6 ms·

What if doing your best -- at what you're best at -- isn't enough?

150 points by DanLivesHere 15y ago

AznHisoka 15y ago
I guess that's why baseball players are encouraged to remain even-keeled, and not be stuck in a high, or low. Just focus on execution, and forget about the drama, and mental noise.
drpgq 15y ago
Baseball must be especially tough for players, considering it is mostly just individual contests over and over, pitcher versus batter. On team sports like basketball or hockey you can always rationalize that the rest of your team should have done more.
- ams6110 15y ago
  What?? The pitcher in particular absolutely depends on the rest of his defense. Batters depend on those behind them to move them around. I think golf or tennis would be a better analogy for your point.
squadron 15y ago
Go blue ocean. If you're being true to your vision and individuality, it will always be good enough. P.S. I'd like to qualify "good enough". I've poured blood, sweat, tears and spit into ideas that ended up being completely ignored by the world. I still consider them good enough though. I am still proud of what I accomplished. You are the ultimate decider of what is good enough.
- endersshadow 15y ago
  What blue ocean would you suggest a baseball player enter, pray tell?
  - squadron 15y ago
    I was simply responding to the title. I didn't read the blog post (misread it as an Ask HN). Slap my wrist accordingly.
stupandaus 15y ago
If you're doing your best at what you're best at, but in a field that gives you no pleasure, will success even be enough? Doubtful.
pavel_lishin 15y ago
I'm getting a 403 response.
- robertduncan 15y ago
  Me too. I found it subtly ironic.
- i_cannot_hack 15y ago
  Here's a mirror: http://i.imgur.com/gZ4xB.jpg http://i.imgur.com/gZ4xB.jpg (well, it's more a simple screenshot of the page rather than a mirror, but you get the idea)
vco 15y ago
Analogy to startups: - Filter out all the background noise just like athletes filter out the media. Stop caring about what [insert tech blog here] just posted about your competition, who got what funding, who's presenting at Disrupt. Focus on yourself - the rest is just fluff. Analogy to personal development: - If you love what you do and your best isn't cutting it at your role then consider a minor pivot. The best basketball and football coaches at the professional level are usually not the best players and yet they managed to find a role that leverages their love for the game while pivoting away from their physical disadvantages.
- matwood 15y ago
  The best basketball and football coaches at the professional level are usually not the best players and yet they managed to find a role that leverages their love for the game while pivoting away from their physical disadvantages. Even players themselves can be in systems that don't work for them and they may not seem like good players until they get into a system that fits them. Minor pivots are a good thing and should be tried.
helen842000 15y ago
What about doing your best at something you're terrible at? Sometimes no matter how hard you try, you still make a little impact in a big industry. If you got into your field of expertise with ease, find it lacking in challenges. with little impact, maybe it's time to try your best at something new & difficult and therefore perhaps more rewarding. Even moving into a field with a wider scope, something critical that benefits others greatly. Success and job satisfaction can be found in many places other than 'being the best' or being in an enviable position.
- kstenerud 15y ago
  Upvoting you because the redditors are at it again, voting based on agreement rather than quality contribution to the discussion.
- DanLivesHere 15y ago
  NB that the article is not about "doing your best" but about "doing what you are best at doing."
pao 15y ago
It's like a less tongue-in-cheek version of the despair.com poster: http://www.despair.com/fail24x30pri.html http://www.despair.com/fail24x30pri.html
supercanuck 15y ago
>Worrying about the above-listed peculiarities of playing the sport professionally and actually playing it professionally are likely, in many cases, mutually exclusive. There is a fantastic book called, "The Inner Game of Tennis" that helps describe that the ability to reach your max potential is to silence the self-criticizing ego and essentially just do it by seeing and feeling. Anecdotal? Sure Interesting? Absolutely.
- sp332 15y ago
  If you can find the video of the author, Timothy Gallwey, teaching a middle-aged out of shape lady in a muumuu to play tennis in one hour, it's really inspiring.
  - BHSPitMonkey 15y ago
    Here: http://vimeo.com/6152948 http://vimeo.com/6152948
    - felixd 15y ago
      Video was worth watching.
trustfundbaby 15y ago
