Assignment 27A

I read How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, by Scott Adams. The main theme of the book is that people will encounter numerous failures throughout their life, and you have to learn to take care of yourself so you can keep pushing forward and achieve your dreams. He believes that goals are inherently flawed and instead people should set forth systems that will help them achieve their dreams, rather than goals.

The book enhanced what I’ve learned in this class by really explaining how failure isn’t an issue, but we have to continue on and keep trying. It also reinforced what I’ve learned in the class about working on projects that you really care about. Adams says that if you have energy when doing a task, failure won’t stop you, because you’ll be enjoying the journey.

I would have people identify their ideal schedule, and identify when they work best. Some people work best in the morning and some work better in the afternoons or the evenings. FInding your proper schedule and lining it up with when you work best will provide the highest productivity.

I was really surprised about how Adams doesn’t think goals are effective, as I’d always thought having goals was the best way to progress in life. Adams says that goals have two main flaws, and that's why we should set up systems for ourselves so we can continue to grow. The flaws are that goals are too far in the future and bums you out working today to achieve in the future and that they are too specific and often leave people disappointed with minor deviations from the achieved goal.