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Ask HN: I've tried lots of things but haven't finished any.

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Re: Ask HN: I've tried lots of things but haven't finished any.

#71

Post by zackattack »

anewkid wrote: post #60
zackattack wrote: post #36

It seems like you are dabbling in a bunch of areas and improving your overall intelligence. Your improvements will eventually cross-pollinate and patterns will indeed emerge, and you will begin to start thinking rationally about your behavior, instead of acting haphazardly. You have to ask yourself what you're aiming for. What you want. And then formulate an attack plan. Sorry, but you're not going to be able to get…

"Sorry, but you're not going to be able to get a finance internship and a research internship and a coding internship at the same time, while also becoming a writer." Of course not. I apply for all of these internships at once so that, if one fails (as they often do), I have backup plans. "(figure out why people like talking about sports and dating and parties and clubs and stuff...hint: it happens for a reason, try…

I'm not condemning you.

But I don't understand how you could be applying pursuing so many disparate career paths while also solidly understanding your own values. Finance has little to do with value-creation, and more with wealth accumulation; research has more to do with the progress of science (and possibly the recognition of greatness), and (typically) little to do with wealth-creation. Same goes for writing.

You are not going to get anywhere if you spread your faculties too thinly. Figure out what you want to do and then pursue it seriously. By the way, I applied for about ~350 jobs before finding my current gig. I tried sales, finance, tech, business development ... I didn't find my current job (which kicks ass) until I buckled down and focused all my efforts on landing a tech job.

Re: Ask HN: I've tried lots of things but haven't finished any.

#72

Post by jacoblyles »

RiderOfGiraffes wrote: post #37

Is this you? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=838640 If so, why have you changed your username? If not, read the advice there, because your story sounds very, very familiar.

The immature know how to ask for advice, but not to take it.

Re: Ask HN: I've tried lots of things but haven't finished any.

#73

Post by anewkid »

mechanical_fish wrote: post #67
mcantor wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Computers: Have you finished SICP, learned operating systems and algorithms?" I haven't written my own OS or programming language if that's what you mean, but I find solving problems that have already been solved a zillion times better by thousands of other people working together over decades to be distasteful; what's the point? --- Reinventing the wheel won't get you a better car, but you'll understand the hell out…

It is also theoretically possible that tinkering with wheels is pleasant . Though perhaps it's not for everyone. It is even possible -- bear with me here -- that while rebuilding the wheel in your own way you will discover something new and interesting. Even in an ancient and venerable field like computer science, which has been picked over by dozens , perhaps even a hundred world-class minds for as long as six decad…

Tinkering with wheels is indeed fun (I have done some tinkering with existing OSs).

A hundred world-class minds over six decades really is a lot.

Re: Ask HN: I've tried lots of things but haven't finished any.

#74

Post by jacoblyles »

anewkid wrote: post #65
jacoblyles wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You sound like another one of those ever-so-charming nerds that only wants to talk about the latest academic papers at parties. Why don't you take this time to learn how to relate to other people? I wish I did when I was 18, instead of now at 26. It will make you happier and more successful in the long run. Also, you come across as a bit of a whiner. Work on your social intelligence. Disowning your peers in favor of…

I get along with other people (I'm not a social outcast or anything), I just don't do very much with most of them because we're not interested in the same things. Is that wrong? Should I feel terribly guilty about it? If so, why shouldn't they also feel terribly guilty for not being interested in the same things I am?

You'll be disabused of this implicit notion that you are always right at some point. You can choose to do so now or the world will force it on you later. But you will make little progress until you do.

Actually, the advice to get laid (with a pretty and not too drunk person) might be good here. It will force you to confront any social deficiencies you do have.

No offense, but your personality leaves a bad taste in my mouth, acidic, like a pasta sauce that hasn't been cooked long enough. You have no interest in making any changes in your life, but you admit yourself that you're not happy with what you're doing. You ask for advice with no intent on taking it, instead hosting a pity-party where other nerds stroke your ego by telling you that the world has wronged you, reinforcing your broken worldview.