This is such a good article in two ways. First this is an internal dialogue that is a natural offshoot of 'imposter syndrome'. And for me it actually becomes more frequent as I progress further in my career as a dev. This is because it becomes more apparent to me how much I don't know, and I begin to wonder if I'll ever be good enough to attain the level of expertise that I aspire to. What makes it more poignant for me is that I've pursued something like this before (sports career) and didn't quite make it (understatement), and I'm currently trying to reconcile myself with all the time and effort I invested in the process and how to ramp down from something that was my overriding ambition for so long. The good thing is that I've learned a lot of lessons from the experience and the main takeaway for me was ... if it isn't working, get out ... life is too short and there are many many other things to try your hand at. The second thing that I liked about it was how it shows exactly why we should have empathy for other developers. I loved this section For every dude I dismiss, every footnote in a roundup post, every guy deemed worthy of mere shrugs or raised eyebrows — all of whom are well-compensated for their work, no doubt — there is someone far away on the other end of the phone coaching him or advising him or loving him who wants desperately for him to succeed and be happy because one of the things I try to live by is this Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle --- Plato I've had endured a few insults in my life as a dev ("You'll never be an engineer son, maybe a scripter or something, but never an engineer"), by people who thought I'd never make it as a programmer. Many years, later, here I am ... doing a pretty decent job at it, and I'll never forget all the kind people who encouraged me, took a time out to explain something to me ... again, just like I'll never forget the couple of times someone was a complete dick to me, because they thought I had no prospects as a developer. I guess what I'm saying is, whenever you feel the need to dismiss someone who has no skills ... maybe take a step back and see if what they need is encouragement, coaching and a little bit of direction instead.
- dclowd9901 15y ago
  Speaking as someone who started literally from 0 in terms of developer knowledge a scant 3 years ago, and having been spat on, insulted and otherwise ridiculed for ever believing I could join the cult, I will say this: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I had code with security holes that you could drive a Mack truck through. I learned security. I had sloppy copypasta code. I learned OOP. I had inefficient code. I learned memory management processes and how to structure code better for efficiency. Could those who spoke down to me have been more helpful? More coddling? Not said anything at all? Sure. But who knows how that would have stunted my growth. It's good to have compassion, and it's good to care. But if you really want to be the best at something, you're going to have to want it. And if you really want it, when someone beats you down, you're not going to stay down. You're gonna learn how to hit back. As far as ultimately being where you want to be, sometimes it's simply the luck of the draw, and you have to understand how large a role that luck plays, as well, especially when you're being enchanted by stories of multi-million dollar startup investments.
barrkel 15y ago
Doing what you're best at in a field with limited places for the best - like baseball - may set you up for failure. There's a relevant concept in economics called comparative advantage - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_advantage http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_advantage. Even if you are not the best at anything, there are some things that are "enough" - that create surplus.
- xanados 15y ago
  Another important economic concept that bears on this issue is "positional goods." Baseball abilities are positional goods because the value is almost all in being the best or among the best, and any other level of ability has no value to society. This is not the same as, for example logging. Half the ability in logging is half as useful economically.
silentscope 15y ago
Why would you even consider this question? I know why you would, but on a deeper level, spending time on this is not healthy or constructive. Maybe you can't ever be at your best. Maybe you'll always improve, no matter how long you train. Idealistic? You bet your ass. It's taken me further in life than I ever thought possible--and it will continue to carry me. Don't forget: they don't know who you are. You don't know fully who you are.
snowwrestler 15y ago
Just because someone is doing something, it doesn't mean that is what they are best at. Maybe this particular baseball player would be much better at being a lawyer. But he wants to play baseball--so there he is, struggling in Florida. How does one know what they are best at, anyway? I try to be reflective, and I ask people whom I trust what they think. Often the answers don't agree, or they reflect the subjectivity of each relationship (e.g. my lawyer telling me I'd be a good lawyer--but how would he know if I'd be a better cook?). Sometimes they are things that I actually don't like doing. So where does that leave me?
jkuria 15y ago
good writing for sure but so much set up for so little insight? I you're gonna do that you might as well just get to the point!

