We: (1) tell ourselves and others stories of how we’re aiming for various “goals”; (2) search out modes of activity that are consistent with the role, and goal-seeking, that we see ourselves as doing (“learning math”; “becoming a comedian”; “being a good parent”); and sometimes even (3) feel glad or disappointed when we do/don’t achieve our “goals”.
Well put. I’ve realized that really planning (and acting) in order to reach hard goals, is something I almost never do. Most of the time I’m just working on what feels most rewarding locally.
humans are only just on the cusp of general intelligence. Perhaps 5% of the population has enough abstract reasoning skill to verbally understand that the above heuristics would be useful once these heuristics are pointed out
Yes—but perhaps some of the unfortunate remainder could grow to understand (by acquiring some missing prerequisites first).
Our verbal, conversational systems are much better at abstract reasoning than are the motivational systems that pull our behavior
Yes. And I wonder how much non-task-specific training or tricking of the motivational systems is possible. There may be general tricks like (h), but I have no evidence for a sort of general “able to try harder” faculty that can be improved (even though it seems extremely plausible).
Well put. I’ve realized that really planning (and acting) in order to reach hard goals, is something I almost never do. Most of the time I’m just working on what feels most rewarding locally.
Yes—but perhaps some of the unfortunate remainder could grow to understand (by acquiring some missing prerequisites first).
Yes. And I wonder how much non-task-specific training or tricking of the motivational systems is possible. There may be general tricks like (h), but I have no evidence for a sort of general “able to try harder” faculty that can be improved (even though it seems extremely plausible).