Reading rank 434
What Doesn't Seem Like Work
, subject: Essay on work and aptitude, 2015
Paul Graham's essay treats work that feels like work to others, but not to you, as a clue to what you may be suited for.
4
Coverage Score
1
Scored evidence
About this work
Published in 2015, the essay uses Graham's father's love of mathematical problems and Graham's own enjoyment of debugging and writing as examples.
Why read it
Best if you are deciding where to focus your effort and want a way to read work that others find tiring but you do not.
Key themes
- Notice the gap in felt effort
- A clue, not a verdict
Evidence and original sources
Source: official Founders episode — #275
This record is supported by 1 public evidence rows linked to original Founders episodes.
- Paul Graham — David presents Graham's heuristic—work that feels like work to others but not to you may reveal what you are well suited for—and connects it to Michael Jordan describing intense practice as play.