What have you recently tried, and failed at?

Emile

Kaj Sotala said:

[I]f you punish yourself for trying and failing, you stop wanting to try in the first place, as it becomes associated with the negative emotions. Also, accepting and being okay with the occasional failure makes you treat it as a genuine choice where you have agency, not something that you're forced to do against your will.

So maybe we should celebrate failed attempts more often ... I for one can't think of anything I've failed at recently, which is probably a sign that I'm not trying enough new things.

So, what specific things have you failed at recently?

Kaj Sotala said:

[I]f you punish yourself for trying and failing, you stop wanting to try in the first place, as it becomes associated with the negative emotions. Also, accepting and being okay with the occasional failure makes you treat it as a genuine choice where you have agency, not something that you're forced to do against your will.

So maybe we should celebrate failed attempts more often ... I for one can't think of anything I've failed at recently, which is probably a sign that I'm not trying enough new things.

So, what specific things have you failed at recently?

If you can't find the right software to implement GTD, why don't you just use pen and paper?

Here is how I would do it: a plastic envelope for all papers; one paper for each project, one paper for each context, one or more papers for incoming ideas. Write any new idea on the "incoming" paper and process it later. On a project paper list all tasks that need to be done for this project; you can also use it for other project-related information. Make a circle around the "next task" (and write it on the context paper), then cross it out (on both project and context papers) when it is done. If any paper gets too ugly, replace it with a fresh version at home. You can keep an archive of the old project papers.

Maybe you have a good reason for wanting a computer version instead of paper version, but I have noticed that many computer users have a bias for doing everything at computer, whether it's useful or not. For other kinds of information, computers have clear advantages: easier to process, not much space required for many data. However, GTD is different -- most of the papers you just use for a short time and throw them away. (You can always make a digital record of your completed projects later.) Paper gives you high speed and complete freedom to customize, and you can start right now.

The problem I'm running into is that many of the things I'm trying to work on are very multifaceted and so I feel that I need a computer to organize my thoughts on them.

If I'm trying to make a complicated decision such as how to optimize my diet, there are MANY different things to read and you need to be able to break your research into manageable components. I feel like I can only manage this complexity with a computer.

I find that even existing computer tools are really unsatisfying. Trying to use pen and paper sounds maddeningly difficult. I'm curious ... (read more)

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What have you recently tried, and failed at?

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What have you recently tried, and failed at?

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