150 points by DanLivesHere 15y ago

I guess that's why baseball players are encouraged to remain even-keeled, and not be stuck in a high, or low. Just focus on execution, and forget about the drama, and mental noise.

drpgq 15y ago

Baseball must be especially tough for players, considering it is mostly just individual contests over and over, pitcher versus batter. On team sports like basketball or hockey you can always rationalize that the rest of your team should have done more.

ams6110 15y ago
What?? The pitcher in particular absolutely depends on the rest of his defense. Batters depend on those behind them to move them around. I think golf or tennis would be a better analogy for your point.

squadron 15y ago

Go blue ocean. If you're being true to your vision and individuality, it will always be good enough. P.S. I'd like to qualify "good enough". I've poured blood, sweat, tears and spit into ideas that ended up being completely ignored by the world. I still consider them good enough though. I am still proud of what I accomplished. You are the ultimate decider of what is good enough.

endersshadow 15y ago
What blue ocean would you suggest a baseball player enter, pray tell?
- squadron 15y ago
  I was simply responding to the title. I didn't read the blog post (misread it as an Ask HN). Slap my wrist accordingly.

stupandaus 15y ago

If you're doing your best at what you're best at, but in a field that gives you no pleasure, will success even be enough? Doubtful.

pavel_lishin 15y ago

I'm getting a 403 response.

robertduncan 15y ago
Me too. I found it subtly ironic.
i_cannot_hack 15y ago
Here's a mirror: http://i.imgur.com/gZ4xB.jpg http://i.imgur.com/gZ4xB.jpg (well, it's more a simple screenshot of the page rather than a mirror, but you get the idea)

vco 15y ago

Analogy to startups: - Filter out all the background noise just like athletes filter out the media. Stop caring about what [insert tech blog here] just posted about your competition, who got what funding, who's presenting at Disrupt. Focus on yourself - the rest is just fluff. Analogy to personal development: - If you love what you do and your best isn't cutting it at your role then consider a minor pivot. The best basketball and football coaches at the professional level are usually not the best players and yet they managed to find a role that leverages their love for the game while pivoting away from their physical disadvantages.

matwood 15y ago
The best basketball and football coaches at the professional level are usually not the best players and yet they managed to find a role that leverages their love for the game while pivoting away from their physical disadvantages. Even players themselves can be in systems that don't work for them and they may not seem like good players until they get into a system that fits them. Minor pivots are a good thing and should be tried.

helen842000 15y ago

What about doing your best at something you're terrible at? Sometimes no matter how hard you try, you still make a little impact in a big industry. If you got into your field of expertise with ease, find it lacking in challenges. with little impact, maybe it's time to try your best at something new & difficult and therefore perhaps more rewarding. Even moving into a field with a wider scope, something critical that benefits others greatly. Success and job satisfaction can be found in many places other than 'being the best' or being in an enviable position.

kstenerud 15y ago
Upvoting you because the redditors are at it again, voting based on agreement rather than quality contribution to the discussion.
DanLivesHere 15y ago
NB that the article is not about "doing your best" but about "doing what you are best at doing."

pao 15y ago

It's like a less tongue-in-cheek version of the despair.com poster: http://www.despair.com/fail24x30pri.html http://www.despair.com/fail24x30pri.html

supercanuck 15y ago

>Worrying about the above-listed peculiarities of playing the sport professionally and actually playing it professionally are likely, in many cases, mutually exclusive. There is a fantastic book called, "The Inner Game of Tennis" that helps describe that the ability to reach your max potential is to silence the self-criticizing ego and essentially just do it by seeing and feeling. Anecdotal? Sure Interesting? Absolutely.

sp332 15y ago
If you can find the video of the author, Timothy Gallwey, teaching a middle-aged out of shape lady in a muumuu to play tennis in one hour, it's really inspiring.
- BHSPitMonkey 15y ago
  Here: http://vimeo.com/6152948 http://vimeo.com/6152948
  - felixd 15y ago
    Video was worth watching.

