16 Tech-Adjacent Quotes and Insights For Your Consideration

Good engineers perform well in their field. Great engineers know when to reach into other disciplines to create the optimum solution. -JC

As a self-employed technology writer (+ roughly 10 other jobs that help me piece together an income)¹ I have much time to think. Over the past few years I’ve been recording various pithy thoughts that I have about engineering + quotes that could be engineering and tech-applicable.

Here are 16. Hope you enjoy!

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Bruce Lee said something about being water that I’ve misquoted in my head and tuned into the subheading of this quote Image

1. A 90% completed project is worth ~0% of a completed project
   -JC, seriously get that job done!

2. Engineers aren’t taught facts, so much as how to learn. How to be comfortable and quickly become competent in a situation that they previously knew nothing about.
   -JC: Many times people assume I know something… then I figure it out

3. Anything less than the best is a felony.
   -Rob Van Winkle: AKA Vanilla Ice

4. Do excellent work, charge for excellent work.
   -JC: inspired by above, also possibly Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

5. There is no knowledge that is not power.
   -Mortal Kombat

   

   Yes, it’s “fish” not “fishes”

6. When deciding on a job or contract, consider: what you earn + what you learn + exposure and relationship potential.
   -JC

7. Just because the person is impolite, doesn’t mean he’s wrong. See beyond the insult or hurt feelings to find that kernel of truth.
   -JC, YouTube publisher

8. Criticize in such a way that the other party can accept and improve without shame or losing face.
   -JC: corollary to above

9. The better you are at something, the more you understand how many skills you lack. You may actually think you’re getting worse as you improve (See Dunning Kreuger effect). Record your early work and struggles to track your progress (e.g. my guitar progress as of several months ago).
   -JC

10. Metric time for cost estimates: double your initial estimate, then add 10%. An exaggeration? Should you use “metric time?” As usual, it depends. Do build in some fluff on your quotes to account for unforeseen circumstances!
    -Greg: a clever technician I used to work with

11. Good engineers perform well in their field. Great engineers know when to reach into other disciplines to create the optimum solution. The milling machine is a mechanical invention, EDM transcends mechanical, electrical, and physics disciplines as an incredibly precise machine.
    -JC, possibly inspired by Bruce Lee. Applies to other fields too, e.g. Dr. Michael DeBakey who developed the use of peristaltic pumps in medicine.

    

    This motivational poster by ChatGPT encourages you to do a better job on your prompts

12. Don’t be afraid to back up and punt. I.e. when you realize an idea isn’t working out, don’t keep trying to revise it into submission ad infinitum. It’s humbling and sometimes expensive, but less so than if you keep working on an ill-conceived concept.
    -Eric: early boss, business owner, incredibly talented engineer

13. If someone didn’t pay you, most likely they’re not evil. It may be a matter of communication.
    -JC: working for myself I have always gotten paid… eventually. Often it’s a matter of getting in touch with the right person and understanding their confusion. Sometimes you have to be the proverbial lubricant for the payment machine.

14. Everyone wants to be the Swami Rama, but no one wants to spend 30 years in a cave.
    -Joe Rogan(?): i.e. you may want to contract out that bit of technical mastery rather than spend the time getting good at something.²

15. Imposter syndrome is a real thing and often an impediment to progress and growth… On the other hand, no one wants to see an unlicensed surgeon.
    -JC

16. I’d rather be a hypocrite than the same person forever.
    -Ad-Rock, of the Beastie Boys: Whether in technical pursuits or in life, don’t be afraid to change your direction when the evidence or experience shows it’s time for growth.

Of course, not every YouTube comment is bad. This one made my day!

And that’s probably a good place to end this list for now. Some time ago I started recording these pithy thoughts, with the idea that they could be used on some sort of tear-off motivational/engineering desk calendar³. I have quite a few more, so if this post is well-received, perhaps I’ll put such blurbs out on an intermittent basis.

Please let me know what you think. I believe you can reply back to this email. Alternatively, ping me at hi@jeremyscook.com to say hello! Also, if you enjoy this newsletter, please consider forwarding it on to to someone(s) who you think might appreciate it. That would be… appreciated!

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Addendum/Footnotes:

1. Technically, I work for Jeremy Cook Consulting LLC.

After speaking at a “teach-in” event at my kids’ school, one of the kids asked me (later, at baseball practice) how my business worked. After the initial shock at such a question from a ~10-year-old, before realizing he’d seen me speak, I came up with something about technical writing and people paying me to make things sometimes. I then pivoted to asking him what he wanted to be, in part because I have a really hard time explaining what I do and I always feel like I’m making it up.

Actually, it was quite touching/flattering. And a reminder that we have a huge responsibility to use our influence for good. You never know who you might inspire.

2. Per Swami Rama’s Wikipedia page, you may not want to emulate that guy in all aspects of your life, even if his supposed physical abilities were rather incredible. OTOH, Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, so perhaps his yoga-rivals are talking trash… while still maintaining a controlled heart rate and presence of mind.

3. Which I seem to have lost or deleted. The Apple sticky notes things is pretty neat, but I’m not sure if there is even a way to save them… Actually, I had them saved as a document in my “Personal” folder. Modern struggle/success, yay!

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