We know militaries tend to be very anal about this (make your bed perfectly, fold your clothes perfectly, and so on...) and they tend to be fairly efficient organizations so it must have some psychological effect probably, but it is not sure it is the kind of psychological effect you would want (obedience training, for example).
If you're adopting such a practice for your own sake, obedience to your own decisions can be considered a virtue worth cultivating. Or in LW terminology, the ability to precommit is useful and trainable.
I think spending time at LW hasi influenced me to do this, now that I think about it :)
I think a made bed looks a bit nicer, but that alone never made me make it. Everyone here makes it seem like setting and achieving goals is an attractive habit to be in, and at least with my new "little" goals, I agree, and I'm glad I have them.
It seems to be an important concept that setting goals is something that should be done. Why?
Advocates of goal-setting (and the sheer number of them) would imply that there is a reason for the concept.
I have to emphasis that I don't want answers that suggest - "Don't set goals", as is occasionally written. I specifically want answers that explain why goals are good. see http://zenhabits.net/no-goal/ for more ideas on not having goals.
I have to emphasise again that I don't mean to discredit goals or suggest that the Dilbert's Scott Adams "make systems not goals" suggestion is better or should be followed more than, "set goals". see http://blog.dilbert.com/post/102964992706/goals-vs-systems . I specifically want to ask - why should we set goals? (because the answer is not intuitive or clear to me)
Here in ROT13 is a theory; please make a suggestion first before translating:
Cer-qrpvqrq tbnyf npg nf n thvqryvar sbe shgher qrpvfvbaf; Tbnyf nffvfg jvgu frys pbageby orpnhfr lbh pna znxr cer-cynaarq whqtrzragf (V.r. V nz ba n qvrg naq pna'g rng fhtne - jura cerfragrq jvgu na rngvat-qrpvfvba). Jura lbh trg gb n guvaxvat fcnpr bs qrpvfvbaf gung ner ybat-grez be ybat-ernpuvat, gb unir cerivbhfyl pubfra tbnyf (nffhzvat lbh qvq gung jryy; jvgu pbeerpg tbny-vagreebtngvba grpuavdhrf); jvyy yrnq lbh gb znxr n orggre qrpvfvba guna bgurejvfr hacynaarq pubvprf.
Gb or rssrpgvir - tbnyf fubhyq or zber guna whfg na vagragvba. "V jnag gb or n zvyyvbanver", ohg vapyhqr n fgengrtl gb cebterff gbjneqf npuvrivat gung tbny. (fgevpgyl fcrnxvat bhe ybpny YrffJebat zrrghc'f tbny zbqry vf 3 gvrerq; "gur qernz". "gur arkg gnetrg". "guvf jrrx'f npgvba" Jurer rnpu bar yrnqf gb gur arkg bar. r.t. "tb gb fcnpr", "trg zl qrterr va nrebfcnpr ratvarrevat", "fcraq na ubhe n avtug fghqlvat sbe zl qrterr")
Qvfnqinagntr bs n tbnyf vf vg pna yvzvg lbhe bccbeghavgl gb nafjre fvghngvbaf jvgu abiry nafjref. (Gb pbagvahr gur fnzr rknzcyr nf nobir - Jura cerfragrq jvgu na rngvat pubvpr lbh znl abg pbafvqre gur pubvpr gb "abg rng nalguvat" vs lbh gubhtug uneq rabhtu nobhg vg; ohg ng yrnfg lbh zvtug pubbfr gur fyvtugyl urnyguvre bcgvba orgjrra ninvynoyr sbbqf).
I suspect that the word "goals" will need a good taboo, feel free to do so if you think that is needed in your explanation.