Re:Ask HN: What is your “mission” in work and life?
by Ozzie_osman on Saturday July 11, 2020 @06:17PM
(#23806621)
I wish I had an answer for you but I'm still learning. For instance, I used to gravitate to work on products that were "democratizing" XYZ or "cutting out an entrenched middleman" but I eventually learned that those terms are constantly abused by monopolistic companies.
A few pointers I've found helpful though:
1. Learn as much as you can about systems thinking and apply it to how the world works. I like Donella Meadows' book (Systems Primer).
2. Look at how you spend your time and mind (ie your work). Work on products that, if successful, would create an equalizing feedback loop (I currently work on a personal finance product, but other areas where this exists are edtech and healthtech).
3. Teach.
4. Look at how you spend your money.
5. Look for and work against any form of "impunity". No one should be above the law or beyond accountability, especially people with power and/or money. That's how things (societies, companies, etc) rot.
6. Do your part in every small thing. If you're hiring, take a bet on someone from a less "traditional" background. Speak up when something is not right even if it doesn't impact you personally. If you follow sports, always, always root for the underdog :)
Re:Ask HN: What is your “mission” in work and life?
by thewelder on Saturday July 11, 2020 @03:32PM
(#23805102)
Two things drive me:
[1] - I'm lazy. Just like mother nature, I seek out the path of least resistance. It drives my boss crazy because I openly proclaim it, but it often leads to better/efficient ways of doing things.
[2] - I live and breathe somewhere well outside the box. I have crazy ideas and have the talent and ambition to execute them. https://theunorthodoxy.com
Re:Ask HN: What is your “mission” in work and life?
by poormystic on Saturday July 11, 2020 @04:36PM
(#23805693)
I foster my relationship with a person whom I know not to exist, who is the source of the hallucinatory Light, beloved of mystics.
I do this by making others' happiness more important than my own; this has the paradoxical effect of making me very happy indeed, because happiness is the reward of the work of love.
Re:Ask HN: What is your “mission” in work and life?
by verdverm on Saturday July 11, 2020 @01:21PM
(#23803791)
To enable others to have to access to software for creating ideas. Mainly those that don't know SW, and also going into biz later, because software is the first wall.
Re:Ask HN: What is your “mission” in work and life?
by fuzzfactor on Saturday July 11, 2020 @04:42PM
(#23805742)
> Be excellent to others
> Party on
Already patched into the kernel before rebooting.
0. Survival. ;Assumed to be a constant background process, with hugely variable obligations including financial.
Remaining efforts are best accomplished in series to reduce the negative effects of potential setbacks, but I don't have time or resources for that any more so my mission has these running concurrently. Just have to accept the natural order that allows/delays/prevents achievements of priorities further down the list, dynamically or not.
1. Disaster Mitigation & Recovery.
2. Progress, largely scientific, in an invoiceable way. ;if more effective scientific equipment is needed that should not be a limitation
3. Wider progress, directly or indirectly funded by the invoices. ;if more effective musical equipment is needed that should not be a limitation
4. Focus on realization of theoretical milestones in instrumentation, alternative energy, conservation, and recycling.
5. Prosperity.
6. GOTO 2. ;bypass reinitialization, pass GO collect 200 dollars
So it's not a simple 1, 2, 3 process, plus 4, 5, & 6 are where it really gets good too. Looks like I'm going to really need to work & live as long & hard as I can before I could ever say "mission accomplished".
1. Help create equalizing feedback loops (break cycles of "the rich get richer")
2. Help people fulfill their potential
3. Help people defer gratification when it's good for them.
Software and tech are just one way of accomplishing those types of goals.
A few pointers I've found helpful though:
1. Learn as much as you can about systems thinking and apply it to how the world works. I like Donella Meadows' book (Systems Primer).
2. Look at how you spend your time and mind (ie your work). Work on products that, if successful, would create an equalizing feedback loop (I currently work on a personal finance product, but other areas where this exists are edtech and healthtech).
3. Teach.
4. Look at how you spend your money.
5. Look for and work against any form of "impunity". No one should be above the law or beyond accountability, especially people with power and/or money. That's how things (societies, companies, etc) rot.
6. Do your part in every small thing. If you're hiring, take a bet on someone from a less "traditional" background. Speak up when something is not right even if it doesn't impact you personally. If you follow sports, always, always root for the underdog :)
[1] - I'm lazy. Just like mother nature, I seek out the path of least resistance. It drives my boss crazy because I openly proclaim it, but it often leads to better/efficient ways of doing things.
[2] - I live and breathe somewhere well outside the box. I have crazy ideas and have the talent and ambition to execute them. https://theunorthodoxy.com
Life - other than surviving, I'm not sure. Maybe find pleasure in the little things.
Remove everything until the most functional aspects remain.
Decoration is crime.
> Party on
Already patched into the kernel before rebooting.
0. Survival. ;Assumed to be a constant background process, with hugely variable obligations including financial.
Remaining efforts are best accomplished in series to reduce the negative effects of potential setbacks, but I don't have time or resources for that any more so my mission has these running concurrently. Just have to accept the natural order that allows/delays/prevents achievements of priorities further down the list, dynamically or not.
1. Disaster Mitigation & Recovery.
2. Progress, largely scientific, in an invoiceable way. ;if more effective scientific equipment is needed that should not be a limitation
3. Wider progress, directly or indirectly funded by the invoices. ;if more effective musical equipment is needed that should not be a limitation
4. Focus on realization of theoretical milestones in instrumentation, alternative energy, conservation, and recycling.
5. Prosperity.
6. GOTO 2. ;bypass reinitialization, pass GO collect 200 dollars
So it's not a simple 1, 2, 3 process, plus 4, 5, & 6 are where it really gets good too. Looks like I'm going to really need to work & live as long & hard as I can before I could ever say "mission accomplished".