(HUMBLING) Right about now, I finally understand why it takes seven to ten years

(HUMBLING)

Right about now, I finally understand why it takes seven to ten years to write these great works. Because few people have that kind of staying power. And because it takes that long to create something of marginal difference, even if you’re very bright. And really, even when you write something profound, you’re just distilling the information collected by your generation, because of the work of the generations before.

Same thing for why it takes a PhD to write something interesting in most fields. Because it takes a long time (6+ years) to get a PhD in anything meaningful. And it takes at least that long to learn anything meaningful about anything. So, it isn’t the PhD that matters. Its the fact that you have to stick with a PhD program for a long time. And to write something meaningful you have to stick with it for a long time too. So numbers work their consequences.

The problem with most PhD work is that it’s micro work, not macro. And most people get lost in specializations that are dead ends – or exhausted of opportunity. And the time is lost. Your subject matters. You can’t get time back to do over again.

Einstein was right. He just ‘thought about the problem longer than anyone else.” This is a combination of his usual humility, humor, and fundamental truth.

Sitting in church at age 12 I made a promise to God (Fate/Man/Myself). That was over 40 years ago. It’s taken me this long, and I’m not done yet.

I rarely tell anyone this. I’m just terribly humbled at the moment. But I’ve spent most of my life trying to fulfill that promise (contract). Really. Even if it’s for no other reason than that I haven’t really found anything I’d rather do. 🙂