…tical advice for thinking at the start of this essay, and here is some that I’ve come to rely upon. Build habits, build community, gather resources. Don’t even think about doing it all alone. Don’t get hung up on originality, or being the first, or being the best — just try to find a way to be better than you have previously been. Ask what works for you, or what seems to work, and don’t be afraid to mix your methods. Don’t get shackled to your past. Cut your losses, change your mind, allow yourself to be shocked into novelty. Pick and mix from the best that’s out there — the books, the conversations, the encounters — and accept that luck plays a larger role in almost everything than any of us might wish. Embrace serendipities. Don’t believe for a moment that sticking to a plan is an adequate strategy for life or discovery.
