Hey! I’ve just finished recording the second video of the Exploring Vim YouTube series that is meant to be a useful visual companion to the articles. In this one, we start learning the basics of setting up your vim. Enjoy!! And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! :D
The struggle is real. The dip is real. Every time we adopt a new tool, a new framework, learn a new skill, there’s gonna be that period of time in which our productivity is going to drop and we’re going to suck. No one can be consistently awesome at something for the first time. The question is: Do you have the patience and grit to push through the other side, beyond the dip, where skill, productivity and mastery await?
Getting Through the Dip Can Be Preeeettyyyy tough...
You probably recognize this pattern. You find out about a new thing 1. You are full of excitement and enthusiasm and you hungrily start trying it out and learning about it. After a while, the excitement fades, the enthusiasm disappears and, all of the sudden, you find yourself procrastrinating and finding excuses not to do it any more. That’s the dip right there.
So will you quit or will you push through? You are the only one who can make this decision. Is it worthy to you? Envision yourself empowered by that new tool, that new skill. Now, is it worthy?
If it is not, then better to quit right away, before you have wasted more time. If it is worthy, then roll up your sleeves and let’s kick some ass.
Exceptional benefits accrue to the tiny minority of people who are able to push just a tiny bit longer than most. Seth Godin, The Dip.
In this article I’ve gathered a set of vim skills to ease your journey through the dip. Learn these skills first, practice, get to a moderate level of competence and you’ll be over the dip and on your way to awesome text editing fu.
It amazes me how fast I forget the struggles and effort I went through to learn something or gain a specific skill. As soon as I known something, I somehow take it for granted. And, from then on, I’ll assume that now that I know it, everybody else probably does too. If you have that same problem then remind yourself this:
Most people don’t know what you know.
Celebrate your newly acquired knowledge. Be proud of your effort and discipline. Share your knowledge with others. When you hear a conversation where it applies share it willingly and openly (I loathe the I-should-have-saids or I-should-have-dones that often plague my mind). Help others attain the same knowledge guiding them and pointing out the pitfalls and the things you struggled with while you were on the same path.
More importantly, don’t take yourself for granted. You have a unique story to share, because you have unique experiences, a unique life that has shaped you and a different character from everyone else’s. There’s only one of you in this universe.
Hey! I’ve just recorded the first video of the Exploring Vim YouTube series that is meant to be a useful visual companion to the articles. Hope you like it!
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how you can improve your productivity and happiness by breaking up with your phone and being more mindful with how you use social networks. You’re welcome to read the original article that’ll put this one into better context if you haven’t already.
Since then I’ve been able to test other small tricks that have helped me have a healthier relationship with my phone and a better one with myself and those around me.
