Futwork

First Employee: My Journey From Solopreneur to Entrepreneur

Introduction This is my consistent coding for the past year 👨🏻‍💻 https://twitter.com/Dhanush_Nehru/status/1741475660978397453?embedable=true Additionally, I discovered that I was one among 0.4% of consistent coders on Leetcode 🧠 https://twitter.com/Dhanush_Nehru/status/1735666289027227690?embedable=true Mastering Consistency How was I so consistent? Here’s how I did it, I just enjoy coding and problem solving, so I thought of doing something better than my 100 Days Of Code Challenge, so I chose to do a 365 Day of Leetcode Challenge. “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” — Confucius . I love to solve problems, and my interest and passion for problem-solving made it a habit to face a new problem and solve it without any motivation. “Every man is divine and strong in his real nature. What are weak and evil are his habits, his desires, and thoughts, but not himself.” — Swami Vivekananda. Similar to how we do our daily tasks, problem-solving has become a habit for me without much pressure or inspiration. “First we make our habits, and then our habits make us.” — John Dryden. Similar to how you go to the gym and exercise and maintain your health, it is necessary to train your brain as well as the ability to code. “Programming is a journey, not a destination. The code you write today is not the code you will write tomorrow.” — Unknown. Consistency is an art. It was hard for me to be consistent a few years back, so in order to master consistency as a goal, I did this challenge. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently.” — Tony Robbins . Mistakes to Avoid Here are a few mistakes that you can avoid while doing leetcode, We generally force ourselves to get the solution anyway, and once we see the solution, we feel bad about ourselves, and all the negative self-talk comes into play. But, most people do not understand that you must know the basics first before solving that particular problem. How can you expect yourself to play chess well if you don’t know how the coins move? Clear your fundamentals/syntax of whatever programming language, then push yourself to solve the problem. Build your foundation first: You should start valuing your efforts rather than getting the solution. Problem-solving skills are developed in those 30 minutes of fighting with the problem to get the solution. Sometimes, when you are not able to get the solution on the initial days, it is okay to look into the solutions by others, but it should not be a regular practice. Getting to the solution is not everything: Pick up a pen and paper, try to think of all the possible solutions, and focus on building up the solution. Start with the smallest example, try to come up with a solution, and then optimize it with edge case scenarios, etc. Don’t code in your head: There are more than 2000+ problems on Leetcode, and you don’t need to solve all of them. I just coded it as a matter of consistency. However, you need not solve every single problem every day if you want to improve your problem-solving. Concepts are limited. Problems are infinite: Even if I could solve the problem on my own, I always go to the comment section and quickly scan over superior solutions. You may not be aware of how many more effective approaches and viewpoints there are to solving the same issue. Also, I have done many open sources, so it has helped me to view others co’ code in a better way. Read other’s code: Establish a timer for each task; the breakdown is as follows: easy tasks take around 15 minutes, medium tasks take about 30 minutes, and hard tasks take about 45 minutes. Try not to enjoy the moment of finding the answer right away. Always time yourself: No matter how many questions you solve in the contest, show up every time. Once you show up, you have completed the hardest part. Don’t care about ratings: After the contest try to solve the questions without any time limit, if you don’t get it then check other’s solutions understand what they have done, read about that particular topic, and solve it back again using the specific knowledge. Up-solve the contest questions again: I have answered many more questions about my journey in the video below. Do watch, like, to show your support 🙏🏻 subscribe to my channel “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” — Albert Einstein. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-hDaEU8smE&embedable=true In the end, it doesn’t matter how smart or dumb or lucky you are, if you are consistent enough you can outwork all the people you think are talented or smarter than you. Also, life is not something that happens on weekends. It is something that happens every single day. A Big Thank You 🙏🏻 If you’ve made it this far, thank you! If you love this post, please give a like as a sort of encouragement and also share this post on social media, which would benefit others. Connect ⬇️ / / / / Twitter Instagram Github Youtube Newsletter Also published . here

Reflecting on My Year of Consistent Leetcode Practice and Mistakes to Avoid

On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures by Charles Babbage is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . On a New System of Manufacturing here Chapter 26. On a New System of Manufacturing A most erroneous and unfortunate opinion prevails amongst workmen in many manufacturing countries, that their own interest and that of their employers are at variance. The consequences are that valuable machinery is sometimes neglected, and even privately injured—that new improvements, introduced by the masters, do not receive a fair trial—and that the talents and observations of the workmen are not directed to the improvement of the processes in which they are employed. This error is, perhaps, most prevalent where the establishment of manufactories has been of recent origin, and where the number of persons employed in them is not very large: thus, in some of the Prussian provinces on the Rhine it prevails to a much greater extent than in Lancashire. Perhaps its diminished prevalence in our own manufacturing districts, arises partly from the superior information spread amongst the workmen; and partly from the frequent example of persons, who by good conduct and an attention to the interests of their employers for a series of years, have become foremen, or who have ultimately