Comments on: A Question (That Might Determine Your Future)

By: Jonno Riekwel

Jonno Riekwel — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 23:04:09 +0000

I get paid becouse I do the things I know

By: Brent

Brent — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 21:02:30 +0000

Does Tiger Woods get paid zillions of dollars for crushing the hell out of golf balls with insane accuracy, or does he get paid zillions of dollars for knowing how to crush the hell out of golf balls with insane accuracy? Just knowing how to do something, and not doing it, is worthless, unless you are a consultant, right?

By: M.A.T.

M.A.T. — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 20:43:29 +0000

Getting paid for knowing probably maybe makes you fat and lazy and sassy and self-important and but also probably maybe makes you prone to corruption (see: politicians, scientists, priests, lawyers, police, nazis, police-nazis, rappers, gymnasts, wait... ). Getting paid for doing, on the other hand (pun?), tends to instill a feeling of accomplishment on a day to day basis. Knowing that you built or worked on something tangible and maybe useful and maybe meaningful, even if it's an intangible medium such as the internet (web, net), you go home knowing you did something instead of just talked about something and maybe but just thought about something; kitten-space-boots or, like, how you could make Michael Bay disappear with maybe a time machine made of hate. Much is to be said for thinking, more is to be said for doing. Plus, a blue collar is much cooler than a white collar any day.

By: Grant Blakeman

Grant Blakeman — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 15:56:09 +0000

I own my own company, but it’s in it’s early stages and so while it’s definitely built on my knowledge, I also still do most of the execution. But one of the biggest things I look for in clients is someone who wants to work with me because of my knowledge. I just can’t see the company growing the way I want if I just become a commodity based on my existing skills.

By: Joshua

Joshua — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 15:08:05 +0000

Great question, why do you ask it?

Because I think too much.

Another question. What should get paid more for?

I don’t know about “should”, but I think knowledge is far more valuable and irreplaceable in the workplace these days than what we actually do.

actually, is talent a know or a do?

Talent is talent, which is also rare and more difficult to replace, but I’d say in your case you have talent which has been honed over years of doing, which has led to a wealth of knowing. Your knowledge set is informed by what you’ve done and enabled by your talent, but that makes for a unique value.

By: Jeff Croft

Jeff Croft — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 15:01:26 +0000

Great question. I would say at this point I’m probably close to 75/35 in favor of knowledge. But it depends on the day. There’s nothing wrong with getting paid for what you do — someone has to, or nothing would get done! I think the general career path most people will want to take is to start out with more “doing” and move towards more “knowing.”

But, as a designer, I hope I never stop “doing” completely. I like getting my hands dirty (at least in the proverbial sense).

By: Cameron

Cameron — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:54:38 +0000

I get paid for what I do.

But what I do allows me enough freedom that I’m almost completely reliant on what I know, though I don’t typically get much credit for that.

It’s ok though … doing is a lot more quantifiable in terms of measuring competency … although one day I’d like to move past that.

By: lee.mcd

lee.mcd — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 03:08:28 +0000

actually, is talent a know or a do? because that’s what i’m paid for.

By: lee.mcd

lee.mcd — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 03:05:10 +0000

i know what i know i do, you know? most of the time, i’m doing what i do know, and knowing what i do do. so, does that mean i now know what i do know i’m doing while i know i know i’m doing it? i’m confused.

By: Rob Goodlatte

Rob Goodlatte — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 01:48:35 +0000

Its probably 30% knowledge 70% action right now — I would like that to shift in the other direction. As a freelancer, and a college student to boot, I often get clients who don’t respect or trust my design judgement. I go well out of my way to justify everything through style guides and conversations, but at the end of the day my input often gets thrown out.

I’ve found that if you charge more money, or get paid more, people assume you know more, and they’re more likely to trust your judgement. They’re more likely to see it as an investment in expertise or knowledge rather than just buying an end product.

By: Luke

Luke — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 01:36:04 +0000

at the moment I get paid for what I do. But it’s just not cutting it. I’m gonna try and correct that.

now – I know what I do – that count for anything?

By: Adam Spooner

Adam Spooner — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 01:29:14 +0000

For what I know … and the application of said knowledge.

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:21:02 +0000

I do what I know, so, 100/100?

By: Austen

Austen — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:06:49 +0000

Great question.

I’m at about a 50/50. Think my knowledge is more valuable than my skils.

Another question. What should get paid more for?