Getting laid might mellow that out bit. Does for a lot of people. A person is more than just a brain. You must tend to the whole organism, not just the ego.

Right now, I wouldn't want to work with you on a project, no matter how smart you are. Don't need a prima Dona that thinks he's always right.

Re: Ask HN: I've tried lots of things but haven't finished any.

#75

Post by anewkid »

jacoblyles wrote: post #74
anewkid wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I get along with other people (I'm not a social outcast or anything), I just don't do very much with most of them because we're not interested in the same things. Is that wrong? Should I feel terribly guilty about it? If so, why shouldn't they also feel terribly guilty for not being interested in the same things I am?

You'll be disabused of this implicit notion that you are always right at some point. You can choose to do so now or the world will force it on you later. But you will make little progress until you do. Actually, the advice to get laid (with a pretty and not too drunk person) might be good here. It will force you to confront any social deficiencies you do have. No offense, but your personality leaves a bad taste in my…

"You'll be disabused of this implicit notion that you are always right at some point."

Please tell me where I have ever said or implied that I was always right, or even right most of the time.

EDIT: I see you edited your post to say this twice, I suppose on the principle that "what I say three times is true".

"No offense, but your personality leaves a bad taste in my mouth, acidic, like a pasta sauce that hasn't been cooked long enough."

I will freely admit that I can be unpleasant at times, but I do know enough social skills to not insult random strangers who I have no reason to be hostile to.

"You ask for advice with no intent on taking it, instead hosting a pity-party where other nerds stroke your ego by telling you that the world has wronged you, reinforcing your broken worldview."

Wait, what? Look at the top-ranked comments on this thread, none of them could be remotely described as pitying me. Some people did give good advice, eg., lionhearted, zaidf, btilly.

Re: Ask HN: I've tried lots of things but haven't finished any.

#76

Post by lsc »

bhseo wrote: post #46

> Why do so many people talk about youth as some sort of idyllic time in one's life? Because youth is wasted on the young. It's a good thing that you've tried all that, even those left unfinished. The next step is to apply the Pareto principle, and stop doing a bunch of things. Do the easiest thing with the most benefit. Do what makes you happy. Do more things outside the academic and business areas. Dabbling isn't a…

as for 1., I agree and disagree. Physically, it will never be better than now, but emotionally, the whole experience will be better once you mature emotionally.

7. is probably the wisest item on the list. Understanding yourself, your limits, where you can push yourself productively and where you can't will pay back enormous dividends as you grow older, both in your financial, professional, and personal/emotional projects.

In general, though, I would distrust people who say childhood is for being social. Young people tend to be jerks because they haven't learned better yet. Also, when you are young, you have less choice about who you do and do not associate with. I think correctly choosing your peers is the most important part of a satisfying social life. Choose people who value the person you want to be.

Re: Ask HN: I've tried lots of things but haven't finished any.

#77

Post by jacoblyles »

anewkid wrote: post #75
jacoblyles wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You'll be disabused of this implicit notion that you are always right at some point. You can choose to do so now or the world will force it on you later. But you will make little progress until you do. Actually, the advice to get laid (with a pretty and not too drunk person) might be good here. It will force you to confront any social deficiencies you do have. No offense, but your personality leaves a bad taste in my…

"You'll be disabused of this implicit notion that you are always right at some point." Please tell me where I have ever said or implied that I was always right, or even right most of the time. EDIT: I see you edited your post to say this twice, I suppose on the principle that "what I say three times is true". "No offense, but your personality leaves a bad taste in my mouth, acidic, like a pasta sauce that hasn't been…

I edit in place. Bad habit for public fora. Probably would have removed the repetition with a further edit had I not been called out on it and quoted so quickly.

"Look at the top-ranked comments on this thread, none of them could be remotely described as pitying me. Some people did give good advice, eg., lionhearted, zaidf, btilly."