been admitted into advantageous partnerships. Convinced as I am, from my own observation, that the prosperity and success of the master manufacturer is essential to the welfare of the workman, I am yet compelled to admit that this connection is, in many cases, too remote to be always understood by the latter, and whilst it is perfectly true that workmen, as a class, derive advantage from the prosperity of their employers, I do not think that each individual partakes of that advantage exactly in proportion to the extent to which he contributes towards it; nor do I perceive that the resulting advantage is as immediate as it might become under a different system. It would be of great importance, if, in every large establishment the mode of payment could be so arranged, that every person employed should derive advantage from the success of the whole; and that the profits of each individual should advance, as the factory itself produced profit, without the necessity of making any change in the wages. This is by no means easy to effect, particularly amongst that class whose daily labour procures for them their daily food. The system which has long been pursued in working the Cornish mines, although not exactly fulfilling these conditions, yet possesses advantages which make it worthy of attention, as having nearly approached towards them, and as tending to render fully effective the faculties of all who are engaged in it. I am the more strongly induced to place before the reader a short sketch of this system, because its similarity to that which I shall afterwards recommend for trial, will perhaps remove some objections to the latter, and may also furnish some valuable hints for conducting any experiment which might be undertaken. In the mines of Cornwall, almost the whole of the operations, both above and below ground, are contracted for. The manner of making the contract is nearly as follows. At the end of every two months, the work which it is proposed to carry on during the next period is marked out. It is of three kinds. 1. Tutwork, which consists in sinking shafts, driving levels, and making excavations: this is paid for by the fathom in depth, or in length, or by the cubic fathom. 2. Tribute, which is payment for raising and dressing the ore, by means of a certain part of its value when rendered merchantable. It is this mode of payment which produces such admirable effects. The miners, who are to be paid in proportion to the richness of the vein, and the quantity of metal extracted from it, naturally become quicksighted in the discovery of ore, and in estimating its value; and it is their interest to avail themselves of every improvement that can bring it more cheaply to market. 3. Dressing. The 'Tributors', who dig and dress the ore, can seldom afford to dress the coarser parts of what they raise, at their contract price; this portion, therefore, is again let out to other persons, who agree to dress it at an advanced price. The lots of ore to be dressed, and the works to be carried on, having been marked out some days before, and having been examined by the men, a kind of auction is held by the captains of the mine, in which each lot is put up, and bid for by different gangs of men. The work is then offered, at a price usually below that bid at the auction, to the lowest bidder, who rarely declines it at the rate proposed. The tribute is a certain sum out of every twenty shillings' worth of ore raised, and may vary from threepence to fourteen or fifteen shillings. The rate of earnings in tribute is very uncertain: if a vein, which was poor when taken, becomes rich, the men earn money rapidly; and instances have occurred in which each miner of a gang has gained a hundred pounds in the two months. These extraordinary cases, are, perhaps, of more advantage to the owners of the mine than even to the men; for whilst the skill and industry of the workmen are greatly stimulated, the owner himself always derives still greater advantage from the improvement of the vein.(1*) This system has been introduced, by Mr Taylor, into the lead mines of Flintshire, into those at Skipton in Yorkshire, and into some of the copper mines of Cumberland; and it is desirable that it should become general, because no other mode of payment affords to the workmen a measure of success so directly proportioned to the industry, the integrity, and the talent, which they exert. I shall now present the outline of a system which appears to me to be pregnant with the most important results, both to the class of workmen and to the country at large; and which, if acted upon, would, in my opinion, permanently raise the working classes, and greatly extend the manufacturing system. The general principles on which the proposed system is founded, are That a considerable part of the wages received by each person employed should depend on the profits made by the establishment; and, That every person connected with it should derive more advantage from applying any improvement he might discover, to the factory in which he is employed, than he could by any other course. 309. It would be difficult to prevail on the large capitalist to enter upon any system, which would change the division of the profits arising from the employment of his capital in setting skill and labour in action; any alteration, therefore, must be expected rather from the small capitalist, or from the higher class of workmen, who combine the two characters; and to these latter classes, whose welfare will be first affected, the change is most important. I shall therefore first point out the course to be pursued in making the experiment; and then, taking a particular branch of trade as an illustration, I shall examine the merits and defects of the proposed system as applied to it. 310. Let us suppose, in some large manufacturing town, ten or twelve of the most intelligent and skilful workmen to unite, whose characters for sobriety and steadiness are good, and are well known among their own class. Such persons will each possess some small portion of capital; and let them join with one or two others who have raised themselves into the class of small master manufacturers, and, therefore possess rather a larger portion of capital. Let these persons, after well considering the subject, agree to establish a manufactory of fire-irons and fenders; and let us suppose that each of the ten workmen can command forty pounds, and each of the small capitalists possesses two hundred pounds: thus they have a capital of L800 with which to commence business; and, for the sake of simplifying, let us further suppose the labour of each of these twelve persons to be worth two pounds a week. One portion of their capital will be expended in procuring the tools necessary for their trade, which we shall take at L400, and this must be considered as their fixed capital. The remaining L400 must be employed as circulating capital, in purchasing the iron with which their articles are made, in paying the rent of their workshops, and in supporting themselves and their families until some portion of it is replaced by the sale of the goods produced. 