

Life Lessons From Albert Einstein - hendler
http://www.dumblittleman.com/2010/03/10-amazing-lessons-albert-einstein.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+DumbLittleMan+%2528Dumb+Little+Man+-+tips+for+life%2529&utm_content=Twitter

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wallflower
> “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different
> results.”

This is the one I personally struggle with the most. It is highly coupled with
your perception of your personal comfort zone. For example, if I think I'd be
happier if I went out and met more people - but I'd rather sit on the couch
tonight - that's partial insanity - you will always be afraid of doing those
things you are too lazy or afraid (note: lazy and afraid is worse combination)
to do.

And if you were say to actually drag yourself to the event but completely went
into wallflower mode when getting there, you are proving partial insanity
again (e.g. being non-social again) with the added weight of 'why did I
bother'.

How to break this vicious cycle? Basically you have to suck it up and be
social, not be seeking any particular form of reaction - e.g. goal is
literally to introduce yourself/meet people not to have a deep conversation
with them. Letting go of attachment to outcomes but initiating so there can be
a potentially positive outcome. Really, it goes back to #3 Being Present with
whoever you are with.

~~~
jayliew
A quote from that I keep close to my heart: "Courage is not the absence of
failure, courage is acting in spite of fear." (Carly Fiorina)

In your case, if I were you, after I get off my ass to a networking event, I'd
be thinking, "hell, I didn't get off my ass just to come here and be in
wallflower mode. For better or worse, I don't care if I look stupid, I don't
care if I'm afraid, I'm going to go talk to somebody."

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mseebach
Meh.

1 “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”

Curiosity is an important trait, and I'm sure Einstein had it. He did,
however, also have a very significant talent.

2 “It's not that I'm so smart; it's just that I stay with problems longer.”

Perseverance is important, but if you honestly believe you can achieve
anything by trying harder, there's no limit to what you can't do. (HT Despair)

The rest of the advise is sound, however, I can help but think that boiling
these pieces of wisdom down to fortune cookies is orthogonal to the very point
Einstein was making when he said those things.

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yourmomdotcom
0\. Put your child up for adoption and get on with what you really love in
life!

~~~
fierarul
Interesting factoid ( <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieserl_Einstein> )

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gnosis
_"Private capital tends to become concentrated in few hands, partly because of
competition among the capitalists, and partly because technological
development and the increasing division of labor encourage the formation of
larger units of production at the expense of the smaller ones. The result of
these developments is an oligarchy of private capital the enormous power of
which cannot be effectively checked even by a democratically organized
political society. This is true since the members of legislative bodies are
selected by political parties, largely financed or otherwise influenced by
private capitalists who, for all practical purposes, separate the electorate
from the legislature.

The consequence is that the representatives of the people do not in fact
sufficiently protect the interests of the underprivileged sections of the
population. Moreover, under existing conditions, private capitalists
inevitably control, directly or indirectly, the main sources of information
(press, radio, education). It is thus extremely difficult, and indeed in most
cases quite impossible, for the individual citizen to come to objective
conclusions and to make intelligent use of his political rights."_

    
    
                -- Albert Einstein "Why Socialism?"

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frederickcook
“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better
than anyone else.”

This one is essential. Goes right along with recent HN discussions on "effort
shock" - not understanding how hard things really are, or what it takes to be
successful. The "game" that we are shown as kids isn't an accurate
representation of real life, and oftentimes we must learn the real rules for
ourselves.

------
faramarz
“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

That is gold!

------
gcheong
It's all relative.

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kschua
Create Value “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value."

Classic. How many entrepreneurs create value and in the process made
themselves rich instead of focusing on money first

------
jules
> “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different
> results.”

Is this a reference to quantum mechanics?

------
nazgulnarsil
don't listen to experts outside the area of their expertise.

~~~
msisk6
Back in the 60's, some amateur astronomers observing Venus with a homebuilt
telescope and ultraviolet filters discovered that the clouds on Venus had a
four-day rotation period.

They submitted their work to a journal of planetary studies, but it was
rejected with this comment: "the four-day rotation is theoretically
impossible, and shows how foolish the work of the inexperienced amateur can
be."

In 1974 Mariner 10 few past Venus and confirmed the atmosphere does indeed
rotate every four days, much faster than the solid planet beneath.

Who was the expert who rejected the very good work of the amateurs? Carl
Sagan.

