2/ A good unit for ambition is "baby equivalents." We already talk figuratively of projects as "babies", so why not formalize intuition
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Replying to @vgr
3/ It is traditional in the US today to measure babies in terms of how much they cost ($1 million for middle class baby through college)
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Replying to @vgr
4/ But this is the wrong way around. Children are the measure of economics-priced things, not the other way around.
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Replying to @vgr
5/ One child is basically a certain fraction of no-strings/no-preset-budget time/quality attention allocation for rest of life
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Replying to @vgr
6/ Memetic children have higher infant mortality rate, but the principle is the same. I'd guess one childbirth (for men)= writing 3 books
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Replying to @vgr
7/ Not all projects are ambition vehicles, or comparable to children. Close-ended projects with end date are not like children.
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Replying to @vgr
8/ The reason a book is like a child is that *if* it succeeds enough, it is an indefinite demand on your attention
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Replying to @vgr
I don't think a successful book is that huge a demand on your attention. Definitely nothing like a start-up or even a normal job.
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Replying to @SethS_D
Well, I'm talking big success, but ordinary-success books you're right. Not as demanding.
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Replying to @vgr
Even big success. I don't think Michael Lewis, Kahneman, Levitt have to do very much, except watch their books sell.
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A book isn't just the direct costs. It's the whole subplot of your life opened up by the success. Including grandchildren etc.
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