311. Now the first question to be settled is, what proportion of the profit should be allowed for the use of capital, and what for skill and labour? It does not seem possible to decide this question by any abstract reasoning: if the capital supplied by each partner is equal, all difficulty will be removed; if otherwise, the proportion must be left to find its level, and will be discovered by experience; and it is probable that it will not fluctuate much. Let us suppose it to be agreed that the capital of L800 shall receive the wages of one workman. At the end of each week every workman is to receive one pound as wages, and one pound is to be divided amongst the owners of the capital. After a few weeks the returns will begin to come in; and they will soon become nearly uniform. Accurate accounts should be kept of every expense and of all the sales; and at the end of each week the profit should be divided. A certain portion should be laid aside as a reserved fund, another portion for repair of the tools, and the remainder being divided into thirteen parts, one of these parts would be divided amongst the capitalists and one belong to each workman. Thus each man would, in ordinary circumstances, make up his usual wages of two pounds weekly. If the factory went on prosperously, the wages of the men would increase; if the sales fell off they would be diminished. It is important that every person employed in the establishment, whatever might be the amount paid for his services, whether he act as labourer or porter, as the clerk who keeps the accounts, or as bookkeeper employed for a few hours once a week to superintend them, should receive one half of what his service is worth in fixed salary, the other part varying with the success of the undertaking. 312. In such a factory, of course, division of labour would be introduced: some of the workmen would be constantly employed in forging the fire-irons, others in polishing them, others in piercing and forming the fenders. It would be essential that the time occupied in each process, and also its expense, should be well ascertained; information which would soon be obtained very precisely. Now, if a workman should find a mode of shortening any of the processes, he would confer a benefit on the whole party, even if they received but a small part of the resulting profit. For the promotion of such discoveries, it would be desirable that those who make them should either receive some reward, to be determined after a sufficient trial by a committee assembling periodically; or if they be of high importance, that the discoverer should receive one-half, or twothirds, of the profit resulting from them during the next year, or some other determinate period, as might be found expedient. As the advantages of such improvements would be clear gain to the factory, it is obvious that such a share might be allowed to the inventor, that it would be for his interest rather to give the benefit of them to his partners, than to dispose of them in any other way. 313. The result of such arrangements in a factory would be, That every person engaged in it would have a direct interest in its prosperity; since the effect of any success, or falling off, would almost immediately produce a corresponding change in his own weekly receipts. Every person concerned in the factory would have an immediate interest in preventing any waste or mismanagement in all the departments. The talents of all connected with it would be strongly directed to its improvement in every department. None but workmen of high character and qualifications could obtain admission into such establishments; because when any additional hands were required, it would be the common interest of all to admit only the most respectable and skilful; and it would be far less easy to impose upon a dozen workmen than upon the single proprietor of a factory. When any circumstance produced a glut in the market, more skill would be directed to diminishing the cost of production; and a portion of the time of the men might then be occupied in repairing and improving their tools, for which a reserved fund would pay, thus checking present, and at the same time facilitating future production. Another advantage, of no small importance, would be the total removal of all real or imaginary causes for combinations. The workmen and the capitalist would so shade into each other— would so evidently have a common interest, and their difficulties and distresses would be mutually so well understood that, instead of combining to oppress one another, the only combination which could exist would be a most powerful union between both parties to overcome their common difficulties. 314. One of the difficulties attending such a system is, that capitalists would at first fear to embark in it, imagining that the workmen would receive too large a share of the profits: and it is quite true that the workmen would have a larger share than at present: but, at the same time, it is presumed the effect of the whole system would be, that the total profits of the establishment being much increased, the smaller proportion allowed to capital under this system would yet be greater in actual amount, than that which results to it from the larger share in the system now existing. 315. It is possible that the present laws relating to partnerships might interfere with factories so conducted. If this interference could not be obviated by confining their purchases under the proposed system to ready money, it would be desirable to consider what changes in the law would be necessary to its existence: and this furnishes another reason for entering into the question of limited partnerships. 