Study Hacks - Decoding Patterns of Success

The Student Passion Problem

January 26, 2023March 2, 2014

studyingByWindow

The Double Degree

A reader recently pointed me to the following question, posted on Stack Exchange:

I am studying a combined bachelor of engineering (electrical) and bachelor of mathematics; I just started this year and will graduate in 2018. The reason why I am doing double degrees and not a single degree is because I love both electrical engineering and mathematics and I could not ignore any of them. So with this in mind, I am thinking of doing two PHDs when I graduate (one in electrical engineering and one in mathematics). Is this a good path or I should concentrate on only one of them?

The responses in the comment thread for this question are fantastic, but in this post I want to add an additional thought to the conversation.

A Useful Reminder: Louis C.K. Was Bad Before He Was Good

January 26, 2023February 26, 2014

The Evolution of Louis C.K. I sometimes listen to a stand-up comedy channel on Pandora. Driving home the other day, it served up an old … Read more

Should Gatekeepers be Bypassed or Embraced?

January 26, 2023February 23, 2014

The Gatekeeper Complex

I recently stumbled across an interesting podcast about fiction self-publishing, titled, appropriately enough, the Self-Publishing Podcast. The show is hosted by three fiction writers who are experimenting with a new model for genre fiction production, based on book series fueled by funnels (think: first volume free).

Something that caught my attention about this show is the tagline read by the host at the beginning of every episode:

The podcast that’s all about getting your words out into the world without contending with agents, publishers, or the other gatekeepers in traditional publishing.

I’m highlighting this statement because I think it captures a sentiment common in the DIY/Lifehacker world: gatekeepers (book editors, admissions officers, venture capitalists, prestigious academic journals, etc.) are obstructing your quest to do interesting and valuable things.

I understand this sentiment: this is a heady time when lots of innovation is happening in lots of fields.

But…

Where’s Your F Chord? What Guitar Teaches Us About the Quest for Mastery

January 26, 2023February 14, 2014

The Deliberate Strummer The first step in learning guitar is mastering the major chords. As any new player will tell you, it’s not difficult to … Read more

The Empty Sky Paradox: Why Are Stars (in Your Professional Field) So Rare?

January 26, 2023February 2, 2014

The Empty Sky Paradox In many fields, people are eager to produce top results. A non-trivial fraction of the Internet is dedicated to tips and … Read more

Forget Ideas. Focus on Execution.

January 26, 2023January 17, 2014

Beyond the Impact Instinct

Study Hacks readers know that I’m fascinated by Erez Lieberman Aiden: an absurdly accomplished young professor who racked up three covers in Science and Nature by the age of 33.

In an earlier post on Aiden, I hypothesized his “secret” was a well-develop impact instinct that allows him to hone in on attention-catching problems.

After reading a recent Chronicle of Higher Education profile of Aiden (in which I’m quoted), however, I’m beginning to suspect I was wrong…

New Year’s Advice from Epictetus: Don’t Get Started

January 26, 2023January 12, 2014

The New Year, of course, is celebrated as a time to commit to bold new ideas. American culture emphasizes this period because we valorize action. … Read more

On Quiet Creativity

January 26, 2023January 3, 2014

Outdoor Office

For a couple hours yesterday, the trails pictured above served as my office.

Earlier that morning, I was polishing a proof. In doing so, I needed to reference a pair of related papers. As I began reading these papers, I sensed a deep connection between these results and my own, but I couldn’t quite articulate it.

In my experience, this type of connection making is well-served by three ingredients: quiet, movement, and time. So I left my building and hiked onto a network of trails that abuts the Georgetown campus.

I spent the next couple of hours walking and thinking, trying to arrange and re-arrange my understanding of these results. I’m hoping this impromptu line of thought might yield something new and significant, but it’s too early at this point to tell.

More important for our purposes here, however, is the broader point this example underscores…

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