I am not convinced „doing hard things“ should be a top priority for kids. For my own kids -or actually everyone- i hope they find a passion big enough to make a living. This takes time and lots of experimenting and cannot be forced into existance.
Grinding through „hard things“ can leave you with a great deal of confusion. It is so much easier to do „hard things“ if you love doing them.
The problem with math is: it is very hard to learn later on in life. Maybe even as hard as drawing. Schools should really focus on reading, drawing, writing and math- everything else should come secondary.
Proof you can do hard things
131–140 of 330 posts
Re: Proof you can do hard things
#132So you proved to yourself that you can do hard things, what then? You don't need to continue proving the same, doesn't then that stop being a fuel for motivation? That's what happened to me at least.
Well, you may now be more likely to go out and actually do some "hard things". Life is not only about proving yourself.
Re: Proof you can do hard things
#133I am not convinced „doing hard things“ should be a top priority for kids. For my own kids -or actually everyone- i hope they find a passion big enough to make a living. This takes time and lots of experimenting and cannot be forced into existance. Grinding through „hard things“ can leave you with a great deal of confusion. It is so much easier to do „hard things“ if you love doing them. The problem with math is: it i…
I recommend reading So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love from Cal Newport for a different perspective on this.
Re: Proof you can do hard things
#134> But I recently realized there is a very good reason to take Calculus. It’s to prove you can do hard things. This doesn't explain why Calculus over any other number of hard things.
They don’t have to. They said just do hard things. It could be anything, for the author it was calculus.
Re: Proof you can do hard things
#135Conversely, hard domains are the only ones where you can achieve mastery.
Re: Proof you can do hard things
#136This resonates a lot with me. At school I coasted, ignored all home work, never studied, and was a consistent C. I was continually told I could fo better by putting in some work (an objective viewpoint I agreed with.) But i had better things to do. I started programming in grade 7, from a book, with a Apple 2 (circa 1982). There were no forums, no Internet just me and a thin booket that came with the computer, plus l…
This reminds me of a powerful post I read a while ago with the charter to "Half-ass [your projects] with everything you've got!". Pre-commit to what level of quality you're looking to achieve and then strive to do just what is necessary to get there: https://mindingourway.com/half-assing-it-with-everything-you...
Re: Proof you can do hard things
#137This resonates a lot with me. At school I coasted, ignored all home work, never studied, and was a consistent C. I was continually told I could fo better by putting in some work (an objective viewpoint I agreed with.) But i had better things to do. I started programming in grade 7, from a book, with a Apple 2 (circa 1982). There were no forums, no Internet just me and a thin booket that came with the computer, plus l…
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Re: Proof you can do hard things
#138I like the idea, but I’m gonna say that (a) calculus is more than a good challenge and (b) math is actually easy. To understand how things actually work, you need math, especially calculus. Deep learning? Calculus. Statistics? Calculus. Finance? Calculus. Physics? Calculus. Mech E, robotics, earth science, econ? Calculus. Second, calculus, like all math, is easy. Like that’s the point, it’s the science of simple thin…
Physics and gravity are behind any kind of predictable motion. But you don't need to understand those things at all to be a successful surfer. Even though surfing is entirely about physics and calculable predictions, performing the act doesn't require any detailed knowledge of either topic.
It's the same with calculus and almost everything you mentioned. People can create algorithms, make statistics calculations and financial predictions, build robots, etc. All without any knowledge of calculus of any kind.
The skills of all of those things are based on calculus like surfing is based on physics. Related, but not in the sense of practical application. Knowledge of the math that underlies the math that underlies the thing is neither required nor sufficient for actually doing the thing.
Re: Proof you can do hard things
#139The only things in life that are hard are the things you don’t want to do.
Re: Proof you can do hard things
#140I am not good in calculus and that's something I wish I did pick up when it came to it.
The harder thing was keeping the pressure up to pass the tests and in total, pass a course, while dealing with the severe discomforting exhaustion of coming in early in the morning for classes, having to understand rather complex abstract notions. I still cannot think when tired or even inebriated. But going through that was really to get that good pencil pushing job reserved for college graduates, no? :D
Instead, in the end, I like what I do and if the spirit moves me or need it for something, I would sharpen those calculus skills.