I'm very happy to hear you are walking and doing better! I set a lot of goals. I read "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey and it suggests setting long term, short term, and immediate goals. A lot of it is about prioritizing your goals. Work goals often take priority over our health or family goals---- but they shouldn't.
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Ooh, I've still gotta read that one! That is a good reminder. I myself find that I'm putting almost 100% of my focus on work-related goals, and as a result my knowledge of general life skills and people skills has kinda taken a beating because I'm so focused on improving my work.
After I got out of the hospital, broke off all connection with a toxic relationship, and began really acknowledging what life has to offer id make goals, big, small, or impossible.
Have whatever goal you want, even if it seems out of the realm of possibility. Come up with the biggest goal you can imagine and really ask yourself “Is this possible?”
It might be mother fucker. You might go your entire life thinking that it isn't, come to find out near the very end that it was.
You really want to live out your dream? Don't lie to yourself. What do you really want? As ridiculous or impossible as it might seem, what do you want in life?
Surprise yourself with what is possible and when the whole world begins to deny your request for a satisfying existence. Get angry, get stubborn, and use all of that energy to fulfill every possible angle you can manage to take control of what you have declared you NEED.
If you keep knocking, life will have to answer the door soon enough.
Life is too unpredictable to determine whether something will work or not and it's too short to listen to the world and give in to what everyone else thinks.
Listen to motivational videos every morning, try to eat a good breakfast, and be blind to the world. The delusional ones have the ability to live lives no else could possibly imagine.
Goals aren't just important, BIG goals and lots of faith within your own vision is necessary. Challenge yourself.
Love this comment. When I made this news post, I was in a bit of a rut; I felt really dull and bored. Shortly after I assessed the first few comments, it made me realize I didn't really set a goal that challenged me. I was wandering, just aimlessly wandering around - so I set some goals that would take some real grinding to pull off, and I feel a lot better. Nothing besides that changed. The power of goal-setting, I suppose. It gives me permission to dream, and a reason to work.
Yeah, Side B all the way... I focus mainly on animation, there is a world of systems to follow from hundreds of different minds in animation. I set realistic goals for projects that I know I can complete. Then learn and adapt systems to make future goals possible. I am also a big fan of the philosophy of "Fail Faster" a common motto for programmers and developers used to learn from mistakes and move forward.
Great approach! I think setting realistic goals is something a lot of people struggle with. I could definitely do better about applying a "fail faster" mindset to more non-work-related things.
Congrats on walking again! :) Agree with your views on the Radical Centrist Option (the way you label that though there's no way it can sound like a positive alternative here XD), maybe not as much about the need to emotionally invest yourself into something, but: if there's no merit to accomplishing something, then why would you challenge yourself to do so? You do learn through failure, mistakes, etc, but I don't think that undervaluing progress is a good thing. It should MATTER if you fail. You shouldn't want to. Well, I guess I'm a bit divided anyway since I'd like to have a mindset where it doesn't, but on topic of getting places: just doesn't seem like the right mindset.
I like the B-side. Goals are dreams, to me. I thrive on those. They keep me afloat through darker times. They inspire me. Discipline and routine's the more functional side, helping me not just keep going and effectivize but also channel that inspiration into something more realistic. Which I'm not always doing. So in conclusion, where I'm at right now: too many goals, and too few systems.
These posts are pretty good chips btw.
Thanks! I totally see where you're coming from. Judging from the replies here, it seems that there's a general consensus that goals are still necessary to keep things moving. Without them, it's just sort of aimlessly wandering around, y'know? I was in a real rut when I wrote this post, but setting a goal for myself has really brightened up these past few days for me. It's like I was sleeping all this time I had no goals, and the goal gave me permission to dream and a reason to take action.
The empty feeling after achieving one is still something I've gotta work out, though. I Googled it and apparently there's a term for it, post-goal / post-achievement depression? Well it's comforting to know it's a common thing for people to experience, I guess.
A system I've been doing a lot is writing down my daily tasks and assigning point values based on their importance; 3 = important, 2 = less important, 1 = not so important, but still nice, with a rare 5 points for tasks that I really don't wanna do but have to. It's a nice incentive, even if these points are ultimately arbitrary. I also like to give myself bonus points if I complete the tasks fast enough, like a speed run.
Always the best chips on the MistyEntertainment profile ;)
@SevenSeize @MistyEntertainment yep me too! I neglect even my own health for work. Work should not be our priority--- in the grand scheme of things. :-)
Yupp, stuck in a routine without meaning, mayhaps? Like walking around the world over and over, sure you're getting far but... where are you going? Like going sightseeing without bothering to see the sights. Like eating healthy food without taking the time to taste it. Like playing an RPG and reaching the highest level, but never really completing the story. Glad to hear you found the spark again. :)
Hmm maybe you just need continual goals? So if you reach one there's another one waiting? I can understand the feeling, though I'm not sure I've ever felt it, or if I have: taken the time to really stay there.
