On Achievement
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Self Improvement -> subcategory Goal Setting.
On AchievementTitle: On Achievement
Summary:
Is earning interest on compensatory damages an achievement for a comatose person? Examining the nature of achievement reveals the importance of intention and conscious effort.
Article Body:
Can a comatose person earning a million USD in annual interest from compensatory damages be considered an achiever? While earning such a sum is typically seen as an accomplishment, doing so in a comatose state challenges this notion. Achievement generally requires consciousness and intelligence.
Even when these conditions are met, they are insufficient. Consider a conscious person who accidentally discovers a treasure trove, becoming a billionaire overnight. This fortunate find is not usually seen as an achievement. True achievement demands intention, a key criterion emphasized by philosophers focusing on intentionality.
Suppose a conscious, intelligent person desires a specific goal and takes various random actions, one of which leads to success. Do we label this person an achiever? Not exactly. Intention alone isn’t enough; a clear, pragmatic plan directly connected to the goal is essential. This plan should include predictions that can be tested and verified or disproven. Achieving a goal involves creating a mini-theory, surveying reality, constructing models, and conducting experiments. Only when predictions prove accurate can we call it an achievement.
Thus, to be an achiever, one must be conscious, have a clear intention, plan strategically, and predict outcomes effectively.
However, planning isn’t enough. One must act on these plans and invest effort proportionate to the desired result and their capabilities. If someone plans to earn a university degree by bribing professors, this is not viewed as an achievement. Earning a degree should involve sustained, rigorous effort. If a person is exceptionally gifted, less effort may be expected, but it should still be meaningful and aligned with their abilities. A sporadic or disproportionate effort cancels the notion of achievement. The effort must follow a coherent, continuous pattern guided by a clear plan and intention. Random or arbitrary actions undermine achievement status. Ultimately, it’s the pursuit and consistent effort that defines achievement, not merely the outcome.
Consideration of achievement must also account for the external world and its changes. Achievements bring change, whether through direct observation or testimonials in cases like acquisition of knowledge. Without change, achievements lack meaning. In a stagnant world, no achievement is possible. Furthermore, the change must be irreversible or lead to irreversible effects. Take Sisyphus, who endlessly rolls a stone uphill only to see it roll back down. Despite conscious intention and effort, his achievements are reversed, rendering them meaningless. Meaning stems from irreversible change. Without it, achievements are as futile as Sisyphus's labor.
Irreversibility ties not only to meaning but to free will and freedom from coercion. Sisyphus lacks autonomy, with others reversing his actions, nullifying any achievements. Without free will, real plans, intentions, and genuine achievements cannot exist.
Understanding our actions and results requires considering various factors. Context is critical: the circumstances, expected norms, and the levels of planning, intention, effort, and perseverance typically involved. Labeling actions as achievements requires social judgment and recognition. For instance, breathing isn’t seen as an achievement, except in the case of Stephen Hawking, where society views his continued mental alertness as remarkable. Describing an invalid breathing as an achievement depends on the informed perspective of society, lacking objective weight.
Ultimately, achievements are classified through value judgments within historical, psychological, and cultural contexts. Whether actions and results are deemed positive or negative depends on these contexts. For example, genocide wouldn't be an achievement in the USA, though it might have been within the SS ranks. Perhaps the first universal achievement would be defining an achievement independent of social context, recognized universally anytime, anywhere.
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: On Achievement.
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