Comments on: The Art of Overkill http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/ Practical Personal Development Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:29:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Deedee http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-133603 Deedee Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:05:36 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-133603 NOOOOO. Overkill is the strategy of people with too much time on their hands. That strategy will fall apart in crunch time. Eventually discrimination is the key element of getting a lot done. If you get a 100 on any exam--YOU have WASTED your time. it's more efficient to get a 94 and use your failures for instant feedback on the missing material.VERY Fast way to beat the problem of diminishing returns on study. NOOOOO. Overkill is the strategy of people with too much time on their hands. That strategy will fall apart in crunch time. Eventually discrimination is the key element of getting a lot done. If you get a 100 on any exam–YOU have WASTED your time. it’s more efficient to get a 94 and use your failures for instant feedback on the missing material.VERY Fast way to beat the problem of diminishing returns on study.

]]> By: Patience And Hunger http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-132069 Patience And Hunger Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:08:15 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-132069 [...] are fairly fixed in place, and to supplement with similar material I read recently, Alex Shalman wrote an article, starting off with: “I strongly believe that how you do one thing is how you do [...] [...] are fairly fixed in place, and to supplement with similar material I read recently, Alex Shalman wrote an article, starting off with: “I strongly believe that how you do one thing is how you do [...]

]]> By: weston http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-131978 weston Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:43:14 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-131978 Alex When you say "It should also be noted that students that spend time together develop similar GPAs." I was wondering where you got it from. Are you talking strictly about a study of dental students? My experience was quite the opposite but the field that I was studying (Law) is certainly far more subjective in grading than Dentistry. Alex

When you say “It should also be noted that students that spend time together develop similar GPAs.” I was wondering where you got it from. Are you talking strictly about a study of dental students?

My experience was quite the opposite but the field that I was studying (Law) is certainly far more subjective in grading than Dentistry.

]]> By: Christopher Perilli http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-131712 Christopher Perilli Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:23:56 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-131712 I so agree with this train of thought. Through out life I have come to known many a "what" people. People who are satisfied with the answer to the question as regurge is to an acid reflux victim. Knowing the answer is never enough, knowing WHY is always over kill but after you know why you can figure out the remaining questions presented. Knowing the answer to something then knowing why you come to that answer to me is paramount in every aspect of life. There are why seekers and their are answer seekers. The why seekers in my opinion will always stay one step ahead for they have a full well rounded understanding of the situation and the reason it became as such. Therefore anything after that is small peanuts. I train Mixed Martial Arts (you know this Alex ;-) In MMA, they teach you to train as hard as your body possibly can. if you train at a level that is far superior than you will ever need to fight with, you will wind up at worst case scenario at that level come fight time. Train hard, fight easy. I have come to know many people both in life and in training who are adept at things and always seem to be naturals in the way they obtain skills. But if you study the onion and remove some layers you will see time and again a burning desired to know WHY. Why does this move work, why does it work over other moves, why is it defeated by other moves. Knowing why is the key to greatness. Its also been said anyone who is a master at anything in life, usually can become masters at other things in their lives. It takes a certain fortitude, a certain attention to detail a certain psychotic need to know why things work the way they do. only thru the Why can we ever begin to understand the how what when, and who.. Great Post!! I so agree with this train of thought. Through out life I have come to known many a “what” people. People who are satisfied with the answer to the question as regurge is to an acid reflux victim. Knowing the answer is never enough, knowing WHY is always over kill but after you know why you can figure out the remaining questions presented.
Knowing the answer to something then knowing why you come to that answer to me is paramount in every aspect of life. There are why seekers and their are answer seekers. The why seekers in my opinion will always stay one step ahead for they have a full well rounded understanding of the situation and the reason it became as such. Therefore anything after that is small peanuts.

I train Mixed Martial Arts (you know this Alex ;-) In MMA, they teach you to train as hard as your body possibly can. if you train at a level that is far superior than you will ever need to fight with, you will wind up at worst case scenario at that level come fight time. Train hard, fight easy. I have come to know many people both in life and in training who are adept at things and always seem to be naturals in the way they obtain skills. But if you study the onion and remove some layers you will see time and again a burning desired to know WHY. Why does this move work, why does it work over other moves, why is it defeated by other moves. Knowing why is the key to greatness. Its also been said anyone who is a master at anything in life, usually can become masters at other things in their lives. It takes a certain fortitude, a certain attention to detail a certain psychotic need to know why things work the way they do. only thru the Why can we ever begin to understand the how what when, and who.. Great Post!!