Hmm life-based gamificiation! Interesting. I tried to cut down on todo lists myself since they became a focus more than the tasks I was striving to accomplish, but this method sounds interesting. Good way to prioritize too. Right now I'm just trying to master the craft of doing the important thing first. If you start each day with something you really need to do it feels like the rest of it all follows along nicely. Had you ever read the War of Art book, btw? So much good life advice there. And motivation. There's a pretty informative podcast about it here on NG too.
The healthier kind, fried with care and oils that don't turn carcinogenic; all with a one-of-a-kind flavor! :) Mindful mindfuel. Wholefood soulfood. Spice of life. So true.
Yes! That's exactly it. In retrospect, it's easy to see why it felt depressing. Aimlessly wandering is never good for long periods of time. I definitely would benefit from continual goals! Just constantly leveling up.
I recently watched a video discussing the similarities between video games (like the Sims for example) and real life, and how in essence they're not too different from real life. Often times, it's not necessarily that people are incapable of accomplishing certain things, but a major barrier that is removed with gaming is the need for belief/faith. The player can immediately immerse themselves into a game and they'll believe their efforts will net a certain result, because that's the intention of the game. in real life, it's hard to build this same level of self-belief.
And in addition to the barrier of self-belief, something I've noticed myself is the level of patience needed. Games tend to cut the fat, since they're for entertainment value. Something I've noticed about real life is the very real drain on energy and stamina. I used to desire more hours in a day because it's not so easy to accomplish everything with my limited stamina, but I'm starting to wonder if what I actually want is a 'speed' option, kind of like how you can put a YouTube video on 2x speed, but with life.
Starting my days strong is something I've been working on! It's tough though, because often times just getting out of bed without deciding to stay in it for like an hour takes enough willpower as it is.
I've read part of the Art of War, but I don't think I've read the whole thing! And it's been a while, so that's something I will get back to. Thanks for reminding me of its existence! I can see it being very beneficial in my life.
my way of setting goals is to set them, forget about them and only reach them when i absolutely have to at the last minute
procrastination's a bitch
it sure is, brother
It's like reaching top level here at NG, you just gotta be prepared for 100K even before you get to 60. XD I understand why some people see the final one as the end of the line...
Well Sims in particular seems inherently built around real life, no...? Hmm, yeah, that's true though. And if you don't see that grind pays off within the game you're less inclined to play it. Not all games are as helpful with that. And some are, indeed, just too long. Unlike life. They master the aspect ratio of patience/reward in a different way. Makes sense people escape regular life for games, even with games that actually emulate elements from real life. I've never REALLY understood the point of doing things you could be doing IRL in a game, like playing an agricultural sim, or a fishing game... but with this in mind it does make sense. It turns what might be an aggravating process in real life into an instantly gratifying one. And in many cases an endlessly gratifying one too. A digital lake doesn't run out of fish...
Hey I don't think you'd really want to speed up life in the long run. :) The one sad thing about games is they end so quickly, no? You progress faster. You age faster. Life's too finite to rush it! As for getting out of bed, it feels like that's one of those things you can make into a routine too. If you just get up: no hesitation. Like brushing your teeth. It's just something you have to do!
Haven't read that book at all myself but I really enjoyed the podcast so I've been planning too. Seemed both relevant and inspiring, and ditto! :) Hope it helps.
Ahh yeah simulation games are definitely not for everyone. I used to be of a similar mindset but I think stuff like Stardew Valley is nice to just unwind.
Oh no definitely not in the long run! But I'd definitely be down to speed up certain parts of life, at least.
@Gimmick that sounds way better than the way I do it! XD It's pretty much the same, but: continually think about those tasks yet not take care of them until that last minute when I really have to, so not only do I not use the full potential of said time but waste all that time I could've worked with said project just thinking about said project I could've worked on...
Fo rizzle.
@Cyberdevil now that I think about it, the more important the thing that needs to be done, the more I'm likely to do this instead. I've been thinking about sending an email for over a month and just not doing it.... because.
@Gimmick yeah that too. XD It's probably why I spend a looot of time here on NG...
That does seem pretty nice... I'm sure it'd serve good purpose, but at the same time it feels like I could use the time I play such a game to actually unwind, for real, without doing anything. So many people just jump on the couch soon as they get home and watch some random TV show to get their mind off things, but I don't want to unwind randomly, I want to control my unwind time too. Come to think of it, not ever really winding down might be one of my problems hmm... pastimes feel like distractions too, but in reality I just swap out some for others.
Would love to learn to meditate instead. Wind down authentically.
Do wat feeels good lol. In my late teens and early 20's read similar books on how to be an effective tryhard. Comes down to working hard, being consistent, keeping a high standard... does the goal precede the system? Does the system reach the goal? Fuck if I know. Guess it's just enough to not let little (emotional) things impede your progress, or lack of success slow your momentum.
Sure am glad you're doing better brother, staying ahead of the Big C sure shows your force of will is willing and able to do what you want.
