Comments on: J.K. Rowling on the power of failure http://smritiweb.com/navin/miscellaneous/jk-rowling-on-the-power-of-failure Navin Kabra's blog Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:16:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: smritiweb.com » The Tyranny of the Normal http://smritiweb.com/navin/miscellaneous/jk-rowling-on-the-power-of-failure/comment-page-1#comment-1611 smritiweb.com » The Tyranny of the Normal Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:49:13 +0000 http://smritiweb.com/navin/miscellaneous/jk-rowling-on-the-power-of-failure#comment-1611 [...] me, this appears to be saying something similar to what J.K. Rowling referred to in her famous Yale speech. There are a whole bunch of things that successful people will never try, because that would push [...] [...] me, this appears to be saying something similar to what J.K. Rowling referred to in her famous Yale speech. There are a whole bunch of things that successful people will never try, because that would push [...]

]]> By: navin http://smritiweb.com/navin/miscellaneous/jk-rowling-on-the-power-of-failure/comment-page-1#comment-1604 navin Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:42:34 +0000 http://smritiweb.com/navin/miscellaneous/jk-rowling-on-the-power-of-failure#comment-1604 Venkat, financial security is obviously a very real concern, and in some cases, is really preventing some people. However, I am convinced that there is a significant fraction of people who are in the "strengths/don't enjoy" quadrant and the are just convincing themselves that financial security is the reason that keeps them there. They are not really taking a hard look at the finances. There are people who could really save up enough money for 6 months or 1 year (or have the household run on the spouse's income) and give the "strengths/enjoy" quadrant a shot. And I don't know about the US, but in India, the job market so easy that there will be a job waiting for them in case things don't work out. Also, between the two of us, we seem to have hijacked J.K. Rowling's main point, <em>viz.</em> that it is much easier to transition from the 'not-successful/enjoying' quadrant to the 'successful/enjoying' quadrant than it is make the same jump from 'successful/not-enjoying' quadrant. Also, it seems like you would need to do this in three dimensions: strengths/weaknesses, successful/not-yet-successful, enjoying/not enjoying. Venkat, financial security is obviously a very real concern, and in some cases, is really preventing some people. However, I am convinced that there is a significant fraction of people who are in the “strengths/don’t enjoy” quadrant and the are just convincing themselves that financial security is the reason that keeps them there. They are not really taking a hard look at the finances. There are people who could really save up enough money for 6 months or 1 year (or have the household run on the spouse’s income) and give the “strengths/enjoy” quadrant a shot. And I don’t know about the US, but in India, the job market so easy that there will be a job waiting for them in case things don’t work out.

Also, between the two of us, we seem to have hijacked J.K. Rowling’s main point, viz. that it is much easier to transition from the ‘not-successful/enjoying’ quadrant to the ‘successful/enjoying’ quadrant than it is make the same jump from ‘successful/not-enjoying’ quadrant.

Also, it seems like you would need to do this in three dimensions: strengths/weaknesses, successful/not-yet-successful, enjoying/not enjoying.

]]> By: Venkat http://smritiweb.com/navin/miscellaneous/jk-rowling-on-the-power-of-failure/comment-page-1#comment-1603 Venkat Sat, 21 Jun 2008 02:51:41 +0000 http://smritiweb.com/navin/miscellaneous/jk-rowling-on-the-power-of-failure#comment-1603 C'mon dude. Financial security is a VERY real concern, as is the ability to access capital if your passion happens to not involve low-startup-cost things like writing or coding. I like the strengths/weaknesses enjoy/don't enjoy 2d plane though. Everybody needs to move to their strengths-enjoy quadrant. Strengths-don't enjoy can pay the bills and keep you comfortably ahead, but is ultimately unsatisfying. I'll admit I am straddling these first two. Being in the other two quadrants is torture, and nothing short of gunpoint or the threat of starvation should keep you there :) But getting out of 'I am really good at it, but not particularly passionate about it' roles is easier said than done -- it takes significant thought and maneuvering. Cutting loose and going solo is not a solution for everybody, because going solo comes with a WHOLE lot of things that a lot of people like me don't like to do at all :) Venkat C’mon dude. Financial security is a VERY real concern, as is the ability to access capital if your passion happens to not involve low-startup-cost things like writing or coding.

I like the strengths/weaknesses enjoy/don’t enjoy 2d plane though. Everybody needs to move to their strengths-enjoy quadrant. Strengths-don’t enjoy can pay the bills and keep you comfortably ahead, but is ultimately unsatisfying. I’ll admit I am straddling these first two. Being in the other two quadrants is torture, and nothing short of gunpoint or the threat of starvation should keep you there :)

But getting out of ‘I am really good at it, but not particularly passionate about it’ roles is easier said than done — it takes significant thought and maneuvering. Cutting loose and going solo is not a solution for everybody, because going solo comes with a WHOLE lot of things that a lot of people like me don’t like to do at all :)

Venkat

]]> By: santosh http://smritiweb.com/navin/miscellaneous/jk-rowling-on-the-power-of-failure/comment-page-1#comment-1599 santosh Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:08:18 +0000 http://smritiweb.com/navin/miscellaneous/jk-rowling-on-the-power-of-failure#comment-1599 It was Anjali :-) It was Anjali :-)

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