Comments on: Climbing the wrong hill http://cdixon.org/2009/09/19/climbing-the-wrong-hill/ Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:05:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Mark Essel http://cdixon.org/2009/09/19/climbing-the-wrong-hill/comment-page-2/#comment-5782 Mark Essel Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:07:26 +0000 http://www.cdixon.org/?p=989#comment-5782 You've captured the Dip described well by Seth Godin. I have long thought about this local optimal trap we fall into in our lives. <br><br>Last year I was fortunate enough to make a drastic change and reset my work life after almost 6 months of seeking out a passionate and meaningful calling. I love to write and share, an have been fascinated by the creation and uncovering of latent value achieved by entrepreneurs. <br><br>While I work part time at my old position (they want my effort full time for the next few weeks and I'm torn between getting paid now or pushing a project further faster). I really could use the extra capital short term to help wedding costs next year and the nascent startup. As long as I am strict with the duration of my full time return I see it as a viable option.<br><br>Poignant post to where I'm at now. Best of luck to us all in finding a path that is powered forward by our inspiration, interest and passion.<br><br>Seventh popular post down, 8/10 You've captured the Dip described well by Seth Godin. I have long thought about this local optimal trap we fall into in our lives.

Last year I was fortunate enough to make a drastic change and reset my work life after almost 6 months of seeking out a passionate and meaningful calling. I love to write and share, an have been fascinated by the creation and uncovering of latent value achieved by entrepreneurs.

While I work part time at my old position (they want my effort full time for the next few weeks and I'm torn between getting paid now or pushing a project further faster). I really could use the extra capital short term to help wedding costs next year and the nascent startup. As long as I am strict with the duration of my full time return I see it as a viable option.

Poignant post to where I'm at now. Best of luck to us all in finding a path that is powered forward by our inspiration, interest and passion.

Seventh popular post down, 8/10

]]> By: Mark Essel http://cdixon.org/2009/09/19/climbing-the-wrong-hill/comment-page-2/#comment-4889 Mark Essel Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:07:26 +0000 http://www.cdixon.org/?p=989#comment-4889 You've captured the Dip described well by Seth Godin. I have long thought about this local optimal trap we fall into in our lives. <br><br>Last year I was fortunate enough to make a drastic change and reset my work life after almost 6 months of seeking out a passionate and meaningful calling. I love to write and share, an have been fascinated by the creation and uncovering of latent value achieved by entrepreneurs. <br><br>While I work part time at my old position (they want my effort full time for the next few weeks and I'm torn between getting paid now or pushing a project further faster). I really could use the extra capital short term to help wedding costs next year and the nascent startup. As long as I am strict with the duration of my full time return I see it as a viable option.<br><br>Poignant post to where I'm at now. Best of luck to us all in finding a path that is powered forward by our inspiration, interest and passion.<br><br>Seventh popular post down, 8/10 You've captured the Dip described well by Seth Godin. I have long thought about this local optimal trap we fall into in our lives.

Last year I was fortunate enough to make a drastic change and reset my work life after almost 6 months of seeking out a passionate and meaningful calling. I love to write and share, an have been fascinated by the creation and uncovering of latent value achieved by entrepreneurs.

While I work part time at my old position (they want my effort full time for the next few weeks and I'm torn between getting paid now or pushing a project further faster). I really could use the extra capital short term to help wedding costs next year and the nascent startup. As long as I am strict with the duration of my full time return I see it as a viable option.

Poignant post to where I'm at now. Best of luck to us all in finding a path that is powered forward by our inspiration, interest and passion.

Seventh popular post down, 8/10

]]> By: semilshah http://cdixon.org/2009/09/19/climbing-the-wrong-hill/comment-page-2/#comment-4858 semilshah Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:06:36 +0000 http://www.cdixon.org/?p=989#comment-4858 Hi Chris,<br><br>As always, an elegant idea. I had a thought motivated by this idea of "climbing up the wrong hill," as I've been involved in some startups (and a big one right now), one of my advisers said something that struck me: He said, "Hey, make sure you're seen as the glue, not a lego." He was implying that b/c I'm around a lot of scientists, and technologists, etc. that people with more general skills and backgrounds need to make sure they are seen as vital to the connective tissue of the enterprise--and not as an interchangeable part. Hi Chris,

As always, an elegant idea. I had a thought motivated by this idea of “climbing up the wrong hill,” as I've been involved in some startups (and a big one right now), one of my advisers said something that struck me: He said, “Hey, make sure you're seen as the glue, not a lego.” He was implying that b/c I'm around a lot of scientists, and technologists, etc. that people with more general skills and backgrounds need to make sure they are seen as vital to the connective tissue of the enterprise–and not as an interchangeable part.

