Bending the world to your will, Elon's algorithm, & the shortness of life

1: Sam Altman on Bending The World to Your Will

“A big secret is that you can bend the world to your will a surprising percentage of the time—most people don’t even try, and just accept that things are the way that they are.

People have an enormous capacity to make things happen. A combination of self-doubt, giving up too early, and not pushing hard enough prevents most people from ever reaching anywhere near their potential.

Ask for what you want. You usually won’t get it, and often rejection will be painful. But when this works, it works surprisingly well.

Almost always, the people who say, “I am going to keep going until this works, and no matter what the challenges are I’m going to figure them out,” and mean it, go on to succeed. They are persistent long enough to give themselves a chance for luck to go their way.” — Sam Altman

Source: How to Be Successful

2: Elon Musk’s Algorithm

Elon Musk developed a first-principles-driven philosophy around manufacturing when he was ramping up Tesla Model 3 production in 2017-2018.

Here’s his 5-step process:

1/ Question every requirement

Never accept that a requirement came from a department, such as from “the legal department” or “the safety department”. Requirements from smart people are dangerous because people are less likely to question them.

2/ Delete any part or process you can

You may have to add them back later. In fact, if you do not end up adding back at least 10% of them, then you didn’t delete enough.

3/ Simplify and optimize

This should come AFTER step two.

4/ Accelerate cycle time

Every process can be sped up. But only do this AFTER you have followed the first three steps.

5/ Automate

That comes last. Wait until all requirements have been questioned, parts and processes deleted, and the bugs were shaken out.

There were also additional “rules” to the Algorithm including:

1/ Camaraderie is dangerous. It makes it hard for people to challenge each other’s work.

2/ All technical managers must have hands-on experience. Otherwise, they are like a cavalry leader who can’t ride a horse or a general who can’t use a sword.

3/ The only rules are the ones dictated by the laws of physics. Everything else is a recommendation.

Source: ‘Elon Musk’ by Walter Isaacson

3: Paul Graham on The Shortness of Life

“Relentlessly prune bullshit. Don’t wait to do things that matter, and savor the time you have. That’s what you do when life is short.” — Paul Graham

Source: Life is Short