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It's what Pratchett said: “If you trust in yourself... and believe in your dreams... and follow your star... you'll still get beaten by people who spent their t

It's what Pratchett said: “If you trust in yourself... and believe in your dreams... and follow your star... you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

dorchadas 7y ago
This has truly bit me in the ass. I was 'gifted' and never had to study in high school, or college really. But I was also lazy and it makes learning new things so much more difficult, at least without a structured school curriculum (I do think I might have adult ADHD too, but that's not what this is), despite wanting to make a career change. It's frustrating at times being stuck in that rutt. Oh, well, looks like a new masters for me next year.
mcguire 7y ago
On the other hand, those who work hard and aren't lazy aren't having any fun either.
- whenchamenia 7y ago
  I would disagree completely. Good work is its own reward, as is the respect that comes with it after years of doing the right thing. Its not something you flirt with, its intergity.
  - uhhhhhhh 7y ago
    Dare I say you're both right and missing each others point? Doing a good job at everything you do personally and professionally is (like you say) integrity and drives self-respect. At the same time, the work you're doing can be menial/meaningless to you and thus may take time from tasks that have greater meaning, or it may even be mentally unhealthy (stress) or impact your relationships (long hours) that is sometimes required TO do a good job. Not everything we do in life is going to matter, I'm not arguing we need to have meaning in everything. However there is a point I think where people do need some sort of personal meaning/connection to some of what they're doing. For many people its family, others charity, volunteering or working in fields where they are passionate and connected to or any/all of the above/other. Too often people take the admirable approach of trying to do the best job they can at everything, and burn themselves out on tasks and jobs that don't provide them personal benefit in their lives otherwise in my opinion, its a cultural issue that seems to be getting worse.
- S_A_P 7y ago
  There are absolutely times where hard work is a grind and not fun or all that rewarding. However I have had experiences where hard work is so fun and fulfilling that I almost hesitate to call it work. Being a consultant has given me both sides of the spectrum.
danieldk 7y ago
It does not necessarily have to do anything with laziness. The further you get the fiercer your competition. Most people around here were probably the best in elementary school and high school, perhaps even university. But if you go further up the intelligence or economic ladder, you will compare yourself to peers who are at the same step or next step. And the competition is much fiercer. You are 'competing' with people who are at least as intelligent or more intelligent. You are competing with people who have an even stronger work ethic. And then there is a certain factor of luck whether you'll be successful or not. I struggled with this for quite a while, because I always compared myself to (especially better) peers, and it makes you feel like a failure. I have learned to accept more who and where I am and to enjoy it. Though it can still be hard at times (that's ego).
- jl2718 7y ago
  This forum in particular attracts a certain type of ‘lazy intellectual’: people that value thought and introspection above constant action. They were the type of children that easily mastered early school subjects without working, but are so fascinated by ideas that mere action bores them. I think it’s important to recognize the advantages and limitations of this mindset. I’ve considered the possibility that it is similar to any other obsessive/addictive disorder, and perhaps we’d be more successful in life if we treated it this way.
  - taurath 7y ago
    Interestingly thats exactly how I thought about the cohort on very early reddit too.
  - jxub 7y ago
    On the pop-psych Jungian scale they (we) would represent the INTP type.
  - ikeyany 7y ago
    Apply your own logic on yourself. Have you consideed that the arbitrary demand for constant action could itself be a mental disorder?
noir_lord 7y ago
I've always liked :- > Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working. - Picasso
0xdeadbeefbabe 7y ago
Yeah like Edison (and Tesla).

dorchadas 7y ago

This has truly bit me in the ass. I was 'gifted' and never had to study in high school, or college really. But I was also lazy and it makes learning new things so much more difficult, at least without a structured school curriculum (I do think I might have adult ADHD too, but that's not what this is), despite wanting to make a career change. It's frustrating at times being stuck in that rutt. Oh, well, looks like a new masters for me next year.

mcguire 7y ago

On the other hand, those who work hard and aren't lazy aren't having any fun either.

whenchamenia 7y ago
I would disagree completely. Good work is its own reward, as is the respect that comes with it after years of doing the right thing. Its not something you flirt with, its intergity.
- uhhhhhhh 7y ago
  Dare I say you're both right and missing each others point? Doing a good job at everything you do personally and professionally is (like you say) integrity and drives self-respect. At the same time, the work you're doing can be menial/meaningless to you and thus may take time from tasks that have greater meaning, or it may even be mentally unhealthy (stress) or impact your relationships (long hours) that is sometimes required TO do a good job. Not everything we do in life is going to matter, I'm not arguing we need to have meaning in everything. However there is a point I think where people do need some sort of personal meaning/connection to some of what they're doing. For many people its family, others charity, volunteering or working in fields where they are passionate and connected to or any/all of the above/other. Too often people take the admirable approach of trying to do the best job they can at everything, and burn themselves out on tasks and jobs that don't provide them personal benefit in their lives otherwise in my opinion, its a cultural issue that seems to be getting worse.
S_A_P 7y ago
There are absolutely times where hard work is a grind and not fun or all that rewarding. However I have had experiences where hard work is so fun and fulfilling that I almost hesitate to call it work. Being a consultant has given me both sides of the spectrum.

danieldk 7y ago

It does not necessarily have to do anything with laziness. The further you get the fiercer your competition. Most people around here were probably the best in elementary school and high school, perhaps even university. But if you go further up the intelligence or economic ladder, you will compare yourself to peers who are at the same step or next step. And the competition is much fiercer. You are 'competing' with people who are at least as intelligent or more intelligent. You are competing with people who have an even stronger work ethic. And then there is a certain factor of luck whether you'll be successful or not. I struggled with this for quite a while, because I always compared myself to (especially better) peers, and it makes you feel like a failure. I have learned to accept more who and where I am and to enjoy it. Though it can still be hard at times (that's ego).

jl2718 7y ago
This forum in particular attracts a certain type of ‘lazy intellectual’: people that value thought and introspection above constant action. They were the type of children that easily mastered early school subjects without working, but are so fascinated by ideas that mere action bores them. I think it’s important to recognize the advantages and limitations of this mindset. I’ve considered the possibility that it is similar to any other obsessive/addictive disorder, and perhaps we’d be more successful in life if we treated it this way.
- taurath 7y ago
  Interestingly thats exactly how I thought about the cohort on very early reddit too.
- jxub 7y ago
  On the pop-psych Jungian scale they (we) would represent the INTP type.
- ikeyany 7y ago
  Apply your own logic on yourself. Have you consideed that the arbitrary demand for constant action could itself be a mental disorder?

noir_lord 7y ago

I've always liked :- > Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working. - Picasso

0xdeadbeefbabe 7y ago

Yeah like Edison (and Tesla).