Comments on: Well son, what do you want to do with your life? http://www.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/ Meditations on strategy and life Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:06:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: What do you want to do with your life? « Lettuce be Cereal http://www.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-15364 What do you want to do with your life? « Lettuce be Cereal Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:15:18 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-15364 [...] going to take Ryan Holiday’s cue from one of his old blog posts and try to answer his questions for myself. I keep coming blank whenever I think about the bigger [...] [...] going to take Ryan Holiday’s cue from one of his old blog posts and try to answer his questions for myself. I keep coming blank whenever I think about the bigger [...]

]]> By: Professional http://www.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8400 Professional Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:21:31 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8400 It seems to me you've typed out your own solution, and also what I was hinting at when asking you about your other activities: Go and live life. Whether that means kite-surfing, mountaineering, getting drunk or visiting China for you, I don't know. But I'm sure you have an idea. Accrue some debt if you have to, but fucking do it. What you've achieved is massive for someone of any age, let alone for a guy who can't even legally purchase Zima. But you work with a personal hero; for God's sake, follow his example a bit. Then write about it. It seems to me you’ve typed out your own solution, and also what I was hinting at when asking you about your other activities: Go and live life. Whether that means kite-surfing, mountaineering, getting drunk or visiting China for you, I don’t know. But I’m sure you have an idea. Accrue some debt if you have to, but fucking do it.

What you’ve achieved is massive for someone of any age, let alone for a guy who can’t even legally purchase Zima. But you work with a personal hero; for God’s sake, follow his example a bit.

Then write about it.

]]> By: Ryan Holiday http://www.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8399 Ryan Holiday Fri, 17 Aug 2007 11:29:04 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8399 I have an announcement coming on that soon, but your questions are def. valid and ones that I continually ask myself. Frankly, what do I have to say? You have to live life to be able to comment on it--or at least what I have always felt. I have an announcement coming on that soon, but your questions are def. valid and ones that I continually ask myself.

Frankly, what do I have to say? You have to live life to be able to comment on it–or at least what I have always felt.

]]> By: Professional http://www.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8398 Professional Fri, 17 Aug 2007 01:29:51 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8398 This may be overly simplistic, as it is based on this post and I know little of your history. But as much as you love to read and write, and as much as you hate offices, school and busywork, it begs the question: Why aren't you a writer? You mentioned that you also hate the discord between what you do and who you are. Writing, certainly, is direct opposition to that. The time you spend doing the things you hate, at least some of it, could be allocated to things you love or want to pursue. And out of curiosity, other than running, and outside of any tasks that require a computer or phone, what are your activities? Anyway, there's no question in my mind that you've considered becoming a professional writer, but you haven't really mentioned it as an option in this post. Why? This may be overly simplistic, as it is based on this post and I know little of your history. But as much as you love to read and write, and as much as you hate offices, school and busywork, it begs the question:

Why aren’t you a writer?

You mentioned that you also hate the discord between what you do and who you are. Writing, certainly, is direct opposition to that. The time you spend doing the things you hate, at least some of it, could be allocated to things you love or want to pursue. And out of curiosity, other than running, and outside of any tasks that require a computer or phone, what are your activities?

Anyway, there’s no question in my mind that you’ve considered becoming a professional writer, but you haven’t really mentioned it as an option in this post. Why?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8397 Anonymous Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:08:23 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8397 It's absurd to say there aren't many careers lower than that of a journalist. I don't know what brought you to that conclusion but I can tell it wasn't by reading! And as for stupid comments like: "Never mind. You're not worth it." Boo-fucking-hoo. YOU'RE not worth it. It’s absurd to say there aren’t many careers lower than that of a journalist. I don’t know what brought you to that conclusion but I can tell it wasn’t by reading! And as for stupid comments like: “Never mind. You’re not worth it.” Boo-fucking-hoo. YOU’RE not worth it.