316. A difficulty would occur also in discharging workmen who behaved ill, or who were not competent to their work; this would arise from their having a certain interest in the reserved fund, and, perhaps, from their possessing a certain portion of the capital employed; but without entering into detail, it may be observed, that such cases might be determined on by meetings of the whole establishment; and that if the policy of the laws favoured such establishments, it would scarcely be more difficult to enforce just regulations, than it now is to enforce some which are unjust, by means of combinations either amongst the masters or the men. 317. Some approach to this system is already practised in several trades: the mode of conducting the Cornish mines has already been alluded to; the payment to the crew of whaling ships is governed by this principle; the profits arising from fishing with nets on the south coast of England are thus divided: one-half the produce belongs to the owner of the boat and net; the other half is divided in equal portions between the persons using it, who are also bound to assist in repairing the net when injured. NOTES: For a detailed account of the method of working the Cornish mines, see a paper of Mr John Taylor's Transactions of the Geological Society, vol. ii, p. 309. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Charles Babbage (2003). On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/4238/pg4238.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

On a New System of Manufacturing

Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc — Volume 1 by Mark Twain, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . How Joan Took Jargeau here How Joan Took Jargeau WE MADE a gallant show next day when we filed out through the frowning gates of Orleans, with banners flying and Joan and the Grand Staff in the van of the long column. Those two young De Lavals were come now, and were joined to the Grand Staff. Which was well; war being their proper trade, for they were grandsons of that illustrious fighter Bertrand du Guesclin, Constable of France in earlier days. Louis de Bourbon, the Marshal de Rais, and the Vidame de Chartres were added also. We had a right to feel a little uneasy, for we knew that a force of five thousand men was on its way under Sir John Fastolfe to reinforce Jargeau, but I think we were not uneasy, nevertheless. In truth, that force was not yet in our neighborhood. Sir John was loitering; for some reason or other he was not hurrying. He was losing precious time—four days at Etampes, and four more at Janville. We reached Jargeau and began business at once. Joan sent forward a heavy force which hurled itself against the outworks in handsome style, and gained a footing and fought hard to keep it; but it presently began to fall back before a sortie from the city. Seeing this, Joan raised her battle-cry and led a new assault herself under a furious artillery fire. The Paladin was struck down at her side wounded, but she snatched her standard from his failing hand and plunged on through the ruck of flying missiles, cheering her men with encouraging cries; and then for a good time one had turmoil, and clash of steel, and collision and confusion of struggling multitudes, and the hoarse bellowing of the guns; and then the hiding of it all under a rolling firmament of smoke—a firmament through which veiled vacancies appeared for a moment now and then, giving fitful dim glimpses of the wild tragedy enacting beyond; and always at these times one caught sight of that slight figure in white mail which was the center and soul of our hope and trust, and whenever we saw that, with its back to us and its face to the fight, we knew that all was well. At last a great shout went up—a joyous roar of shoutings, in fact—and that was sign sufficient that the faubourgs were ours. Yes, they were ours; the enemy had been driven back within the walls. On the ground which Joan had won we camped; for night was coming on. Joan sent a summons to the English, promising that if they surrendered she would allow them to go in peace and take their horses with them. Nobody knew that she could take that strong place, but she knew it—knew it well; yet she offered that grace—offered it in a time when such a thing was unknown in war; in a time when it was custom and usage to massacre the garrison and the inhabitants of captured cities without pity or compunction—yes, even to the harmless women and children sometimes. There are neighbors all about you who well remember the unspeakable atrocities which Charles the Bold inflicted upon the men and women and children of Dinant when he took that place some years ago. It was a unique and kindly grace which Joan offered that garrison; but that was her way, that was her loving and merciful nature—she always did her best to save her enemy’s life and his soldierly pride when she had the mastery of him. The English asked fifteen days’ armistice to consider the proposal in. And Fastolfe coming with five thousand men! Joan said no. But she offered another grace: they might take both their horses and their side-arms—but they must go within the hour. Well, those bronzed English veterans were pretty hard-headed folk. They declined again. Then Joan gave command that her army be made ready to move to the assault at nine in the morning. Considering the deal of marching and fighting which the men had done that day, D’Alencon thought the hour rather early; but Joan said it was best so, and so must be obeyed. Then she burst out with one of those enthusiasms which were always burning in her when battle was imminent, and said: “Work! work! and God will work with us!” Yes, one might say that her motto was “Work! stick to it; keep on working!” for in war she never knew what indolence was. And whoever will take that motto and live by it will likely to succeed. There’s many a way to win in this world, but none of them is worth much without good hard work back out of it. I think we should have lost our big Standard-Bearer that day, if our bigger Dwarf had not been at hand to bring him out of the melee when he was wounded. He was unconscious, and would have been trampled to death by our own horse, if the Dwarf had not promptly rescued him and haled him to the rear and safety. He recovered, and was himself again after two or three hours; and