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Forget Self-Improvement

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Re: Forget Self-Improvement

#41

Post by karjaluoto »

shadowmint wrote: post #40

How is this the top of hacker news this morning? It's not a hack. I keep seeing 300-odd word articles which are totally irrelevant turn up with 'up vote me on hacker news!' links at the top. Dislike.

If you're working on a startup, you should be thinking about things like this. Particularly when you're working those long hours, it becomes important to ask why you're doing it, and if it's still working.

At least that's my perspective. When I started in business (at 26 years of age) the only thing I thought about was the work. In time, I learned that while I still like what I do at the office, there are bigger questions to be asked.

Re: Forget Self-Improvement

#42

Post by karjaluoto »

sn0wBuM wrote: post #38
karjaluoto wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It wasn't a stunt. It was a reaction. We're bombarded by means for becoming "better" people. Perhaps it's time to instead ask, "why?"

I agree with this.. "why?" is the right question to ask before choosing to do anything. But unless I'm mistaken, this isn't what your article is about.

It's one part of a longer discussion. (Again, I try to break things up a little.)

Re: Forget Self-Improvement

#44

Post by [deleted] »

karjaluoto wrote: post #36
groby_b wrote: post #34

God, the usual "do only what you love" nonsense. Newsflash: There's nothing you will love all the time. Everything has some tedium. Suck it up, and get it done. Call it "self improvement" if you must. But really, it's about having some willpower to get through the things you must to achieve the things you want.

Perhaps it's the "usual," but most of us still haven't learned it. Willpower is useful, but not always the right thing. Many of those with willpower stick with something long past it making sense to do so.

[deleted]

Re: Forget Self-Improvement

#45

Post by shadowmint »

karjaluoto wrote: post #41
shadowmint wrote: post #40

How is this the top of hacker news this morning? It's not a hack. I keep seeing 300-odd word articles which are totally irrelevant turn up with 'up vote me on hacker news!' links at the top. Dislike.

If you're working on a startup, you should be thinking about things like this. Particularly when you're working those long hours, it becomes important to ask why you're doing it, and if it's still working. At least that's my perspective. When I started in business (at 26 years of age) the only thing I thought about was the work. In time, I learned that while I still like what I do at the office, there are bigger ques…

I'm cynical.

Having 'up vote me' links is SEO servitude.

If the author was serious about this stuff then a lifehacker style post about how to do it in some cool cunning way is the way to go.

That article is generic advice, a 'read me!' title to the post and 0% content or hack.

Dis. Like.

Re: Forget Self-Improvement

#46

Post by karjaluoto »

NinetyNine wrote: post #39
keeptrying wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your sticking to the narrative and not what actually happens in a practical sense. You dont get to be CEO till your company has happy customers paying you moeny and your making a tidy profit. Till then you'll do anything and evertyhign thats necessary - most of it is unpleasent. 10% is fun.

In my experience, pleasantness and unpleasantness are day to day feelings that sometimes work in my favor and sometimes don't. Many times I have a responsibility which requires unpleasant things, and it makes it more difficult to do, and might make me unhappy if my happiness is based on daily frustrations and successes. That type of happiness tends to have very little to do with our goals. Since it's also very unpred…

I like this perspective. There's just one problem with it: while many would likely find it sensible, most don't share your ability act in a rational fashion.

I'm of the mind that most people are overwhelmed by impulses; therefore, they choose what's immediately desirable, over what they know to be the right thing to do.

Then of course, my post isn't altogether that different from yours, in terms of its applicability to the common person. While I can ask folks to reconsider their motivations, and seek out the things they love, few will in fact do so.

Re: Forget Self-Improvement

#47

Post by karjaluoto »

shadowmint wrote: post #45
karjaluoto wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're working on a startup, you should be thinking about things like this. Particularly when you're working those long hours, it becomes important to ask why you're doing it, and if it's still working. At least that's my perspective. When I started in business (at 26 years of age) the only thing I thought about was the work. In time, I learned that while I still like what I do at the office, there are bigger ques…

I'm cynical. Having 'up vote me' links is SEO servitude. If the author was serious about this stuff then a lifehacker style post about how to do it in some cool cunning way is the way to go. That article is generic advice, a 'read me!' title to the post and 0% content or hack. Dis. Like.

