Strategic Seeing

Strategic Seeing

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Strategic Seeing
How To Set Life Strategic Goals: To Become, Be, or Do?
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How To Set Life Strategic Goals: To Become, Be, or Do?

The purpose of life isn't happiness: it’s usefulness

Svyatoslav Biryulin's avatar
Svyatoslav Biryulin
Dec 24, 2024
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Strategic Seeing
Strategic Seeing
How To Set Life Strategic Goals: To Become, Be, or Do?
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I dedicate this pre-New Year edition of the Strategic Seeing newsletter to the art of thinking strategically in life.

Guess the industry by the numbers:

  • Valued at $11.6 billion in 2019

  • Books on the topic account for 5.7% of the total book market, ebooks—for 15%

  • 30% of Americans have purchased such a book in the past year

  • The two most popular books—40 and 30 million copies sold

I bet you’ve already guessed – this is the self-help industry.

An army of life coaches earns a whopping $2.85 billion yearly. Millions read books, listen to podcasts, and set life goals.

However, no reliable evidence indicates that any of it works.

Neither The World Happiness Report, nor our subjective observation show that humanity is becoming much happier.

You may practice mindfulness or visualize your goals all you want, but then you still get laid off, and the rent doesn’t pay itself.

It takes a thesis to figure out why most self-help spells don’t work. A big part lies in how those gurus recommend setting life goals. A…

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