3 ms·

People don't realise how easy it is to get to top 1% in most fields, if you are sufficiently intelligent (say 110-120). Most intelligent people don't get there

People don't realise how easy it is to get to top 1% in most fields, if you are sufficiently intelligent (say 110-120). Most intelligent people don't get there because they are either not willing to do the work or don't know how honest work looks like or they put artificial barriers before themselves. And even if you are less intelligent you still can get there, you will just have to put in more work. I think of those, the ability to put in honest work is the biggest limitation of most people. I like to compare honest work to Allies fighting World War II -- doing whatever is necessary to win, wherever it leads you. No plan is stupid if it works, there is nothing shameful about trying and failing. There will be setbacks because life is not fair and on short time scales the rewards are never assured. But what makes winners different from losers is what they do in response. If they can persevere, through their setbacks, experience, hard work, the focus they put in they will gain the knowledge that lets them win on the long time scale. You lose only if you lose faith in yourself and quit.

intellectronica 3y ago
True, and you don't even need to get to the top 1%. For many jobs, being in the top 20% for the relevant reference group (global, local, specialised, general) will make you the best candidate with a wide margin.
skybrian 3y ago
You're using the word "easy" but I think what you describe only seems easy when you have the right attitude and few distractions. For many people, this is actually hard.
- onetimeuse92304 3y ago
  "Easy" means it is just your decision whether you want to get it or not (well... most of the time... to get to 1% in most fields). I know if I can spend enough effort I can learn to reasonably play Irish flute, the only question is am I willing to put in the effort? Once I decided I really want to get something, the rest is relatively easy -- yes, that means resolve and the right attitude and some amount of consistent effort -- I have not said "easy" means "free". I have been in the top (say top 3-10) of a number of online games and had a lot of discussions with people who were at the top about what makes them different from all those other people who never reach the top. Most of the time the difference is people get stuck and they don't know how to unstuck themselves. They are not listening to advice. They are not honestly trying to understand what keeps them stuck, etc. That's a problem of attitude. I think training your resolve and the attitude is separate problem from achieving your goals, this is something many people would gain a lot from if they focused on it for a bit.
  - The_Colonel 3y ago
    Your definition of "easy" is certainly unconventional. > Once I decided I really want to get something, the rest is relatively easy I hate this phrase, but I think it fits here - check your privilege. It's quite possible that you ignore your starting position and don't consider it doesn't have to apply to everybody else - especially when you're forming very general statements.
  - RugnirViking 3y ago
    by this logic its "easy" to become a champion bodybuilder, an accomplished mathmetician, top of pretty much any sport, and many other things. After all, it just needs sustained focus and effort over a peroid of years, as well as the humility to learn. Turns out that the ability, support network & lack of distractions to do this is very rare.
- testtestabcdef 3y ago
  > and few distractions I think there are not many people that have few distractions. It's a (very very hard) decision to force yourself getting rid of them or ignoring them. Distractions are everywhere. At some point you have to resist and move on.
throwawaythekey 3y ago
There's a classic blog covering this that has done the rounds here a few times. I recommend giving it a read if you don't think becoming a top achiever is possible through non-heroic amounts of sustained practice. https://danluu.com/p95-skill/ https://danluu.com/p95-skill/

intellectronica 3y ago

True, and you don't even need to get to the top 1%. For many jobs, being in the top 20% for the relevant reference group (global, local, specialised, general) will make you the best candidate with a wide margin.

skybrian 3y ago

You're using the word "easy" but I think what you describe only seems easy when you have the right attitude and few distractions. For many people, this is actually hard.

onetimeuse92304 3y ago
"Easy" means it is just your decision whether you want to get it or not (well... most of the time... to get to 1% in most fields). I know if I can spend enough effort I can learn to reasonably play Irish flute, the only question is am I willing to put in the effort? Once I decided I really want to get something, the rest is relatively easy -- yes, that means resolve and the right attitude and some amount of consistent effort -- I have not said "easy" means "free". I have been in the top (say top 3-10) of a number of online games and had a lot of discussions with people who were at the top about what makes them different from all those other people who never reach the top. Most of the time the difference is people get stuck and they don't know how to unstuck themselves. They are not listening to advice. They are not honestly trying to understand what keeps them stuck, etc. That's a problem of attitude. I think training your resolve and the attitude is separate problem from achieving your goals, this is something many people would gain a lot from if they focused on it for a bit.
- The_Colonel 3y ago
  Your definition of "easy" is certainly unconventional. > Once I decided I really want to get something, the rest is relatively easy I hate this phrase, but I think it fits here - check your privilege. It's quite possible that you ignore your starting position and don't consider it doesn't have to apply to everybody else - especially when you're forming very general statements.
- RugnirViking 3y ago
  by this logic its "easy" to become a champion bodybuilder, an accomplished mathmetician, top of pretty much any sport, and many other things. After all, it just needs sustained focus and effort over a peroid of years, as well as the humility to learn. Turns out that the ability, support network & lack of distractions to do this is very rare.
testtestabcdef 3y ago
> and few distractions I think there are not many people that have few distractions. It's a (very very hard) decision to force yourself getting rid of them or ignoring them. Distractions are everywhere. At some point you have to resist and move on.

throwawaythekey 3y ago

There's a classic blog covering this that has done the rounds here a few times. I recommend giving it a read if you don't think becoming a top achiever is possible through non-heroic amounts of sustained practice. https://danluu.com/p95-skill/ https://danluu.com/p95-skill/