Ep. 303: The Problem with Grand Goals

Ep. 303: The Problem with Grand Goals

The desire to cultivate a more intentional and remarkable existence – what we call “the deep life” – is universal. In today’s episode, Cal talks about one of the most common traps in this pursuit: hoping that the achievement of a singular grand goal will make all parts of your life better. Cal discusses the problems with the grand goal approach and argues why the more systematic lifestyle-centric mindset will not only produce better results, but end up leading to remarkable opportunities anyway. He then takes questions and calls from readers and reviews the five books he read in May.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: How to create a deep life [9:55]

- Is it too late to start living deep at the age of 27? [31:29]
- Is it possible to cultivate a deep life at a job that requires full attention? [36:05]
- How come there are different Deep Life Stacks? [38:57]
- How do I cultivate a deep life with small children? [46:40]
- Do I need to “limit my missions” if I have a standard day job? [54:40]
- CALL: Keeping focus after having children [58:28]

CASE STUDY: Finding books to help cultivate a deep life [1:12:18]

FINAL SEGMENT: The 5 Books Cal Read in May 2024 [1:22:47]

Science and Human Values (J. Bronowski)
The Hot Zone (Richard Preston)
Extinction (Douglas Preston)
When the Shooting Stops…the Cutting Begins (Ralph Rosenbaum and Robert Karen)
The Great Partnership (Jonathan Sacks)

Links:


Thanks to our Sponsors:


Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episoder(412)

Ep. 371: Is it Finally Time to Leave Social Media?

Ep. 371: Is it Finally Time to Leave Social Media?

We seem to be stuck in a purgatory when it comes to the worst of the social media platforms. We know they’re not great, but it’s hard to muster enough motivation to bother to leave. In today’s episode...

22 Sep 20251h 25min

Ep. 370: Deep Work in the Age of AI

Ep. 370: Deep Work in the Age of AI

A recent study called into question a core assumption about the generative AI revolution: that these tools, at the very least, will make us more productive. In this episode, Cal dives deep into the st...

15 Sep 20251h 10min

Ep. 369: Why Are We Getting Dumber? A Debate.

Ep. 369: Why Are We Getting Dumber? A Debate.

IQ scores had been steadily rising since WWII. But, more recently, this phenomenon has stopped.  Since 2010, we’ve actually been getting dumber. In this episode, Cal gets into the common theories for ...

8 Sep 20251h 33min

IN-DEPTH: The Game of Life (w/ Tim Ferriss)

IN-DEPTH: The Game of Life (w/ Tim Ferriss)

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, Cal is joined by bestselling author and podcaster, Tim Ferriss. Tim rocketed to prominence with his 2007 book, “The Four Hour WorkWeek” which basically redefined a generat...

4 Sep 20251h 57min

Ep. 368: I Want Work-Life Balance. Am I Doomed to Mediocrity?

Ep. 368: I Want Work-Life Balance. Am I Doomed to Mediocrity?

A 22-year-old made a splash recently when he published a Wall Street Journal op-ed claiming that work-life balance makes you mediocre. He went on to brag about how sleeping less than 4 hours a night a...

1 Sep 20251h 27min

Ep. 367: What if AI Doesn’t Get Much Better Than This?

Ep. 367: What if AI Doesn’t Get Much Better Than This?

In recent years, it’s been hard not to react to the possibilities of generative AI without a mixture of euphoria or dread. But after OpenAI’s lackluster GPT-5 launch, a new, almost heretical-seeming q...

25 Aug 20251h 37min

Ep. 366: How to Reinvent Your Life in 4 Months (Classic Episode from August, 2023)

Ep. 366: How to Reinvent Your Life in 4 Months (Classic Episode from August, 2023)

In this replay of one of the more popular episodes from the Deep Questions archives, originally aired in August ,2023, Cal explores some of his early strategies for cultivating a deeper life.Below are...

18 Aug 20251h 17min

Ep. 365: What Technology Wants (and How to Push Back)

Ep. 365: What Technology Wants (and How to Push Back)

Why do we end up entangled with tools that don’t have our best interests in mind? How can we fix this situation? In this episode, Cal dives deep into the difference between additive and extractive tec...

11 Aug 20251h 2min

Populært innen Fakta

mikkels-paskenotter
fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
foreldreradet
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
treningspodden
jakt-og-fiskepodden
takk-og-lov-med-anine-kierulf
sinnsyn
hverdagspsyken
rss-bisarr-historie
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
rss-kunsten-a-leve
rss-kull
fryktlos
rss-var-forste-kaffe
rss-sunn-okonomi
gravid-uke-for-uke
hagespiren-podcast