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One thing I admire about my most successful coworkers is their lack of fear when diving headfirst into something new. "Hey, we've got this problem, can you take

One thing I admire about my most successful coworkers is their lack of fear when diving headfirst into something new. "Hey, we've got this problem, can you take a look?" And they say sure. They will research, then code, then hit a roadblock and pick a new direction, and repeat. They assume they can get past whatever roadblocks they have, and they're always correct. Other people will research until they think they've got a plan to get around every bit of friction they'll encounter. The longer you take to get started, the longer achieving a workable solution will take.

crispinb 7y ago
and they're always correct Survivorship bias. For every fearless, boots'n'all person I know in a variety of fields (not just dev) who's "succeeded", I know many more whose headlong attempts crashed and burned. Consequences ranged from merely becoming more cautious, to homelessness and suicide.
- analog31 7y ago
  It could also be because our perception of risk is biased. What I mean is, we think they are being fearless, when in reality, they just have a more accurate perception of the actual risk than we do -- possibly because they are choosing their battles carefully.
- LouisContant 7y ago
  I would think OP is talking about tasks at work that they're not familiar with and less talking starting a business which is how I think you interpreted it.
- imgabe 7y ago
  What the "survivorship bias" dismissal of things like this always neglects is that something can be a necessary, but not sufficient condition for success. Ok, some people who dive in and try things don't succeed. But do any people who don't dive in and try things succeed? Yeah, if you try you might still fail. Most intelligent people realize this is a possibility. If you don't try you will definitely fail though.
  - crispinb 7y ago
    I was responding to They assume they can get past whatever roadblocks they have, and they're always correct. I believe this specific assertion to be false, and was not saying anything generic about fearlessness as a route to 'success' (a concept whose coherence I'm in any case deeply sceptical about).
    - imgabe 7y ago
      The point still stands. Maybe some people who assume they can get past a roadblock are wrong. But the people who don't think they can get past it definitely won't
      - crispinb 7y ago
        I'm not sure what 'stands' means in this context. It may or may not be a true statement (I don't care because I'm radically uninterested in the dubious concept of 'success'), but in any case it's not a response to the comment you're replying to.
        imgabe 7y ago
        You seem to be fixated on some woo-woo, self-help meaning of "success". I just mean whether you complete the thing you're trying to do or not.
        crispinb 7y ago
        No, I was focusing (or fixating if you prefer the derogatory) on the specific claim that fearlessness inevitably dissolves roadblocks. That's all. I have no opinion whatsoever on (nor interest in) general routes to 'success' (however scanned), as I thought I had made plain. Would repetition help - should I type it a few times more?
      - jodrellblank 7y ago
        That doesn't follow; part of the point of planning ahead instead of diving in, is to foresee roadblocks down one path and choose a different path, avoiding the roadblock and the need to get past it. If you need investor money for a fast growth company, are not sure whether you can get it, but dive in, you might fail when nobody invests. If you realise that finding and convincing investors is a roadblock for you, you can choose to save more before starting, pick a slower growth approach or different goal or different funding model which doesn't require investor money at all and sidestep the problem.
- angarg12 7y ago
  Today I was listening to an 'inspirational' talk about someone who didn't 'have a plan' in life and instead jumped to whatever she felt like doing for the last few years, and ended up being successful and happy. The talk was a variation of 'do what you love and you will be successful' and this woman used her own experience as proof. However this contrast with my own personal experience. I spent the last few years of my life wearing many hats and jumping from role to role based on opportunities and whatever seemed exciting at that time. As such, now I feel stuck and lagging behind on my career. One of my mentors gave me as advice to stop swinging around and instead focus my attention in one set of skills. I can't help but wonder where I would be now if I had focus from the last 5 years instead of chasing 'whatever excited me'. In that sense, those inspirational talks are survivorship bias in action, giving advice from the lens 'these actions made me successful' instead of 'I became successful DESPITE these actions'.
  - adriand 7y ago
    > I can't help but wonder where I would be now if I had focus from the last 5 years instead of chasing 'whatever excited me'. The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The next best time is now. Stop wondering about what might have been and start thinking about what can be! So long as you have your health, the future brims with possibilities. If now is the time for focused attention on hard things, then make the time for that, focus, and improve your abilities. Judging by some of your past comments, you have successfully reinvented yourself before. You're smart and experienced. Have fun with uncertainty and try to find adventure in your life once again. (I know you didn't ask for this advice—truth be told, I think it's advice I'm giving myself, because I too find myself at a crossroads. Good luck!)
Swizec 7y ago
You’re more likely to succeed when you actively try to succeed. But it’s okay to procrastinate too. Let the future better version of you solve the problem. The trick is finding balance.
keyle 7y ago
In addition to the other comment, it's also always easier to see clearly and be able to make pivoting decision when it's not your baby. Being fearless in solving someone else's problem has only benefits - feeling good for succeeding, even partially.
scarejunba 7y ago
This is the skill I most actively attempt to cultivate and haven't managed to. John Carmack is the person who most embodies this ethos. It's always "How can I accomplish this?" rather than "Can this be accomplished?"
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

crispinb 7y ago

and they're always correct Survivorship bias. For every fearless, boots'n'all person I know in a variety of fields (not just dev) who's "succeeded", I know many more whose headlong attempts crashed and burned. Consequences ranged from merely becoming more cautious, to homelessness and suicide.

