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Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?

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Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?

#91

Post by paulcole »

iLoveOncall wrote: post #83
glenngillen wrote: post #48

Work and career progression: “always take the interview”. I reported direct to the CEO at a startup and I told him our largest customer had headhunted me, and I assumed I wasn’t special and they’re probably targeting many of us. He asked me what the process was like and what the offer was, and when I told him I didn’t take the initial call hand he shook his head. “You always take the interview. Absolute worst case is…

I, and most software engineers, would be interviewing 24/7.

This attitude is a good reason to take the advice.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?

#92

Post by Brian_K_White »

shaftoe wrote: post #70
Brian_K_White wrote: post #66

If you don't think you have time to do it right, what makes you think you have time to do it over?

I like this. I counterbalance it by asking myself, "what makes you think you know how to do it right, yet?"

I can't turn doing your best into hubris no matter how hard I try.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?

#93

Post by pkoird »

exitb wrote: post #36
pkoird wrote: post #20

This is a mix of Buddhist, Hindu, and Stoic philosophy: Ask yourself this, why do you do anything? For the sake of Profit? Recognition? Love? Or return of any kind? Any deed done with reward in mind creates an expectation which, if not met, causes suffering. Similarly, you will end up focusing more on the reward than the task itself and will unable to be loyal to the task. The only reason you must do a task is becaus…

The last sentence sounds like a reward. Moreover, if I were to follow your advice, it would create an expectation of an exceptional discovery, that would cause me suffering, if not met.

That's a very valid point but I believe you touched upon the answer yourself, follow the advice but not because you want the exceptional discovery. Simply because.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?

#94

Post by packetlost »

pkoird wrote: post #20

This is a mix of Buddhist, Hindu, and Stoic philosophy: Ask yourself this, why do you do anything? For the sake of Profit? Recognition? Love? Or return of any kind? Any deed done with reward in mind creates an expectation which, if not met, causes suffering. Similarly, you will end up focusing more on the reward than the task itself and will unable to be loyal to the task. The only reason you must do a task is becaus…

This just sounds like finding intrinsic motivation with extra steps. That's a good thing, I think.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?

#95

Post by pkoird »

aatd86 wrote: post #34
pkoird wrote: post #20

This is a mix of Buddhist, Hindu, and Stoic philosophy: Ask yourself this, why do you do anything? For the sake of Profit? Recognition? Love? Or return of any kind? Any deed done with reward in mind creates an expectation which, if not met, causes suffering. Similarly, you will end up focusing more on the reward than the task itself and will unable to be loyal to the task. The only reason you must do a task is becaus…

Every action is reward driven and sel-interested. The suffering stems from the reward being external. If the reward is in the self or from the action itself, then there is less suffering. Self fulfillment. Less suffering only, to take into account an inability to act.

Interesting outlook this: seek reward, but internal, as opposed to don't seek reward at all.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?

#96

Post by pkoird »

zepolen wrote: post #52
pkoird wrote: post #20

This is a mix of Buddhist, Hindu, and Stoic philosophy: Ask yourself this, why do you do anything? For the sake of Profit? Recognition? Love? Or return of any kind? Any deed done with reward in mind creates an expectation which, if not met, causes suffering. Similarly, you will end up focusing more on the reward than the task itself and will unable to be loyal to the task. The only reason you must do a task is becaus…

Define suffering, because the absolute of what you describe requires life with zero emotion and most would agree that a life like that would be depressing as hell. I've never met a depressed person who didn't say they were suffering.

I did say that this school of thought has roots in Stoicism so what you say does indeed make sense. But I guess there's more to it which can only be found if you follow it. There are some things that just can't be described/told and have to be felt.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?

#97

Post by vaylian »

iLoveOncall wrote: post #18
vouaobrasil wrote: post #8

Best advice I got was from my psychology professor. He said "if someone asks you to do something, especially in a social situation, tell them you will think about it". It prevents you from saying yes under pressure. I still rememeber using it when someone at my old workplace wanted me to sign up to be in a club (that had a fee). I never joined and I am proud that I didn't. Also, I've learned a few things from Jordan…

> if someone asks you to do something, especially in a social situation, tell them you will think about it There's not a single socially capable person that will not straight away understand that "I will think about it" means "no". May as well say no.

I will think about it

Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?

#98

Post by redbar0n »

pkoird wrote: post #20

This is a mix of Buddhist, Hindu, and Stoic philosophy: Ask yourself this, why do you do anything? For the sake of Profit? Recognition? Love? Or return of any kind? Any deed done with reward in mind creates an expectation which, if not met, causes suffering. Similarly, you will end up focusing more on the reward than the task itself and will unable to be loyal to the task. The only reason you must do a task is becaus…

A task that is autotelic is purposeful in itself (it is it’s own end goal, instead of being a means to another end goal).

This has been argued to be one of the defining characteristics of games.

Summarized into a saying: Treat every task as an end in itself, and you will experience more enjoyment. Enjoyment is a value in its own right. So do it, just for the sake of it.

I think this is more important in craftsmanship than we’d like to admit: striving for perfection for the sake of perfection.

It has also been argued that beauty in itself is a strong motivating force and the best heuristic to aim for in mathematics/physics.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?

#100

Post by kickaha »

“It’s just stuff.”

My first college roommate made this completely off handed comment not too long after we moved in together. We were still strangers. I must have been anxious over some of my dumb crap, god knows what prompted it. But in that one moment everything changed for me, it really did. I had only been moved out of my hoarding parents’ house for a few days and that one remark snapped me out of it forever.

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