Edit index.md — Work Reflections

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# 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.

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## 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.

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## 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

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*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).*