Re:Ask HN: How do you stop screwing around and focus?
by Jtsummers on Thursday February 18, 2021 @04:23PM
(#26185780)
A couple of thoughts.
1. I often struggle to really focus and learn/get something done when I have a concrete objective to complete. I have many half-completed ideas on my personal laptop that all taught me something, but never amounted to much because there was no ultimate objective for them. They weren't intended to be released, they weren't intended to get me a job, they weren't intended to make me money. Many were duplicating existing software to satisfy curiosity, but, eventually, if I wanted to get things done, then using the existing software just made more sense. The more successful projects have had the clearest objectives for executing them (this includes learning objectives).
2. In general, establishing intermediate goals is a good way to get past the hurdle of completing an apparently large goal. If you have to learn trig, linear algebra, calculus, a bit of classical mechanics, and a few other things to get to the goal of making some hot new piece of software, then create goals along the way that exercise those learning objectives. This way you can build more deliberately to the final goal, and get some emotional wins along the way (the 6-12 months of effort aren't waiting for a result at the end, but get results throughout).
1. I often struggle to really focus and learn/get something done when I have a concrete objective to complete. I have many half-completed ideas on my personal laptop that all taught me something, but never amounted to much because there was no ultimate objective for them. They weren't intended to be released, they weren't intended to get me a job, they weren't intended to make me money. Many were duplicating existing software to satisfy curiosity, but, eventually, if I wanted to get things done, then using the existing software just made more sense. The more successful projects have had the clearest objectives for executing them (this includes learning objectives).
2. In general, establishing intermediate goals is a good way to get past the hurdle of completing an apparently large goal. If you have to learn trig, linear algebra, calculus, a bit of classical mechanics, and a few other things to get to the goal of making some hot new piece of software, then create goals along the way that exercise those learning objectives. This way you can build more deliberately to the final goal, and get some emotional wins along the way (the 6-12 months of effort aren't waiting for a result at the end, but get results throughout).