then he was happy and proud, and made the most of his wound, and went swaggering around in his bandages showing off like an innocent big-child—which was just what he was. He was prouder of being wounded than a really modest person would be of being killed. But there was no harm in his vanity, and nobody minded it. He said he was hit by a stone from a catapult—a stone the size of a man’s head. But the stone grew, of course. Before he got through with it he was claiming that the enemy had flung a building at him. “Let him alone,” said Noel Rainguesson. “Don’t interrupt his processes. To-morrow it will be a cathedral.” He said that privately. And, sure enough, to-morrow it was a cathedral. I never saw anybody with such an abandoned imagination. Joan was abroad at the crack of dawn, galloping here and there and yonder, examining the situation minutely, and choosing what she considered the most effective positions for her artillery; and with such accurate judgment did she place her guns that her Lieutenant-General’s admiration of it still survived in his memory when his testimony was taken at the Rehabilitation, a quarter of a century later. In this testimony the Duke d’Alencon said that at Jargeau that morning of the 12th of June she made her dispositions not like a novice, but “with the sure and clear judgment of a trained general of twenty or thirty years’ experience.” The veteran captains of the armies of France said she was great in war in all ways, but greatest of all in her genius for posting and handling artillery. Who taught the shepherd-girl to do these marvels—she who could not read, and had had no opportunity to study the complex arts of war? I do not know any way to solve such a baffling riddle as that, there being no precedent for it, nothing in history to compare it with and examine it by. For in history there is no great general, however gifted, who arrived at success otherwise than through able teaching and hard study and some experience. It is a riddle which will never be guessed. I think these vast powers and capacities were born in her, and that she applied them by an intuition which could not err. At eight o’clock all movement ceased, and with it all sounds, all noise. A mute expectancy reigned. The stillness was something awful—because it meant so much. There was no air stirring. The flags on the towers and ramparts hung straight down like tassels. Wherever one saw a person, that person had stopped what he was doing, and was in a waiting attitude, a listening attitude. We were on a commanding spot, clustered around Joan. Not far from us, on every hand, were the lanes and humble dwellings of these outlying suburbs. Many people were visible—all were listening, not one was moving. A man had placed a nail; he was about to fasten something with it to the door-post of his shop—but he had stopped. There was his hand reaching up holding the nail; and there was his other hand in the act of striking with the hammer; but he had forgotten everything—his head was turned aside listening. Even children unconsciously stopped in their play; I saw a little boy with his hoop-stick pointed slanting toward the ground in the act of steering the hoop around the corner; and so he had stopped and was listening—the hoop was rolling away, doing its own steering. I saw a young girl prettily framed in an open window, a watering-pot in her hand and window-boxes of red flowers under its spout—but the water had ceased to flow; the girl was listening. Everywhere were these impressive petrified forms; and everywhere was suspended movement and that awful stillness. Joan of Arc raised her sword in the air. At the signal, the silence was torn to rags; cannon after cannon vomited flames and smoke and delivered its quaking thunders; and we saw answering tongues of fire dart from the towers and walls of the city, accompanied by answering deep thunders, and in a minute the walls and the towers disappeared, and in their place stood vast banks and pyramids of snowy smoke, motionless in the dead air. The startled girl dropped her watering-pot and clasped her hands together, and at that moment a stone cannon-ball crashed through her fair body. The great artillery duel went on, each side hammering away with all its might; and it was splendid for smoke and noise, and most exalting to one’s spirits. The poor little town around about us suffered cruelly. The cannon-balls tore through its slight buildings, wrecking them as if they had been built of cards; and every moment or two one would see a huge rock come curving through the upper air above the smoke-clouds and go plunging down through the roofs. Fire broke out, and columns of flame and smoke rose toward the sky. Presently the artillery concussions changed the weather. The sky became overcast, and a strong wind rose and blew away the smoke that hid the English fortresses. Then the spectacle was fine; turreted gray walls and towers, and streaming bright flags, and jets of red fire and gushes of white smoke in long rows, all standing out with sharp vividness against the deep leaden background of the sky; and then the whizzing missiles began to knock up the dirt all around us, and I felt no more interest in the scenery. There was one English gun that was getting our position down finer and finer all the time. Presently Joan pointed to it and said: “Fair duke, step out of your tracks, or that machine will kill you.” The Duke d’Alencon did as he was bid; but Monsieur du Lude rashly took his place, and that cannon tore his head off in a moment. Joan was watching all along for the right time to order the assault. At last, about nine o’clock, she cried out: “Now—to the assault!” and the buglers blew the charge. Instantly we saw the body of men that had been appointed to this service move forward toward a point where the concentrated fire of our guns had crumbled the upper half of a broad stretch of wall to ruins; we saw this force descend into the ditch and begin to plant the scaling-ladders. We were soon with them. The Lieutenant-General thought the assault premature. But Joan said: “Ah, gentle duke, are you afraid? Do you not know that I have promised to send you home safe?” It was warm work in the ditches. The walls were crowded with men, and they poured avalanches of stones down upon us. There was one gigantic Englishman who did us more hurt than any dozen of his brethren. He always