Do Unforgettable Work
taylor.town
taylor.town
I know this person is capable of sarcasm and irony and so on, because I remember seeing their "how to be a -10x engineer" article[0] before... if they're intentionally riding the line of believability here, then props to them, because this is hilarious and definitely sounds like something in the top quartile of unhinged LinkedIn-influencer-posting.
> Create arbitrary rules and rituals. Ask your clients to participate in your personal process. Lead people on journeys.
What's wrong with unassuming and consistent competence? Has the author ever actually worked with another one of these high-output culture-hacker people? It's possible to leave a great impression with nothing but technical excellence and solid communication, and I'd personally take that any day over someone who tries to turn a client meeting into some kind of spooky grindset seance.
The only tells for me that this is satire are
(a) Remembering the -10x post
(b) "Create arbitrary rules and rituals"
(c) "If a client mentions that they collect spoons, visit a local antique store and mail them some local finds" combined with "Hand-written notes and flowers and donuts are cute but completely forgettable." So on one side you should send them stuff, on the other side you shouldn't.
this is definitely comedy
But no, it's genuinely unclear. "Customers must think you are superhuman." "Create arbitrary rules and rituals." "Become a caricature of yourself." But mixed in with genuinely good (though bland) advice.
My guess is the piece is self-aware but sincere. "Riding the line," as you say.
I do think there's been a pendulum swing so far AGAINST unattainable expectations and the negatives that come from rockstar mentalities that some have overcorrected. Sincere calls for greatness and achievement can be good, actually. I try to do the "consistent competence" thing but I think I probably should shoot higher, sometimes.
It's not satire, but it's definitely not serious :)
Like, I actually believe "do unforgettable work" is great advice.
But it's hard to get people to stop and consider what "unforgettable work" looks like.
Same with the other "productize yourself" stuff. I've been seeing a lot of it lately, and I thought it would be fun to make an over-the-top guide. Here's an example:
[0] https://www.productizeyourself.co
I guess I enjoy flirting with extreme beliefs, even if I'm not committed to them haha
I always liked the Richard Hamming approach (that made him super unpopular with colleagues).
You sit down for lunch with some folks and ask: “What is the most important problem in your field?”. They answer. Then you say “Why aren’t you working on it?”
Me: "It is administrated/directed by uninformed individuals who get paid more than me and have more authority than me (they call them managers)"
Hamming: "Why aren't you working on that?"
Me: "Are you seriously rhetorically inciting me to "get rid" of people? You know that could make you an accomplice in a court of law..."
You need a job, I get it. Why are you applying to jobs you don't think are important?
The brilliance of Hamming's question is that you, the person being asked, define "important". There is no judgement attached. It's purely a question of your personal fulfillment.
Once I was in an adhoc team that was put together to scramble on a high-visibility feature. We decided to meet every morning in an in-person standup to discuss our progress.
The first day I was feeling particularly energized and motivated, and I also wanted to make a good impression (I had only been at the company for a few months). So I worked as hard as I could and crushed through all of the tickets that were assigned to me.
The next day at standup, the director of engineering asked me for my status and I just casually said "yesterday I got to code completion on all my tickets; they still need to go through QA but I'm ready to take on more work." He looked at me for a second and said "...did you say you finished all your tickets?"
From that day forward I was known around the office as "the machine" lol. I don't recommend trying to work that hard every day because obviously you'd burn yourself out, but once in a while it's good to flex and show yourself what you're capable of.
All this linkedin-eqsue showmanship is exhausting for all the wrong reasons.
Why can't people just build stuff because they have to. Either because they feel inspired or needs some money (more common). It doesn't need to be crazy or hardcore.
I wonder what psychologists think about this, I wonder if a healthy mind should work like this. It isn't a good example for anybody.
"How to Do Great Work"
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36550615
Arbeit macht frei.
> Do unforgettable work. This is not hyperbole.
It was hyperbole from the first sentence on. I feel lied to.
> Hand-written notes and flowers and donuts are cute but completely forgettable.
No. It's not. Business is more about relationships than 'unforgettable work'. Most clients would prefer to work with people they like who are competent than someone they don't like who does unforgettable work.
edit: too, consider that the transient and anonymous properties of software engineering is appealing to some(I am a 'some'). i do not require recognition, I require a paycheck.
> Become a caricature of yourself.
It's not a good idea imho. People that are caricatures are easy to spot and they are usually everything but "authentic". Imho it's better to just be yourself and don't try to change in order to be liked or remembered.
In interpersonal relationships it is better to be authentic, but I don't believe maximizing for authenticity has much value in business.
Going above and beyond at a job with a set salary makes your bosses richer. Take it from someone who developed a suite of applications solo that at its peak was making millions of dollars annually while I was underpaid: when it's time to cut costs, all the prior hero shit in the world will not save your job if you boss thinks he can do it without you.
Save the "unforgettable work" for your own projects. Do what your employer asks when they ask it. They aren't paying you for emotional labor, so don't give it to them.
Some do so and get no reward. Others do so, and get more scope, responsibility, interesting problems, and $
Wait, what?
A counterpoint to this is Cal Newport's "So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love."
While Newport's book is more about how to identify what work is going to be most fulfilling, I think his broader point is that talent and results are what will ultimately be the biggest drivers of career success, rather than an unforgettable or eccentric personality.
A metaphor: Who would you rather fly the plane, a totally forgettable but experienced pilot, or a flight attendant who's skilled at making you feel comfortable and valued?
I squandered the last decade on mental health problems, and only recently started making things in earnest.
I'm glad that people are enjoying my essays, despite my puny portfolio :)
Thanks for the content!