Paul Graham's Interestingness Filter

Paul Graham's concept of using "interestingness" as a filter for choosing what to work on. This approach helps with both startup ideas and personal goals like choosing a "misogi" (yearly challenge).

The interestingness filter

• Let interestingness be the primary filter for decisions
• Don't actively search for ideas - just do things you're naturally interested in
• At the end, you should be able to say "that was pretty cool I did that"
• Similar approach applies to both startup ideas and personal challenges

Why interestingness works

• Self-selection mechanism: What's interesting to you isn't universally interesting
  • Nobody can copy your taste profile
  • Automatically filters out competition
  • Creates natural differentiation from others
• Sustained effort: If it's interesting to you, you'll do it all the time
  • Follows the "rule of 100" - consistent repetition
  • When you do it all the time, you get good at it
  • When you're good at it, you get good results
• Intrinsic motivation: The work itself becomes rewarding
  • Even if the first attempt doesn't work, you'll have fun doing it
  • You'll keep doing it until it eventually lands in a good spot
  • The process is enjoyable in and of itself

Applying it to yearly goals (misogi)

• Choose one grand challenge for the year that is:
  • Hard and rewarding
  • Memorable and meaningful to you
  • Something you're genuinely interested in
• Example: Learning to jam out on piano
  • Not as dramatic as climbing Everest, but personally important
  • Creates a fun, interesting aspect of life
  • Something you can do for the rest of your life
  • Makes the year defining - "that was the year I learned piano"

The compounding effect

• Interestingness leads to consistent practice
• Consistent practice leads to skill development
• Skill development leads to good results
• Good results reinforce the interest
• Creates a self-sustaining flywheel