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> The concept of “wanting to do something” is complicated. Not really all that complicated, IMO, once you realise: We don't really want to do all the boring st

> The concept of “wanting to do something” is complicated. Not really all that complicated, IMO, once you realise: We don't really want to do all the boring stuff that's supposed to be good for us, we just want to have done it. > What you typically see is a desire that someone has at long range (“I want to go to the gym tomorrow”) that undergoes preference inversion at close range (“it is now tomorrow, and I don’t want to go to the gym in the next 2 hours”) I've been to the gym a few times; it was boring. I don't want to go to the gym; I just want the strong and healthy body I could get from it. If or when the remote control for your body is invented, I'm going to be all over it: I'll just attach the electrodes to the back of my neck, set the little box to whatever weight regime I'll be on, and flick the switch to... Idunno, remote-control my computer and do some coding (OK, or browse HN as usual), while the box controls my grunting straining flabby old body to (re)gain some muscle. I suppose I'll leave the aural on, so I can hear if the grunting and straining gets too heavy; would be stupid to get myself a heart attack out of sheer lack of attention.

llamaimperative 2y ago
No, people's preferences actually do alternate as a long-range goal becomes a shorter-range one. It has to do with the discount function we apply to the time dimension between us and a possible reward. This distinction is important because, as illustrated, your conception requires you to simply wait for things to come on autopilot (good luck!). My description of the problem points to a completely different strategy, which is the creation of precommitment devices. If you go to the gym solely powered by the goal of having a great body, it's very likely you'll fail that habit, per my earlier point. The far more resilient strategy is to find something you enjoy and actually desire about the actual behavior you're engaged in (which is working out, not having a great body). The outcome of a habit is merely exhaust, and the more you can perceive it that way, the better you'll be at building habits.

llamaimperative 2y ago

No, people's preferences actually do alternate as a long-range goal becomes a shorter-range one. It has to do with the discount function we apply to the time dimension between us and a possible reward. This distinction is important because, as illustrated, your conception requires you to simply wait for things to come on autopilot (good luck!). My description of the problem points to a completely different strategy, which is the creation of precommitment devices. If you go to the gym solely powered by the goal of having a great body, it's very likely you'll fail that habit, per my earlier point. The far more resilient strategy is to find something you enjoy and actually desire about the actual behavior you're engaged in (which is working out, not having a great body). The outcome of a habit is merely exhaust, and the more you can perceive it that way, the better you'll be at building habits.