dominated the places easiest of assault, and flung down exceedingly troublesome big stones which smashed men and ladders both—then he would near burst himself with laughing over what he had done. But the duke settled accounts with him. He went and found the famous cannoneer, Jean le Lorrain, and said: “Train your gun—kill me this demon.” He did it with the first shot. He hit the Englishman fair in the breast and knocked him backward into the city. The enemy’s resistance was so effective and so stubborn that our people began to show signs of doubt and dismay. Seeing this, Joan raised her inspiring battle-cry and descended into the fosse herself, the Dwarf helping her and the Paladin sticking bravely at her side with the standard. She started up a scaling-ladder, but a great stone flung from above came crashing down upon her helmet and stretched her, wounded and stunned, upon the ground. But only for a moment. The Dwarf stood her upon her feet, and straightway she started up the ladder again, crying: “To the assault, friends, to the assault—the English are ours! It is the appointed hour!” There was a grand rush, and a fierce roar of war-cries, and we swarmed over the ramparts like ants. The garrison fled, we pursued; Jargeau was ours! The Earl of Suffolk was hemmed in and surrounded, and the Duke d’Alencon and the Bastard of Orleans demanded that he surrender himself. But he was a proud nobleman and came of a proud race. He refused to yield his sword to subordinates, saying: “I will die rather. I will surrender to the Maid of Orleans alone, and to no other.” And so he did; and was courteously and honorably used by her. His two brothers retreated, fighting step by step, toward the bridge, we pressing their despairing forces and cutting them down by scores. Arrived on the bridge, the slaughter still continued. Alexander de la Pole was pushed overboard or fell over, and was drowned. Eleven hundred men had fallen; John de la Pole decided to give up the struggle. But he was nearly as proud and particular as his brother of Suffolk as to whom he would surrender to. The French officer nearest at hand was Guillaume Renault, who was pressing him closely. Sir John said to him: “Are you a gentleman?” “Yes.” “And a knight?” “No.” Then Sir John knighted him himself there on the bridge, giving him the accolade with English coolness and tranquillity in the midst of that storm of slaughter and mutilation; and then bowing with high courtesy took the sword by the blade and laid the hilt of it in the man’s hand in token of surrender. Ah, yes, a proud tribe, those De la Poles. It was a grand day, a memorable day, a most splendid victory. We had a crowd of prisoners, but Joan would not allow them to be hurt. We took them with us and marched into Orleans next day through the usual tempest of welcome and joy. And this time there was a new tribute to our leader. From everywhere in the packed streets the new recruits squeezed their way to her side to touch the sword of Joan of Arc, and draw from it somewhat of that mysterious quality which made it invincible. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Mark Twain (2004). Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc — Volume 1. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2874/pg2874-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

How Joan Took Jargeau

Ever wondered what it takes to level up in your career? Well, you're not alone. We've all been there - stuck in the middle, eyeing the coveted senior role but unsure how to navigate the journey. What if I told you it's not just about accumulating years of experience or outworking your peers? There's an often overlooked yet crucial trait that distinguishes those who successfully transition from mid to senior roles: coachability. Imagine you're trying to climb a mountain. How can you reach the summit if you resist guidance from those who've already completed the ascent? Being open to coaching enables you to learn from others' expertise and accelerate your own development. But how can you become coachable? Let's work on that together. What do you say? The Foundation of Coachability: Willingness to Learn and Adapt Coachability begins with a genuine willingness to learn and adapt. This means shedding any ego or defensiveness that may prevent you from being open to feedback. It's about recognizing that there's always room for improvement, regardless of how skilled or experienced you may be. Coachable individuals have a growth mindset - they see every feedback or failure as a learning opportunity. Mastering Self-Reflection: Knowing Your Strengths and Weaknesses Being coachable also means being self-aware. It's about understanding your strengths and weaknesses and being honest about them. Regular self-reflection allows you to identify areas where you need help or improvement. This way, you can proactively seek feedback and coaching to develop in these areas. Understanding Management Styles and Adjusting Accordingly Every manager has a different style. Some may provide frequent feedback, while others may be more hands-off. Understanding your manager's style and adjusting your approach accordingly is key to being coachable. It's about meeting them halfway and ensuring that their coaching style aligns with your learning needs. Building a Strong Relationship With Your Mentor Having a strong relationship with your mentor is crucial for effective coaching. It's not just about being open to their feedback; it's about actively seeking their advice and guidance. Establishing a relationship based on trust and respect can enhance the effectiveness of their coaching, accelerating your professional development. Goal Setting and Accountability With Your Mentor Lastly, being coachable means being accountable. It's about setting clear and realistic goals with your mentor and being responsible for achieving them. This involves regularly checking in on your progress, reflecting on your challenges, and adjusting your strategies as necessary. It's about demonstrating that you can take ownership of your development and make consistent progress toward your goals. In the journey from mid to senior level, technical skills alone won't cut it. Developing soft skills, such as coachability, is just as important. So, the next time you receive feedback, remember: it's an opportunity to learn, improve, and accelerate your journey to the top.

