pinchharmonic

I think the way to do it is simple. You need to develop the mental fortitude to simply spend some time logically planning out what you want to learn/do and why, and then just start doing it. Meditation helps with this focus/execution. Measure twice, cut once.

Could this be related to electronic music shows, especially techno? Flashing lights and regular repetitive beats that act as a base to dance off of.

Agree on the first part, but what was so smart about the apartment/gold/BTC combo? Just good timing on all? Or was it more thought out than just good timing?

Great overview. Could you go more in depth with your experiences with the first group and second group?

Interesting stuff. Around how old are you and around how much do you make? (get as general as you want)

I also think of doing the same thing. I'm 26, with $60k saved. One thing that would be cool would be to move down to like 3 cities in South America, each for a month, and become reasonably fluent in Spanish. Or for any language. Spend your free time in the evening working on a project so that you're marketable when you finish.

Go to SEA and go to a Muay Thai camp and get in the best shape of your life.

Find a smaller town in the mountains and go hiking every day for a month. On rainy days, hang inside with a coffee and meditate, journal, yoga.

I also hate the idea of sitting in a cubicle every day like this. It just seems to be so limiting. Everything about the day is expected, and little is left to chance. Such a boring way to live.

What were you doing overseas? Depending on what it was, it could synergize "on paper" with the masters.

How old were you when you made that jump? How much dev experience did you have? Which countries are best for that these days?

So basically you just studied/worked on projects for a year, lived very cheaply in a shared flat, cooked your own food? Worth it do you think?

Nice! Where did you go/what was your living style like?

Not to be an azz, but why does every pseudo-intellectual type pose this question? What is so special about the term "simulation" just because someone like Elon Musk says it?

Completely useless topic to waste time and brainpower on.

How did you first take the jump to get into remote work?

How did you deal with seeing family? Also, at what age/technical ability did you take the jump? I feel a bit of "impostor syndrome" when I think about going off and trying to do contracting work (I'm age 25 with a little experience making CRUD web apps and some standard backend work for a bank). Thanks!

Haha weird reading this here. I was a runner as well who ran at a lower-tier D1 school. Definitely burned out mentally, because I was always trying to train hard and find the "extra edge," when in reality the edge is a competitive mindset that is in the moment during races, pushing you exactly 100%. I read Letsrun way too much, and obsessed over the details when the right route was right in front of me the whole time.

Almost an analogy for life.

It helps you be more mindful and detach from the moment to moment undulations of modern life. This can be good and bad.

I can meditate anywhere. But usually I sit in half-lotus, slowly easing myself into a blank state. I think about radiating outward. Anywhere from 5-25 mins.

Never did a retreat.

The problem with meditation is I think that it can release a latent and light form of schizophrenia. Things that society values, you no longer value as much. It makes it tougher to fit in with "normal" people. The benefit is that you can draw your path more clearly and execute more clearly. I'd like to hear others' opinions as well.

Do these people that hold bitcoin or say that they've "made amazing returns" actual cash out at any point? Or are they holding a few bitcoins like everyone else? Isn't that how a bubble forms?

If I got into it, I would get a return I thought was nice (100-200%) and then cash out.

What was your programming level when you left the job and started working on these projects?

I view myself as probably a 4/10 at this point, really never having built a super complex application from start to finish. And that's the fear holding me back. However I feel it would light a big fire under me to improve in a lot of ways, be super efficient with my time, study hard and put it into practice. Any advice about this "imposter syndrome" feeling would be appreciated.