, being entrepreneurial, the idea that everyone should start their own business at some point, have active side projects they try to monetize, can't possibly universalize. Specialization and division of labor is the basis of civilization. The vast majority of people need to be boring and content to just do enough work to support their family and otherwise try to stay healthy and sane, via whatever habits that may or may not set the world on fire you find fulfilling and useful. A world of 8 billion entrepreneurs is a perpetual 8 billion wars of 1 against everyone else with nothing ever actually getting done.

It doesn't mean don't be an entrepreneur if that is something you find fulfilling. But don't do it because someone else told you that you should. As a piece of advice given in general to all people, it's flatly ridiculous.

Re: Ask HN: Thoughts on being “boring”

#52

Post by alistairSH »

A mentor has advised me not to become "boring"

Maybe you need a new mentor. Being boring has nothing to do with starting a business. Plenty of successful businesspeople are boring. Plenty of plain old working class stiffs are not boring.

As for the root of your question, do what you want. If that’s being “just” a developer, that’s fine. As long as whatever you do brings you joy, not much else matters.

Re: Ask HN: Thoughts on being “boring”

#53

Post by _carbyau_ »

getoj wrote: post #25

From Bill Watterson's commencement speech at Kenyon College in 1990. I was lucky to read this when I was graduating and it changed my whole career path. I am now very happy and very boring: "Creating a life that reflects your values and satisfies your soul is a rare achievement. In a culture that relentlessly promotes avarice and excess as the good life, a person happy doing his own work is usually considered an ecce…

I like Desiderata as life advice. Text here: https://www.desiderata.com/desiderata.html

It's a 1 minute read, but two snippets more directly relevant:

"Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story."

and

"If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself."

I see everyone simply doing their best to get by and focusing on differing details at differing scales depending on what situation and inclination are. Your details are important to you. You can learn other peoples details if you talk to them for a bit. No one is boring - and everyone is - depending on your own viewpoint.

As for:"But I wonder if I'll do these things or if I will just work and be happy."

What the hell is wrong with being happy? :-)

Re: Ask HN: Thoughts on being “boring”

#54

Post by goldtownjac »

sealaska wrote: post #29

I really like this essay [0] by cryptographer Moxie, specifically this section about starting a new career: "...simply observe the older people working there. They are the future you. Do not think that you will be substantially different. Look carefully at how they spend their time at work and outside of work, because this is also almost certainly how your life will look. It sounds obvious, but it’s amazing how often…

Really great essay. Anyone who feels similar to OP should read it.

Re: Ask HN: Thoughts on being “boring”

#55

Post by DantesKite »

If you don't know what to do, it helps to write what you're feeling.

Often times, just writing your thoughts can clarify your thinking.

It's a bit like solving a bunch of math problems with paper and pen. You'll be surprised what you discover that way.

You won't necessarily always discover the answers you're looking for, but you'll find questions you want answered.

And that's a starting point for where to go next.

Re: Ask HN: Thoughts on being “boring”

#56

Post by deebosong »

lostgame wrote: post #39
getoj wrote: post #25

From Bill Watterson's commencement speech at Kenyon College in 1990. I was lucky to read this when I was graduating and it changed my whole career path. I am now very happy and very boring: "Creating a life that reflects your values and satisfies your soul is a rare achievement. In a culture that relentlessly promotes avarice and excess as the good life, a person happy doing his own work is usually considered an ecce…

Thank you for sharing this. Calvin and Hobbes is one of the more influential works of art I've ever held dear to my heart. I love hearing this from him.

Bill Watterson was influential for me to not go into NFT art. It's not something to be proud of, but I wrestled with joining or not. And at the time I was wrestling with making art in and for that space, I recalled a story about him where Spielberg and others approached him for movie rights for Calvin & Hobbes, and he refused, because it would ruin the soul of what he was trying to explore & do with those characters. It helped me put a stake in the ground for not joining NFT's at a pretty pivotal juncture for me. Might not be a relatable struggle to others, because of the obvious pitfalls and buffoonery in the space. But man, the pull of greed was powerful for a few weeks haha. I love Bill Watterson for his commitment to his values, let alone the amazing work he created.

Re: Ask HN: Thoughts on being “boring”

#58

Post by notRobot »

dougmwne wrote: post #40
getoj wrote: post #25

From Bill Watterson's commencement speech at Kenyon College in 1990. I was lucky to read this when I was graduating and it changed my whole career path. I am now very happy and very boring: "Creating a life that reflects your values and satisfies your soul is a rare achievement. In a culture that relentlessly promotes avarice and excess as the good life, a person happy doing his own work is usually considered an ecce…

I have a great counterpoint quote from Edward Abbey: "One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast....a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So get out there and hunt an…

Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but that seems complementary to Watterson's quote, not a counter to it?

Re: Ask HN: Thoughts on being “boring”

#59

Post by mbg721 »

ARandomerDude wrote: post #23
leros wrote: post #5

Be wary of advice from a successful entrepreneur. They've gambled and won. Unless you want to be an entrepreneur and you're also ok with the idea of failing and never becoming rich from it, their advice might not apply to you and your life.

I'm doubly wary of unsuccessful people telling me it's (nearly) impossible to be successful. Can't never could.

There are plenty of people known for being successful who were previously not-very-successful at something else. You hear about the thing that worked.

Re: Ask HN: Thoughts on being “boring”

#60

Post by softcactus »

vmception wrote: post #49

Find what's fulfilling for you. For me, it was not fulfilling to be shut out of the private equity markets because I made too little as a wage slave. It was not fulfilling for me to not have the choice of hopping out to month long festivals, because I was merely earning UP TO 2 weeks of time off, or the unlimited vacation policy was just 2 weeks of time because the expectations from the manager were the same. For oth…

What life choices did you make to be able to have access to private equity markets but also go to month-long festivals? Also what festivals are a month long? I have a feeling we may be in different tax brackets haha.
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