Life can not be just about solving problems. There has to be something that inspires us to get up in the morning; the spirit of exploration and adventure, humanity exploring the stars!
The advancement of civilization is not inevitable. Egyptians, for instance, forgot how to build the pyramids, Skills/technologies can get lost. Human agency is what advances civilization!
answering questions is not what we bedevils humanity. It is asking the right questions what matters more, and one way to ensure that is to expand consciousness.
always question "the requirements" go all the way to the original source: who made this requirement? Why? did they make a mistake, is it really necessary? when it comes to engineering, laws made by humans are suggestions. The only laws that matter are the laws of physics!
Building anything meaningful requires a) a maniacal sense of urgency, b) a constant moving of the goalposts, and the willingness to take risks, fail, make decisions fast, and then change course accordingly.
on How to hire: hire people with the right attitudes( have a drive to learn everything and work hard as opposed to having a polished resume)
Learn from all disciplines, let successes in one discipline( or failures), inform how you do things in other fields, and be multidisciplinary.
8- best part is no part. Delete everything that's not needed, simplify as much as possible
always think of cheaper solutions. There are always cheaper solutions!
think so big and aim so high, so reality bends to your will.