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Paul Graham

What Paul Graham thinks about discipline

@paul-graham · 124 positions · On ppll ↗

Co-founder of Y Combinator and Viaweb; essayist at paulgraham.com.

Paul Graham 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.

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Only Paul Graham on discipline. See everyone on discipline

4 dated positions, 2024, in their own words. Our reading of what Paul Graham has said — not written or endorsed by them.

4 positions so far — this page is not yet offered to search engines.

  1. Our readingThe persistent and the obstinate are both hard to stop: the persistent like a boat whose engine cannot be throttled back, the obstinate like one whose rudder cannot be turned.

    Their wordsThe reason the persistent and the obstinate seem similar is that they're both hard to stop. But they're hard to stop in different senses. The persistent are like boats whose engines can't be throttled back. The obstinate are like boats whose rudders can't be turned.

    ↗The Right Kind of Stubbornpaulgraham.com 1st of 4 in this piece

  3. Our readingPersistence and obstinacy are different behaviours: the persistent are attached to the goal, the obstinate to their ideas about how to reach it.

    Their wordsThe persistent are attached to the goal. The obstinate are attached to their ideas about how to reach it.

    ↗The Right Kind of Stubbornpaulgraham.com 2nd of 4 in this piece

  5. Our readingResilience means setbacks cannot change your morale, not that they cannot change your mind, and persistence often requires changing your mind.

    Their wordsBut resilience is not the same as obstinacy. Resilience means setbacks can't change your morale, not that they can't change your mind. Indeed, persistence often requires that one change one's mind.

    ↗The Right Kind of Stubbornpaulgraham.com 3rd of 4 in this piece

  7. Our readingPersistence is five qualities combined (energy, imagination, resilience, good judgement and focus on a goal) and only resembles obstinacy in that it keeps you from giving up.

    energy

    Their wordsFive distinct qualities — energy, imagination, resilience, good judgement, and focus on a goal — combine to produce a phenomenon that seems a bit like obstinacy in the sense that it causes you not to give up.

    ↗The Right Kind of Stubbornpaulgraham.com 4th of 4 in this piece