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1/ I perform a lot of thought experiments. They let us ask better questions and deepen our understanding.
Here is one: Mentally move to the state of Bihar. Start from zero today, assume no prior know-how and skills, how long would it take to design and build a Boeing 747?
Here is one: Mentally move to the state of Bihar. Start from zero today, assume no prior know-how and skills, how long would it take to design and build a Boeing 747?
2/ If you immediately find yourself thinking about "bad education system", "poor infrastructure" and so on, I would remind you to focus on the 747 problem and not lose track of that problem.
Clearly we cannot start building a 747 in one shot. We won't even know where to begin.
Clearly we cannot start building a 747 in one shot. We won't even know where to begin.
3/ And we cannot even begin to estimate how long it would take or how much money it would take.
So we have to break that problem down and downscale the 747 to may be a drone.
May be even that is too hard to go all at once, so let us reduce it to a one small part of a drone.
So we have to break that problem down and downscale the 747 to may be a drone.
May be even that is too hard to go all at once, so let us reduce it to a one small part of a drone.
4/ May be a toy plane first. And the wings of a toy plane.
It is at that point, we have some handle on the problem. How do we design the wings of a toy plane? What are the materials needed? What kind of machines are needed?
Now we have questions that are easier to answer.
It is at that point, we have some handle on the problem. How do we design the wings of a toy plane? What are the materials needed? What kind of machines are needed?
Now we have questions that are easier to answer.
5/ If we diligently and systematically search for answers for "how do I make the wings of a toy plane?" within a matter of weeks, we will know a lot about toy planes.
We will bore our friends and family with endless talk about toy planes
and that is OK.
We become ready!
We will bore our friends and family with endless talk about toy planes
and that is OK. We become ready!
6/ I taught myself software at the age of 27, after a PhD that I concluded completely useless, with "let me learn code" goal.
I did contract work doing assembly code bug fixing and then C code bug fixing. I asked myself why bugs occur after my all-night bug fixing sessions.
I did contract work doing assembly code bug fixing and then C code bug fixing. I asked myself why bugs occur after my all-night bug fixing sessions.
7/ Those questions about software bugs became the foundation of my knowledge of software. I taught myself Computer Science over time.
Our custom frameworks came from that knowledge.
I am still thinking about code and bugs even as the business has grown.
Our custom frameworks came from that knowledge.
I am still thinking about code and bugs even as the business has grown.
8/ Back to the 747. We can substitute the 747 with an MRI machine. Or an operating system. Or a search engine. Or a bullet train.
All of these problems feel like impossible cliffs to climb but thinking slowly and diligently through them, we find pathways open up somewhere.
All of these problems feel like impossible cliffs to climb but thinking slowly and diligently through them, we find pathways open up somewhere.
9/ Doing these thought experiments enrich us and even liberate us in a way. Fear of the unknown goes down.
Actions and projects arise from thought. If we don't keep thinking about them diligently, we are at a loss how to act.
Actions and projects arise from thought. If we don't keep thinking about them diligently, we are at a loss how to act.
