Well I honestly think "10x" Engineers exist... even 10,000x ones.
It's about creating leverage.
So, the great ones aren't lone mercurial artists.
They are the ones who are, in fact, very good at the craft. AND they also got good at writing things down for self/other, and teaching other people what they know, and creating a culture of enthusiastic open-minded curiosity, whether on an IRC channel or in a packed fancy conference auditorium.
Once-in-a-generation brilliance is optional. The rest is not.
e.g. Brian Kernighan will be the first one to tell you that Ken Thompson was in a league of his own compared to Brian. But Brian himself is a 10,000x programmer. How much leverage have his book(s) and software and generous public education created in the world?
Anyone can become a 10x version of themselves (next-year you is radically better than today-you) if they think about that and learn to be like Brian (think, do, self-teach, other-teach, spread infectious enthusiasm).
Edit: clarify prose, and fix embarassing name snafu
It's about creating leverage.
So, the great ones aren't lone mercurial artists.
They are the ones who are, in fact, very good at the craft. AND they also got good at writing things down for self/other, and teaching other people what they know, and creating a culture of enthusiastic open-minded curiosity, whether on an IRC channel or in a packed fancy conference auditorium.
Once-in-a-generation brilliance is optional. The rest is not.
e.g. Brian Kernighan will be the first one to tell you that Ken Thompson was in a league of his own compared to Brian. But Brian himself is a 10,000x programmer. How much leverage have his book(s) and software and generous public education created in the world?
Anyone can become a 10x version of themselves (next-year you is radically better than today-you) if they think about that and learn to be like Brian (think, do, self-teach, other-teach, spread infectious enthusiasm).
Edit: clarify prose, and fix embarassing name snafu