trustfundbaby 15y ago

This is such a good article in two ways. First this is an internal dialogue that is a natural offshoot of 'imposter syndrome'. And for me it actually becomes more frequent as I progress further in my career as a dev. This is because it becomes more apparent to me how much I don't know, and I begin to wonder if I'll ever be good enough to attain the level of expertise that I aspire to. What makes it more poignant for me is that I've pursued something like this before (sports career) and didn't quite make it (understatement), and I'm currently trying to reconcile myself with all the time and effort I invested in the process and how to ramp down from something that was my overriding ambition for so long. The good thing is that I've learned a lot of lessons from the experience and the main takeaway for me was ... if it isn't working, get out ... life is too short and there are many many other things to try your hand at. The second thing that I liked about it was how it shows exactly why we should have empathy for other developers. I loved this section For every dude I dismiss, every footnote in a roundup post, every guy deemed worthy of mere shrugs or raised eyebrows — all of whom are well-compensated for their work, no doubt — there is someone far away on the other end of the phone coaching him or advising him or loving him who wants desperately for him to succeed and be happy because one of the things I try to live by is this Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle --- Plato I've had endured a few insults in my life as a dev ("You'll never be an engineer son, maybe a scripter or something, but never an engineer"), by people who thought I'd never make it as a programmer. Many years, later, here I am ... doing a pretty decent job at it, and I'll never forget all the kind people who encouraged me, took a time out to explain something to me ... again, just like I'll never forget the couple of times someone was a complete dick to me, because they thought I had no prospects as a developer. I guess what I'm saying is, whenever you feel the need to dismiss someone who has no skills ... maybe take a step back and see if what they need is encouragement, coaching and a little bit of direction instead.

dclowd9901 15y ago
Speaking as someone who started literally from 0 in terms of developer knowledge a scant 3 years ago, and having been spat on, insulted and otherwise ridiculed for ever believing I could join the cult, I will say this: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I had code with security holes that you could drive a Mack truck through. I learned security. I had sloppy copypasta code. I learned OOP. I had inefficient code. I learned memory management processes and how to structure code better for efficiency. Could those who spoke down to me have been more helpful? More coddling? Not said anything at all? Sure. But who knows how that would have stunted my growth. It's good to have compassion, and it's good to care. But if you really want to be the best at something, you're going to have to want it. And if you really want it, when someone beats you down, you're not going to stay down. You're gonna learn how to hit back. As far as ultimately being where you want to be, sometimes it's simply the luck of the draw, and you have to understand how large a role that luck plays, as well, especially when you're being enchanted by stories of multi-million dollar startup investments.

barrkel 15y ago

Doing what you're best at in a field with limited places for the best - like baseball - may set you up for failure. There's a relevant concept in economics called comparative advantage - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_advantage http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_advantage. Even if you are not the best at anything, there are some things that are "enough" - that create surplus.

xanados 15y ago
Another important economic concept that bears on this issue is "positional goods." Baseball abilities are positional goods because the value is almost all in being the best or among the best, and any other level of ability has no value to society. This is not the same as, for example logging. Half the ability in logging is half as useful economically.

silentscope 15y ago

Why would you even consider this question? I know why you would, but on a deeper level, spending time on this is not healthy or constructive. Maybe you can't ever be at your best. Maybe you'll always improve, no matter how long you train. Idealistic? You bet your ass. It's taken me further in life than I ever thought possible--and it will continue to carry me. Don't forget: they don't know who you are. You don't know fully who you are.

snowwrestler 15y ago

Just because someone is doing something, it doesn't mean that is what they are best at. Maybe this particular baseball player would be much better at being a lawyer. But he wants to play baseball--so there he is, struggling in Florida. How does one know what they are best at, anyway? I try to be reflective, and I ask people whom I trust what they think. Often the answers don't agree, or they reflect the subjectivity of each relationship (e.g. my lawyer telling me I'd be a good lawyer--but how would he know if I'd be a better cook?). Sometimes they are things that I actually don't like doing. So where does that leave me?

jkuria 15y ago

good writing for sure but so much set up for so little insight? I you're gonna do that you might as well just get to the point!