I don't know why programmers consider themselves as a separate bunch of lot which considers that nothing in the world that applies to others, really applies to them.
There are a lot things that are similar to programming, and sometimes difficult too. Things like Surgery, Music, Some mind based games like chess all come under a similar category. Some times you have to play with intensity.
If there is something I have learned over the years. People who burn out, who are under burden of chasing tough deadlines constantly. People who are always sprinting towards their goals and have desperateness in completing what they have will inevitable end up doing more work. Sure they will be stressed, they will burnout, they will go through some pain.
But I would love to experience such a sweet pain often. The best sleep I've have is when I'm too tired. Athletes, boxers and other sportsmen experience happiness after going through a rigorous regime. They will be undergoing pain, but it still makes them happy. They are also getting stronger and better than everybody else. This is called 'Going the distance'. Ever heard of runners high? Every time I felt like I have been stressed or burn't out I feel happy, Because I have clocked more work than anybody else around me.
You don't need a ocean of creative ideas or a storm of opportunities to be successful, what you need 1 or 2 good ones,and then you need throw all you have to chase them and work on them make them happen.
Sure you need to rest well, but you need to do it properly and then start over again.
Its not going to be easy, Its going to be difficult. There are too many people working 9-5. And commonly done things, bring common results and make you look common. Getting some distinction will require you to 'Go the distance', it will painful, stressful, you will burn out on the way, it will test your will power to persist.
I think on HN the crowd is somewhat different. The danger here isn't that we will work a 9-5 and then consider that "hey, maybe I should get rest too".
The danger is that we will work a 9 to 11. Then eat dinner. Then work until 4am. Then do this 7 days a week. And after three years wonder why the fuck we haven't gotten anywhere and why we can barely see straight ... maybe the caffeine/redbull/<insert other possible substances> no longer do anything.
That's why on HN, and to HN-like people, I _always_ say "Get some fucking rest! Now."
I mean, there was once a point in my life where I was abusing caffeine so much I needed two redbulls before noon just to keep my eyes open. That's not normal.
Don't get me wrong but what you describe looks like unplanned slogging in a blind direction hoping for a miracle to happen. This is what makes hard work look so inglorious.
I always liked the advice what Stephen Covey gives in '7 habits of highly effective people'. Begin with the end in mind , You must first plan where you wish to be in the next 3 years. Then divide what is would take to get there. Find out what you need to do at the end of every year. Then every 6 months, then every month, then weekly, then a day.
Blindly throwing your work for 3 years pushing 16 hour schedules and hoping things to work is like attempting brute force solutions towards complex computational problems. Its doing a lot of work for nothing.
If you plan, schedule, track and readjust course properly. Then you can be productive with a busy schedule. Yes resting is very important. Sometime no matter how urgent the task on hand is, I just slam my Laptop's lid and sleep. But other wise, I drill through my task list like there is no tomorrow.
We must learn to run a marathon in durations of sprints and periods of rest.
I'm not sure if this was directed at my post or other comments in this thread. I'm not advocating a "common" or 9-to-5 life or work style, I'm advocating getting up at 6am, getting mentally organized and physically prepared to meet the day, and then work my ass off from 9am to 11pm. This is very particular to startups and how I work at startups, and I would not recommend it for everyone.
Further, there is a time to ease off from this style - probably worth another future blog post
Whereas I do advocate 9 to 5. Not literally, of course. 6 to 2 is fine, or 12 to 8, or whatever suits your situation and style. But eight hours a day five days a week is sustainably productive. If you're trying to work a fourteen hour day, you might be productive the first few days. After that, you're going to end up getting less done than somebody who works intelligent hours.
Human intuition says the universe works by trade, that if you make a sacrifice, the gods will reward you. If we destroy our lives working fourteen hour days, surely the mere fact of paying such a high price must confer some blessing. One of the hardest lessons is that the universe doesn't actually care, and sacrifices can have negative payback just as easily as positive. But it's a lesson that has to be learned if you want to actually accomplish anything.
This was not directed at your post. Was just replying to comments in this thread.
Whether you wish to get up early in the morning or work late in the night. What is you basically need is tuits(Uninterrupted stretches of time, which can be used to complete work on something).
Most people (although probably not most people on HN) I think if they have to choose between doing incredible things or having a comfortable, stable life, they would choose the stable life.
I personally believe in balance myself. But then again I'm not a world-famous developer or filthy rich entrepreneur either. Though I have done some things of note. Perhaps a balanced life is one that may be happy, but not especially distinctive. Oh great now I just depressed myself...
I agree with you. But after coming from a poor financial background, let me tell if had settled down for a 'stable life' working 9-5 I would be no where.
Opportunities in my life were as scanty as getting a bucket of ice cold water in the middle of Sahara desert. Sometimes things don't happen, you have to 'make them happen'.
9-5, stable life et al is sufficient to keep the status quo and maintain things as they are from one pay check to another. But they are not life altering.
Same here, my family was quite poor growing up although my parents were really motivated. They managed to improve our living situation and give me opportunities in school. Whatever drive I have is largely due to my parents.
But, I'd say the majority of everyone I ever knew in high school are just doing the 9-5 thing raising their family and I think they wouldn't have it any other way.
>>But, I'd say the majority of everyone I ever knew in high school are just doing the 9-5 thing raising their family and I think they wouldn't have it any other way.
Sometimes having it easy in life is bad for you. I can myself relate to this. I knew a lot of a my friends from pretty well off families, who had all the money in the world to get them education and buy them time to do anything they would have wanted. Instead they seem to have ended up doing to small time courses and now working in Call centers and support centers. Its because those people never feel the hunger to win, the thirst to do something big, they never feel the dire needs and desperateness to win. Too much luxury spoils a person.
I see the same now as an Adult. People who get too many opportunities do well only on the shorter run. On other hand, people with fewer opportunities work more hard and are better prepared to win big on the longer run on their own merit than depend on 'luck' or wait for 'somebody else to do it for them'.
There are a lot things that are similar to programming, and sometimes difficult too. Things like Surgery, Music, Some mind based games like chess all come under a similar category. Some times you have to play with intensity.
If there is something I have learned over the years. People who burn out, who are under burden of chasing tough deadlines constantly. People who are always sprinting towards their goals and have desperateness in completing what they have will inevitable end up doing more work. Sure they will be stressed, they will burnout, they will go through some pain.
But I would love to experience such a sweet pain often. The best sleep I've have is when I'm too tired. Athletes, boxers and other sportsmen experience happiness after going through a rigorous regime. They will be undergoing pain, but it still makes them happy. They are also getting stronger and better than everybody else. This is called 'Going the distance'. Ever heard of runners high? Every time I felt like I have been stressed or burn't out I feel happy, Because I have clocked more work than anybody else around me.
You don't need a ocean of creative ideas or a storm of opportunities to be successful, what you need 1 or 2 good ones,and then you need throw all you have to chase them and work on them make them happen.
Sure you need to rest well, but you need to do it properly and then start over again.
Its not going to be easy, Its going to be difficult. There are too many people working 9-5. And commonly done things, bring common results and make you look common. Getting some distinction will require you to 'Go the distance', it will painful, stressful, you will burn out on the way, it will test your will power to persist.
What else where you thinking?