Comments on: Building Your Persistence Levels http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2008/07/10/building-your-persistence-levels/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:53:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Myth SilverStar http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2008/07/10/building-your-persistence-levels/comment-page-1/#comment-258727 Myth SilverStar Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:51:25 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2008/07/10/building-your-persistence-levels/#comment-258727 Although, this is an old article I just wanted to say that it is thoughtfully written. I now see why I find somethings easier to do in my job than others. My job basically consists of two parts - research and programming. When I am programming I tend to be very focused and productive, but when I am doing analysis/research I am very inefficient. It frustrates me because deep down I enjoy research. I have thought about why I behave like this and the answer is that programming is a job where there is a lot of a feedback. You write a program and either it works or it does not - and if it does not you are strongly motivated to make it work - even if that means working 24 hrs, without eating or sleeping. On the other hand in research you may wait months and sometimes even years to see a result. After 2 hrs at your desk, one might still not have understood a single technical paragraph you started out very motivated to understand.. I think at this point the brain just decides to take a vacation for the next few hours.. or sometimes even for the rest of the day. Of course eventually the next day you tackle it again, because it is hard to consider the alternative of giving up ... but the fact is that one should have returned to the task much much earlier, for example after a half-hour break. So the question is when engaged in a zero-feedback task how to shorten/manage the breaks you take (that is take 1/2-1 hr break instead of 6hrs) Although, this is an old article I just wanted to say that it is thoughtfully written.

I now see why I find somethings easier to do in my job than others. My job basically consists of two parts – research and programming.

When I am programming I tend to be very focused and productive, but when I am doing analysis/research I am very inefficient. It frustrates me because deep down I enjoy research.

I have thought about why I behave like this and the answer is that programming is a job where there is a lot of a feedback. You write a program and either it works or it does not – and if it does not you are strongly motivated to make it work – even if that means working 24 hrs, without eating or sleeping.

On the other hand in research you may wait months and sometimes even years to see a result. After 2 hrs at your desk, one might still not have understood a single technical paragraph you started out very motivated to understand.. I think at this point the brain just decides to take a vacation for the next few hours.. or sometimes even for the rest of the day. Of course eventually the next day you tackle it again, because it is hard to consider the alternative of giving up … but the fact is that one should have returned to the task much much earlier, for example after a half-hour break.

So the question is when engaged in a zero-feedback task how to shorten/manage the breaks you take (that is take 1/2-1 hr break instead of 6hrs)

]]> By: Foo Thoughts » Blog Archive » Get What You Want in Life http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2008/07/10/building-your-persistence-levels/comment-page-1/#comment-222546 Foo Thoughts » Blog Archive » Get What You Want in Life Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:02:59 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2008/07/10/building-your-persistence-levels/#comment-222546 [...] books about fearless living. Build your persistent levels and your life will be looking up much brighter than before. Pursue that foreign language that you [...] [...] books about fearless living. Build your persistent levels and your life will be looking up much brighter than before. Pursue that foreign language that you [...]

]]> By: Aatash http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2008/07/10/building-your-persistence-levels/comment-page-1/#comment-215664 Aatash Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:10:48 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2008/07/10/building-your-persistence-levels/#comment-215664 The reason I really connect with your 2 persistence articles is that I have noticed that I reached the most success on my goals when I was willing to work for a long time with no positive feedback or reward. It was when I didn't become too dependent on the results when I actually started to get them. Great article :) The reason I really connect with your 2 persistence articles is that I have noticed that I reached the most success on my goals when I was willing to work for a long time with no positive feedback or reward. It was when I didn’t become too dependent on the results when I actually started to get them. Great article :)

]]> By: Laurie http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2008/07/10/building-your-persistence-levels/comment-page-1/#comment-213856 Laurie Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:09:45 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2008/07/10/building-your-persistence-levels/#comment-213856 I’m all for intrinsic enjoyment to get things done. When I’m working on anything that brings me pleasure / happiness / satisfaction, the more likely I am to do it and do it well - it also makes getting up in the morning easier. It’s true when you say ‘don’t work on goals you can’t enjoy.’ Not only are they harder to achieve, but also they take you away from the goals you would enjoy working towards. I’m all for intrinsic enjoyment to get things done. When I’m working on anything that brings me pleasure / happiness / satisfaction, the more likely I am to do it and do it well – it also makes getting up in the morning easier. It’s true when you say ‘don’t work on goals you can’t enjoy.’ Not only are they harder to achieve, but also they take you away from the goals you would enjoy working towards.

]]> By: Sara at On Simplicity http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2008/07/10/building-your-persistence-levels/comment-page-1/#comment-213408 Sara at On Simplicity Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:37:07 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2008/07/10/building-your-persistence-levels/#comment-213408 Intrinsic enjoyment definitely works better for me than just avoiding the alternative. It also helps if I allow my attention on a goal or project to ebb and flow naturally. I work like crazy when I'm into it, and then let myself back off when I'm not. That way, the all-or-nothingness is taken out of the equation. I love the comparison to back-up fuel; that's really what it comes down to in the end. Intrinsic enjoyment definitely works better for me than just avoiding the alternative. It also helps if I allow my attention on a goal or project to ebb and flow naturally. I work like crazy when I’m into it, and then let myself back off when I’m not. That way, the all-or-nothingness is taken out of the equation.

I love the comparison to back-up fuel; that’s really what it comes down to in the end.

]]>