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People Who Are Obsessed with Success and Prestige

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181–190 of 375 posts

Re: People Who Are Obsessed with Success and Prestige

#181

Post by pansa »

mywittyname wrote: post #148
lm28469 wrote: post #75

> Unfortunately, after a year of purposely trying, I was still not becoming Elon Musk nor any other “successful” person. Despite reading everyday, meditating, getting up early, taking cold showers, and many more things. But what makes these guys successful anyway? Their fame? Money? Contribution to society? And wearing grey t-shirts won't make you Zuckerberg [0]. You don't become a 0.00000001%er by mimicking the most…

Also, it's unlikely there will ever be another Musk or Zuckerberg in tech. Technology is a largely established industry and it's very unlikely that a single person is going to found and maintain control of another trillion dollar company. Zuck-a-bees need to get in on the ground floor of the next, next big thing, which barely exists right now.

Did tech “barely exist” when Zuckerberg started Facebook in 2004?

Re: People Who Are Obsessed with Success and Prestige

#182

Post by ajdegol »

sullyj3 wrote: post #85
everdrive wrote: post #72

"People who are excited by posthumous fame forget that the people who remember them will soon die too. And those after them in turn. Until their memory, passed from one to another like a candle flame, gutters and goes out. But suppose that those who remembered you were immortal and your memory undying. What good would it do you? And I don't just mean when you're dead, but in your own lifetime. What use is praise, exc…

Ironic that that quote comes from someone who died in the year 180. If I got 2000 years of fame, I'd be pretty satisfied.

"If I got 2000 years of fame, I'd be pretty satisfied."

Actually, you'd wouldn't... be.

Re: People Who Are Obsessed with Success and Prestige

#184

Post by tkjef »

lordleft wrote: post #174

“People who are excited by posthumous fame forget that the people who remember them will soon die too. And those after them in turn. Until their memory, passed from one to another like a candle flame, gutters and goes out.” Marcus Aurelius "19. You may be unconquerable, if you enter into no combat in which it is not in your own control to conquer. When, therefore, you see anyone eminent in honors, or power, or in hig…

one of many great lessons in that book. happy to have finally read it after it came up on here a few times.

Re: People Who Are Obsessed with Success and Prestige

#186

Post by christiansakai »

hedgedoops2 wrote: post #179
bumby wrote: post #168

From David Brooks: "I’ve been thinking about the difference between the résumé virtues and the eulogy virtues. The résumé virtues are the ones you list on your résumé, the skills that you bring to the job market and that contribute to external success. The eulogy virtues are deeper. They’re the virtues that get talked about at your funeral, the ones that exist at the core of your being — whether you are kind, brave,…

Cusins. By the way, have you any religion? Undershaft. Yes. Cusins. Anything out of the common? Undershaft. Only that there are two things necessary to Salvation. Cusins [disappointed, but polite] Ah, the Church Catechism. Baptism and — Undershaft. No. Money and gunpowder. Cusins [surprised, but interested] That is the general opinion of our governing classes. The novelty is in hearing any man confess it. Undershaft.…

As someone with a seminary background, this hits too close to home

"Cusins. Excuse me: is there any place in your religion for honor, justice, truth, love, mercy and so forth?

Undershaft. Yes: they are the graces and luxuries of a rich, strong, and safe life."

Re: People Who Are Obsessed with Success and Prestige

#187

Post by rhombocombus »

bumby wrote: post #168

From David Brooks: "I’ve been thinking about the difference between the résumé virtues and the eulogy virtues. The résumé virtues are the ones you list on your résumé, the skills that you bring to the job market and that contribute to external success. The eulogy virtues are deeper. They’re the virtues that get talked about at your funeral, the ones that exist at the core of your being — whether you are kind, brave,…

This is anecdotal, but I experienced a tectonic shift in both my personal success and happiness when I refocused my attention on the "eulogy" virtues. In my experience if you live those honestly the others fall into place rather organically.

Re: People Who Are Obsessed with Success and Prestige

#188

Post by celticmusic »

kstenerud wrote: post #65

I have the opposite problem. I have zero drive for status & prestige, but rather follow my passions no matter how unfashionable they are. And it hurts my career. I don't have twitter followers who fall over themselves to offer me a job the very second I enter the job market. I can't shame a company or other big entity for behaving badly. I have very little leverage for many important career-improving opportunities be…

I'm the same way, but what I've found is that as I've gotten more experienced I'm good enough that people remember me, and I've grown a network from that as a result.

I actually do my best to stay relatively anonymous online. I do things like use fake middle initials everywhere so if someone does google for my name specifically, if something pops up they may not realize it's me. I vastly prefer the relative anonymity of the internet.

To the point that I had a direct manager once tell me he couldn't find anything about me online, but I got hired due to the strength of my references. A VP was in the room at the time and she made a comment that was roughly "good, it means we'll keep him".

About 1-2 months after that this same VP told my direct manager to write me up over questions I asked to on an email chain to a department that was using the software I was working on. I had work w/i 3 days, put in my 2 week notice, and basically told them in no uncertain terms that they're not going to keep good talent treating them like that.

Just be really good at what you do, treat people well, and maintain the relationships you DO create.

Re: People Who Are Obsessed with Success and Prestige

#189

Post by [deleted] »

throwawayjava wrote: post #153
tmh88j wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this a joke? $350k annual income puts you in the top 1% of earners in the US. Surely you don't believe less than 1% of people in the US can live comfortably and have a safety net, do you?

It's helpful to remember that the Bay Area is extremely expensive, and even more helpful to remember that some people have large families. I could pretty comfortably raise a family of 6 on $100K in a midwestern city, or a family of 6 on $80K in the rural midwest/south. Without sufficient retirement savings, mind you, and my safety net would be non-exisent. I'd need at least another $30K-$50K on those numbers to build…

[deleted]

Re: People Who Are Obsessed with Success and Prestige

#190

Post by diehunde »

bumby wrote: post #168

From David Brooks: "I’ve been thinking about the difference between the résumé virtues and the eulogy virtues. The résumé virtues are the ones you list on your résumé, the skills that you bring to the job market and that contribute to external success. The eulogy virtues are deeper. They’re the virtues that get talked about at your funeral, the ones that exist at the core of your being — whether you are kind, brave,…

I prefer to focus on the virtues that bring happiness and joy to my life while I'm alive. Money is one of those things. I don't care about what people will say at my funeral because I won't be there. If being brave and honest makes you happy and brings joy to your life then go for it. If the challenges of becoming a billionaire is what makes you feel alive, then go for it.
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