I've been reading some Cal Newport books, particularly Deep Work (where DHH makes an appearance) and all the examples are from very famous and/or smart people: Knuth, Bell Labs people, Jung, and a handful of successful writers. Listening to part of this interview got me thinking about the fact that I spend a lot of time learning about and reading about the skill of being able to work deeply in problems without distraction, but I realize I don't have 1% of the ambition of people who have really taken advantage of it.
I mean, I'm not lazy. I finished college, program for fun and work, maintain some open source projects, and I try to learn new things everyday. But at the same time, I just don't have the drive or desire to make a big splash in the world, start my own company, become known in a field or business, or solve the hardest problems there are. I always wonder if I waste time learning how the Greats can be so productive when my life goals are such that I can stay the same and still achieve them.
