Extensive planning only works for achievements that can be described in advance
Summary
- Extensive planning only works for achievements that can be described in advance
Details
- For example, winning a marathon or passing a test. The goal is a known quantity and thus can be planned for.
- When working in a field which is not yet discovered, you don't yet know the endgame and thus you cannot plan in detail.
- At each stage, do what seems to be most interesting
References
Quotes
The trouble with planning is that it only works for achievements you can describe in advance. You can win a gold medal or get rich by deciding to as a child and then tenaciously pursuing that goal, but you can't discover natural selection that way.
I think for most people who want to do great work, the right strategy is not to plan too much. At each stage do whatever seems most interesting and gives you the best options for the future. I call this approach "staying upwind." This is how most people who've done great work seem to have done it. ⤴️