Since a couple of people want before/after information, here’s some:
Before minicamp: I was able to work around 5 hours per day on research.
After: 10 hours/day, sustainable for months.
After: Less afraid to try new professional directions than ever before, by a margin much wider than this trait has ever changed for me.
After: Secured $24,000 of grant money from DARPA to work on applications of algebraic geometry to machine learning, my first time trying out applied math. Loving it.
After: Difference in productivity was so noticeable that I’m volunteering my time as an instructor at the next few camps (I taught some at the last camp, too) because I expect it to have further positive, lasting effects on my professional / personal life.
After: Got a new dissertation advisor; many people around me seemed to think that was impossible or risque, but it has gone very well and been very refreshing, given my interests. (Before the camp I was more afraid to make what felt like a “sudden” change, which was actually something I had been thinking about for a year and was not sudden at all.)
Note: My experience at the camp may not have been typical, because I did teach a few sessions at the beginning… but those were not the ideas that stuck with me most and motivated me professionally; they were Anna’s and Luke’s sessions.
Since I’m volunteering to teach for the next few camps, I won’t be able to give participant-side data after the next camp, so let this be my public testimonial: minicamp had a SERIOUS before/after effect on my life, resulting in more exploration, faster decision making (changed my thesis advisor, to great benefit and the surprise of many), and increased productivity. Its benefits are the cause of my volunteering to teach for it, and this comment.
This is interesting to me, since we seem to be in about the same position academically (though you’re a bit ahead of me). What was responsible for such a huge increase in productivity, or can that not be summarized? I need to research more myself, but I do not think I will be able to afford or attend the minicamp, so anything you’d be able to share would be appreciated.
but I do not think I will be able to afford or attend the minicamp
If you want to attend but can’t afford the fees, please do apply anyhow, and check the “need scholarship” box. Even if it turns out that we can’t admit you this year, we’ll at least know there are people out there who want to attend but can’t afford it, and we can possibly take this information to potential donors as the Center for Modern Rationality gets on its own non-profit feet.
The particular changes I’ve made (like changing my advisor) have been very personalized for me, by me… but they have been fueled by a few root adjustments:
1) More curiosity about my life choices. Caused in part by being surrounded by a group of smart similar people doing very different things with their lives.
2) More willingness and desire to make up my mind more quickly and effectively about Big Life Decisions. Caused in part by Anna Salamon generating, on the spot, a steady stream of helpful questions for me that I could ask and answer to myself about career choices. I never came to any conclusions that she suggested (which I consider a good sign; I wouldn’t expect someone else to know what I should do with my life from a few conversations), but she gave me a sense that more is possible in terms of how quickly a person can generate important, answerable questions.
3) More curiosity / motivation to experiment with productivity hacks, until I found some that work for me (Getting Things Done system + Pomodoro technique). Caused by being surrounded by productivity-obsessed people for a week with lots of cool ideas that helped me internalize a belief in the existence of popular productivity hacks that would work for me.
4) More desire to Be Successful (which I’d had very little of throughout most of my life), caused by feeling like I was part of a community that I cared about and who might benefit in some small way from my success.
Since a couple of people want before/after information, here’s some: Before minicamp: I was able to work around 5 hours per day on research.
After: 10 hours/day, sustainable for months.
After: Less afraid to try new professional directions than ever before, by a margin much wider than this trait has ever changed for me.
After: Secured $24,000 of grant money from DARPA to work on applications of algebraic geometry to machine learning, my first time trying out applied math. Loving it.
After: Difference in productivity was so noticeable that I’m volunteering my time as an instructor at the next few camps (I taught some at the last camp, too) because I expect it to have further positive, lasting effects on my professional / personal life.
After: Got a new dissertation advisor; many people around me seemed to think that was impossible or risque, but it has gone very well and been very refreshing, given my interests. (Before the camp I was more afraid to make what felt like a “sudden” change, which was actually something I had been thinking about for a year and was not sudden at all.)
Note: My experience at the camp may not have been typical, because I did teach a few sessions at the beginning… but those were not the ideas that stuck with me most and motivated me professionally; they were Anna’s and Luke’s sessions.
Since I’m volunteering to teach for the next few camps, I won’t be able to give participant-side data after the next camp, so let this be my public testimonial: minicamp had a SERIOUS before/after effect on my life, resulting in more exploration, faster decision making (changed my thesis advisor, to great benefit and the surprise of many), and increased productivity. Its benefits are the cause of my volunteering to teach for it, and this comment.
This is interesting to me, since we seem to be in about the same position academically (though you’re a bit ahead of me). What was responsible for such a huge increase in productivity, or can that not be summarized? I need to research more myself, but I do not think I will be able to afford or attend the minicamp, so anything you’d be able to share would be appreciated.
If you want to attend but can’t afford the fees, please do apply anyhow, and check the “need scholarship” box. Even if it turns out that we can’t admit you this year, we’ll at least know there are people out there who want to attend but can’t afford it, and we can possibly take this information to potential donors as the Center for Modern Rationality gets on its own non-profit feet.
The particular changes I’ve made (like changing my advisor) have been very personalized for me, by me… but they have been fueled by a few root adjustments:
1) More curiosity about my life choices. Caused in part by being surrounded by a group of smart similar people doing very different things with their lives.
2) More willingness and desire to make up my mind more quickly and effectively about Big Life Decisions. Caused in part by Anna Salamon generating, on the spot, a steady stream of helpful questions for me that I could ask and answer to myself about career choices. I never came to any conclusions that she suggested (which I consider a good sign; I wouldn’t expect someone else to know what I should do with my life from a few conversations), but she gave me a sense that more is possible in terms of how quickly a person can generate important, answerable questions.
3) More curiosity / motivation to experiment with productivity hacks, until I found some that work for me (Getting Things Done system + Pomodoro technique). Caused by being surrounded by productivity-obsessed people for a week with lots of cool ideas that helped me internalize a belief in the existence of popular productivity hacks that would work for me.
4) More desire to Be Successful (which I’d had very little of throughout most of my life), caused by feeling like I was part of a community that I cared about and who might benefit in some small way from my success.