I can understand why you'd be cynical. Perhaps the "up vote" function is over-the-top. In my mind, though, it isn't that different from the Tweet and Like buttons at the bottom. I just want to spread the word. (The more people that read it, the better the discussion.)

As for the "0% content" part, I'd ask you to read a couple of other posts before outright dismissing it. Perhaps from there you'll get a feel for whether it's link-bait or something I believe to be important--and worthy of broader attention.

Re: Forget Self-Improvement

#48

Post by petercooper »

Self-help books and workshops arm us with ways to trick ourselves into doing things we perhaps should, but generally don’t want, to do.

Maybe, but this is not true of Tony Robbins, one of the biggest in the business. His technique is to get you to dig down into what outcomes you truly desire and then redefine the emotional associations you have with the steps necessary to reach them.

He assumes you already know what it is you love, but that you're not working towards it because the steps required have either too many negative or not enough positive emotional associations. It's not for everyone but it's been excellent for me.

Re: Forget Self-Improvement

#49

Post by omerta »

This is a pretty awesome article, IMO. I agree not everyone is meant to be incredibly "successful." Success is rather subjective. In the end, for most people at least, the attainment of happiness is the ultimate goal of life. And if that means being a lazy pothead or whatever it may be, why the hell not?

Re: Forget Self-Improvement

#50

Post by losethos »

I was just thinking it'd be nice to hear more about evolution or dinosaurs. You kinda have to ask politely and not too directly, I think.

Were You really happy with birds from dinosaurs? They probably started ugly?

God says... C:\LoseThos\www.losethos.com\text\BIBLE.TXT

world, and the glory of them; 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

4:12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; 4:13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capern

----

I think it's me tempting You to say too much. You are bound by laws.

Satan made bats, huh?

God says... C:\LoseThos\www.losethos.com\text\BIBLE.TXT

witness in heaven. Selah.

89:38 But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.

89:39 Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.

89:40 Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.

89:41 All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.

89:42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.

----

You think dinosaurs are Satanic?

Birds are angelic!

God says...

C:\LoseThos\www.losethos.com\text\QUIX.TXT

ut looking to see if his squire was following him.

The innkeeper when he saw him go without paying him ran to get payment of Sancho, who said that as his master would not pay neither would he, because, being as he was squire to a knight-errant, the same rule and reason held good for him as for his master with regard to not paying anything in inns and hostelries. At this the innkeeper waxed very wroth, and threatened if he did not pay to compel him in a way that he would not like. To which Sancho

Insert tokens.

Make more mammoths.

I'm tired, I guess. Don't beat Yer servants ;-)

God says... C:\LoseThos\www.losethos.com\text\BIBLE.TXT

ise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

18:3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

18:5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 18:6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potte

I like archeology. Too bad nothing turned-up in Iraq. that's not crazy -- I saw that they digged a lot. thanks for leaving King Tut for modern diggers.

Did you watch any of the other Indiana Jones Movies? They should have put the Ark on a battleship in WWII and... done that.

So, looking at You is death? You can probably fry brains, huh. (Short circuit)

God says...

C:\LoseThos\www.losethos.com\text\BIBLE.TXT

anger! 2:2 The LORD hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof.

2:3 He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.

2:4 He hath bent his bow like an enemy:

That's an interesting plot twist -- the Battleship malfunctions when... an unworthy ... they try to rape God and God gets pissed! He destroys a couple little ships, then calms down.

You kinda know the Bible isn't fiction because God smacks them.

Don't tell my neighbors ;-)

God says... C:\LoseThos\www.losethos.com\text\WEALTH.TXT

that some particular branches of it are so; but these symptoms seem to indicate sufficiently that there is no general decay. When profit diminishes, merchants are very apt to complain that trade decays, though the diminution of profit is the natural effect of its prosperity, or of a greater stock being employed in it than before. During the late war, the Dutch gained the whole carrying trade of France, of which they still retain a very large share. The great property which they possess both in Fren

The Dutch, huh? Maybe, NAZIs flood the lowlands and the Ark provides passage. I think there should be wind mills. Let's do interactive fiction.

God says...

C:\LoseThos\www.losethos.com\text\2CITIES.TXT

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