What do you want to be good at?
Jan 19, 10:37 PM by Eric Allen
Today I decided I want to be a better skier. My friend Eric (yes, same first name) gave me one little suggestion while we were on the slopes this morning: shift your weight before you move your skis on a turn. That one tip improved my skiing by, oh, 30%? But I want to do better. I want to ski moguls, ice, double black-diamonds, and enjoy all of it. Do I have natural “talent” for skiing? Not really. However, I thoroughly enjoy it, and I intend to improve. I’ve found something that I enjoy practicing.
So focus on the process when you pick your goal. Stop thinking about the end goal just for a minute so you can test yourself – would you really enjoy the life that would require all that practice time? Find something where the answer is yes. Because you will naturally restructure your day to accommodate that process if you are aiming to be great at something you love to practice.
from This is why all your goals are bad for you by Penelope Trunk
On the flip side, I spent this evening delving into the performance of my portfolio over the last eight years. I have been investing in stocks since I bought my first share of Microsoft (my dad was my broker until 2000) in 1996. How have I done? Not bad. Not good, either. Since 2004, I have performed above the major market indexes for about half the time, and below them the other half. Right now I’m dead-on with the Dow, NASDAQ, and S&P500. If I want to do well at stock picking, I’d better improve.
I don’t want to, though. Would I enjoy practicing investing every day? No. Will I enjoy the outcome? Not really. Money doesn’t mean that much to me. It’s always been a number in a spreadsheet (or now, on a website). It’s abstract, and it doesn’t do a heck of a lot for me. I’m still not entirely decided, but at this point I don’t think I want to be good at investing.
Spending some time choosing what I do want to be good at and what I don’t want to be good at helps me get my priorities in order. I want to dedicate as much of my life as possible to practicing the things that I want to be good at. I want to be good at programming, I want to be good at interaction design, and I want to be good at skiing. I’m sure I missed a few there, but those are the priorities for this semester. I’ll think about the future…in the future!
The Disadvantages of an Elite Education
Jun 23, 11:17 AM by Eric Allen
I just ran into an article from The American Scholar that confirms many of my fears about top-tier schools. Having blatantly and publicly resigned from the whole pre-school system and headed off to an essentially vocational school (okay, engineering is a pretty awesome vocation, but still), I have found an interesting path. Unfortunately, most of the people around me at RPI are even less interested in being intellectual. Not only did they play by the rules, but they “lost” the game. Come on, guys! I, for one, and thoroughly enjoying the activities on campus, including a College Democrats club that has zero political science majors and a student-run sound reinforcement crew. I mix rock concerts! There is a significant handful of people at my university who do what they do because they enjoy it, not because it will get them good scores.
A little bit of sunshine
Jun 20, 11:58 AM by Eric Allen
My dad had an interesting experience the other day that I think is worth sharing. Here’s what he has to say.
Today I tried something new with regard to panhandlers. Usually I shake my head in the negative way; ooccasionally I give some money. Today I said “No.” A few steps later I remembered that I had a bag of apricots in my messenger bag that I had picked from my backyard and brought along for snacking on. I went back to the panhandler and asked if she would like an apricot. She smiled as I handed it to her, and we both felt better. These happen to be very flavorful apricots and I smiled as I walked away thinking of the small moment of pleasure she would get when she bit into it.
I haven’t spent much time in really urban environments, so I’m still somewhat confused by the behaviors and values surrounding panhandling. I really like the idea of giving the delicious fruit, though! Not only did it appear to make this woman’s day, it made my dad’s day, too!
Inconvenient Truths: Get Ready to Rethink What It Means to Be Green
May 20, 09:09 PM by Eric Allen
Wired Magazine just published an awesome article echoing some of what I wrote a couple of weeks ago, but mostly just does a great job of revealing how California’s current path to Whole Foods and Priuses isn’t going to solve the problem of climate change. It’s time to get practical and seek solutions with a clear mind and solid analysis!
