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username2 comments on Open thread, Apr. 18 - Apr. 24, 2016 - Less Wrong Discussion

2 Post author: MrMind 18 April 2016 07:19AM

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Comment author: polymathwannabe 18 April 2016 01:02:16PM *  4 points [-]

This past week gave me an example of my bipolar disorder in action.

A TV company announced they were open to story proposals. After a few weeks without ideas, I managed to come up with a story that sounded interesting to me. I spent the better part of a weekend at home writing the beginning of a plot outline, and felt extremely excited.

Then the week started and normal life resumed, and after the commute back home I didn't feel like writing anything. A few days later I deleted the folder I had created. I no longer saw any potential in it.

Part of the reason I did it was because I estimated I wouldn't make the deadline for submittal, but part of the reason I can't make the deadline is that I had already promised to prepare a lecture for the local atheist group next month.

Then a disturbing idea came to me. Why am I sacrificing big projects for the small ones? My dreams will come to nothing if I keep standing in my own way like this.

Now I want to know what to do with this revelation.

Comment author: username2 18 April 2016 01:34:59PM 0 points [-]

Maybe because big projects mean big risk since 1) lots of effort might lead nowhere and 2) you don't have time to do other small risk small reward projects. Maybe your level of risk aversion fluctuates?