> I don't completely agree with that. People who achieve amazing things working even 16 hours a day are pretty common. I have done that many times in the past. When I did my engineering here in India. Preparing for public exams, and entrance exams- I have regularly worked on subjects like Math and Physics almost 15-17 hours a day. Most of friends who cracked the exams did the same. It happens all the time.
I disagree. I spent part of my high school in India and I have worked on Indian engineering entrance exams. They did involve extensive amount of working through problems. There was more memorizing rather than abstract problem solving. I am not convinced the amount of clear headed thinking that was needed to perform practice drills on problem sets is the same as I need when I need to design something new or write theoretical proofs.
Not that you can't go rage hard and convince yourself you can pull an all-nighter or whatever. I have only found that at the end of the day there are two results:
a) The stuff that you make is not up to spec.
b) You are tired the next day and your productivity is fucked.
> There was more memorizing rather than abstract problem solving.
FWIW, you need sleep for memorizing as well. Stuff just won't stick if you don't cement it with a good night's rest.
Cramming it all the night just before an exam does work though, I did that myself too, but I think it only worked because I already had a solid foundation. Also that will never work for "insight" type of questions, just rote memorization.
I disagree. I spent part of my high school in India and I have worked on Indian engineering entrance exams. They did involve extensive amount of working through problems. There was more memorizing rather than abstract problem solving. I am not convinced the amount of clear headed thinking that was needed to perform practice drills on problem sets is the same as I need when I need to design something new or write theoretical proofs.
Not that you can't go rage hard and convince yourself you can pull an all-nighter or whatever. I have only found that at the end of the day there are two results:
a) The stuff that you make is not up to spec.
b) You are tired the next day and your productivity is fucked.
I prefer the long race.