Distinguishing Modest from Ambitious Objectives

2min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

Modest objectives are achievable goals like running longer or losing weight, while ambitious objectives are challenging tasks like curing cancer or achieving artificial general intelligence. Society relies on ambitious objectives for innovation, but the critique is focused on these ambitious goals, not on setting modest objectives. The issue with ambitious objectives is that trying harder may not lead to success, and one must remain open to unexpected outcomes.

Artificial intelligence researcher and author Kenneth Stanley has argued that “as soon as you create an objective, you ruin your ability to reach it.” So what should you consider when thinking about your objectives, and what will set you up for success? On this episode Stanley discusses how to set the right objectives for your life, why we’re too tied to accomplishments, what role accountability plays in our education system, the value of peer review, why transformative innovations are always counter intuitive, and so much more.

Stanley is the co–author of Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned: The Myth of the Objective, as well as the former Head of Core AI Research at Uber AI and the Open-Endedness Team Leader at OpenAI. He has also served as the Charles Millican Professor in Computer Science at University of Central Florida.

Want even more? Members get early access, hand-edited transcripts, member-only episodes, and so much more. Learn more here: https://fs.blog/membership/

Every Sunday our Brain Food newsletter shares timeless insights and ideas that you can use at work and home. Add it to your inbox: https://fs.blog/newsletter/

Follow Shane on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/ShaneAParrish