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This essay is a bit weird because it systematically avoids talking about the reason people (rationally, I might add) avoid hard problems: they are risky. Yes th

This essay is a bit weird because it systematically avoids talking about the reason people (rationally, I might add) avoid hard problems: they are risky. Yes the rewards are great, but so too is the risk of failure. I, personally, have seen people pursue this strategy, flame out, and get fired for it. I work to provide stability for my family. I don't take risks unless I get an explicit request from management to do so, and thus someone else to take responsibility. The whole idea that employees should be dynamic and "ask for forgiveness, not permission" is truly perverse in a capitalist context: your employer wants you to take the risks, but they definitely will take the benefits if you succeed. If you fail, hey, its your fault. Doing risky stuff is fine but I don't do it unless I've got backing from management.

Rerarom 7y ago
The thing is sometimes hard things are actually easy because there is a simple solution that hasn't been tried because people haven't worked on the problem because it seems hard and they don't feel smart enough. The trick is to recognize these situations.
- artpi 7y ago
  That has been my experience as well!
- bpt3 7y ago
  This is excellent advice. I hope the author updates the article to explicitly include this suggestion, and I'll be looking for opportunities where this misunderstanding exists.
  - artpi 7y ago
    I will, noted!
  - nathan_compton 7y ago
    Is it excellent or a clever way of phrasing something empty? Presumably identifying hard problems that are actually easy problems is itself a hard problem, otherwise someone would have surely already figured it out (if the ends are valuable). I mean its great if you can figure out such a situation, but how much time should you spin your wheels trying to find an easy solution to a hard problem before you're wasting your time? Also a hard problem exactly because its hard to figure out how hard a hard problem really is.
    - bpt3 7y ago
      I disagree. In my experience there are plenty of "hard" problems within organizations that in reality aren't actually hard to solve. The issue is that the organization has created policies or processes that make the problem hard to solve, and breaking through those artificial barriers can be fairly simple once you find the right approach. Also, it's much lower risk to spend a limited amount of time exploring whether there are untried solutions to a "hard" problem than it is to publicly declare war on an actual hard problem and hope you find a solution.
      - Rerarom 7y ago
        Note that I was thinking of problems in terms of scientific research rather than business stuff but it was intentionally vague so that people can apply it to their own domain.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
megaframe 7y ago
Good review. A related good piece of advice I got early in my career was to do the tasks no one else wants to do. Less risky than "do the hard things". You quickly become invaluable and those tasks become less painful the more you do them.
- artpi 7y ago
  Exactly! You also get quite comfortable "putting the parachute on your way down"!
- tcoff91 7y ago
  This is a double edged sword. It can be a great way to gain recognition and clout in your org. However, sometimes there's a good reason nobody wanted to do that thing, and you can get stuck just doing something that you don't really like doing.
artpi 7y ago
> This essay is a bit weird because it systematically avoids talking about the reason people (rationally, I might add) avoid hard problems: they are risky. Yes, the rewards are great, but so too is the risk of failure. Thank you for pointing that out! This is something I completely failed to include in the essay. From my experience, when you tackle hard things in the organization, there is virtually 0 risk. The worst outcome for you is that you feel bad, but this is not going to diminish your chances in career, quite the opposite. The situation is a bit like here: I failed to include this vital section about risk in an article that is getting traffic right now. It is embarrassing, but I doubt if this will have negative repercussions for me. (I hope ) Anyway - that is why feedback is so critical.
- jrochkind1 7y ago
  I think you have been very fortunate, then. I do not think your experience is typical or guaranteed. You quote Seth Godin saying: > We shy away from hard work because inherent in hard work is a risk. Hard work is hard because you might fail. But you think this isn't true, the hard work you are suggesting has "virtually 0 risk"? It must not be the same kind of "hard work" Godin is talking about then, after all?
  - artpi 7y ago
    I am trying to keep my meeting today and still respond to these comments, so I apologize for the lack of clarity. Some people would consider a whole category of "making fool of oneself" a risk and it has been in the past. Evolutionary, shame was a real threat and being left by the peer group sometimes meant death. So we carry this mechanism in our brains to avoid perceived failure, perceived risk, and perceived embarrassment. It is in all of us to an extent. I am no Seth Godin, but that is how I understand his concept of "hard work" - emotionally putting yourself out there. But in reality, those things are not really risky in healthy corporate environements. I have been making a fool of myself repeatedly and if people see it was an honest try and it took guts - they will usually respect you for that.
    - nathan_compton 7y ago

