Quote of the Day. Give us (News.YC) your quote for Motivation. Must be your own.
Mine "I you wait for the Ferrari, You may miss the Pento and You will end up walking" In other words grab what is here "now" while still setting your sight on the bigger prize.
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"If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing badly."
I thought this was mine for years, but Chesterton beat me to it. Generally, if something is worthwhile, but not critical, it's worth spending the 20% of the time to get it 80% of the way there, and doing five such slipshod jobs, rather than one perfect one.
This is contrary to every reasonable software engineering practice, which is probably because it works better for things which aren't software, like user testing or business planning.
I thought this was mine for years, but Chesterton beat me to it. Generally, if something is worthwhile, but not critical, it's worth spending the 20% of the time to get it 80% of the way there, and doing five such slipshod jobs, rather than one perfect one.
This is contrary to every reasonable software engineering practice, which is probably because it works better for things which aren't software, like user testing or business planning.
This is a gem. It is now the subtitle of my blog. It will be misinterpreted, but oh well.
My best quote for motivation:
"Sounds great. How soon can we have that?" -- from a user.
"Sounds great. How soon can we have that?" -- from a user.
"Quit reading news.yc, you slacker."
A former employer once got a present from I-don't-know-who. It was a bunch of magnetic labels with "empowering" words, with which the employees were supposed to build "motivating" sentences. These are the ones I can remember from the drinks fridge:
WHAT DIFFERENCE CAN YOU EVER MAKE!
DISCIPLINE ME.
THE EFFORT IS TO (sic) GREAT!
WHAT DIFFERENCE CAN YOU EVER MAKE!
DISCIPLINE ME.
THE EFFORT IS TO (sic) GREAT!
"Sure, what could go wrong?"
(the consequences of me saying that too often are great motivation for me being more careful).
(the consequences of me saying that too often are great motivation for me being more careful).
Answer that question once when you are single and no mortgage, but if you have a life partner and house.., you may want to answer it a few more times.
Actually I was thinking more in terms of pushing code into production that I haven't tested properly. In all other things I try to make a habit of embracing risk.
great then
Stop wasting time and get back to work.
[After YC denial]
"Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! And it ain't over now. Cause when the goin' gets tough.... ..... .... the hackers get goin! Who's with me?? Let's go!"
"Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! And it ain't over now. Cause when the goin' gets tough.... ..... .... the hackers get goin! Who's with me?? Let's go!"
Erm, didn't the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbour?
"A system only reflects the business"
Working on a few large projects I have realized that a system is never perfect, but a crappy business always has a crappy system. Happy company = happy system.
My 2 cents an most probably said by someone before me.
Working on a few large projects I have realized that a system is never perfect, but a crappy business always has a crappy system. Happy company = happy system.
My 2 cents an most probably said by someone before me.
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Wondering when you were going to be called on to work really hard? It's now. Step up.
if you are asking us to give a quote then it can't be mine - it has to be a "quote"
i would therefore say "one moment in annihilations waste, one moment the well of life to taste" and it is quoting Fitzgerald's translation of Omar Kyham
I'll give you my own translation of Goethe: "sowing is not so hard as reaping"
"It works in my machine"
Aaargh!
I swore I would shoot the next person that said that to me. :)
I swore I would shoot the next person that said that to me. :)
"The world tends to work out for me. I try to give it reason to."
"stay hungry, stay foolish." -jobs commencement speech
The world is a game and my breath is my only anchor.
"ordinary actions, ordinary results"
"In startup world, code writes YOU!"
"Oh shit."
"You can't shit a feature."
averages are for average people
"Let It Flow"
i like that. it is funny that you say it. Sometimes we spend hours trying to figuring soemthing or days trying to get something (or someone in my case) and the minute you stop trying it all happens. I think by trying we are making it hard for "anything" itself to make it happen so just "let if flow"