Comments on: The Effort Threshold http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/ Thu, 09 Sep 2010 20:08:29 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Launchpad http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-366889 Launchpad Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:42:32 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/#comment-366889 Nice post. Well it do take efforts to accomplish something. We can't get that thing by talking about that. We have to do something. And that requires time...If we give time we get..else we just keep on talking. I know the rules , wish i will start working on them soon. Nice post. Well it do take efforts to accomplish something. We can’t get that thing by talking about that. We have to do something. And that requires time…If we give time we get..else we just keep on talking. I know the rules , wish i will start working on them soon.

]]> By: BK http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-307430 BK Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:10:23 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/#comment-307430 Hey thanks for the feedback! Hey thanks for the feedback!

]]> By: Scott Young http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-307089 Scott Young Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:50:38 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/#comment-307089 BK, It really depends on your abilities. I'll often read information which I know I won't be able to perfectly retain later. Especially if it doesn't jump out at me as being either obvious or interesting. In those cases, I usually apply some extra methods like active reading or deliberate holistic learning techniques to fix those ideas in my mind more strongly. P.S. - Only one comment post is necessary. First time commentors must have their comments approved by me before they go online, that is why your comment didn't initially show up. -Scott BK,

It really depends on your abilities. I’ll often read information which I know I won’t be able to perfectly retain later. Especially if it doesn’t jump out at me as being either obvious or interesting.

In those cases, I usually apply some extra methods like active reading or deliberate holistic learning techniques to fix those ideas in my mind more strongly.

P.S. – Only one comment post is necessary. First time commentors must have their comments approved by me before they go online, that is why your comment didn’t initially show up.

-Scott

]]> By: BK http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-306629 BK Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:54:26 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/#comment-306629 Hi I read your article "10 Tips to Study Smart and Save Time" and I must say I found it very genuine,real and informative which is based on my experience too. I just completed my A-Levels and would be entering medicine first year soon. I would like to ask you what do you think about reading aloud while studying the medical books,simply scribbling as you read and then doing short notes on each section you have finished studying.I sometimes use this method but it really drains a lot of energy out of me and I understand medical books are really very thick. So, do you think the right way would then be to just visually read while doing the understanding in the mind and connecting the facts? Would that be sufficient or do I also need to write short notes or speak aloud to retain the information? I am also particularly worried about anatomy. Thank you. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Hi I read your article “10 Tips to Study Smart and Save Time” and I must say I found it very genuine,real and informative which is based on my experience too. I just completed my A-Levels and would be entering medicine first year soon.
I would like to ask you what do you think about reading aloud while studying the medical books,simply scribbling as you read and then doing short notes on each section you have finished studying.I sometimes use this method but it really drains a lot of energy out of me and I understand medical books are really very thick.
So, do you think the right way would then be to just visually read while doing the understanding in the mind and connecting the facts? Would that be sufficient or do I also need to write short notes or speak aloud to retain the information? I am also particularly worried about anatomy.

Thank you. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

]]> By: Andresito http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-305589 Andresito Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:48:16 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/#comment-305589 As Michael Jordan said, "You can practice the shot for 8 hrs everyday. If the technique is wrong you'll become someone who is good at shooting bad." As Michael Jordan said,
“You can practice the shot for 8 hrs everyday. If the technique is wrong you’ll become someone who is good at shooting bad.”

]]> By: Andresito http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-305583 Andresito Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:28:30 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/#comment-305583 I bet you meant to put numbers just to get an idea of how much "experience" you must get on your own for certain tasks. By experience I mean quality of thinking-energy, planning, and learning cycle. 5000000 words aren't equal to 500 "words," the latter being quality and presumably coming from "some" experience. words < "words" ^^ I bet you meant to put numbers just to get an idea of how much “experience” you must get on your own for certain tasks.
By experience I mean quality of thinking-energy, planning, and learning cycle.