Rerarom 7y ago

The thing is sometimes hard things are actually easy because there is a simple solution that hasn't been tried because people haven't worked on the problem because it seems hard and they don't feel smart enough. The trick is to recognize these situations.

artpi 7y ago
That has been my experience as well!
bpt3 7y ago
This is excellent advice. I hope the author updates the article to explicitly include this suggestion, and I'll be looking for opportunities where this misunderstanding exists.
- artpi 7y ago
  I will, noted!
- nathan_compton 7y ago
  Is it excellent or a clever way of phrasing something empty? Presumably identifying hard problems that are actually easy problems is itself a hard problem, otherwise someone would have surely already figured it out (if the ends are valuable). I mean its great if you can figure out such a situation, but how much time should you spin your wheels trying to find an easy solution to a hard problem before you're wasting your time? Also a hard problem exactly because its hard to figure out how hard a hard problem really is.
  - bpt3 7y ago
    I disagree. In my experience there are plenty of "hard" problems within organizations that in reality aren't actually hard to solve. The issue is that the organization has created policies or processes that make the problem hard to solve, and breaking through those artificial barriers can be fairly simple once you find the right approach. Also, it's much lower risk to spend a limited amount of time exploring whether there are untried solutions to a "hard" problem than it is to publicly declare war on an actual hard problem and hope you find a solution.
    - Rerarom 7y ago
      Note that I was thinking of problems in terms of scientific research rather than business stuff but it was intentionally vague so that people can apply it to their own domain.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

megaframe 7y ago

Good review. A related good piece of advice I got early in my career was to do the tasks no one else wants to do. Less risky than "do the hard things". You quickly become invaluable and those tasks become less painful the more you do them.

artpi 7y ago
Exactly! You also get quite comfortable "putting the parachute on your way down"!
tcoff91 7y ago
This is a double edged sword. It can be a great way to gain recognition and clout in your org. However, sometimes there's a good reason nobody wanted to do that thing, and you can get stuck just doing something that you don't really like doing.

artpi 7y ago

> This essay is a bit weird because it systematically avoids talking about the reason people (rationally, I might add) avoid hard problems: they are risky. Yes, the rewards are great, but so too is the risk of failure. Thank you for pointing that out! This is something I completely failed to include in the essay. From my experience, when you tackle hard things in the organization, there is virtually 0 risk. The worst outcome for you is that you feel bad, but this is not going to diminish your chances in career, quite the opposite. The situation is a bit like here: I failed to include this vital section about risk in an article that is getting traffic right now. It is embarrassing, but I doubt if this will have negative repercussions for me. (I hope ) Anyway - that is why feedback is so critical.

jrochkind1 7y ago
I think you have been very fortunate, then. I do not think your experience is typical or guaranteed. You quote Seth Godin saying: > We shy away from hard work because inherent in hard work is a risk. Hard work is hard because you might fail. But you think this isn't true, the hard work you are suggesting has "virtually 0 risk"? It must not be the same kind of "hard work" Godin is talking about then, after all?
- artpi 7y ago
  I am trying to keep my meeting today and still respond to these comments, so I apologize for the lack of clarity. Some people would consider a whole category of "making fool of oneself" a risk and it has been in the past. Evolutionary, shame was a real threat and being left by the peer group sometimes meant death. So we carry this mechanism in our brains to avoid perceived failure, perceived risk, and perceived embarrassment. It is in all of us to an extent. I am no Seth Godin, but that is how I understand his concept of "hard work" - emotionally putting yourself out there. But in reality, those things are not really risky in healthy corporate environements. I have been making a fool of myself repeatedly and if people see it was an honest try and it took guts - they will usually respect you for that.
  - nathan_compton 7y ago