From Mid to Senior: Let Them Know You're Coachable

Elon Musk and Google’s Larry Page shook hands over a $6 billion deal as they hoped to save Tesla. But a miracle happened elsewhere. Today, Tesla has over $820.25 billion in market cap ( ) with over 1.91 million vehicles produced. it once peaked at $1.23 trillion in 2021 Tesla’s success story has always been attributed to Musk’s money, marketing savvy, chicanery, engineering smarts, and indomitable spirit. While this is true, its unchanging principles brought its success. How did a company on the brink of falling apart become so successful? Sticking to the Plan ; Elon Musk clearly stated the company’s mission in a 2013 company post Elon wrote: “Our goal when we created Tesla a decade ago was the same as it is today: to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport by bringing compelling mass-market electric cars to market as soon as possible.” But years before his 2013 post, the company almost compromised. Since 2007, the US Government has been willing to invest in clean energy rather than fossil fuel. Climate change and reducing the country’s dependence on oil were the reasons for this loan. O’Connell drafted an application for a Department of Energy stimulus package on Tesla’s behalf. They secured $465 million. But things could have been different. In 2008, Tesla almost went hybrid. After Fisker launched his Fisker Karma, Tesla contemplated doing hybrid cars but was put off when they ran cost and performance metrics. In Straubel's words, he said, “It would be expensive, and the performance would not be as good as the all-electric car.” “We would have been betting against everything we believe in, like the power electronics and batteries improving. We decided to put all the effort into going where we think the endpoint is and never to look back.” Tesla needed a massive investment in 2010, and securing the loan was a turning point. Things could have been different if they had gone hybrid two years before. The simple decision to stick to its business plan with no compromise preserved it. Team Musk is a great leader, but greater is he at selecting the right team. He combines a team of engineers and sales so well. His team works tirelessly, trying to beat his unrealistic deadlines for a seemingly impossible vehicle. Amidst the mockery and scorn, they held their belief. Faced with the history of the electric cars' failures, they were eager to create a story. Tesla would hire smart people who could outwork and outthink every obstacle. Like Steve Jobs to John Scully, Musk sold von Holzhausen on the idea that he had a chance to shape the future of the automobile, and that it made sense to leave his cushy job at a giant, proven automaker for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He brought the best team together and gave them a vision. Today, we’re all living in the vision. It’s Musk's world, and we’re all living in it. Power Of Innovation and Model S . But not just that, it changed how cars were made, sold, and used. Tesla was innovating the automotive industry with its electric cars You could now save a hefty gas fee by charging in its Superchargers stations for free or get a new battery instantly at the price of gasoline. Tesla sold its cars in its stores, which helps direct sales, faster product development, and improve customer buying experience. The goal was not just to build an electric car but a car with electrifying beauty. Like Steve Jobs, Musk combines functionality and aesthetics expertly. Model S came with a Touch screen display never seen before in any car. The touch screen, the size of a laptop screen, was before Apple launched its iPad. It has an overnight software upgrade. It could have added features with time, and its engineers could access and repair any malfunction without physical contact. Regenerative braking was another feature. The brake reverses the motor, which slows down the vehicle rather than the traditional, which slows down the tire rotation. It had an aluminum body which made it a lightweight car. But after producing the stunning Model S from loans, shares, and investments. Tesla faced a major problem. It was selling its cars. Sales stopped for the cash-strapped company and its survival; it had to be sold. Musk had shaken hands with Page, but a miracle happened suddenly. Its salesmen delivered 4,900 Model S sedans during the period, which brought them a profit of $11 million and $562 million in sales. Tesla’s shares soared from about $30 to $130 a few weeks later. The Model S maker paid off its $465 million loan from the government early and with interest. Tesla now had vast cash reserves at its disposal. Tesla stocks and value were rising, and cars were selling. The Google deal was no longer necessary, and Tesla had become too expensive. The talks with Google ended. Bottom Line Owning a Tesla comes with pride. It’s class. It’s an Apple in a garage. Maintaining its core principle with constant innovations and the right team, due to this, it's impossible to see Tesla collapse despite stiff competition. , Tesla’s market capitalization may well reach a mind-boggling $4 trillion in the coming years, as he predicts that global electric-vehicle penetration will hit 60% by 2030. According to Tesla investor Gary Black

3 Reasons Why Tesla Is Successful And It’s Not Elon Musk

Harvard dropout starts a company and raises 20 million dollars. I bet you heard this story so many times and you might feel intimidated by them. But what makes students from Ivy League universities so spectacular? The Social Network I turned 20 years old when The Social Network (movie) released. The film focuses on how Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started in college. Jessie Eisenberg played 's character quite well. So much so, that his story was an inspiration to kids that felt "different". I happened to be one of those kids. Facebook Zuckerberg I remember how impressed I was by Mark and his colleagues. Who wouldn’t be impressed by a bunch of guys that started a billion-dollar company in their dorm rooms? Especially when at the time, I had about $100 in savings with a negative increment outlook. I needed to fill up the tank of a car that was worth around $500. All in all, I felt like I had made poor life decisions because I wasn't anywhere near starting my own business. I then decided to take a closer look at my friends and fellow computer science students. About 60% of them had either dropped out or failed in their very first year. “Did they go on to start their own billion-dollar startups?” I wondered. I found one guy - he had started a marketing agency for bakeries. Don’t get me wrong, he was very successful compared to me and other students. He had even managed to grow his business to 5 employees before I graduated and lost track. I haven’t seen him in the news recently, so I guess he’s not a billionaire yet, despite being successful in his own right. Startups vs Old-Money I went down a rabbit hole trying to find other startup billionaires to inspire me. I hoped that I could learn from them and apply their principles to my own life. I dug deep into the European startup ecosystem without much luck. The only examples I found, at the time, were the Samwer brothers. They had started a company called Rocket Internet. It analyzed early-stage startups in the US and built copies of them in the DACH market. DACH comprises countries in Europe with a German-speaking