ThoughtBlip

So I’m beginning to think that my dependency on mobile is surpassing my dependency on the Internet & a desktop computer.

Utility apps, gaming, news, social networking, email… all done more on mobile than laptop.

Sure, when I get down to serious work…extensive browsing, typing, development…I use my laptop. A full computer won’t ever go away for me (or at least the semblance of one) - but that’s not the significant point.

The significant point is the extent to which I and so many others use and literally depend on mobile - in new an novel ways that are constantly evolving.

For me personally, this dependency started with the Palm Treo 600p, and literally exploded when I started to use an iPhone. I never was a Crackberry user :/

Android is very appealing as well, but isn’t quite there yet for me - even with all the great devices and alternate carriers. As a developer, I’m sure I’ll end up with both eventually (thank you Google Voice).

One form of vendor tie-in that many underestimate is the app investment…both cost-wise, as well as effort/setup-wise. I’ve invested a fair amount of $$$ in iPhone apps … many are apps I can live without, and many are not…one thing that’s certain is that my investment and app dependencies are growing over time…and to switch to any other mobile device would require replacement of all these dependencies…Many apps have proprietary / non-portable data (which has its own issues when switching apps even on the same platform).

Point is, switching to Android for me is more than just a device / OS switch - it’s all the app baggage and cost impact as well.

Everyone has heard the saying that “time waits for no man” or something like it.

Putting “something” off is to time as going into debt is to money.  The weight on your mind from putting something off is the interest you pay.  Sometimes circumstances call the debt due when not only is it not convenient, but it is most inconvenient.  Moreover, there can be consequences.  Time can be even worse than the roughest loan shark when it comes to calling unpaid debts due.

I’ve often wondered about the relationship between intelligence and financial success…

Why is it that there are so many people that are extremely well-off financially, even if they’re not the sharpest tool in the shed?

I started writing up my thoughts on this, and it quickly grew into something grotesquely huge…it quickly became a sprawling post of thoughts that I needed to drop and whittle down… breaking the issue down into manageable pieces.

For example, some of the constituent parts are:

• What do we think of as “intelligence” when we say someone is smart, intelligent, bright, etc.?
• What do we think of as financially successful?

I’m quite certain that all of us stereotype others whether or not we think it’s right (and whether or not we think we even *do* stereotype others). 

Without going down that rat hole just yet, I still propose that there are many successful people that aren’t necessarily the smartest people… and that many, or possibly even most, of the smartest people are not the most successful people (or even successful at all).  We’ll work the details out on the evidence of this later, but assuming that you agree for now – what could the explanation be?

I think it must be based on statistics and personality.  People that are “dumb” enought to try something - to believe that something is possible.  Being too smart for your own good comes into play here.  How often have you heard someone say that “if I had known it was going to be this difficult, I would never have done it.” ?  But they did do it, and now they’re immensely successful.

The “statistics” part is being willing to try and try (and try) again.  It’s a numbers game in a sense – if you keep trying enough, eventually you’ll break out.  Just yesterday, my dad mentioned a metaphor of a baby chick trying to hatch out of the egg… they don’t give up pecking away just because the shell didn’t crack open the first time… they keep pecking, and pecking, and they break out of the shell.  If they don’t, well, you know what happens.

The personality part is not giving up.  Being willing to try something new.  Wanting something more.  Not settling for the status-quo.  Being willing to work hard for something you believe in.  Without having these traits in your personality, you just won’t keep pecking… and the numbers most likely won’t play out in your favor.

So, to sum it up, I think the personality traits can vastly outweigh the intelligence factor.  Being a little smart helps, but just because you may be smarter than the other guy doesn’t get you a free-ride into the “success club” without having to take any risks or having to do any hard work… 

You’ve got to take risks… you’ve got to work hard… and the sooner you do it, the more often you do it, the more likely it is that you’ll be successful.

AND – A single taste of success is all it takes to fuel the fire to succeed again..and again… no matter what failures come your way.