analog31 7y ago
It could also be because our perception of risk is biased. What I mean is, we think they are being fearless, when in reality, they just have a more accurate perception of the actual risk than we do -- possibly because they are choosing their battles carefully.
LouisContant 7y ago
I would think OP is talking about tasks at work that they're not familiar with and less talking starting a business which is how I think you interpreted it.
imgabe 7y ago
What the "survivorship bias" dismissal of things like this always neglects is that something can be a necessary, but not sufficient condition for success. Ok, some people who dive in and try things don't succeed. But do any people who don't dive in and try things succeed? Yeah, if you try you might still fail. Most intelligent people realize this is a possibility. If you don't try you will definitely fail though.
- crispinb 7y ago
  I was responding to They assume they can get past whatever roadblocks they have, and they're always correct. I believe this specific assertion to be false, and was not saying anything generic about fearlessness as a route to 'success' (a concept whose coherence I'm in any case deeply sceptical about).
  - imgabe 7y ago
    The point still stands. Maybe some people who assume they can get past a roadblock are wrong. But the people who don't think they can get past it definitely won't
    - crispinb 7y ago
      I'm not sure what 'stands' means in this context. It may or may not be a true statement (I don't care because I'm radically uninterested in the dubious concept of 'success'), but in any case it's not a response to the comment you're replying to.
      - imgabe 7y ago
        You seem to be fixated on some woo-woo, self-help meaning of "success". I just mean whether you complete the thing you're trying to do or not.
        crispinb 7y ago
        No, I was focusing (or fixating if you prefer the derogatory) on the specific claim that fearlessness inevitably dissolves roadblocks. That's all. I have no opinion whatsoever on (nor interest in) general routes to 'success' (however scanned), as I thought I had made plain. Would repetition help - should I type it a few times more?
    - jodrellblank 7y ago
      That doesn't follow; part of the point of planning ahead instead of diving in, is to foresee roadblocks down one path and choose a different path, avoiding the roadblock and the need to get past it. If you need investor money for a fast growth company, are not sure whether you can get it, but dive in, you might fail when nobody invests. If you realise that finding and convincing investors is a roadblock for you, you can choose to save more before starting, pick a slower growth approach or different goal or different funding model which doesn't require investor money at all and sidestep the problem.
angarg12 7y ago
Today I was listening to an 'inspirational' talk about someone who didn't 'have a plan' in life and instead jumped to whatever she felt like doing for the last few years, and ended up being successful and happy. The talk was a variation of 'do what you love and you will be successful' and this woman used her own experience as proof. However this contrast with my own personal experience. I spent the last few years of my life wearing many hats and jumping from role to role based on opportunities and whatever seemed exciting at that time. As such, now I feel stuck and lagging behind on my career. One of my mentors gave me as advice to stop swinging around and instead focus my attention in one set of skills. I can't help but wonder where I would be now if I had focus from the last 5 years instead of chasing 'whatever excited me'. In that sense, those inspirational talks are survivorship bias in action, giving advice from the lens 'these actions made me successful' instead of 'I became successful DESPITE these actions'.
- adriand 7y ago
  > I can't help but wonder where I would be now if I had focus from the last 5 years instead of chasing 'whatever excited me'. The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The next best time is now. Stop wondering about what might have been and start thinking about what can be! So long as you have your health, the future brims with possibilities. If now is the time for focused attention on hard things, then make the time for that, focus, and improve your abilities. Judging by some of your past comments, you have successfully reinvented yourself before. You're smart and experienced. Have fun with uncertainty and try to find adventure in your life once again. (I know you didn't ask for this advice—truth be told, I think it's advice I'm giving myself, because I too find myself at a crossroads. Good luck!)

Swizec 7y ago

You’re more likely to succeed when you actively try to succeed. But it’s okay to procrastinate too. Let the future better version of you solve the problem. The trick is finding balance.

keyle 7y ago

In addition to the other comment, it's also always easier to see clearly and be able to make pivoting decision when it's not your baby. Being fearless in solving someone else's problem has only benefits - feeling good for succeeding, even partially.

scarejunba 7y ago

This is the skill I most actively attempt to cultivate and haven't managed to. John Carmack is the person who most embodies this ethos. It's always "How can I accomplish this?" rather than "Can this be accomplished?"

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]