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Cities and Ambition
20 hours ago
- Cities send distinct messages about ambition: New York emphasizes wealth, Cambridge (Boston) emphasizes intelligence, and Silicon Valley emphasizes power and impact.
- Environmental influence is powerful; even the most determined individuals can be shaped by the dominant ambitions of the city they live in, as seen in historical clusters of great people.
- For fields like art, writing, and technology, being in a city that supports your ambition is crucial for finding peers and encouragement, and young people should experiment with different cities.
- The list of city messages includes wealth, style, hipness, physical attractiveness, fame, political power, economic power, intelligence, social class, and quality of life, with some values shifting over time.
The Anatomy of Determination
20 hours ago
- Determination is the most important predictor of startup success, more so than intelligence.
- Willfulness alone is insufficient; it must be balanced with discipline for effective determination.
- Ambition, which can be cultivated, is a key component of determination that helps set goals.
- Achievements and peer influence can boost ambition and determination.
- Determination consists of willfulness, discipline, and ambition, and at least two of these can be improved.
- Liking the work reduces the need for determination, but most work involves tasks aligned with others' needs.
Fierce Nerds
20 hours ago
- Fierce nerds are highly competitive, often more so than non-nerds, and take competition personally.
- They tend to be overconfident, especially when young, which can be a self-fulfilling advantage.
- Fierce nerds are always at least moderately intelligent, as this confidence requires some basis.
- They are independent-minded and socially awkward, often annoyed by rules rather than unaware of them.
- Impatience is common among fierce nerds, showing in conversation and problem-solving, possibly linked to drivenness.
- The combination of traits (brilliance, social awkwardness, competitiveness, independence, overconfidence) makes them formidable, as seen in Watson and Crick's discovery of DNA.
- Young fierce nerds may only see their awkwardness, but their fierceness helps solve difficult problems, especially in modern business.
- Without exercise, fierceness can turn to bitterness, leading to destructive behaviors like trolling or hating.
- To avoid bitterness, fierce nerds should work on ambitious projects, which provide satisfaction even before success.
- Historical and social contexts favor nerds, with power shifting from dealmakers to technicians.
How to Do Great Work
20 hours ago
- Choose work you have a natural aptitude for and deep interest in.
- Learn enough to reach the frontiers of knowledge in your field.
- Notice gaps in knowledge and explore promising ones.
- Follow your curiosity as it drives the entire process.
- Work hard on excitingly ambitious projects without overplanning.
- Be strict, willing to break conventional rules, and seek overlooked ideas.
- Avoid affectation; be earnest and intellectually honest.
- Maintain morale by staying optimistic, taking care of your health, and finding good colleagues.
- Start small, iterate, and be prolific to increase chances of discovery.
- Carry unanswered questions; they often lead to new discoveries.
- Use the advantages of youth (energy, time, fresh eyes) and later advantages of age.
- Don't let fear or modesty prevent you from trying to do great work.
Superlinear Returns
20 hours ago
- Returns for performance are superlinear, not linear as commonly taught; success often leads to more success rather than proportional outcomes.
- Superlinear returns stem from two main causes: exponential growth and thresholds (step functions).
- Exponential growth occurs when performance compounds, such as in learning, startups, and knowledge, while thresholds create winner-take-all effects.
- Institutions historically dampened variation in returns, but technology and reduced organizational dependence now increase opportunities for superlinear gains.
- Ambitious individuals should seek work that compounds, learn continuously, follow curiosity rather than careerism, and take calculated risks early.
- Fields with superlinear returns (e.g., science, investing, art) often require independent thinking; slight advantages lead to vastly different outcomes.
- To succeed, focus on doing exceptional work, pursue interests passionately, and be willing to fail and learn from failures.

ambition

Cities and Ambition

The Anatomy of Determination

Fierce Nerds

How to Do Great Work

Superlinear Returns