Life Beyond Code Nails It
William Grosso @ August 25, 2006
I had lunch today with a former co-worker. The conversation was mostly catching up, and mostly gossip about other co-workers.
But one of the other topics that we briefly touched on was how over-compensation can trap you.
I got back to my computer and learned that Rajesh put it beautifully. It’s an important topic.
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I guess I was too subtle about this at dinner last month. There is a “monkey trap” that is used in Asia
described by Robert Pirsig in “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.” An excerpt follows:
“All kinds of examples from cycle maintenance could be given, but the most striking example of value rigidity I can think of is the old South Indian Monkey Trap, which depends on value rigidity for its effectiveness. The trap consists of a hollowed-out coconut chained to a stake. The coconut has some rice inside which can be grabbed through a small hole. The hole is big enough so that the monkey’s hand can go in, but too small for his fist with rice in it to come out. The monkey reaches in and is suddenly trapped…by nothing more than his own value rigidity. He can’t revalue the rice. He cannot see that freedom without rice is more valuable than capture with it. The villagers are coming to get him and take him away. They’re coming closer—closer! — now! What general advice…not specific advice…but what general advice would you give the poor monkey in circumstances like this?”
It’s hard to give up what you have to get what you want. You really have to be sure you want it. And it’s a shared decision, in that it affects your family.
Anyway, I continue to wish you well on your entrepreneurial journey.
I dunno if you were too subtle. It’s an interesting point, that can lead to endless discussion. At lunch, the former co-worker was basically talking about a desire to go off and become an industrial designer. But, alas, the software industry pays too well.
It’s a thought that’s been on my mind for much longer than a month.
So I came home and there was this nice summary. And I thought: point to it and help the rest of the world discover that, as my friend BJ put it, the limiting factor in life is time, not money.