slope_vs_starting.md

People early in their career should learn from computer science: meander some in your walk (especially early on), randomly drop yourself into new parts of the terrain, and when you find the highest hill, don’t waste any more time on the current hill no matter how much better the next step up might appear .

Imagine you can map success on a graph. Success is measured on the Y-axis. Time is measured on the X-axis. And when you are born, the ball you pluck out of Buffett's Ovarian Lottery determines the y-intercept. Those who are born lucky start higher on the graph. Those who are born into tougher circumstances start lower. Here's the key: You can only ... See more

To conclude, I emphasize: highly skilled people prefer highly stable careers in the long-run. This lets their relative ability and human capital advantage compound over time. Rapid deterioration of skills continuously levels the playing field, preventing the best from separating themselves from the pack. In such a situation, it makes more sense to ... See more

Going back to the job candidate, he has the benefit of having a less foggy view of his terrain. He knows (or at least believes) he wants to end up at the top of a different hill than he is presently climbing. He can see that higher hill from where he stands.