Some of the most highly-ranked comments here tell you to work on a project where other people can't get in the way. That's the worst advice that I see. The world has gone collaborative. Learning to be a better collaborator will yield much higher returns.

And like I said, you come across as a whiner by putting the focus on all the external causes as to why your projects didn't succeed. I've seen so many people with a thousand external excuses as to why they can't do X that it quite offends me, especially coming from someone as talented and privileged as yourself.

Re: Ask HN: I've tried lots of things but haven't finished any.

#78

Post by anewkid »

zackattack wrote: post #71
anewkid wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Sorry, but you're not going to be able to get a finance internship and a research internship and a coding internship at the same time, while also becoming a writer." Of course not. I apply for all of these internships at once so that, if one fails (as they often do), I have backup plans. "(figure out why people like talking about sports and dating and parties and clubs and stuff...hint: it happens for a reason, try…

I'm not condemning you. But I don't understand how you could be applying pursuing so many disparate career paths while also solidly understanding your own values. Finance has little to do with value-creation, and more with wealth accumulation; research has more to do with the progress of science (and possibly the recognition of greatness), and (typically) little to do with wealth-creation. Same goes for writing. You…

True, thanks for the advice. Sorry if I got upset, I had just finished reading some other comments which seem to say that the only things worth doing in life are getting wasted and partying and banging chicks, and that if I'm not doing those I'm wasting my time.

Re: Ask HN: I've tried lots of things but haven't finished any.

#79

Post by lsc »

One big regret I have about some of my early projects was that I did not leave them online. I wrote a book price search engine when I was a few years older than you. it was actually pretty cool, but I folded the company because the competition looked pretty hot at the time.

Folding the company (or at least not working on it more) was probably the right decision. The mistake was that I took the code offline and lost it.

save every piece of code you write. If possible, put it in public. Not only does this help you if you later have an idea or opportunity that would use your old stuff, but it builds up credibility, and it helps give you an idea how far you have personally come.

So yeah, if there was one piece of advice I could send back in time to me at 18, that'd be what I'd say. Make sure all the technical stuff you do is accessible online forever, even if it no longer works.

Seriously, the social bullshit works itself out once you figure out that you get to choose your peers. (and you do. It's hard to imagine after going to high school and being forced to choose from the thousand or so people your age who happen to live within a few miles of where you are born, but as an adult, you absolutely get to choose your peer group and your culture. no matter how weird you are, there are other people like you.)

Re: Ask HN: I've tried lots of things but haven't finished any.

#80

Post by anewkid »

jacoblyles wrote: post #77
anewkid wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"You'll be disabused of this implicit notion that you are always right at some point." Please tell me where I have ever said or implied that I was always right, or even right most of the time. EDIT: I see you edited your post to say this twice, I suppose on the principle that "what I say three times is true". "No offense, but your personality leaves a bad taste in my mouth, acidic, like a pasta sauce that hasn't been…

I edit in place. Bad habit for public fora. Probably would have removed the repetition with a further edit had I not been called out on it and quoted so quickly. "Look at the top-ranked comments on this thread, none of them could be remotely described as pitying me. Some people did give good advice, eg., lionhearted, zaidf, btilly." Some of the most highly-ranked comments here tell you to work on a project where othe…

Saying "I shouldn't bother with trying X because of reasons XYZ" is indeed a bad idea, but I try not to do that, and I think I've been decently successful. Is there anything that I should do for any of these projects, which I haven't been doing because of some convenient excuse? (This is not a rhetorical question, it would benefit me a lot if I realized I had been making some excuse to not try some new course of action.)

Privileged? I do have some privilege, in that I was born in a first-world country and not a third-world country, but that's about it. My parents aren't rich or famous or even upper middle class. My mom constantly worries about the bank foreclosing on her house because she can't pay the mortgage, my dad works as a salesman and lives in a junky 2BR apartment. I myself am flat broke, I actually have negative net worth because of the student loans I had to take out.

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