{"id":13619,"date":"2023-05-07T15:29:57","date_gmt":"2023-05-07T15:29:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visakanv.com\/archives\/?p=13619"},"modified":"2025-03-08T09:24:48","modified_gmt":"2025-03-08T09:24:48","slug":"ayy-players","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visakanv.com\/archives\/2023\/05\/07\/ayy-players\/","title":{"rendered":"ayy players"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

someone asked what I mean by A+ talent I personally define it as the ability to step into a situation, figure out what’s going on, identify what needs doing, figure out how to do it, and do it here’s an example from a specific domain: mysteriously winning<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m mediocre at football, but I’m an A+ talent when it comes to “playing twitter”. I know how to be in the right place at the right time to say the right thing to the right person in the right way. I cannot teach you this skill in a series of tweets, I can only demonstrate it<\/p>\n\n\n\n

playing well requires knowing the game, knowing the meta-game, knowing how to switch between meta-games as appropriate. it requires knowing yourself and understanding constraints. it also requires understanding other people. all of this requires practice, study, reflection<\/p>\n\n\n\n

wrote this (the instructions I wish i was given<\/a>) in 2017 for marketers. scanning it again, to summarize it it’s like<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. identify targets (wins)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. stay alive<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. reorient (move into position)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. accumulate upside\/advantages<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. understand constraints<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    here’s a thread about a diablo 2 speedrunner<\/a>, who imo demonstrates A+ talent<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A players will seem really lucky to others because they’re good at spotting opportunities, are well-prepared, are willing to move around and change things to take better advantage of a particular opportunity<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    all of this manifests as a dynamic resourcefulness, looks like mischief<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    maybe worth caveating that when I talk about talent etc i’m usually thinking of open-ended domains, infinite games. i dont have as much interest in “solved problems” like chess. an A player in chess might not seem mischievous, and understandbly: you cant change the rules mid-game<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    but am i saying that all mischievous people are A+ players? of course not. (if you don’t get that, your logic is bad, and that will limit your effectiveness as a player.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A+ players occupy the venn diagram intersection of mischievous and Serious. (Are you serious?<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    mayhaps we call them ayy players<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    this is the heart of philosophy, all else is commentary \ud83e\uddd0 pic.twitter.com\/7uu4B9YhpH<\/a><\/p>— Visakan Veerasamy (@visakanv) September 29, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>