majority (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). The Samwer brothers had built an excellent startup factory that was able to launch functional products within 90 days. They were very impressive but there was one problem. Marc and Alexander Samwer hold MBAs from Harvard. As such, they didn’t fit my startup-billionaire profile. In fact, instances of European startup billionaires were almost non-existent. Even startup millionaires were rare. Most times, the richest people were part of families that had generational wealth. Most of the time, they were inventors that had made a fortune from their patented ideas. Some others enjoyed frequent government contracts. For instance, have you heard about a company called Dr. Oetker? August Oetker founded the company in 1891. They make Pizzas, baking ingredients, and other perishables. Yet, they made their fortune because August invented and patented baking powder. Unfortunately, there isn’t much wealth that originates from high-tech startups in Europe. It seems like every successful software company is getting acquired by large investors. European states have a lot of good agencies investing in startups but they haven’t been able to match the levels of success seen in the US, or even Israel. This makes me believe that there must be something about the students in Ivy League colleges in the US. Something that makes them very special. Silicon Valley Today, 13 years later, I am a software engineer with 10+ years of experience. I have worked for a diverse range of companies in 5 countries. Some of which were startups, SMEs, and enterprises. A year ago, I became a hiring manager for a cryptocurrency startup based in Palo Alto, CA. Our company is fully remote, with team members all over the world. The best thing this job gave me is an opportunity to work with people from all backgrounds and learn about them. I have conducted interviews with software engineers from Fortune 500 and FAANG companies. We were hiring various candidates, from interns to experienced contributors. The hiring spree happened in the first half of 2022. This coincided with a crypto bull market and the "great resignation". Our company was trying to fill positions in almost every department, from accountants to software engineers. We didn't have an employer brand in the Bay area at the time, so we decided to hire interns. We had internship candidates from Ivy League and lower-tier colleges alike. The Ivy League candidates usually rejected our offers. They preferred to take internships at Amazon, Google, or any other FAANG company. From a learning perspective, they would’ve learned more at our company. We are a small team that is building an entire decentralized finance application. The internship would’ve given them an opportunity to try their hands at different things. More so, from a resume standpoint, an internship at Microsoft would handicap their careers. In a structure like that, there isn't any room chance for interns to make changes to the live system or jump between roles. But what about interns from lower-tier universities? Were they worse than those from Harvard or MIT? No, not at all. American vs European Universities There is one main misconception about universities. The main purpose of universities isn't to teach but to help scientific research. Period. Offering education is how they make money. And it applies to both private and public institutions. Most university rankings aren't based on the salaries of their graduates. Instead, they focus on the number of scientific papers and patents produced by them. Since all universities want to focus on science, they need to enroll Ph.D. students to do so. Those students want to join the most prominent universities since they open doors to the world of science. Unfortunately, it is hard to profit from science alone. Also, Ph.D. students do not contribute a lot with tuition fees. So, universities look to businesses and states for "gigs". Research and student tuition are the major ways they source funds. Even Harvard relies on the federal government for 70% of its research funding. Now, let's shift our focus to the public education system in Europe. On the mainland of Europe (excluding the UK), public education is, more or less, free. In these states, taxpayers bear the cost of education in exchange for services. For instance, to provide free education and healthcare, the government needs to educate doctors and nurses. Also, skilled workers contribute more to the GDP. The GDP is then invested to increase the country's HDI index. Meaning that even people with elementary education enjoy the benefits of a qualified workforce. The government pays universities for every enrolled student, even if they drop out. Otherwise, the university would receive incentives to let everybody get a diploma. This allows them to maintain high standards. Why Are Top Tier Universities Better? Students in top universities don't necessarily get a better education than those in lower-tier schools. It's not because of a lack of opportunity but rather limited time. Even though all universities have similar time frames for education. Around 3 years for a bachelor's degree and 2-2.5 years for a master's. Let’s take a closer look at this. In most degree programs, subjects are typically covered within a single semester, with weekly lessons lasting 3-4 hours. It isn’t enough time to gain broad insights on the subject. Only Ph.D. students are able to take true advantage of the extra quality in tier-A universities. They have the most time to focus on studying and have access to the best professors. Going to the best universities is not a waste for regular people. These schools have the best teachers, set high standards, and expect a lot. They have to work hard and earn good grades. They learn to collaborate, and develop discipline and work ethic (but not always). These are desirable traits in adult life. Also, the best universities attract students from wealthy families. It means students build a meaningful network that can skyrocket their careers. If you graduated from a university known for its fun parties, it may be challenging for you to compete with someone who graduated from Harvard. It's likely that you didn't have to deal with politics or complicated social interactions. Meaning you will learn those things in the first few years of your career. Does it mean you’re a lost cause? Not at all. If you are talented you can still outwork Harvard alumnus but it won't be easy. You will need to work harder than they do and exceed the expectations. Always! Whatever you do in life you need to develop discipline and take responsibility. The best opportunities are never the easiest ones so if you are getting involved in something you really need to own it. You can outdo even those that seem “predisposed to success” but it takes personal sacrifices. Join me Thank you for reading. I am a software engineer with 10 years of experience, living my best life as a digital nomad. This newsletter is a response to a younger me who felt lost and needed to find a career path on his own. if you want to get more tips and ideas on growing your career as a software engineer and becoming a digital nomad. Subscribe This article was . initially published on my weekly newsletter If you have appetite for more I just published new article on How Influencers And Books Make Us Dumb

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