Good advice:

… it is important not to believe too strongly in one’s own arguments. This particularly applies to negative arguments, arguments that suggest that a particular approach should certainly not be tried since it is bound to fail … While one should certainly try to think which lines are worth pursuing and which are not, it is wise to be very cautious about one’s own arguments, especially when the subject is an important one, since then the cost of missing a useful approach is high …

Be sensible but don’t be too impressed by negative arguments. If at all possible, try it and see what turns up. Theorists almost always dislike this sort of approach.”

It’s a quote from Francis Crick’s memoirs.

I mentioned that while we were out in Zion National Park, we got to see a reading by Derek Walcott. This was one of the highlights of the vacation, not so much because of the poetry but because of the Q&A afterwards. Someone asked him what they could do to become a better writer. He made some great points, but the one thing that stuck with me was his suggestion to constantly practice your craft. He suggested that writers make time to write regularly. He talked about the importance of apprenticeship in your craft, for example translating a work by a master, as more important than finding your own voice. Makes sense, right? Talent and voice come naturally but skill and technique take work and experience.

Because I often think, “That’s been done before,” or “that idea won’t work,” I generally don’t program often enough. I’m searching (and hoping) for inspiration rather than working daily on my craft. Contrast that to smarter folks like Linus Torvalds or Bill Gates who both began their personal magnum opera/opuses by attempting to build their own versions of existing things. The work then grew and inspired the big ideas that we recognize today.

These ideas seem related to my thoughts on simplicity and lameness. Those brilliant ideas aren’t the revolutionary storms we remember them to be, but instead are the products of people with talent who are perfecting their skill. That’s what makes the ideas seem so simple after the fact. By looking at what came before and trying to make it better, they found the next solution.

Never would’ve thought that a poet would inspire me to be a better programmer and, hopefully, a better entrepreneur.