There are some instances where I try to solve a problem that has already been solved. Though this approach allows you to learn more about the core problem, it doesn’t necessarily help you to do the job. Earlier I used to believe it was the right way to tackle problems that was akin to solving a Differential Equation with just the knowledge of basic mathematics without the calculus part. There has to be Some Other Way, right?

The Some Other Way turns out to be more deliberate to not Re-Invent the wheel. Chamath explains this Some Other Way in an unrefined manner. It struck a chord with me when Chamath mentions that “there is not a lot of originality here”. Not all of our day jobs demand creative intensity, or else StackOverflow would have been out of business by now. So who are we kidding with this Creative Non-Chalance Talk? Back to my point, you would be much more productive if you had the right set-of tools(that have already solved their domain-specific problems) when you’re embarking on that so-called next big thing of yours.

Don’t try to solve an already-solved problem unless it is your primary pursuit. Otherwise, you would be dancing in the troughs of those Productivity hills.