5000000 words aren’t equal to 500 “words,” the latter being quality and presumably coming from “some” experience.
words < “words” ^^

]]> By: Scott Young http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-305564 Scott Young Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:26:28 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/#comment-305564 David, Yes, it's a simplification. I guess the best way to summarize the thrust of my article is this: 1. For each of your goals, find a few people who already did it. 2. Figure out how much effort they applied before making progress. 3. Apply at least that much effort. Reading also helps with writing. To say that every goal simply requires effort in one predictable form of input would be a gross misrepresentation. Having a successful business requires thousands of inputs of effort to be successful. Cal, I definitely connect with your comment about youth. Occasionally I've been asked by readers why my blog doesn't have the same traffic levels as larger blogs like Zen Habits or Steve Pavlina's website. The most reasonable answer is simply I haven't put nearly the same amount of effort in. Leo was a writer for decades and Steve Pavlina had been researching his field for over ten years. Effort isn't a sufficient condition for success, but it is often necessary. I think the effort threshold is good to keep your mind focused on the big picture. When you're not as successful as you think you should be after a few months, step back and realize you've only ran half the race. It shouldn't be used to discourage you from getting started, however. -Scott David,

Yes, it’s a simplification. I guess the best way to summarize the thrust of my article is this:

1. For each of your goals, find a few people who already did it.
2. Figure out how much effort they applied before making progress.
3. Apply at least that much effort.

Reading also helps with writing. To say that every goal simply requires effort in one predictable form of input would be a gross misrepresentation. Having a successful business requires thousands of inputs of effort to be successful.

Cal,

I definitely connect with your comment about youth. Occasionally I’ve been asked by readers why my blog doesn’t have the same traffic levels as larger blogs like Zen Habits or Steve Pavlina’s website. The most reasonable answer is simply I haven’t put nearly the same amount of effort in. Leo was a writer for decades and Steve Pavlina had been researching his field for over ten years. Effort isn’t a sufficient condition for success, but it is often necessary.

I think the effort threshold is good to keep your mind focused on the big picture. When you’re not as successful as you think you should be after a few months, step back and realize you’ve only ran half the race. It shouldn’t be used to discourage you from getting started, however.

-Scott

]]> By: David Cain http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-305551 David Cain Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:00:45 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/#comment-305551 Yes, I've found that most of the time when I've been falling short of my goals, it's because I'm simply not expecting enough of myself. But it should certainly be noted that there isn't always an easy quantity to measure as 'effort.' Sometimes there is an important catalyst missing For example, you can write 5,000,000 words, but you'll still be a terrible writer if you don't <i>read</i> a lot too. Yes, I’ve found that most of the time when I’ve been falling short of my goals, it’s because I’m simply not expecting enough of myself.

But it should certainly be noted that there isn’t always an easy quantity to measure as ‘effort.’ Sometimes there is an important catalyst missing

For example, you can write 5,000,000 words, but you’ll still be a terrible writer if you don’t read a lot too.

]]> By: Rick Cooper, The Attraction Marketing Expert http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-305358 Rick Cooper, The Attraction Marketing Expert Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:21:32 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/#comment-305358 Great insights Scott. I love your suggestion to "Look at the ordinary people, who through consistent effort managed to reach an attainable goal." Too often, people look for shortcuts and miss the opportunities that lay in front of them. Hard work pays off! @RickCooper Great insights Scott. I love your suggestion to “Look at the ordinary people, who through consistent effort managed to reach an attainable goal.”

Too often, people look for shortcuts and miss the opportunities that lay in front of them. Hard work pays off! @RickCooper

]]> By: Cal http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-305220 Cal Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:43:27 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/03/31/the-effort-threshold/#comment-305220 Scott, I really agree with you here. Another distortion that causes trouble is that when you're young you can sometimes get disproportionate credit for relatively small things simply because you are unusually young. This can also lead to a sense of a little bit of effort being sufficient to stand out. As you point out, however, for most things, at most points of life, there is no escaping Steve Martin's maxim: "If you want to succeed [in a field] you have to be so good they can't ignore you." - Cal Scott,

I really agree with you here. Another distortion that causes trouble is that when you’re young you can sometimes get disproportionate credit for relatively small things simply because you are unusually young. This can also lead to a sense of a little bit of effort being sufficient to stand out. As you point out, however, for most things, at most points of life, there is no escaping Steve Martin’s maxim: “If you want to succeed [in a field] you have to be so good they can’t ignore you.”

- Cal

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