The Foundation for Managing Motivation| Thinking Directions
Elsewhere I have argued on the importance of having a central purpose. To refresh your recollection, “a central purpose is the long-range goal that constitutes the primary claimant on a man’s time, energy, and resources.” (Leonard Peikoff, OPAR). Recently I’ve been chewing how a central purpose makes you happier, and I thought I’d share my […]| Thinking Directions
When the desire for approval is driving many decisions, it is a “defense value.” It distorts your choices and actions and undercuts your successes and sense of self. Fortunately, this is a problem that can be remedied by taking an active approach to reprogramming your value hierarchy to eliminate this distortion. What is a defense […]| Thinking Directions
When you are committed to living by reason, contrary emotions can create all sorts of conundrums. For example, a Thinking Lab member recently reported some doubts about a decision he made to take a break and go for a walk. Based on our discussion, I would say that all of the evidence pointed toward his […]| Thinking Directions
In a previous article, I argued that accepting reality gets you serenity. In this article, I will make a case that embracing causality gets you happiness. More exactly, my point is that consciously embracing the role of the causal agent of your own happiness is necessary to achieve an enduring happiness. Happiness, like every other […]| Thinking Directions
In previous articles on “What is a Value Hierarchy?” and “How Values Form,” I teased readers with the idea that you can strategically reprogram your value hierarchy and I promised to write more on that topic. But first, there is a foundational skill that you need to understand if you are to direct the process. If […]| Thinking Directions
In a previous article, I explained that your motivation to act results from the interaction between your present awareness and your value hierarchy. A value hierarchy is a psychological structure consisting of all of your values, interrelated with one another. Some of the connections are strong, some are weak. Some are direct, some are indirect. VIewing […]| Thinking Directions
If you want to manage your motivation, you need to understand your own value hierarchy. A value hierarchy is not a list of your top ten values or a bucket list. It is a psychological structure consisting of all of the values you have formed in relation to one another. An emotion results from the […]| Thinking Directions