# Metadata Source URL:: http://www.paulgraham.com/think.html Topics:: #rationality, #personal-growth --- # How to Think for Yourself ## Highlights > [!quote]+ Updated on 041122_163346 > > Independent-mindedness seems to be more a matter of nature than >nurture. Which means if you pick the wrong type of work, you're >going to be unhappy. If you're naturally independent-minded, you're >going to find it frustrating to be a middle manager. And if you're >naturally conventional-minded, you're going to be sailing into a >headwind if you try to do original research. > [!check]+ Updated on 041122_163410 > > But schools generally ignore independent-mindedness, except to the >extent they try to suppress it > [!danger]+ Updated on 041122_163421 > > It matters a lot who you surround yourself with > [!danger]+ Updated on 041122_163435 > > Another place where the independent- and conventional-minded are >thrown together is in successful startups. The founders and early >employees are almost always independent-minded > [!danger]+ Updated on 041122_163546 > > In my experience, independent-mindedness and curiosity predict one >another perfectly. Everyone I know who's independent-minded is >deeply curious, and everyone I know who's conventional-minded isn't