Great Hackers

[pne]

(From simont)

http://www.paulgraham.com/gh.html is Paul Graham's latest essay, on what makes a Great Hacker. In it, he writes:

The people I've met who do great work rarely think that they're doing great work. They generally feel that they're stupid and lazy, that their brain only works properly one day out of ten, and that it's only a matter of time until they're found out.

I found that very interesting… especially given the fact that I think I goof off an awful lot, and that I'm lazy, and that it's only a matter of time until I'm found out—yet I get consistently good yearly performance reviews, which surprise me every time.

Comments

[robnorth.livejournal.com]

I'm not a "great hacker" by any means, but that paragraph applies to me in spades. A friend of mine (also a former boss) says the same about herself, at least the "only a matter of time until they're found out" part.

I'm lazy, but (usually) not stupid.