Optimizing for randomness
Cliché or not, the best advice that's worked for me growing up is simple: "Seek no advice"
Now, before you drag me for being arrogant, hear me out.
Sure, advice from the right folks can save time and steer you away from wrong turns. And also, it's great to learn from others' experiences, right?
But here's the thing - we often overlook the massive role of luck in, well, pretty much everything we do.
Imagine this: two best friends, studying their ass off for the JEE exam, four years, 9th to 12th grade. Exam day arrives, and bam!
One guy's finger gets slammed into the car door, throwing off his performance.
The result? One friend lands in a top IIT, the other in a nearby private college.
Or worse, they end up as senior and junior in the same place, because the finger-in-door guy decided to retake the exam.
See. Luck. It's a game-changer.
And that's my problem with advice. We've all heard the same-age-old-templatised questions on Indian podcasts: "What advice do you have for others?"
Social media is flooded with people seeking roadmaps and formulas for landing those 7-figure salaries.
I'll admit, I've done it too. But honestly, it rarely ends well for me. It just feels off.
So here's a thought: let's stop trying to optimize every little thing.
Embrace being a beginner again. Make mistakes. Waste time. Venture down the wrong paths and find your own way back.
There's a certain joy in being clueless and figuring it all out for yourself.
So go ahead, be a beginner.