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David Heinemeier Hansson Explains Stoicism and Stoic Philosophy · Geek at Sea

Geek at Sea

@DHH on startups and parenting in the new age

David Heinemeier Hansson is the founder of Ruby on Rails and co-founder and CTO of Basecamp. He is an outspoken defender of living a fulfilling life, and a true believer that it does not have to be crazy at work. When not writing code, David enjoys endurance car racing and time with his wife and two kids. Over the years, David has become a very influential…

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Notes

  1. Why Does David Heinemeier Hansson Still Work If He's Rich? at 1:06

    Given that neither Jason (co-founder of Basecamp) nor David H. Hansson need to go to work, they should only continue because working brings them joy. Full answer

  2. Can You Only Work on What You Like as the Company Gets Bigger at 5:34

    At the early days of Basecamp David had to do a lot, as he was the only technical person, all the technical issues therefore were his. Full answer

  3. Are Wealthy People Really Happy With Life at 6:06

    DHH says that if you are fortunate to make authentic choices about the way your life should be, it is your obligation to do so. Full answer

  4. Can You Only Do Your Favorite Things All the Time at 6:47

    You can get to do your favorite things most of the time, but probably not all of the time. Full answer

  5. David Heinemeier Hansson Explains Stoicism and Stoic Philosophy at 7:19

    Stoic philosophy teaches people to re-examine how they view the world, and by adjusting one's expectations, thus improving the way we live life. Full answer

  6. How to Live the Good Life at 7:43

    Stoicism is this ancient Greek and Roman philosophy school that focuses a lot on our expectations and how the things that we think that are bad or good are… Full answer

  7. What Is Existentialism at 11:24

    Existentialism is a notion that we are free to make our own choices. This freedom can be scary, and to protect ourselves we pretend to not have a choice. Full answer

  8. The Definition of a Job Is Changing. Can We Work Differently Now? at 14:07

    Absolutely. At Basecamp they only work 40 hours a week, and in the summer they take Fridays off and work for 32 hours and enjoy their long weekends. Full answer

  9. Is It Possible to Maintain a Life-work Balance at 14:20

    Of course it is, but you have to fill your scale with both. Full answer

  10. How Did DHH Figure Out His Own Metric for Success at 17:22

    Early on in life DHH realized the importance of intrinsic motivation. He wanted to do what he wanted to do. Full answer

  11. Why Did @DHH Consciously Near-fail a Class in High School at 17:27

    At some point DHH made a conscious decision to stop working on his homework so that he could instead find the time to play with computers and learn something… Full answer

  12. What Is the Meaning of "it Does Not Have to Be Crazy at Work" at 41:39

    A lot of people get wrapped up into what work should look like, that being busy is what work is, and being busy is good. Full answer

  13. What Do You Mean That Slow Is Fast at 42:13

    Calm and careful inputs on the steering wheel drive the race car faster, and the same is true in business and work. Full answer

  14. How Do You Make Work Meaningful at 43:33

    Part of it is figuring out what work is, and what your aspirations and goals are. Full answer

  15. Does Money Spoil Our Children at 1:16:06

    David has a suspicion that most spoiled kids end up that way not because they had access to money, but because their parents brought them up to be spoiled. Full answer

  16. Did Hard Work Make DHH Rich at 1:19:34

    DHH says he did not work harder than most people, but he ended up creating something that many people found valuable, and the economic system rewarded him for… Full answer

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