Estarlio comments on Post ridiculous munchkin ideas! - Less Wrong

55 Post author: D_Malik 15 May 2013 10:27PM

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Comment author: ModusPonies 10 May 2013 07:41:03PM 74 points [-]

If you are a human, then the biggest influence on your personality is your peer group. Choose your peers.

If you want to be better at math, surround yourself with mathematicians. If you want to be more productive, hang out with productive people. If you want to be outgoing or artistic or altruistic or polite or proactive or smart or just about anything else, find people who are better than you at that thing and become friends with them. The status-seeking conformity-loving parts of your mind will push you to become like them. (The incorrect but pithy version: "You are an average of the five people you spend the most time with.")

I've had a lot of success with this technique by going to the Less Wrong meetups in Boston, and by making a habit of attending any event where I'll be the stupidest person in the room (such as the average Less Wrong meetup).

Comment author: Estarlio 12 May 2013 07:17:36PM 0 points [-]

Does anyone know off-hand whether this effect remains or is as strong with introverts?

Comment author: Tem42 15 July 2016 03:21:14AM 0 points [-]

I am an introvert and this effect is strong for me. But the best way to see if it works for you is to try it.