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@harrisonqian / Work Reflections / index.md
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--- visibility: public-edit --- # work reflections distilled from real experiences — anonymized notes from a neurotech startup internship, hackathons, math competitions, coding sessions, and a lot of honest self-reflection. not polished advice. real patterns that worked, failed, or taught something. 76 pages across 13 sections. heavily interconnected — browse from any entry point. ## sources & methodology [[sources-and-methodology]] — where this content came from (IdeaFlow, Apple Notes, Obsidian, mentor conversations), how to search those sources, and what was useful. --- ## core strategies - [[zooming-out]] — stepping back from work. walks, scenery changes, thinking time. - [[resyncing]] — communication patterns. sync meetings, high-bandwidth comms, "short circuit." - [[critical-path]] — "is this critical path?" as the core prioritization question. - [[intentionality]] — the meta-skill applied to work, relationships, growth. ## work patterns - [[startup-workflow]] — weekly cadence, re-entry format, growth numbers, 80-15-5. - [[electronics-workflow]] — breadboarding → wiring → UX. - [[software-workflow]] — think first, types, iterate, then implement. - [[vibe-coding]] — AI coding reflections. rotting, context switching, trusting agents. - [[modeling]] — "all models are wrong but some are useful." - [[research-workflow]] — approaching research problems. ## mentality & inner game - [[impostor-syndrome]] — from "everyone is cooking me" to "acceleration > position." - [[perseverance]] — staying when things are cooked. - [[narratives]] — how framing affects motivation. - [[resets]] — reset options by emotional/physical state. - [[gratitude-and-appreciation]] — gratitude as a tool. ## team & relationships - [[team-dynamics]] — bandwidth in comms, "assume no ill will." - [[relationship-repair]] — deliberate walks to fix friction. - [[feedback-and-honesty]] — "tell them how im feeling, dont ask for anything, keep working." ## meta - [[operation-optimization]] — periodically optimizing how you operate. --- ## mentorship lessons from 30+ mentor conversations, anonymized. - [[agency-talk]] — the pivotal "take agency" conversation - [[pattern-recognition]] — how mentors spot what you cant see - [[asking-good-questions]] — extracting value from conversations - [[the-stocks-metaphor]] — acceleration > position, growth compounds - [[disagreeing-productively]] — "disagree and commit", being forceful ## things that worked positive patterns extracted from weekly reflections. not evolution — just wins. - [[morning-routines]] — morning patterns that produced good days - [[energy-hacks]] — specific boosts for energy and focus - [[social-wins]] — relationship strategies that worked - [[work-sessions]] — patterns of productive sessions - [[mindset-shifts]] — moments where mindset change unlocked performance ## research notes technical workflows from a neurotech internship. - [[signal-processing-workflow]] — EEG pipeline - [[debugging-hardware]] — binary search debugging hardware - [[reading-papers]] — extracting value from academic papers - [[experiment-design]] — designing tests, iterating, ensuring robustness - [[emotions-and-work]] — when emotions cloud work ## strategies distilled from 100+ IdeaFlow entries. - [[prioritization]] — raise or fold, the yes-brain mistake - [[habit-formation]] — identity approach, trigger-response - [[learning-from-experience]] — the reflection engine - [[framing-and-narrative]] — reframes, the articulation effect - [[social-strategy]] — graph search, mutual growth model ## inner work Joe Hudson / Art of Accomplishment influenced. ## learning science how learning actually works. - [[spaced-repetition]] — Ebbinghaus, Mochi, natural spacing - [[the-testing-effect]] — retrieval practice > re-reading - [[building-to-learn]] — learn by building, not studying - [[transfer]] — how skills transfer between domains ## flow & deep work getting into and maintaining focus. - [[monotony-and-creativity]] — 80-15-5 rule - [[distraction-management]] — AI rotting, escape ladders - [[energy-cycles]] — ultradian rhythms, 90-min blocks ## decision-making frameworks for choosing what to do. - [[reversible-vs-irreversible]] — type 1 vs type 2 decisions - [[regret-minimization]] — 80-year-old self test - [[fomo-trap]] — FOMO is position, not growth - [[sunk-cost-and-quitting]] — when to keep going vs quit - [[information-gathering]] — how much research before deciding ## sleep & energy managing the physical substrate. - [[circadian-rhythm]] — light, meals, temperature - [[food-and-focus]] — food comas, the ~7pm cutoff - [[exercise-as-reset]] — exercise as most reliable reset - [[napping-and-recovery]] — strategic napping, breathwork ## math problem-solving from math modeling competitions and physics. - [[problem-framing]] — choosing the right abstraction level - [[monte-carlo-and-simulation]] — when to simulate vs solve - [[estimation-and-sanity-checks]] — Fermi estimation - [[competition-strategy]] — time management, problem selection - [[mathematical-writing]] — writing modeling papers ## debugging the meta-skill. harrison's favorite topic. - [[the-30-hour-bug]] — one line fix after 30 hours - [[binary-search-your-life]] — debugging as life meta-skill - [[hardware-vs-software]] — can't printf a circuit - [[rubber-duck-and-zoom-out]] — explaining reveals answers - [[assumptions-kill]] — every long session has a wrong assumption ## writing as thinking writing discovers what you think. - [[writing-to-understand]] — writing as debugging for thought - [[the-reflection-gap]] — insight without action - [[articulation-as-memory]] — naming patterns makes them usable - [[public-vs-private]] — honesty vs clarity tradeoff - [[journaling-systems]] — what works and what doesn't ## from obsidian older reflections that still resonate. - [[before-the-awakening]] — pre-startup self-reflection - [[compiled-advice]] — accumulated wisdom --- *published notes on [moonflowers.xyz](https://www.moonflowers.xyz/notes) — especially [on modeling](https://www.moonflowers.xyz/notes/mDl1nG_N0t3-on-modeling), [operation big items](https://www.moonflowers.xyz/notes/YWtzu4HKbA-operation-big-items), [reset options](https://www.moonflowers.xyz/notes/reset_options), and [on optimized learning](https://www.moonflowers.xyz/notes/mWCmDjrZH--a-note-on-optimized-learning).*