@zachpogrob
Obsession beats discipline - go all-in on your craft until you either die or get reborn.
Going to college is my biggest regret. Wasted 5 years of peak energy 18-23.
The Reasoning
18-23 is peak energy and lowest obligations. College consumes this window with low-ROI activities. Self-directed learners with clear paths lose years to credential collection that does not serve them.
What Needs to Be True
- 18-23 is genuinely the peak energy window
- College provides less ROI than self-directed building for ambitious builders
- The opportunity cost of college is higher than its benefits
Counterargument
Fields requiring credentials (medicine, law) need college. Some people genuinely benefit from structure. College provides network and experiences hard to replicate.
What Would Change This View
Seeing ambitious builders who credit college as essential to their success rather than something they succeeded despite.
Implications for Builders
Question default paths ruthlessly
Calculate true opportunity cost of 4-5 years
Consider what you could build with that time instead
Example Application
“18-year-old considering college for CS degree. Could instead spend those years building products and learning through doing. The learning is faster and the products create portfolio.”