Saved by Hrisikesh Medhi and
What You'll Wish You'd Known
The word "aptitude" is misleading,
because it implies something innate. The most powerful sort of
aptitude is a consuming interest in some question, and such interests
are often acquired tastes.
because it implies something innate. The most powerful sort of
aptitude is a consuming interest in some question, and such interests
are often acquired tastes.
What You'll Wish You'd Known
Do you think Shakespeare was gritting his teeth and diligently
trying to write Great Literature? Of course not. He was having
fun. That's why he's so good.
trying to write Great Literature? Of course not. He was having
fun. That's why he's so good.
What You'll Wish You'd Known
Kids are curious, but the curiosity I mean has a different shape from kid
curiosity. Kid curiosity is broad and shallow; they ask why at
random about everything. In most adults this curiosity dries up
entirely. It has to: you can't get anything done if you're always
asking why about everything. But in ambitious adults, instead of
drying up, curiosity be... See more
curiosity. Kid curiosity is broad and shallow; they ask why at
random about everything. In most adults this curiosity dries up
entirely. It has to: you can't get anything done if you're always
asking why about everything. But in ambitious adults, instead of
drying up, curiosity be... See more
What You'll Wish You'd Known
People who've done great things tend
to seem as if they were a race apart. And most biographies only
exaggerate this illusion, partly due to the worshipful attitude
biographers inevitably sink into, and partly because, knowing how
the story ends, they can't help streamlining the plot till it seems
like the subject's life was a matter of destiny, the m... See more
to seem as if they were a race apart. And most biographies only
exaggerate this illusion, partly due to the worshipful attitude
biographers inevitably sink into, and partly because, knowing how
the story ends, they can't help streamlining the plot till it seems
like the subject's life was a matter of destiny, the m... See more
What You'll Wish You'd Known
It's the same with people who
do great things. They know they'll feel bad if they don't work,
and they have enough discipline to get themselves to their desks
to start working. But once they get started, interest takes over,
and discipline is no longer necessary.
do great things. They know they'll feel bad if they don't work,
and they have enough discipline to get themselves to their desks
to start working. But once they get started, interest takes over,
and discipline is no longer necessary.
What You'll Wish You'd Known
The best protection is always to be working on hard problems.
Writing novels is hard. Reading novels isn't.
Hard means worry: if you're not worrying that
something you're making will come out badly, or that you won't be
able to understand something you're studying, then it isn't hard
enough
Writing novels is hard. Reading novels isn't.
Hard means worry: if you're not worrying that
something you're making will come out badly, or that you won't be
able to understand something you're studying, then it isn't hard
enough
What You'll Wish You'd Known
Great questions don't appear
suddenly. They gradually congeal in your head. And what makes
them congeal is experience. So the way to find great questions is
not to search for them — not to wander about thinking, what great
discovery shall I make? You can't answer that; if you could, you'd
have made it.
suddenly. They gradually congeal in your head. And what makes
them congeal is experience. So the way to find great questions is
not to search for them — not to wander about thinking, what great
discovery shall I make? You can't answer that; if you could, you'd
have made it.
What You'll Wish You'd Known
When a friend of mine used to grumble because he had to write a
paper for school, his mother would tell him: find a way to make it
interesting. That's what you need to do: find a question that makes
the world interesting. People who do great things look at the same
world everyone else does, but notice some odd detail that's
compellingly mysterious.
paper for school, his mother would tell him: find a way to make it
interesting. That's what you need to do: find a question that makes
the world interesting. People who do great things look at the same
world everyone else does, but notice some odd detail that's
compellingly mysterious.