41–50 of 87 posts
If you are unsure of the next best move choose the next move which leaves you with the most options. The meta point being that advance programs recognize this pattern and then judge you accordingly. The meta meta pattern thus leads to making all your moves seem like they were all planned from the start. This is sort of encapsulated by a saying attributed to GE executives: “if at first you don’t succeed, bury all evid…
A question about "rare and valuable skills" - since many want to have valuable skills, and so they become common, is the only way to get rare skills is choosing to learn very difficult things?
The core advice could be rephrased as “optimize for convexity (in the Taleb sense)” or even, “optimize for long term rather than short term value”.
Put this way, it seems uncontroversial, as many HNers agree with these sentiments.
What have I gained from reading this other than learn that the author is a high achieving person? I'm a software engineer in my late twenties in America. I would guess this blog is geared toward people like me, yet the author seems comedically unaware that very few, remarkably close to zero people, have opportunities like pursuing a PhD at MIT. So you chose MIT... I think most people would have. This is just a self c…
What have I gained from reading this other than learn that the author is a high achieving person? I'm a software engineer in my late twenties in America. I would guess this blog is geared toward people like me, yet the author seems comedically unaware that very few, remarkably close to zero people, have opportunities like pursuing a PhD at MIT. So you chose MIT... I think most people would have. This is just a self c…
"My career choices were amazing, it was hard to pick between all the fantastic options. I made a decision to pick the better option and am happy with what I chose. You should do all these things too"
>Dont do something comfortable or high paying for those reasons alone
>Think through decisions
>Set yourself up for the future
I sold out and took the money, but I had a future of building my personal projects and my job got me into electrical engineering where I was chemical prior.
I think this can apply in other fields, but consider it a list of things NOT to do.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
People in their 20s don't remember before the banking coup. They think it has to be like this.
Shit, 85K as a college grad TODAY still puts you solidly into the upper ranges of your demographic. If you think that's "just cover rent and expenses" money, how do you think the people you buy coffee, food, or anything else from live?? The author also doesn't seem to discuss what he did the 8 following years , which seems baffling. > I didn’t know which traits I ultimately wanted in my career, but I appreciated that…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
A $28,000 MIT stipend and PHD does not seem that great..it's not that much money. The odds of producing ground-breaking research are slim even for someone brilliant, as the author evidently is. The $85k Microsoft offer would probably be just enough to cover rent and other expenses, although there is room for promotion. Its not like these are huge sums of money. Then again, I am assuming Seattle living expenses.
"Huge sums of money" isn't well defined so I can't comment on that. But the idea that $85K is only enough to cover rent and other expenses is wrong.
A question about "rare and valuable skills" - since many want to have valuable skills, and so they become common, is the only way to get rare skills is choosing to learn very difficult things?
Scott Adams talks about combining skills like that in his book How to Fail at Almost Everything And Still Win Big [0]. He talks about his own combination of skills being "funnier than average" and "decent at drawing". I thought it was a good read. His talk of systems vs goals was also very worthwhile.
0: https://www.amazon.com/How-Fail-Almost-Everything-Still/dp/1...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
A $28,000 MIT stipend and PHD does not seem that great..it's not that much money. The odds of producing ground-breaking research are slim even for someone brilliant, as the author evidently is. The $85k Microsoft offer would probably be just enough to cover rent and other expenses, although there is room for promotion. Its not like these are huge sums of money. Then again, I am assuming Seattle living expenses.
Yeah tell that to my buddy working the night shift at a Chrysler plant, or 99% of working America for that matter.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
85K in 2004 would cover more than "just rent and other expenses" or I'd eat my hat. It was a different time, with different costs, and a much less inflated market. The author even calls it "about as much as you could possibly earn right out of college." MIT is obviously about the prestige and academic opportunities more than the money. If you're saying these aren't great options for a college senior in 2004 you need…
People in their 20s don't remember before the banking coup. They think it has to be like this.