I haven’t really thought about it in terms of specific achievements I’d like to make, but more as an untapped resource.
This is a really important thing to think about. Remember, decisions are specializations. If you are financially autonomous and devote your excess to savings or investments or charity or status signaling, then each of those will point you in a different direction when it comes to hobbies/mates/friends/family/acquaintances.
There are two main forces I would keep in mind: the first is of water to find its level, and the second is of salmon to jump upstream. It is generally better to hang out with richer people than poorer people, but while signaling wealth makes you more attractive to others it doesn’t discriminate- you’re also more likely to get people approaching you because of your wealth. And so the question I would ask is, “who do you want to respect you, and what do they respect?”
One answer (this breaks the solution rule, but oh well) for pretty much everyone is “good grooming”- and so getting regular haircuts, showering frequently, attending to your nails, and so on will be a general resource. But beyond that, fashion is strikingly subjective- I personally love how suits and ties and such look, but am likely to go into a field where those are actually a handicap (The word “suit” does not have positive connotations at startups).
Another way of looking at it is that making up your mind (on a matter you have control over) eliminates a wide range of future universes wherein you would make different decisions. You’ve picked a leg in the trousers of time, so to speak. The negative aspect of making decisions prematurely can thus be noticed as the accidental elimination of positive futures from your timeline.
This is a really important thing to think about. Remember, decisions are specializations. If you are financially autonomous and devote your excess to savings or investments or charity or status signaling, then each of those will point you in a different direction when it comes to hobbies/mates/friends/family/acquaintances.
There are two main forces I would keep in mind: the first is of water to find its level, and the second is of salmon to jump upstream. It is generally better to hang out with richer people than poorer people, but while signaling wealth makes you more attractive to others it doesn’t discriminate- you’re also more likely to get people approaching you because of your wealth. And so the question I would ask is, “who do you want to respect you, and what do they respect?”
One answer (this breaks the solution rule, but oh well) for pretty much everyone is “good grooming”- and so getting regular haircuts, showering frequently, attending to your nails, and so on will be a general resource. But beyond that, fashion is strikingly subjective- I personally love how suits and ties and such look, but am likely to go into a field where those are actually a handicap (The word “suit” does not have positive connotations at startups).
Good point that decisions are specializations.
Another way of looking at it is that making up your mind (on a matter you have control over) eliminates a wide range of future universes wherein you would make different decisions. You’ve picked a leg in the trousers of time, so to speak. The negative aspect of making decisions prematurely can thus be noticed as the accidental elimination of positive futures from your timeline.