]]> By: GoingLikeSixty http://www.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8396 GoingLikeSixty Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:42:01 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8396 Never mind. You're not worth it. Never mind. You’re not worth it.

]]> By: PK http://www.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8395 PK Thu, 16 Aug 2007 11:34:59 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8395 What do you guys think? Does the Career Service person have a point? I agree that much of the reluctance we feel might come from pursuing endeavors of a rather self-centered nature. But politics? Is that any more meaningful? Or is it just as narcissistic as the rest? Posted by: Ryan Holiday | August 15, 2007 09:15 PM It's not usually, but every once in a while politics can be very meaningful. Especially when it's more an idea/message that you're behind and less the candidate themselves. While, I agree with their take that most can't see the big/global picture, please do not take the specific advice of "Career Services Help" to support the formation of some One World Government - in order to "get on the money and power end of things". How fucking scary is that? If he wasn't just some bullshitter of course. If you're looking for something meaningful (imo) in the political arena, support a guy like Ron Paul as that is turning out to be what will be considered a historical campaign. Also, while I appreciate your longer range focus, you're young with hardly any responsibilities so don't stress too much on this. Continue to surround yourself with solid people and keep trying things that look interesting to you. What do you guys think? Does the Career Service person have a point? I agree that much of the reluctance we feel might come from pursuing endeavors of a rather self-centered nature.

But politics? Is that any more meaningful? Or is it just as narcissistic as the rest?

Posted by: Ryan Holiday | August 15, 2007 09:15 PM

It’s not usually, but every once in a while politics can be very meaningful. Especially when it’s more an idea/message that you’re behind and less the candidate themselves.

While, I agree with their take that most can’t see the big/global picture, please do not take the specific advice of “Career Services Help” to support the formation of some One World Government – in order to “get on the money and power end of things”. How fucking scary is that? If he wasn’t just some bullshitter of course.

If you’re looking for something meaningful (imo) in the political arena, support a guy like Ron Paul as that is turning out to be what will be considered a historical campaign.

Also, while I appreciate your longer range focus, you’re young with hardly any responsibilities so don’t stress too much on this. Continue to surround yourself with solid people and keep trying things that look interesting to you.

]]> By: Ryan Holiday http://www.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8394 Ryan Holiday Thu, 16 Aug 2007 10:37:45 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8394 At least politicians DO. At least politicians DO.

]]> By: Derek Kreindler http://www.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8393 Derek Kreindler Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:18:02 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8393 There are not many careers I would rank as being lower than a journalist, but politics is definetly one of them. There are not many careers I would rank as being lower than a journalist, but politics is definetly one of them.

]]> By: Art http://www.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8392 Art Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:49:19 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/well-son-what-do-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/#comment-8392 Chris, it doesn't matter whether you choose something that is more self-centered than altruistic because you can't predict results? Your choices always influence the results and given a choice between doing something more self-centered than altruistic is dependent on one's values. And the Bill Gates example, while you have a point, doesn't always work because different people have different skillsets, you wouldn't have a Gandhi try to sell computers would you? Knowing I am biased and supporting the altruistic polarization, and this question reflects such, would quitting school/work/whatever help the greatest amount of people (which would ultimately help yourself as well)? Please give it a thought. It's quite interesting (to me at least) when making a (big or small) decision using that perspective. Chris, it doesn’t matter whether you choose something that is more self-centered than altruistic because you can’t predict results? Your choices always influence the results and given a choice between doing something more self-centered than altruistic is dependent on one’s values. And the Bill Gates example, while you have a point, doesn’t always work because different people have different skillsets, you wouldn’t have a Gandhi try to sell computers would you?

Knowing I am biased and supporting the altruistic polarization, and this question reflects such, would quitting school/work/whatever help the greatest amount of people (which would ultimately help yourself as well)?

Please give it a thought. It’s quite interesting (to me at least) when making a (big or small) decision using that perspective.

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