The Art of Impossible

Aristotle noticed that setting goals—that is, the establishment of a desired outcome or target—was one of the primary motivators of human behavior.1 He called goals one of the four foundational “causes” or big drivers of change in the world. It was a groundbreaking insight but one that’s taken us a very long time to understand.

proper goal setting requires three sets of goals: massively transformative, high and hard, and clear—for three different timescales. MTPs last a lifetime; high, hard goals can take years; clear goals are accomplished one minute at a time. But it also means knowing which goal to focus on when. Across the shorter timescales of the moment, attention n

If this life not be a real fight, in which something is eternally gained for the universe by success, it is no better than a game of private theatrics from which one may withdraw at will. But it feels like a real fight—as if there were something really wild in the universe which we . . . are needed to redeem. —WILLIAM JAMES

By consistently choosing engagement and triggering flow, the grittier folks are actually getting more happiness, not less. Thus, while grit requires more energy and emotional fortitude in the short run, it provides a much bigger boost in mood and motivation in the long run.

Intrinsic drivers are the opposite. These are psychological and emotional forces such as curiosity, passion, meaning, and purpose.

If willpower degenerates over time, don’t argue. Just start your day with your hardest task and work backward—in descending order of importance and difficulty—to the easiest. The business catchphrase for this approach is “eat your ugly frog first,”

As Richard Ryan later wrote: “Human needs [such as autonomy, mastery, and purpose] provide the energy for behavior; people value goals because the goals are expected to provide satisfaction of their needs.”5 In other words, the need for autonomy is what drives people to start their own business; goals, meanwhile, are all the individual steps requir

No creativity, no innovation; no innovation, no impossible.

if you devote your life to accomplishing lowercase i impossibles, you can sometimes end up accomplishing a capital I impossible along the way.