]]> By: alex http://cdixon.org/2009/09/19/climbing-the-wrong-hill/comment-page-2/#comment-4747 alex Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:58:48 +0000 http://www.cdixon.org/?p=989#comment-4747 premature optimization is the root of all evil (c) premature optimization is the root of all evil (c)

]]> By: Dan http://cdixon.org/2009/09/19/climbing-the-wrong-hill/comment-page-2/#comment-4445 Dan Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:58:33 +0000 http://www.cdixon.org/?p=989#comment-4445 great comment and thanks for the link - really enjoyed it, especially "Income for Dummies" great comment and thanks for the link – really enjoyed it, especially “Income for Dummies”

]]> By: Startups vs. big companies: a classic “buy vs. rent” decision « Bits of Kelly http://cdixon.org/2009/09/19/climbing-the-wrong-hill/comment-page-2/#comment-4423 Startups vs. big companies: a classic “buy vs. rent” decision « Bits of Kelly Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:32:50 +0000 http://www.cdixon.org/?p=989#comment-4423 [...] CEO Chris Dixon has written some great blog entries on this subject.  I agree with most of his thoughts but do believe that big companies can play a very important [...] [...] CEO Chris Dixon has written some great blog entries on this subject.  I agree with most of his thoughts but do believe that big companies can play a very important [...]

]]> By: Ho Nam http://cdixon.org/2009/09/19/climbing-the-wrong-hill/comment-page-2/#comment-4381 Ho Nam Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:21:12 +0000 http://www.cdixon.org/?p=989#comment-4381 Quoting Warren Buffet...climbing the wrong hill is "like saving sex for your old age. It makes no sense." Quoting Warren Buffet…climbing the wrong hill is “like saving sex for your old age. It makes no sense.”

]]> By: Jonathan Wegener http://cdixon.org/2009/09/19/climbing-the-wrong-hill/comment-page-2/#comment-4318 Jonathan Wegener Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:19:56 +0000 http://www.cdixon.org/?p=989#comment-4318 Hi Chris,<br>I really like this blog entry and your observation of people's tendancies to settle at the local maxima rather than heading towards the global maxima. Fantastic analogy. I've been thinking a lot about it and just wanted to note that it applies across different parts of life -- for example, relationships. A lot of people stay in mediocre relationships longer than they should. <br><br>Let's say the person you're dating isn't your soulmate - you're not going to spend forever together and get married. So why stay together? It's the local maxima thing again -- it beats being single! But like staying at a bad fitting job, it harms you because you're wasting your time climbing the wrong hill.<br><br>Jonathan<br><br>P.S. Have you read Steve Pavlina's "why you should never get a job?" <a href="http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/07/10-reasons-you-should-never-get-a-job/" rel="nofollow">http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/07/10-rea...</a> -- makes some really good points about how trading your time for money doesn't scale and will rarely make you rich. You need to take risks and get ownership. Hi Chris,
I really like this blog entry and your observation of people's tendancies to settle at the local maxima rather than heading towards the global maxima. Fantastic analogy. I've been thinking a lot about it and just wanted to note that it applies across different parts of life — for example, relationships. A lot of people stay in mediocre relationships longer than they should.

Let's say the person you're dating isn't your soulmate – you're not going to spend forever together and get married. So why stay together? It's the local maxima thing again — it beats being single! But like staying at a bad fitting job, it harms you because you're wasting your time climbing the wrong hill.

Jonathan

P.S. Have you read Steve Pavlina's “why you should never get a job?” http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/07/10-rea... — makes some really good points about how trading your time for money doesn't scale and will rarely make you rich. You need to take risks and get ownership.

]]> By: Name http://cdixon.org/2009/09/19/climbing-the-wrong-hill/comment-page-2/#comment-4278 Name Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:58:30 +0000 http://www.cdixon.org/?p=989#comment-4278 I stopped reading after you talked about the algorithm of the hill. Huh? What? I stopped reading after you talked about the algorithm of the hill. Huh? What?

]]> By: jayp http://cdixon.org/2009/09/19/climbing-the-wrong-hill/comment-page-2/#comment-4129 jayp Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:28:50 +0000 http://www.cdixon.org/?p=989#comment-4129 Makes sense after you've reached some sort of peak. Until then, during the time when your post-college friends are busy traveling, shopping and having fun while you feel like a mud ridden warrior who does nothing but trek through this forest....all while all of your family and post college friends who are working for big name impressive companies think you have just lost it... a little glimpse of a peak doesn't hurt. This article doesn't either. Makes sense after you've reached some sort of peak. Until then, during the time when your post-college friends are busy traveling, shopping and having fun while you feel like a mud ridden warrior who does nothing but trek through this forest….all while all of your family and post college friends who are working for big name impressive companies think you have just lost it… a little glimpse of a peak doesn't hurt. This article doesn't either.

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