[jsmedmar]

We are lucky we can surf in NYC.

It takes me one hour get to the ocean, and since there is no signal in the subway, it's a great opportunity to read.

I made a video about optimism, based on "The Beginning of Infinity," by David Deutsch. The book dives into the endless potential of explanatory knowledge, describing how problems are inevitable but soluble.

As a YC founder, this book has inspired me to keep pushing my startup forward and I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in progress.

I'm posting the video here because there is probably no other place in the internet where someone would spend 5 minutes watching a video about NYC, surfing, and The Beginning of Infinity.

[simonpure]

I started reading the book but haven't finished it yet. It's also been a while since I've been surfing. I enjoyed the video and it's a good reminder to both finish reading the book and go surfing.

What were your main takeaways of the book and how has it influenced your startup?

[jsmedmar]

I did YC in W20. It's been almost 4 years since I incorporated the startup, and it has definitely not been easy — certainly not the rocket ship story.

The book discusses how progress can only be achieved through error correction and criticism. There are some companies where you can correct errors very quickly and iterate rapidly. However, we are building a cancer diagnostic test, and rapid iteration isn't so straightforward in our context.

The book helped me step out of my bubble, where I was too close to the problem. It allowed me to see that, in perspective, we are still error-correcting on a meaningful problem, even if the process takes years.

I hope you get back in the water and finish the book! Let me know how it goes and what you enjoy about it.