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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.

#81

Post by gcheong »

stonemetal wrote: post #35
anewkid wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't get why, but it seems that few people here are interested in any of the same things I am. It's not like my interests are narrow; indeed, people criticize me for being too much of a dabbler (I am interested in math, physics, chemistry, biology, economics, politics, history, computers, and a whole bunch of other stuff). People just tend to talk about sports and dating and parties and clubs and stuff. Why do so…

>>have more of everything Including responsibility and lack of freedom. All that stuff they have more of costs.

Lack of freedom in what way? Other than being responsible for providing for yourself any responsibility you assume beyond that is your own choice.

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

#82

Post by manvsmachine »

anewkid wrote: post #73
mechanical_fish wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

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

Really? Try saying that to a math professor.

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

#83

Post by kitcar »

You only need two skills to succeed in business: the ability to negotiate and the ability to sell. Buy low (goods, services, knowledge), sell high.

Without knowing your personally, I would say you need to work on the sales side of things, as there is quite a bit of rejection in your past.

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

#84

Post by DanielStraight »

daveungerer wrote: post #61
anewkid wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think "give it time" is good advice if you have a project which is not very successful now but is on the ground running and is growing quickly, but I can't think of anything I'm doing that falls into that category.

He's not talking about your projects. Give yourself time and stop being so hard on yourself. A lot of your apparent failures will seem completely meaningless in the future. I would count doing poorly in match/science contests under those, as well as the blog. Are those things really important in the long run? And some of your other failures will be very important in the years to come. You've already learnt how badly…

Right. Practically no one has "succeeded" at anything except school by 18.

I wonder too... it seems like you think you need to be in an ivy league school, and really in an ivy league among ivy leagues, in order to be successful. If you do think that, why? What don't you have now that you feel you need?

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

#85

Post by SingAlong »

coliveira wrote: post #53
SingAlong wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have to thank you first anewkid for posting this thread. I can relate to you very much. You had the courage it takes to accept and say it all. I actually feel this way: I don't want to work for a body-shopping firm a few years after i graduate. I fear that very much. Coz thats what's been hapenning all around me. The mindset of the people around me is such - graduate, get a job. So i keep trying things, and have be…

Trying is fine and you will eventually succeed, but don't try to bend reality. If you really need to take a job later, you should do it confidently, not in panic.

yes sir agree with that. this thought did not cross my mind until you said it.

Now I think I've changed my mind. If I have to work. I will. And I would work just to fund my other ideas, like what I'm doing now by doing small freelance jobs.

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

#86

Post by sireat »

kalid wrote: post #64
julsonl wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love tip number 6. I get that overwhelming sense of guilt for not being able to finish a book.

I read a sobering fact somewhere -- we'll only be able to read about 1000 books in our lifetime (50 years, 20 books a year or nearly 2 a month). Maybe 2000 or 3000 if you're a voracious reader. Given that, it doesn't make sense to waste time with a bad book when it's taking the place of a better one. This helped me with that same guilt.

I agree with what you are saying, but a voracious reader could easily hit 10k books by late middle age. 200 books a year is not that many.

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

#87

Post by stonemetal »

gcheong wrote: post #81
stonemetal wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>have more of everything Including responsibility and lack of freedom. All that stuff they have more of costs.

Lack of freedom in what way? Other than being responsible for providing for yourself any responsibility you assume beyond that is your own choice.

>> more friends, more family, more power, more skill, more social status, more life experience, more of pretty much everything

More of everything means more up keep for each of them, and less freedom to try something new. Have a wife and kids? Are you willing to watch your children be homeless because you decided to take a year off work to see Europe? An 18 year old could easily crash on friends'\families' couches afterwards until he got a place of his own making it not that big a deal. More skill? More to up keep so that it doesn't atrophy, also it means you are dedicated to whatever that skill is in. World class Software person decides he wants to do Mechanical Engineering? Sure his years of analytical thought give him an advantage over a complete green horn but it is a loss of status, ability, and pay.

Everything you do has initial costs and up keep costs. These costs limit freedom. Sure you can hide in your parents basement and only provide for yourself but that has certain costs as well.

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