Weekly Note #2

Input

1. How to do Great Work - Paul Graham

A post written by Paul Graham, the founder of Y Combinator. The general idea is like its title, talking about how to do a great work. It’s also good for those people who are stuck in their life. And I am also one of them recently.

I lost my best friend who drowned in front of me few months ago, and it was also my career turning point in this period as well. That means I had to start both my career and life over at the same time. It was too overwhelming for me to concentrate on myself. I escaped from life multiple times and couldn’t move through suffering. Every time I tried to re-start my project, it failed few days after because I set my goal too big to fulfill.

The post reminds me that it is not necessary to start with a huge goal for doing a great work. Everything starts with a small thing. So I slowed down my path and set my goal from per-project to per-day. Keeping my life with the rhythm steadily brought myself back on the trail.

The post has 20,000 words and this is the only small point I learned from the post. If you are interested, read it.

• “Never give up“ is also not quite right. A more precise version would be: “Never let setbacks panic you into backtracking more than you need to.“

• Never abandon the root node

• If you’re smart and ambitious, it’s dangerous not to be productive. People who are smart and ambitious but don’t achieve much tend to become bitter.

• Curiosity is the best guide. Your curiosity never lies, and it knows more than you do about what’s worth paying attention to.

2. The Midnight Library

A book I bought in Australia when I was in Brisbane Airport waiting the flight to Tasmania.

Do you love your life? 

Do you have any regret? 

What if you have a chance to live another life. 

Would you pick another life or stay in your own life? 

If you could pick another life, which moment you would like to change another decision?