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Becoming the person who does the thing

fredrivett.com

131–140 of 184 posts

Re: Becoming the person who does the thing

#131
post #89

The trick to getting results in the gym, and establishing a sustainable practice (which is key in both exercise and diet), is to just go regularly but allow yourself to leave at any point. Say you decide four days a week is your long-term goal. On that first day, if you want, leave after 5m. But return the next day. Keep doing this and eventually, I promise, you'll average the 45m you need four days a week forever. I…

On the other hand, starting with 4/week as a goal is terrible. Sure, you might be motivated enough to actually do it for a few months, but the risk of falling off is high. Much better is to start at 2 or maybe 3 times a week, always leaving you slightly hungry for more. Even if you get sick or hurt at some point, you'll have much more drive to continue if you're not already at the limit of your motivation

This is the way.

I’ve been going to the gym regularly now for over a decade.

I have many days where I don’t want to go because I have no motivation. I tell myself I only have to put on my gym clothes and go through the motions. If I hate it after 10 minutes I can go home. I always end up there for at least 40 minutes this way because by the time you’re at the gym with your shorts on, it’s very much like “well… I’m already here…” It might not be the greatest workout, but consistency of just showing up is the key.

Re: Becoming the person who does the thing

#132

I found the article anodyne enough, so this is not a knock on it, but something I've noticed as I've gotten older that I find a bit amusing and curious. What is it that makes people in tech in their late 20s and 30s write about life lessons like an old sage? I don't notice 32 year old farmers or roughnecks doing this.

> farmers or roughnecks doing this

Oh, they do it. They just do it in their preferred medium, which is usually in person on the job, not the internet.

Re: Becoming the person who does the thing

#133

I found the article anodyne enough, so this is not a knock on it, but something I've noticed as I've gotten older that I find a bit amusing and curious. What is it that makes people in tech in their late 20s and 30s write about life lessons like an old sage? I don't notice 32 year old farmers or roughnecks doing this.

Tech people are good at writing, maybe not like an actual writer or journalist, but we definitely write more than farmers. Tech also evolves very fast, so we probably perceive time differently, and think we "have seen a lot" in less time.

I have never read whatever farmers write, but I am almost certain it is miles better than the average tech writing drivel

Re: Becoming the person who does the thing

#134

I found the article anodyne enough, so this is not a knock on it, but something I've noticed as I've gotten older that I find a bit amusing and curious. What is it that makes people in tech in their late 20s and 30s write about life lessons like an old sage? I don't notice 32 year old farmers or roughnecks doing this.

An unkind answer is these are the sort of navel-gazing observations had by most teenagers, and people in tech are just late bloomers. But an even less kind answer would be that self-help is big business, and to run the scam you have to build an audience.

Kind of like if /r/im14andthisisdeep met LinkedIn B2B SaaS prose :)

(side note in all seriousness I did enjoy the article)

Re: Becoming the person who does the thing

#136

This super-resonates, especially the bit about our actions being a reflection (and being limited by) how we see ourselves and the world in it, the very basic understanding of reality. For example - I gained a bunch of pounds since my 3rd kid was born - I am busy at work, I try to help my wife as much as I can, the other kids leave no space to work out, whatever. All very realistic and reasonable. And yet I have a nei…

The Jewish couple also has a huge amount of community and family support that the secular couple has been stripped of.

[dead]

Re: Becoming the person who does the thing

#137

I found the article anodyne enough, so this is not a knock on it, but something I've noticed as I've gotten older that I find a bit amusing and curious. What is it that makes people in tech in their late 20s and 30s write about life lessons like an old sage? I don't notice 32 year old farmers or roughnecks doing this.

I can't help but think of Don Knuth's The Art of Computer Programming.

Looking at wikipedia, he started it in 1962 (at age 24), and it is still incomplete in 2025 (he is 87)

By the time you're old, it might be too late to start your "wise" framework.

Re: Becoming the person who does the thing

#138

This super-resonates, especially the bit about our actions being a reflection (and being limited by) how we see ourselves and the world in it, the very basic understanding of reality. For example - I gained a bunch of pounds since my 3rd kid was born - I am busy at work, I try to help my wife as much as I can, the other kids leave no space to work out, whatever. All very realistic and reasonable. And yet I have a nei…

The Jewish couple also has a huge amount of community and family support that the secular couple has been stripped of.

Building up community support is a thing you can do too!

Re: Becoming the person who does the thing

#139

I found the article anodyne enough, so this is not a knock on it, but something I've noticed as I've gotten older that I find a bit amusing and curious. What is it that makes people in tech in their late 20s and 30s write about life lessons like an old sage? I don't notice 32 year old farmers or roughnecks doing this.

>I don't notice 32 year old farmers or roughnecks doing this.

Not for nothing, but you might if you spent time on the FarmersAndRoughnecksNews forum instead of here

Re: Becoming the person who does the thing

#140

I found the article anodyne enough, so this is not a knock on it, but something I've noticed as I've gotten older that I find a bit amusing and curious. What is it that makes people in tech in their late 20s and 30s write about life lessons like an old sage? I don't notice 32 year old farmers or roughnecks doing this.

> farmers or roughnecks doing this Oh, they do it. They just do it in their preferred medium, which is usually in person on the job, not the internet.

across the rim of a pint glass, ime
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