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Here's what we (Beeminder) had to say about Systems vs Goals a year ago, also prompted by Scott Adams's book: http://blog.beeminder.com/systems/ http://blog.be
by dreeves 10y ago
Here's what we (Beeminder) had to say about Systems vs Goals a year ago, also prompted by Scott Adams's book:
http://blog.beeminder.com/systems/ http://blog.beeminder.com/systems/
I bet people who like this article would also like http://complice.co http://complice.co which is all about systematized goal setting.
(And of course Beeminder, if you're a Quantified Self nerd into productivity hacks and don't shudder in horror at the idea of using commitment devices on yourself.)
- enoch_r 10y agoI actually came to the comments to recommend Beeminder. If you're the type of person who sets goals and then feels guilty when you remember making them 6 months (... or a week) down the road, it's a fantastic service and worth every penny you'll pay for it.
- bostonpete 10y agoThe last example in your post seems odd -- "keep my weight below 100 kilograms, forever". The rest of your examples are things you could miss here or there and then get back on track the next day. With this one, as soon as you miss it, doesn't it just turn into a "losing weight" goal that you said you don't recommend...?
- dreeves 10y agoI should generalize more: A goal to hit a certain weight is a bad goal because your weight will typically bounce back. But a goal to reach a certain weight and then stay below it forever is more System than Goal. You want to always be on track towards your ideal weight, which may mean staying flat if you're already there.
- chillacy 10y agoI just signed up to track my duolingo practice, but I'm curious what happens once I complete duolingo? Is there a way to end the tracking once it's over? At some point duolingo would get substituted for real-life immersion.
- gargarplex 10y agoOnce you complete Duolingo, treat yourself to a vacation in the country where the language is spoken :D I did this and had a wonderful time! From there, slowly immerse yourself in the culture.. for example, I am a part of some Swedish Facebook groups for developers, have Swedish-speaking pals both irl and online, etc. I was even offered a job to move to Sweden to lead a software dev organization but I have my own projects to focus on
- chillacy 10y agoI can't wait to try that! The software jobs aren't great where I'd go, but I have enough savings for 3-6 months of studying abroad. It would be a great thing to try in between jobs.
- TheCowboy 10y agoYou can keep practicing to maintain your skills, or you lose them. Duolingo has been nice for quick maintenance study sessions that I would otherwise never bother doing. And the tracking remains useful because there are areas where I start forgetting.
- chillacy 10y agoI think the concept of the Forgetting Curve in language means that some knowledge you'll keep for years and years. For instance Duolingo thinks I'm completely rusty in one of my languages but I converse a few times a week so I've maintained it.
- dreeves 10y agoIn case you meant this as a Beeminder question (it's a good one!) the answer is, yes, you can end a goal any time with one-week notice, or schedule it to end at a pre-specified date.