The Case for Sharing Your Work in Public and the Lindy Effect

The Case for Sharing Your Work in Public and the Lindy Effect

In today's fast-paced, interconnected world, the idea of sharing your work in public has gained traction. Some studies suggest that keeping your intentions private can actually lead to a higher likelihood of accomplishing your goals. This is because when you share your goals with others, you often receive premature praise, which gives you a sense of satisfaction without actually having to put in the work. However, other studies show that sharing your progress can be beneficial in certain circumstances.

For example, sharing your weight loss progress on social media platforms like Twitter can be a great way to stay motivated. By documenting your journey and sharing it with others, you hold yourself accountable and receive support from a community of like-minded individuals. This can provide the motivation needed to continue on your path towards achieving your weight loss goals.

In his book "Show Your Work," author Austin Kleon emphasizes the importance of becoming a documentarian of what you do. By sharing your work in public, whether it's through blog posts, social media updates, or other mediums, you not only reflect on your progress but also plan your next steps. Sharing your work allows you to take a more iterative approach, ensuring that what you're working on aligns with the needs you have identified.

Furthermore, sharing your work in public exposes you to a network of information in a transparent community. By putting your ideas out there, you increase the likelihood of connecting the dots between your ideas and other people's ideas. This can lead to new insights and perspectives that may not have been possible if you were working on your own. Additionally, sharing your work can help you connect with people who are interested in a similar field or space. This can result in finding a mentor or even potential partnerships that can further enhance your work.

It's important to note that sharing your work in public should not distract you from actually doing the work. It should be done in a way that fits within your workflow and enhances your productivity and creativity. This means finding a balance between sharing and working, ensuring that the act of sharing doesn't become a hindrance to your progress.

As you begin to share your work in public, you may feel uncomfortable at first. However, with time and practice, it will become easier. Many individuals who have embraced this practice have found that once they get into the habit of sharing, it almost feels strange to work in a vacuum. The feedback and support received from the public can be incredibly motivating and inspiring.

Now, let's shift our focus to the Lindy effect. The Lindy effect is a statistical tendency for things with longer pasts to have longer futures. Although it is often associated with a declining hazard rate, it can arise even in cases with a constant or increasing hazard rate. The Lindy effect was first introduced by Benoît Mandelbrot in his book "The Fractal Geometry of Nature" and later popularized by Nassim Taleb in his book "Antifragile."

The Lindy effect suggests that the longer something has been around, the more likely it is to last. This concept can be applied to various entities, including ideas, technologies, and even human lifespans. In terms of survival analysis, the Lindy effect is closely related to the distribution's survival function, S(t), and hazard function, λ(t).

Power law distributions, which are a subset of heavy-tailed distributions, are closely connected to the Lindy effect. These distributions have a declining hazard rate over time, meaning the time needed for survival to halve keeps getting longer as time elapses. However, it's worth noting that in the latter years of our lives, the hazard rate rises exponentially. This suggests that humans may not fall into the category of perishable things with hard upper bounds on our lifespans but rather belong to the category of things with exponentially increasing hazard.

Bringing these two concepts together, we can see how sharing your work in public and embracing the Lindy effect can complement each other. By sharing your work, you not only increase the likelihood of connecting with others and gaining valuable insights but also contribute to the longevity of your work. The more exposure your work receives, the more it stands to benefit from the Lindy effect, as it becomes part of the collective knowledge and ideas of a community.

To make the most out of this combination, here are three actionable pieces of advice:

• 1. Start small but consistent: Begin by sharing snippets of your work in public, whether it's a blog post, a social media update, or a presentation. Over time, increase the frequency and depth of your sharing. Consistency is key in building an audience and establishing your presence.

• 2. Engage with your audience: Don't just share your work and move on. Take the time to engage with the people who show interest in your work. Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and foster meaningful conversations. This not only strengthens your connection with your audience but also opens up new avenues for collaboration and growth.

• 3. Be open to feedback and adapt: When you share your work in public, you invite feedback and criticism. Embrace this feedback as an opportunity for growth and improvement. Adapt your work based on the insights you receive and iterate on your ideas. This willingness to learn and evolve will not only enhance your work but also increase its chances of longevity.

In conclusion, sharing your work in public and embracing the Lindy effect can be powerful strategies for personal and professional growth. By sharing your work, you tap into the collective knowledge and ideas of a community, while also contributing to the longevity of your work. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but with time, sharing your work will become second nature, and the benefits will far outweigh any initial hesitation. So, start sharing, engage with your audience, and be open to feedback and adaptation. Your work will thank you for it.