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Achieving Goals Like a Mad Klingon

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Re: Achieving Goals Like a Mad Klingon

#21

Post by bitwize »

Swizec wrote: post #3

There's a fatal flaw in this technique ... one that usually gets me. What happens when you fail the goal, then manage to re-negotiate the terms of the agreement so the downside almost doesn't exist? What happens when you know in advance you'll almost certainly be able to do this?

What happens when you fail the goal, then manage to re-negotiate the terms of the agreement so the downside almost doesn't exist?

Uh, yeah, you're looking for "How to Set Goals Like a Farengi", down the hall.

Re: Achieving Goals Like a Mad Klingon

#22

Post by billswift »

scotch_drinker wrote: post #11

That post could be boiled down to a single concept: commitment. If you're committed to an idea, person, goal or objective, you won't have to trick yourself into doing anything, it will just happen. That doesn't mean it will be easy but the effort becomes the means to the end. Without the commitment, the effort becomes the focus.

Best statement in the book is in the section on decision blockages - "The Big Fact is this: In very few instances is one decision actually better than another." Many different decisions can be made successful, given the investment in seeing it through.

From my review of Overcoming Indecisiveness; a very useful little book.

http://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Indecisiveness-Stages-Effec...

Re: Achieving Goals Like a Mad Klingon

#23

Post by jfeldstein2 »

There's a RadioLab episode where they explore this type of self-discipline (among other things). When a woman wanted to finally quit smoking, she told her friend that if she ever smoked again, the friend should take $5,000 out of her bank account and give it to the KKK. She couldn't bear the thought of her money supporting that group, and she never smoked again.

Edit: Here's the episode http://www.radiolab.org/2011/mar/08/ It's really quite good, like most RadioLabs.

Re: Achieving Goals Like a Mad Klingon

#24

Post by billswift »

phrasemix wrote: post #18

"Like a mad Klingon" I was just thinking the other day about terms like "ninja", "pirate", and "rockstar" that are so played out at this point they make me cringe whenever I hear them. Isn't there something fresh to convey the concept of being a badass? "Klingon" works pretty nicely. For now at least.

I actually studied ninjutsu (Togakure-ryu) for a several years in the late eighties. The core of real ninjutsu is adaptability, not the movie-ninjutsu that apparently supported the "ninja coder" silliness.

"Like a mad Klingon" would be "Fire-style" in ninpo terms; direct, forward focused; make yourself into an "irresistible force", or as close to it as you can manage.

A real ninja coder would be someone with a wide repertoire of techniques and tactics and a deep understanding of his craft, and who constantly adapts his approach to the needs of the work.

Re: Achieving Goals Like a Mad Klingon

#25

Post by aidenn0 »

jirinovotny wrote: post #13
Jach wrote: post #9

The author says this is not very effective but not bad advice. I disagree, this is perhaps the worst advice you could give someone: # Publicly announce that you will work on your goal, and that you are going to post regular daily or weekly updates regarding your goal. Announce it on Facebook, Twitter, and tell this to everyone you see regularly, etc. http://www.psych.nyu.edu/gollwitzer/09_Gollwitzer_Sheeran_Se... Any…

Don't forget that you are quoting the "What doesn't work" section. That being said, it can still work for some people. Regarding the madman hack: It is definitely not something that most students do. How did you come to that conclusion? I have never personally met anyone who does it (beside myself), and I know a bunch of students. However, I've heard about some successful people that use it.

I have met someone who did this (my grandfather). Any time he had a difficult goal, he would do this. He also had a partner that was clearly adversarial.

For example, when the goal was weight-loss, his partner would actually put chocolate on his desk every morning. I always thought that seemed counter-productive, but after reading some other comments here, I think that it made it clear that the partner was serious about getting the reward, so was unlikely to renegotiate.

Re: Achieving Goals Like a Mad Klingon

#27

Post by pdx »

wayneyeager wrote: post #20

I don't think the premise is bad, but we're pretty good about separating REAL consequences from contrived ones. Example: Several years ago, I put a $100 bill in five different envelopes (w/ no return address)... all addressed to a guy I really, really dislike. I gave the envelopes to my housekeeper and told her that every week, we'd measure my weight and compare it to the previous week. If I didn't lose weight during…

You should have just given the money to the housekeeper. Than you would, presumably, have been less likely to renege to her face.

Even more fun, make two sets of envelopes, one set of $10 bills and one set of $100 bills. The house keeper always gets an envelope, but your weight determines which one. That way, she's not too disappointed when you succeed, and when you fail, you've at least helped out somebody you like.

Re: Achieving Goals Like a Mad Klingon

#28

Post by [deleted] »

billswift wrote: post #24
phrasemix wrote: post #18

"Like a mad Klingon" I was just thinking the other day about terms like "ninja", "pirate", and "rockstar" that are so played out at this point they make me cringe whenever I hear them. Isn't there something fresh to convey the concept of being a badass? "Klingon" works pretty nicely. For now at least.

I actually studied ninjutsu (Togakure-ryu) for a several years in the late eighties. The core of real ninjutsu is adaptability , not the movie-ninjutsu that apparently supported the "ninja coder" silliness. "Like a mad Klingon" would be "Fire-style" in ninpo terms; direct, forward focused; make yourself into an "irresistible force", or as close to it as you can manage. A real ninja coder would be someone with a wide…

[deleted]

Re: Achieving Goals Like a Mad Klingon

#29

Post by Kor »

billswift wrote: post #24
phrasemix wrote: post #18

"Like a mad Klingon" I was just thinking the other day about terms like "ninja", "pirate", and "rockstar" that are so played out at this point they make me cringe whenever I hear them. Isn't there something fresh to convey the concept of being a badass? "Klingon" works pretty nicely. For now at least.

I actually studied ninjutsu (Togakure-ryu) for a several years in the late eighties. The core of real ninjutsu is adaptability , not the movie-ninjutsu that apparently supported the "ninja coder" silliness. "Like a mad Klingon" would be "Fire-style" in ninpo terms; direct, forward focused; make yourself into an "irresistible force", or as close to it as you can manage. A real ninja coder would be someone with a wide…

Is there a pile of rotting forshak in here, or is it you? Compared to a Klingon warrior, a ninja is but a bloodless p'tahk!

Re: Achieving Goals Like a Mad Klingon

#30

Post by wayneyeager »

pdx wrote: post #27
wayneyeager wrote: post #20

I don't think the premise is bad, but we're pretty good about separating REAL consequences from contrived ones. Example: Several years ago, I put a $100 bill in five different envelopes (w/ no return address)... all addressed to a guy I really, really dislike. I gave the envelopes to my housekeeper and told her that every week, we'd measure my weight and compare it to the previous week. If I didn't lose weight during…

You should have just given the money to the housekeeper. Than you would, presumably, have been less likely to renege to her face. Even more fun, make two sets of envelopes, one set of $10 bills and one set of $100 bills. The house keeper always gets an envelope, but your weight determines which one. That way, she's not too disappointed when you succeed, and when you fail, you've at least helped out somebody you like.

Although presumably the idea is not to fail.
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