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Comment by rkunnamp | Hacker News Reader

Are there any super successful people here? If yes, how did you set goals? (since definition of success can vary from person to person, for the sake of the question please consider the following definition- You are successful if you really think so, or if you think that the society think so)

Goal setting never worked for me. [Edit] But If I were to set some, it would be something like (Thinking.....) 1. Eat, Sleep and Exercise well 2. Surround yourself with amazing people (both professionally and personally) 3. Find something you truly love doing, and something that has value in the market 4. Work your butt off 5. Take time off & Forget the rest Let me check , if writing it down helps

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Some of those habits your listed are hard to get going. How do you find something you love doing which is valuable in the market? Do you pay for coding camp classes or code every day? How will you ensure that you have the fortitude to do that every day?

If you know nobody in a new city, how will you go out to surround yourself with amazing people? Maybe go out to one social event a week, or always do social stuff at work: these are the methods to achieving that state.

Those things you listed are habits that presumably you can maintain, but the more interesting thing is how to create and change habits. That's the essence of self improvement.

To be honest, I never succeeded with goals. Those things that happen naturally , happens. Your comment made me self reflect, and I realised that , except point 4, nothing happened at my will. Point 4 happened because I found something that I enjoy doing. And finding something I love doing was a lot of trial and error. All the other points are just wishes.

I was wondering whether actually people set goals, remind themselves everyday etc, and go about to achieve the same. I think there is a lot of randomness in getting into a system and an outcome as a result of it.

Apart from one or two mental notes with a bigger picture, I am not sure whether the so called 'successful' people set those daily, weekly, monthly goals etc. I am genuinely curious to know if it worked for some.

Success is kind of subjective, maybe check out biographies? I know some people are absolutely nuts about these systems of goal setting.

I get inspired to goal set maybe once a year when I'm unhappy and I try to use the energy I have to establish a habit. The easiest way is singing up for a class, the better way is to have a bunch of friends who also have similar goals.

do you consider yourself successful using this system?

I do not use that system. It was more like a framework that naturally formed based on experiences.

And no. I am no where near to being successful. But I am happy though, since I have partially succeeded in Point 3 & point 4

passion may be overrated when viewed under the "systems vs goals" umbrella: www.businessinsider.com/scott-adams-on-goals-and-passion-2015-2 (view as one page for a better experience)

3 and 4 are the productivity equivalent of the two rules of dating: 1. Be attractive, 2. Don't be unattractive.

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