This is a clip from a full talk titled "Escaping the Local Optimum of Low Expectation": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qjA8HPJl_0

And the final piece of advice, I love that picture, okay, is to look up to the stars and appreciate every single moment you're alive at the mystery of this world, at the beauty of this world.

Again, this is my perspective, take it with a grain of salt, but I advise to forever oscillate between deep profound doubt and self-dissatisfaction and the deep gratitude for the moment, for just being alive, for all the people around you that give you their love, with whom you get to share those moments and share the love.

A poem by Stephen Crane that I especially like in the desert.

In the desert, I saw a creature, a naked bestial, who squatting upon the ground held his heart in his hands and ate of it.

But I like it, because it is bitter, and because it is my heart." So I would say the bitter is the self dissatisfaction.

That's the thing, that's the restless energy that drives us forward.

And then enjoying that bitterness and enjoying the moment and enjoying the sweetness that comes from eating your own heart in this poem is a thing that makes life worthwhile.

So with those silly few pieces of advice I'd like to continue on the gratitude and say thank you.

Thank you to this university for giving me a helping hand.

And thank you to my family and all the friends that I've had along the way.


Speaker 0: And the final piece of advice, I love that picture, okay, is to look up to the stars and appreciate every single moment you're alive at the mystery of this world, at the beauty of this world. Again, this is my perspective, take it with a grain of salt, but I advise to forever oscillate between deep profound doubt and self-dissatisfaction and the deep gratitude for the moment, for just being alive, for all the people around you that give you their love, with whom you get to share those moments and share the love. A poem by Stephen Crane that I especially like in the desert. In the desert, I saw a creature, a naked bestial, who squatting upon the ground held his heart in his hands and ate of it. I said, is it good, friend?

It is bitter. Bitter, he answered. But I like it, because it is bitter, and because it is my heart." So I would say the bitter is the self dissatisfaction. That's the thing, that's the restless energy that drives us forward. And then enjoying that bitterness and enjoying the moment and enjoying the sweetness that comes from eating your own heart in this poem is a thing that makes life worthwhile.

And that is, to me, happiness. So with those silly few pieces of advice I'd like to continue on the gratitude and say thank you. Thank you to my advisor. Thank you to this university for giving me a helping hand. There you go.

And thank you to my family and all the friends that I've had along the way. Thank you for their love. I appreciate it.

See all Lex Fridman transcripts on Youtube

Forever oscillate between dissatisfaction and gratitude