…perhaps the only goal on earth to which mankind is striving lies in this incessant process of attaining…

— Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes From the Underground

…special-purpose languages act as limits to thought in this manner, they are harmful to the user who potentially has larger problems to solve.

— Gerald Weinberg, The Psychology of Computer Programming

When you value planning above outcomes, it’s easy to conflate effort with achievement. Having done work or checked things off a list isn’t the same as creating value through your actions.

— Janice Fraser, Jason Fraser, and Eric Ries, Farther, Faster, and Far Less Drama

The danger of symmetry, and repetition especially, is that it can be used as a substitute for thought.

— Paul Graham, Hackers & Painters

If I outline twenty ideas for articles I want to write, that’s motion. If I actually sit down and write an article, that’s action. If I search for a better diet plan and read a few books on the topic, that’s motion. If I actually eat a healthy meal, that’s action. … more often than not, we do it because motion allows us to feel like we’re making progress without running the risk of failure.

— James Clear, Atomic Habits