Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

There's no speed limit (2009)

sivers.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

71–80 of 214 posts

Re: There's no speed limit (2009)

#72

Post by sivers »

pepijndevos wrote: post #60
sivers wrote: post #7

Surprised to see a post of mine here on Hacker News. (First time in a long time. Thanks!) Feel free to ask me absolutely anything here.

Good to find this article again. I'm very autodidactic, and found universities so far disappointing for the lack of speed. After you where taught everything, fast, why did you still go to Berklee? How was your time there?

College hardly taught me anything.

There were only a few good teachers. Most were half-assing it.

But once I realized that they weren't going to teach me anything, I got inspired. I realized that I was in an amazing place that held all the knowledge I want. I just had to go get it!

I treated it like a library. I pulled information out of people, recordings, books.

More than anything, it was a great environment for learning. It kept me 100% focused, every minute of every day, on getting better at music. No job or real-world stuff to distract me.

But that was also before the internet!

Now, I imagine that since the environment is the most important thing, you could find your killer environment in many places that don't charge tuition. Whether it's moving to Silicon Valley to be surrounded by your peers, or moving to India to study with a teacher.

Same reason some people go to a health spa retreat to get healthy. They could have just stayed at home to do it, but going to a dedicated place can really help.

Re: There's no speed limit (2009)

#73

Post by sivers »

jonmb wrote: post #71

Sivers, just wanted to thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience. I know it has had an effect on me. Everyone, I highly recommend you check out Derek's "Uncommon Sense" videos, available free here: http://www.appsumo.com/sivers/

Thanks Jon! I really appreciate it. That's really nice to hear.

Re: There's no speed limit (2009)

#74

Post by sivers »

1_wave wrote: post #68

Derek, What is the relationship of cell behavior to, 1. tribalism & 2. music (answer may be rendered in form of improvisation dance/one man silent opera)

I just did an interpretive dance to explain my answer.

Man, you shoulda seen it. I'm exhausted now, but it was awesome.

Re: There's no speed limit (2009)

#77

Post by apa-sl »

Wow, great story! I have understood similar thing just recently a year ago but I am already "old" (28 years). Nevertheless I totally agree - there is no speed limit! Funny thing that lately I have made a second approach to the piano from the scratch and... it worked! After just 4 weeks I am far better that during the first attempt few years ago and few months of learning. This time I simply have found the right teacher which is constantly challenging me.

Hope that finally I will also manage to make it happen business wise with Y-Combinator! ;-)

Re: There's no speed limit (2009)

#79

Post by richardk »

I don't buy this, I spent the first two years of my degree working as this guy suggests and completely burnt myself out. Now I take things easy, I'm still getting good grades and I'm a lot more relaxed. The other things I want to learn (not covered in my degree) can wait.

But... maybe I'm just a chump...

Re: There's no speed limit (2009)

#80

Post by edw519 »

Wow, what a great thread!

Just another thing that makes Hacker News so good: read something written by an expert and then engage in a discussion with that expert.

Derek, please go to www.askolo.com and register today. This is a brand new Hacker News inspired site built specifically for this purpose. These guys are trying to build and reach critical mass and your presence there would be greatly appreciated by me and many others, I'm sure.

Post reply on HN