What David Heinemeier Hansson thinks about agency
Creator of Ruby on Rails, CTO of 37signals, and creator of Omarchy.
Everything they publish, on ppll ↗ Who they are, on wiqqi ↗
David Heinemeier Hansson did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
26 dated positions, 2021 to 2026, in their own words. Our reading of what David Heinemeier Hansson has said — not written or endorsed by them.
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Our readingThe agentic age needs a new operating system
Their wordsWhen you're able to change not just individual applications, but your system's menu bars, your window manager, your notification system, your everything
- 3 weeks earlier
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Our readingThere is a huge demand for a personal agent that can act as a private executive assistant
Their wordsThere's a huge demand out there for a personal agent that can act as your private executive assistant
↗Basecamp becomes agent accessibleworld.hey.com 2nd of 2 in this piece
- 6 months earlier
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Their wordsyou must pay yourself first by doing the work that actually means something to you
- 16 months earlier
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Our readingA life spent without taking bets on being early on an idea is one not lived to the fullest
Their wordsa life spent without taking at least a few bets on being early on an idea is one not lived to the fullest
- 8 weeks earlier
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Their wordsYou can be very good at soccer, and still not be part of that lineup
↗You're not guaranteed a spot on the teamworld.hey.com 2nd of 3 in this piece
- 10 days earlier
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Our readingOverprotection harms childhood independence
Their wordsThe almost fully eroded sense of childhood independence, with its moderate dangers and teaching moments
- 2 weeks earlier
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Their wordsIf you don't have a clue where you're going, any road can take you there, and running in circles is as good as making progress
↗ Chart the course, set the pace, hold the lineworld.hey.com
- 3 days earlier
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Their wordsby trying your best to couch employee performance feedback in overly gentle language, you end up confusing the message
- 4 days earlier
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Their wordsIt is possible to reverse course, and it's infinitely easier to do so in 2024 than it was in 2021
↗Google's sad ideological capture was exactly what we were trying to avoidworld.hey.com 2nd of 3 in this piece
- 12 days earlier
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Their wordscomputing freedom requires that you don't put all your eggs in one basket
↗Switching to Android was easyworld.hey.com 1st of 2 in this piece
- 3 weeks earlier
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Their wordsYou need less help than you think, and it's not as scary as they'd have you believe
↗Dare to connect a server to the internetworld.hey.com 1st of 2 in this piece
- 7 days earlier
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Their wordsthey should be able to install whatever software they should so choose
↗We need a Right To Computeworld.hey.com 2nd of 2 in this piece
- 5 weeks earlier
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Our readingSpending time on deliberate practice and refinement at work can lead to improved effectiveness
Their wordsSo spending a healthy chunk of the day in deliberate practice and refinement seems like an easy investment to justify
↗Commit to competence in this coming yearworld.hey.com 1st of 3 in this piece
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Their wordsBut it'll also raise the price of trying something new, since that might take longer
↗Commit to competence in this coming yearworld.hey.com 2nd of 3 in this piece
- 2 months earlier
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Their wordsYou can far more easily cultivate and maintain these personal connections
- 7 days earlier
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Their wordsThere would be no human progress if we all quit trying after any unsuccessful attempt
↗We tried that, didn’t workworld.hey.com 1st of 2 in this piece
- 5 months earlier
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Their wordsOne of the straightest paths to purpose in life is to take responsibility for something (or someone)
↗The responsibility is the rewardworld.hey.com 1st of 2 in this piece
- 6 weeks earlier
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Their wordsit was just as funny of a concept, even more on point for fit with the marketing message, and the final result looks every bit as ace to my eyes as anything you'd see produced at 10-20x the budget
↗Compressing a million-dollar commercial into $37,000world.hey.com
- 2 months earlier
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Our readingSpeed of execution is important
Their wordsSpeed of execution is one of the most important organizational features in most areas of competition
↗You can always go faster (if you know where to risk it)world.hey.com 1st of 2 in this piece
- 7 weeks earlier
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Their wordsthe best thing you can do for your team that you're responsible for is to leave them the hell alone
- 3 weeks earlier
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Their wordswe've repeatedly proven that it's possible to run at this pace sustainably, without constant overwork, undue stress, software defects, or other ill consequences
- 11 days earlier
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Their wordsit's a virtue of the scientific method that we don't nurture all our failed hypotheses until the end of days
- 6 months earlier
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Their wordsThere's such a glow of accomplishment on the face of our boys when they push another boundary of independence
↗Where are all the kids in Americaworld.hey.com 2nd of 2 in this piece
- 5 months earlier
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Their wordsYou cannot convey the lessons of moderation by imposing your own limits
↗Authoritarian hippie parentsworld.hey.com 1st of 2 in this piece
- 5 days earlier
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Their wordsThe way to work without regrets is to pursue projects that'll have been worth your time even if they don't pan out
- 5 months earlier
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Their wordsWaiting until the project is pristine before sharing it with the world creates an aura of perfection that intimidates and alienates