To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life • Hacker News Board

Re: To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

#51

Post by stuxnet79 » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 3:22 PM UTC

solipsism wrote: post #18

rubicon33 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a good point, but a very tough one for most people on this forum to swallow. I think it's good to give everything your best effort, to strive for greatness, and constantly check yourself to make sure you're giving it your all. But then, if you don't succeed, find peace in life's way. Be okay with yourself, your progress, and your place in life. When you step back and realize how truly random everything is, th…

There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. Hemingway

I guess the realization, after his hey days, that his current self was markedly inferior to his former self, precipitated his suicide.

Re: To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

#52

Post by cwarrior » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 3:30 PM UTC

neilgrey wrote: post #6

I wonder how many people will read this article, have a lightbulb go off in their head, feel warm and fuzzy about it all, then wake up tomorrow and do absolutely nothing about it. Probably most. This article is unfortunately what it epitimizes the most -- a self-help conundrum. Advice given from the perspective of a workaholic. But alas, what tools does it actually provide to take action? Walk away from everything? S…

What I took from it is to take it easy, sit back, and relax. To stop worrying about not making more money, about that book you haven't read, that workout routine you skipped, that udacity course you haven't completed, or that book you haven't started writing. Don't be too hard on yourself.

Re: To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

#53

Post by jimmywanger » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 3:43 PM UTC

nnq wrote: post #46

jimmywanger wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article doesn't even mention personal responsibility until roughly halfway through it. And you comment about "born to be lazy" holds no water. If you want to be lazy, you have to accept that you won't have opportunities non-lazy people will have. If you're "born to be lazy", that's fine unless you want to be somewhere that non-lazy people are. If you're sitting on your butt cause the inspiration for your novel ha…

> If you're sitting on your butt cause the inspiration for your novel hasn't come along because it isn't time yet I'm not a writer, but I assume that a writer can simply go on with his life, doing other useful things, and postpone writing that novel until true/natural inspiration comes to him/her. I've read enough crappy writings imbibed with the stench of "synthetic/forced-through-work inspiration" that the only adv…

I think you're inferring something different from what I'm saying.

If you're a writer and you're not inspired to write, you're not going to write your magnum opus. However, you still have to write something or another - spend 3 hours writing uninspired writing just to practice your skills. If you're a musician and you're not inspired to compose, you'll still have to practice your scales and do little throwaway compositions to get better at it. Thinking that inspiration can flourish when you don't have practice with structure, realistic dialog is unrealistic. In fact, the more you force yourself to write the more easily you can recognize when real inspiration comes along, and the more you won't waste it.

As for your second example, we're seeing it all over the place in San Francico right now. A lot of people didn't optimize their financial situation, working as artists or painters and social workers, and now are being forced out by people who did optimize their financial situation, the programmers. Is that right? That is personal opinion, but the fact of the matter is had you been prepared with more money from savings or a more lucrative job or a cheap home somewhere else that you bought, you have options that you currently don't have.

Re: To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

#54

Post by kirsebaer » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 5:52 PM UTC

joslin01 wrote: post #16

An article from an LA-based author telling you to "just chill"? You don't say... It's best to be honest with yourself and come to terms with where you are in life and where you want to be. After that, unless you put action into your belief, you will be sad. Even if you fail, but put action into the belief, you'll be happy and have grown. This article has utility for over-achievers who need to learn patience, but anyo…

> Even if you fail, but put action into the belief, you'll be happy and have grown.

Can we please admit that it is terrifying to be an economic failure?

If you try and fail, have police at your door because you can't pay rent, spouse leaves you, children are ashamed of you. You are going to feel intense anguish and shame.

Re: To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

#55

Post by cwarrior » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 7:30 PM UTC

tblumer3 wrote: post #35

Wow, this article sounds like the perfect invite to not work too hard in life and just cruise by. Thanks! Thats just what more American's need, a reason not to work! And yes, I read the comments here about working hard, then letting the chips fall where they may. But that was not the message of the article. It was just one line smashed between a bunch of crap about accepting where you are in life. WTF is this junk? I…

Why work hard? Why not just work?