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Being OK with not being extraordinary

tiffanymatthe.com

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Re: Being OK with not being extraordinary

#81

Post by phkahler »

borroka wrote: post #48
umvi wrote: post #2

> Climbing to a higher vantage point can also unlock new forms of extraordinary that you might have never noticed before. I read an article once about how the amount of work to get into the top tier in a single area is astronomical, but the amount of work to become top tier in a combination of 2-3 fields is attainable by almost anyone. For example, becoming a top tier statistician is hard. But becoming a top tier sta…

I disagree. It is one those things that are said once, repeated enough and make enough sense to be believed, although I suspect they are not true. If you combine an average programmer with an average statistician, you get a profile that is not particularly attractive. If the comment that follows is: but is it not what data scientist are? the answer is that good data scientist have good (or great) programming for what…

>> If you combine an average programmer with an average statistician, you get a profile that is not particularly attractive.

Nobody said being average at both was enough. The parent post specifically said if you know more than average in both areas. You still need to be good, but the combination of good in multiple areas is claimed to be sort of like being extraordinary in one. I think there's some truth in that.

Re: Being OK with not being extraordinary

#82

Post by sixstringtheory »

Animats wrote: post #54

We need to redefine extraordinary. Or, if you can't win, move the finish line.

I think they should've written this line as "don't be afraid to reevaluate your understanding of extraordinary" as it's pretty clear that's what they're doing in the article. This statement followed statements like "extraordinary as I perceived it" and "I feel disappointed, jealous."

Re: Being OK with not being extraordinary

#84

Post by pm90 »

Noos wrote: post #53
umvi wrote: post #2

> Climbing to a higher vantage point can also unlock new forms of extraordinary that you might have never noticed before. I read an article once about how the amount of work to get into the top tier in a single area is astronomical, but the amount of work to become top tier in a combination of 2-3 fields is attainable by almost anyone. For example, becoming a top tier statistician is hard. But becoming a top tier sta…

No, the problem is that what is defined as top tier keeps rising, and raises the bar just to be average. You also now have to compete with a huge cohort of people due to the net now. Going with the videogame focus, if you ever play competitive games you actually see how brutal it can be. In Overwatch for example you have an absolute mountain to climb in ranked because you can't just improve, you have to improve above…

While this is true, there are simply so many problems that need solving and too few humans to solve them, which makes it not too hard to do well in life. Luckily, life isn’t a zero sum game unlike video games.

Re: Being OK with not being extraordinary

#85

Post by thisistheend123 »

Maybe this is offtopic, but I made my peace with this kind of anxiety once I met, interacted and worked with people who were really very very good at what they do.

I let me ego go.

It's ok to be normal. And it's ok to get to learn from the masters.

I once read a O Henry short story where the three main characters are at different places in society financially and in terms of power. But they still found some meaning when they accidentally meet each other during the course of the story.

Their relative stature and standing in the world didn't affect what they thought of each other when they met.

It was kind of an uncanny, uplifting little story. Don't remember its name though.

Re: Being OK with not being extraordinary

#86

Post by rvn1045 »

The internet has made everyone feel inadequate as it's easy to compare yourself to people you see on the internet. Couple of things to keep in mind if your comparing yourself:

1. There aren't as many uber successful people out there as the internet makes it seem. It's far fewer than you think. Lets take a simple example of dudes who go to the gym and are strong. Instagram makes it seem like all dudes bench press 400 lbs and have a 6 pack. In my 15 years of going to the gym (ive been to several dozen all across the world) there are less than 5 people I've personally seen who've bench pressed even 300 lbs. Apply this to any field and it's going to be true.If you take programming for instance I'm yet to meet a person who's performing at the standard I had set for myself (become a 10x programmer).

2. Lots of people are really good at marketing themselves, which inflates the number of people you think are extraordinary.

There aren't that many people at the world class level, the internet makes it seem there are more of these than there are. Just relax and do the things you enjoy.

Re: Being OK with not being extraordinary

#88

Post by pizza234 »

friday99 wrote: post #8
umvi wrote: post #2

> Climbing to a higher vantage point can also unlock new forms of extraordinary that you might have never noticed before. I read an article once about how the amount of work to get into the top tier in a single area is astronomical, but the amount of work to become top tier in a combination of 2-3 fields is attainable by almost anyone. For example, becoming a top tier statistician is hard. But becoming a top tier sta…

I first heard that advice referenced from Scott Adams the creator of Dilbert. Where he notes that he is not a very good artist or very funny, but combining the two with his background in business is why he was successful. https://dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_blog/2007/07/car...

I respect Scott Adams for his comic, but his blog is (in my opinion) a bunch of mass-produced rhetoric-pseudo-rational ramblings¹, trading out quality for (a very large) quantity.

Scott Adams is definitely not famous because "he is an ok graphic artist and has an ok humor". He's famous because his satire was fairly unique and very sharp. I think he's very talented in the humor department; in addition to his creating invention and sharp wit, very often his strips have two punchlines - in the middle and the last panel - which take twice as much effort as a "standard" comic strip.

His drawing skill didn't/don't really matter, as a matter of fact, he wasn't particularly good at the beginning, and his style is generic and simple anyway.

It's very unlikely that somebody with "he is an ok graphic artist and has an ok humor" will get his success just because of such qualities.

¹=A very ridicolous example of whom was when he was proving that Trump will be successful because, based on his observations, leaders who were great in the long term, typically had a rough start. Can't find the post.

Re: Being OK with not being extraordinary

#89

Post by umvi »

jcaguilar wrote: post #77
umvi wrote: post #2

> Climbing to a higher vantage point can also unlock new forms of extraordinary that you might have never noticed before. I read an article once about how the amount of work to get into the top tier in a single area is astronomical, but the amount of work to become top tier in a combination of 2-3 fields is attainable by almost anyone. For example, becoming a top tier statistician is hard. But becoming a top tier sta…

I think you talking about this one? https://forge.medium.com/how-to-become-the-best-in-the-world...

Yes, that was exactly the one I was referring to in my OP, but I couldn't remember enough keywords to find it. Thanks!

Re: Being OK with not being extraordinary

#90

Post by chasd00 »

Given the massive variation and diversity in humanity, to have a problem with not being extraordinary is like having a problem with existence itself.

When I think of extraordinary people i think of names like DaVinci. I'm perfectly happy not being on that level, i would be forever miserable otherwise.

Maybe i lack the intelligence to see my own short comings but at 44 i'm pretty sure I am who I'm going to be. I feel pretty ok about it. I don't have a Porsche GT3 in the garage and my name isn't on/in any books but it turned out not having those things aren't that big of a problem.

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