The realization that if you are successful, there are many who will come at you to steal or share in that success. We creators are prone to trusting others and have difficulty in understanding and dealing with those who have psychopathic traits. That means those who are manipulative, dishonest, narcissistic, un-remorseful, non-empathetic, and exploitative. While this seems like a strange thing to bring up as a 'positive change', for me it provided the impetus to apply a kind of paranoia and the necessary defensive maneuvers to protect myself. This for the first time allowed me to enjoy the fruits of my labors without having them stolen or cheated away from me. It also provided a better understanding of politics and economics, allowing me to more clearly see the war we are fighting with the foxes and the hyenas of the world.
Ask HN: What mindset change made the biggest positive change for you?
41–50 of 111 posts
Re: Ask HN: What mindset change made the biggest positive change for you?
#42"[They] are always 10 steps behind on health"
Covid is one example of 0% efficacy and how basic precautions are a better strategy than chasing variants.
I call it "inferior calories", but common wisdom says low quality food and water just accelerate rot in a body and increase dead weight and unhealthy lifestyles (shooting up insulin and popping pills, instead of responsible health). The microbeads in the water are just another "flavor of the weak" as they breakdown even further and collect in the body.
"10 steps behind" also sums up climate change illiteracy. It looks like the inferior data on co2 is just to wearout people by telling them they failed at preventing climate change and to waste resources/time on the wrong goals with net-zero. It looks like methane leaks are starting to get priority in 2022, but decades of methane leaks with negligence and incompetence make the warnings of "25% to 80% more harmful to the environment" basic science on why temperatures are still rising.
I liken it to a morbidly obese person drinking a diet soda trying to be relevant. They already rotted and serve no purpose. Their data is obsolete and inferior.
The inconsistency does boost GDP and ROI if you know what you are looking at.
Re: Ask HN: What mindset change made the biggest positive change for you?
#43Adopting the growth mindset in lieu of the fixed mindset. I was unhappy with my abilities and used to think, "I just have poor memory", or "I have hit my maximum ability" etc. But somehow somewhere I realized I can work hard to actually improve and change those things, and that they are not fixed.
I came across the concept of growth mindset a few years earlier and has since strengthened my commitment to adopting a growth mindset. I would recommend reading "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" by Carol Dweck.
Re: Ask HN: What mindset change made the biggest positive change for you?
#44I always think about thinking and try to write about it at my substack: http://newsletter.smarter.blog
Re: Ask HN: What mindset change made the biggest positive change for you?
#45One that comes to mind, reading your post:
Overthinking is a thing, but sometimes it's also just another overused term of critique that too easily blocks progress.
Sometimes you really do need more thinking, even when it feels like the opposite is true...
However the thinking and its results need to be organized, or prioritized, or scheduled, or rearranged, or all of those.
IMO it's often better to modify one's thinking process than to do less of it, so to speak.
Re: Ask HN: What mindset change made the biggest positive change for you?
#46Get Stoic. I remember the day where I had a long travel and laptop and the Seneca's letters opened on it. I arrived being absolutely happy person because I learned the wisest religion/philosophy/livestyle possible. So simple to understand any branch of philosophy now - I just compare it with the Stoic mind and easily decide is it good for me or bad for me.
Can you expand on this? What about Stoicism specifically resonated with you? How has it changed your attitudes and ideas?
Well, I always wanted to be a scientist as a kid, especially when I was watching something like Animal Planet. I was not thinking about studying animals and not about making a great video - I was thinking about doing observations, drawing conclusions and, therefore, uploading some facts about something. But society tells me that I should be rich, relatives tell me that I need to start a family first, my brain insisted that I devote more time to my favorite video game in order to stop being a noob in it ...
After this trip, I began to build my life in such a way that I always have some time dedicated to science, and I also lost interest in spending time and youth in such a stupid way as video games. I became aware of some of the sources of pain in my daily life and stopped being vulnerable to it. Now I am not afraid that life goes on because I do the right thing.
> And what specifically responded to you in stoicism?
Understanding of wisdom versus stupidity. Their respect to mathematics and other sciences. My inability to formulate any criticism of this framework.
Re: Ask HN: What mindset change made the biggest positive change for you?
#471. Not dwelling on the past.
2. Realizing that there is no such thing as “too late” or “too old”, and that the only race I’m in is against myself.
Re: Ask HN: What mindset change made the biggest positive change for you?
#48I am not my thoughts
Re: Ask HN: What mindset change made the biggest positive change for you?
#49Opening my mind to possibilities, especially those outside the indoctrination I was raised in. With time my whole worldview changed. I still struggle with keeping my mind open, not over investing my identity in ideas, and entertaining contrary perspectives.
Re: Ask HN: What mindset change made the biggest positive change for you?
#50Assume positive intent.