Want to be successful? Be inconsistent

http://joel.is/post/34043941681/want-to-be-successful-be-inconsistent

35 18 14 years ago

gleenn• 14 years ago

This feels like why doing the whole Agile thing is really useful especially for startups: the only thing you know for sure is you're not going to do it right at first so you have to be good about being able to pivot.

Supreme• 14 years ago

Perhaps a better way to put it is "be consistent in what you do, be inconsistent in where you go."

Being consistent in your actions is of paramount importance if you want to master anything. You have to practice day in and day out.

Being inconsistent in your movements matters because what is around us is in a constant state of motion, and we must learn to dance with it.

gusfoo• 14 years ago

"When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?" -- John Maynard Keynes, also attributed to Winston Churchill

... that's the take-away from this. There is no way at all we can have opinion X about the future and then stick to it when the future doesn't turn out the way we expected.

justindocanto2• 14 years ago

Be Inconsistent? No. Be able to admit you were wrong and make choices that contradict past believes after learning or observing something new? Yes.

emarutian• 14 years ago

second this. When a change involves breaking your promises to people who genuinely relied on them and will suffer as the result - then you have to make sure that they are at least ok with it by giving them alternative options / compensation.

Its not about to be / or not to be inconsistent. It's about making the right choice given new information as well as considering the net effect of the change.

monty_singh• 14 years ago

It seemed like Bezo's was trying to get at the idea that its okay to revise your thoughts, opinions, course of action, ect. and be open about it. I think he's trying to promote thoughtfulness and contemplation ahead of pure conviction.

I don't think being "inconsistent" in thought is what he's getting at.

sidman• 14 years ago

Don't like the title, should probably be more like "Be flexible with your consistency"

You can't be inconsistent and learn say a language (programming or otherwise), or even learn how to be a good entrepreneur, you got to be consistent and keep at it, just be flexible with the information that you receive and be willing to change your ways if you need to.

xenophanes2• 14 years ago

Changing your mind and being inconsistent are not the same thing. Stupid article.

charleshaanel2• 14 years ago

You obviously didn't read the same article that some of us did :S

xenophanes2• 14 years ago

Your comment obviously adds nothing to the discussion, having no explanation.

You obviously didn't get the same kind of education that some of us did.

polyfractal• 14 years ago

Unrelated to the article itself: OP, cut down on all the social-share-widget-scroll-js-be-my-friend nonsense on your blog. It's irritating, obnoxious and doesn't make me want to share or retweet or do anything except get the hell off your page.

I've read several of your blog posts and cringe each and every single time. Two scrolling widgets and a popup in the bottom corner as soon as you start to scroll down?

Huffington Post isn't even this bad.

Unfortunately, ranting aside, I'm sure this probably works great and converts much higher than tactfully placed icons. Such is the way of life on the internet I suppose.

jaggederest• 14 years ago

I'd like it if the middle column were the only part of the page.

joelg87• 14 years ago

I agree perhaps it's too much.

Interestingly, it looks rather nice, clean and readable (IMO) without everything else (here's a screenshot: http://joelg.cc/KJp5/o). Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that have everything else there makes a big difference. I could probably remove the ad, but a lot of the rest definitely works, I have some data on it.

Thanks for the heads up though, I think maybe my incremental changes have meant I've gone too far on all this stuff without perhaps realising.

justindocanto2• 14 years ago

If you count the 'Recommended Article' widget that pops in about half way down there's 3 widgets that follow you down. Way too distracting.

charleshaanel2• 14 years ago

Excellent post. Thanks for posting it.

nedwin• 14 years ago

What percentage of Buffer revenue is from the Carbon Ads on blog posts like this?

gliese1337• 14 years ago

Accepting the other comments about how perhaps the title could be improved, the basic point is one that I wish would be more widely accepted in political discourse. It seems like whenever a politician changes his mind, he's accused of "flip-flopping", as though always sticking to exactly the same opinions is the most desirable option. But personally, I would not trust anyone who seems to think that they were right about everything the first time, and never needed to learn anything new.

Want to be successful? Be inconsistent

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