A lack of initiative seems to be what makes a lot of people more mediocre than they otherwise would be? When you have a sense of agency, you start or join early projects, make small (or large) contributions to other people’s work, etc., and either you grow less mediocre from the experience, or you’re at least a mediocre EA making sure to try all the promising things to maximise their impact!
(but then again, maybe I’m only saying that because it’s the area where I most feel my own limitations)
I seem to be having some impact simply emailing politicians and having meetings with them to discuss the potentially catastrophic risks from AI.
I consider myself pretty mediocre (based on school/uni results).
This is something anyone with enough context (i.e. in a particular cause area) could do. It just takes initiative.
Yeah, this is a good point: you can go a long way with just commitment/agency/creativity/confidence/?
I mean, maybe people who are strong in those traits aren’t really “mediocre”, ?
But yeah, this is a good reminder that excellence isn’t just one axis.
Yeah I’m in the top 1% for extraversion, I don’t really feel shame or embarrassment and I have lots of initiative. Makes up for the mediocre IQ ;)
Just another example of “lean into your strength”
A lack of initiative seems to be what makes a lot of people more mediocre than they otherwise would be? When you have a sense of agency, you start or join early projects, make small (or large) contributions to other people’s work, etc., and either you grow less mediocre from the experience, or you’re at least a mediocre EA making sure to try all the promising things to maximise their impact!
(but then again, maybe I’m only saying that because it’s the area where I most feel my own limitations)