I feel like I could allocate money so well, that I’ve done quite a good job with the resources that I have.
Implies I should just, try to go and make this legible, and raise a bunch more money to fund stuff
I think maybe I also resent the feeling of needing help from others, the feeling of being weak, being unable to fund it straight out of my own pocket. I like helping others and dislike needing to be helped.
(It seems like I should view fundraising as providing an opportunity, to allow people to steward their money and earn a share of my own efforts.)
Doing things quickly, exceeding expectations, succeeding hugely despite being young
Growing up, I took some pride at being young and smart, having skipped a grade, doing well in school, finishing things faster than expected
I still have some of this (eg marrying, having children earlier than most in my generation). But I wonder if it’s still a useful or true identity to hold on to at 30.
“Winning”
The ability to write really well
Scott Alexander and Paul Graham are the classic examples here
Cate Hall, lately
(how much of this is “writing well” vs “having good ideas”?)
Deep technical coding ability, paired with the ability to clearly articulate their thinking
Quick shoutouts: Evan You of Vite; Eric Zhang of Modal; Tristan Hume of Anthropic; Evan Wallace of Figma; Jarred Sumner of Bun
An ability to stay obsessed with a single topic
I love reading through something like SMBC, which has archives going back decades — you can see how the quality of Zach’s art and jokes have improved over time
Freedom from obligations
Especially as I get older and “grow my network” — a network or reputation is a double-edged sword
Being able to speak well in public, tell stories and jokes
This is less “I want to be the life of the party” and more “I’m often in situations where I’m organizing a large group of people, and being able to entertain them seems instrumentally useful”
First-principles thinking, deriving ideas and strategy based on the fundamentals of economics and physics
Elon Musk is the ur-example here
Casey Handmer for eg proposing ways to do desalination megaprojects
Sam Black for inventing new Magic draft archetypes and strategies
Killer design aesthetic
In many things (eg space layout, fashion) I consider myself pretty aesthetic-blind.
I do have some taste for websites, I think, developed from years and years of staring at them and making tweaks
At a party, while everyone else is debating in high spirits, she is quietly cleaning up a spill she did not make
Says hi to strangers and tries to help them have a good time
Understated competence, humility
Scott Alexander is a good example here, eg giving away a kidney
I wrote these traits down because I feel like I ought to admire this, that it would be good to emulate this, that I would endorse becoming more like this. But… these don’t draw my eye the way the other traits above do. I’d like to change this about myself.
What don’t I admire or envy, that others might?
Happiness… (usually)
Maybe: I’m a pretty happy person most of the time
Friendships, having people to talk to
Maybe: my need for people to converse with is quite low; I get a lot out of being alone, or a lot out of reading