10x More Selective (2013)
The article discusses the concept of '10x programmers' who are believed to be significantly more productive than their peers. It argues that this productivity is not solely due to higher aptitude or knowledge, but rather a greater selectivity in the work they choose to undertake. The author shares personal experiences to illustrate the importance of avoiding unproductive tasks and focusing on more impactful work.
- ▪The notion of '10x programmers' suggests that some individuals are ten times more productive than average programmers.
- ▪The author believes that selectivity in choosing work is more crucial than just having higher aptitude or knowledge.
- ▪Personal anecdotes highlight the pitfalls of engaging in unproductive work and the importance of focusing on tasks that yield meaningful results.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
There's this common notion of "10x programmers" who are 10x more productive than the average programmer. We can't quantify productivity so we don't know if it's true. But definitely, enough people appear unusually productive to sustain the "10x programmer" notion. How do they do it? People often assume that 10x more productivity results from 10x more aptitude or 10x more knowledge. I don't think so. Now I'm not saying aptitude and knowledge don't help. But what I've noticed over the years is that the number one factor is 10x more selectivity. The trick is to consistently avoid shit work. And by shit work, I don't necessarily mean "intellectually unrewarding". Rather, the definition of shit work is that its output goes down the toilet.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Yosefk.
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