Meditation is a good thing to learn early... should've done more while editing videotapes lol. Easiest way for me was to sit on the floor in a corner or up against a wall, close eyes, breathe out 2x times slower than I breathed in, imagined seeing a white door in a black room (or vise versa).... 20 minutes of that felt like a damn good nap
i know this reply is more than 1 year late, but that is a good reminder to not get too sucked into the methodology of something, and to just find something that works. it's too easy to get caught up in the details and miss the big picture - for me, at least.
I've developed my system over the years. One book that changed my life and how I work was "Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity" by David Allen. I have four things that break down my work. An IN Tray, a File Cabinet with a tickler file system, things to take notes which is just WordPad on my computer, a clipboard with notebook paper, a medium sized note pad, and a small note pad, and my lists of Projects and Next Actions.
I also have a Someday/Maybe List of things that I want to get done in the future or may want to do in the future. They can be big things or small things. A lot of projects have multiple steps to them so I'll take a step from each project and add them to my Next Actions list. I'll take about two or three of those Next Actions and do them in that day and that's all I have to do that day.
One person whose system is absolutely beautiful is Fro's system. I would have sex with that system it is just perfect. It's one that I might adapt in the future when I start adding more and more projects. It's that damn good.
I don't like Goals though. I tried to strive for goals, but they just demotivated me so much. Even with a system to take you to that Goal if it doesn't get you there you will have a sense of failure. The system failed therefore you failed. The system didn't fail and you didn't fail, it just set an unrealistic time table. It's also why I don't like 3 year plans, 5 year plans, or hell 10 year plans! I should know, I've tried one of those plans. Guess what. It didn't work, because other things were on my plate.
It really is just juggling though. Hard at first. You feel like you can't do it. With enough practice though, it becomes easier and easier.
yep, with goals, it all hinges on the outcome. it's important for people to be cognizant of the times that the outcomes can't really be controlled, but we CAN control how much work we put into something, usually. i like the idea of a 'someday/maybe' list. that might be something i should look into making.
I am sorry to hear you were struggling to walk. I haven't had the easiest time in life either, however at least I was able to keep my whole body intact. I just wanted to bring up that I am learning how to animate in live action, and the program is in the description box below of my video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETtVrTr_QvY&list=PLlcCqmE8EN-Fmv2TD-yXJWkMyOdi23gfa
I just wanted to say remember the days I used to be like no animation just live action. Now I am like let me learn animation. I hope everything gets better for you.
hey, it's cool to see you are still making stuff. it's been a long time man. that's cool that you are willing to learn new things. and i appreciate it! my walking has been better since i made this post, though i've recently been diagnosed with an incurable condition called blepharitis, which essentially means my eyelids are inflamed and my oil glands are blocked. it sucks, but it is what it is
@Master-Awesome @MistyEntertainment That sounds terrible. I hope that your eyelids feel better. It's also really unfortunate that you can't enjoy life right now because of COVID-19. By the way, back when I was in middle school, and the way I treated you in the early days of Newgrounds, I'm sorry about all that. I was young, stupid, and really arrogant. I'm paying the price of all that right now in the present and dealing with hurt I put some my friends through. I actually started reconnecting with old friends. My friends are becoming more open with me and mentioning that some the stupid cruel things I did those days to them did have its moments though.
it's all good man, I'm also sorry for the shit I did back then, so no worries. I think many people are like that at that stage of their life. I'm glad it sounds like you've been able to reconnect with old friends despite the baggage though, and props for the thoughtfulness
@Master-Awesome @MistyEntertainment @MistyEntertainment At least I not only reconnected with Kaizaad, one of my old friends, but I made new friends like Kaizaad's brother Yazad and Sarthak. There are other old friends I connected with besides Kaizaad from this video: https://youtu.be/2DX5zuyos-Y?list=PLlcCqmE8EN-Fmv2TD-yXJWkMyOdi23gfa
Also, not everyone grows from their middle school and high school days. Some jerky teenagers become jerky adults. I am lucky to have old friends like the one I have, especially my best friend. He isn't in the video I linked in the comment, but he guaranteed I grew into who I am today.
AlienPlay
I think that, as with most things, answer lies somewhere in between, but I'm mostly on Side B.
I tend to give myself a large goal and then try to break it down into smaller ones.
I'm a game developer so usually I come up with the idea, prototype it and then break the game down into smaller pieces which I write down in notepad. Then, when I finish those smaller goals I add "(DONE)" next to them. This keeps me on track, motivated to keep working on my project. Basically, this is my way of gamifying my work (which is kinda ironic).
Those smaller goals help me stay consistent as well because I can finish most of them in less then 15 minutes.
So yeah, in my opinion there's no clear way.
Hope this helped someone.
MistyE
This is something I try to implement too myself - something I struggle with is writing for long sessions, so I try to break it into 15-minute blocks. It's a pretty good technique, if I can muster up the will to do it, that is. Gotta make it easier to digest, y'know?
I also incorporate gamification a lot. I go by my own points system, so sometimes I view task completion as a sort of time trial or speed run that I give myself bonus points for. The points themselves are arbitrary but it's a wildly effective system for me personally.