]]> By: Alex Shalman http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-131552 Alex Shalman Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:38:46 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-131552 @PG - I can just as easily say that being over-prepared can save someones life. I would rather have CPR performed on me by an EMT who has been well trained and done it a million times than a random guy who was forced to sit through a CPR class dragging their feet the whole time. I think much of success is about doing more than is expected of you. If you do the 'average', you'll get the average results of the average person. @PG – I can just as easily say that being over-prepared can save someones life. I would rather have CPR performed on me by an EMT who has been well trained and done it a million times than a random guy who was forced to sit through a CPR class dragging their feet the whole time.

I think much of success is about doing more than is expected of you. If you do the ‘average’, you’ll get the average results of the average person.

]]> By: Positive Gangsta http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-131515 Positive Gangsta Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:47:34 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-131515 Overkill can kill. I think taking things in stride step by step is the best way to get to your dreams!. Overkill can kill. I think taking things in stride step by step is the best way to get to your dreams!.

]]> By: Alex Shalman http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-131471 Alex Shalman Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:28:47 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-131471 @Ralph - I'm going to be taking those one or two shots all the way to graduation. @Avil - I let everything in life teach me. Everything has a lesson. @Giorgio - Hmm... astronaut huh? Perhaps I'll be the first dentist in outer space. :) @Ralph – I’m going to be taking those one or two shots all the way to graduation.

@Avil – I let everything in life teach me. Everything has a lesson.

@Giorgio – Hmm… astronaut huh? Perhaps I’ll be the first dentist in outer space. :)

]]> By: Giorgio Sironi http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-131470 Giorgio Sironi Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:25:58 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-131470 Imho when you're studying in university overkill is a good thing... If you are passionate about your career you want to be a great doctor/astronaut and not a mediocre one. Besides that, simply memorizing like a parrot would do it's not useful. :) Imho when you’re studying in university overkill is a good thing… If you are passionate about your career you want to be a great doctor/astronaut and not a mediocre one. Besides that, simply memorizing like a parrot would do it’s not useful. :)

]]> By: Avil Beckford http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-131416 Avil Beckford Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:26:47 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-131416 Alex, I like the concept of hanging with people with an overkill philosophy, it's brilliant. It's amazing how we can draw analogies from all aspects of our lives. Alex, I like the concept of hanging with people with an overkill philosophy, it’s brilliant. It’s amazing how we can draw analogies from all aspects of our lives.

]]> By: Ralph http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-131402 Ralph Sat, 17 Oct 2009 21:39:34 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-131402 Alex, There is a book called Talent is Overrated that called mentioned overkill being a form of deliberate practice. When I played basketball in HS I would practice one or two specific shots over and over. I once spent an hour taking the same shot even though made it 90% if the time. You're right, you do gain confidence after doing something like that. Great Post! Alex,
There is a book called Talent is Overrated that called mentioned overkill being a form of deliberate practice. When I played basketball in HS I would practice one or two specific shots over and over. I once spent an hour taking the same shot even though made it 90% if the time.

You’re right, you do gain confidence after doing something like that. Great Post!

]]> By: Alex Shalman http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-131372 Alex Shalman Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:24:30 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-131372 @fas - that's like saying 'Everything in moderation, even moderation - sometimes you need to be extreme.' @fas – that’s like saying ‘Everything in moderation, even moderation – sometimes you need to be extreme.’

]]> By: fas http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-131370 fas Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:06:22 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-131370 Sometimes overkill is a good thing, but not always though. Sometimes overkill is a good thing, but not always though.

]]> By: Sarah Merion http://www.alexshalman.com/2009/10/17/the-art-of-overkill/comment-page-1/#comment-131353 Sarah Merion Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:47:08 +0000 http://www.alexshalman.com/?p=2195#comment-131353 Alex, this is one of my favorite articles that you've written. I like your take on the overkill. Your anaology of "Going into the test at 8 in the morning I felt like I was bringing a machine gun to a fist fight" is ingenious. Alex, this is one of my favorite articles that you’ve written. I like your take on the overkill. Your anaology of “Going into the test at 8 in the morning I felt like I was bringing a machine gun to a fist fight” is ingenious.

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